Sree’s POV:
The moment I stood up from the mandap, my feet began to feel heavy. This palace of Bundelkhand, which until yesterday was just an unfamiliar place to me, had weakened me today through the tears of its King.
As soon as the wedding rituals were concluded, we were brought to the palace temple where the entire royal family and the elders had gathered. The first rays of the sun were just about to break.
All the elders of the clan took Akshat (sacred rice) and flower petals in their hands. Simultaneously, they showered that rice upon us, as if every single grain was a prayer for our prosperous life.
"May you remain a bride forever!"
"May your union last for lifetimes!"
Amidst the chanting of mantras and the echoes of well-wishes, flowers rained down on Manveer and me. It was a deeply sacred moment.
Following this, we began seeking blessings from all the elders, one by one, by touching their feet. First, we approached Manveer’s father.
He placed his hand on my head and said with great affection, "beta, from today, you are the dignity of our lineage."
Then we reached the King and Queen of Bundelkhand. As I leaned down to touch their feet, the King lifted me and pressed me to his chest once more.
"I am not seeing you off, beti... I am sending my happiness away in your form," the King said through his tears. He took Manveer’s hand and placed my hand into his. "Samrat, it is now your duty to cherish her."
Manveer took his hand with great solemnity. "I promise, Maharaj. The Princess shall never want for anything in Ashoknagar."
I sought blessings from all the elders in turn, and each time, my back was patted in approval.
Before our final departure, we were escorted to the main veranda of the palace.
Two grand shahi chairs made of velvet were placed there. All around, fragrant torches were burning. Manveer sat right beside me. A royal platter filled with chhappan bhog (fifty-six delicacies) was served before us, but I could hardly swallow a single morsel.
According to tradition, Manveer picked up a morsel and offered it to me.
From beneath the veil, I saw that his fingers possessed the exact same strength that had once tried to choke the life out of my love—yet today, those very hands were feeding me with apparent affection. I accepted the morsel, and then, with trembling hands, I fed him in return. This wasn't a meal; it was the initiation of a conspiracy where my silence acted as the venom.
The hour every daughter dreads arrived right after the feast. The palanquin stood ready outside the palace. I was a complete stranger to Bundelkhand, but seeing the pure, unconditional love of the King, Queen, and Prince, even my heart of stone began to melt.
My mind repeatedly wandered back to my own biological parents. Their smiling faces, the courtyard of Jwalapur... everything had turned into a blur. I clung to the King of Bundelkhand and began to weep so bitterly that my sobs wouldn't cease. They believed I was their daughter, Diya, but in truth, I was mourning my own fate and my lost loved ones.
One by one, everyone offered me their counsel.
"Daughter, uphold the dignity of your new home," the Queen said, weeping.
"Diya, my sister, if you ever face any trouble, remember your brother," the Prince said, holding my hand.
I took everyone's blessings and walked toward the palanquin. Manveer had already mounted his horse, his eyes fixed upon me. I sat inside the doli, the curtains were drawn, and the bearers lifted the palanquin.
For the first time, I truly realized that there was no turning back. I was Rajsree, heading to the home of my own killer inside a palanquin—arriving not as a traditional bride, but as death itself.
I looked down at my palms where the name 'Manveer' was written. I took off my nose ring and began scratching away the intricate henna on my palm with its sharp edge.
Manveer, you think you have conquered yet another kingdom... but in truth, you have seated death itself inside this palanquin.
Just then, the sound of galloping horse hooves echoed right outside. Manveer must have been riding exceptionally close to the palanquin. Through a tiny slit in the curtain, I peeked outside. The silence of the night ruled the air, and in the bright glow of the torches, Manveer’s face was clearly visible. He did not look happy; there were deep lines of worry etched across his forehead.
Suddenly, the palanquin ground to a halt. A commander came running forward.
"Rana sa! A problem has arisen. The gift chest that was leading the procession... strange sounds are coming from inside it."
My heart jumped straight into my throat. Has Diya regained consciousness? Will they open the chest? If she is caught right now, my entire game ends right here.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed my terror down, nudged the palanquin curtain slightly aside, and masked my voice to sound soft, low, and exactly like Diya.
"Maharaj..." I whispered from inside the palanquin, "Do not worry. There is a pet cat of mine inside that chest... she panicked while leaving Bundelkhand, which is probably why she is making noises from within. It will be auspicious to let her out only after we reach Ashoknagar."
The moment Manveer heard my voice, he pulled the reins of his horse and drew right up to the palanquin. Through that small slit in the curtain, I saw his dark, piercing eyes trying to stare straight into the darkness of the doli. He looked at me for a sustained moment with those deep, watchful eyes—as if trying to dissect the hidden truth behind my voice.
However, dismissing his bride's very first request was beneath his royal dignity.
"Very well," Manveer finally said, without breaking his gaze or looking at the commander, his voice carrying a calculated calm.
"Move the chest behind the palanquin, and ensure that no one touches it until we reach Ashoknagar."
The commander bowed his head, and the army moved forward. I let the curtain fall back into place and exhaled deeply. My body was completely drenched in cold sweat, but a lethal smile now played on my lips. Manveer had conceded to my words, but the way his deep eyes had lingered warned me that as this journey progressed, the danger would only grow sharper.
After hours of a long, exhausting journey, the commander loudly announced, "Rana sanki jay ho! We are entering the borders of Ashoknagar!"
The glow of torches intensified all around. The townsfolk lined the streets to welcome their new Emperor and his bride. A shower of flower petals rained down onto the roof of the palanquin, but to me, this celebration felt like stepping onto a battlefield. I had finally arrived at the very place where my family's blood was spilled, and where I had to reclaim my lost kingdom.
The palanquin finally stopped in the main courtyard of the palace.
"Raise the curtains and escort the Princess out with due respect," the voice of Manveer’s father commanded.
The curtains of the palanquin were raised. I pulled my heavy veil even lower, ensuring that no one could see my face in the brilliant, glittering lights of the palace.
The moment I stepped out of the palanquin, Manveer extended his hand. As I took it, I noticed his grip was tighter this time—as if he were still trying to decipher the inexplicable, invisible chill radiating from my touch.
"Welcome to Ashoknagar, Princess," Manveer said softly. His tone was perfectly calm, yet those dark, piercing eyes of his still carried that haunting trace of bewilderment.
Together, we walked toward the grand entrance where my new mother-in-law stood waiting with a prayer platter. She performed our welcoming rituals, applied the holy vermilion to our foreheads, and gestured for me to tip over the ceremonial rice urn to cross the threshold. As my foot nudged the urn aside, I made a silent vow—Manveer, every single step I take into this palace will draft the blueprint of your empire's destruction.
Once the house-warming rituals concluded, the Emperor turned to the chief maid and said, "Now, escort the Princess to her chambers. She is exhausted."
He then turned back to the commander and ordered, "And ensure that the gift chest trailing behind the palanquin is brought directly to the Princess's chambers. It contains something very dear to her."
Behind my veil, my breath hitched. The chest was coming straight to my room, which meant the next crisis was going to be monumental. I had to find a way to get Diya safely out of that chest before Manveer could arrive.
To be continued......
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