Page 140 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

Why didn’t anyone ever tell me?

Who had I been fighting for all these years? Who had I been sacrificing myself for? A man who didn’t deserve it. A man who deserved to die.

And if he were alive—if he had done that in front of me—I swear, I would have killed him myself.

Was it all a lie? Was my entire life built on a lie?

I had lived with one goal—to avenge his death. Because I believed he died fighting for something just, something noble. But all along… It was just lust—just his filthy hunger.

“Bhaisa, open the door… Bhai-sa,”

Ranvijay’s voice pulled me back. I wiped my tears and tried to steady my breath.“I’m okay, Ranvijay… I just need a little time alone.”

I heard him sigh before replying,“Alright. But please, take care of yourself. Remember, you’re like a father to Agastya and me, a big brother, Bhabhisa’s husband, and now a king. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

His words broke me all over again.

“I know,” I whispered, my voice shaky. And I criedhelplessly.

?? ? ? ?

Nandani

It had been a long and tiring day. I met everyone—everyone I’d known since childhood until now. They all said they missed me. And I missed them too.

Everyone I knew coloured me from head to toe: my family, my friends, the young girls, and the old women I used to talk to before I got married.

I was truly happy.

Looking at myself in the mirror, completely covered in colours, I felt loved. Yet, there was one person, actually two, who hadn’t coloured me: my brother and my husband.

Well, I knew why my brother hadn’t. But it surprised me that I hadn’t seen my husband since I last saw him with my father.

Was everything alright? I hoped he wasn’t upset with me, maybe for being playful, or because Agastya had coloured me first, not him.

I wasn’t sure why, but my heart felt heavy. There was a restlessness, a dull ache in me perhaps, because I hadn’t eaten anything since morning.

He was probably out at work, perhaps to meet his Guruji, or maybe he was forbidden from playing Holi, as it was considered a joyous occasion.

I walked weakly towards the bathing room, a cloud of thoughts swirling in my mind. Stripping off my coloured clothes, I let my long hair loose as I entered the swimming pool.

A few attendants joined me to help scrub the colours from my skin, applying herbal pastes and aromatic oils all over my body.They washed my hair thoroughly, using several masks, ending with a lavender one to leave its gentle fragrance behind.

After the long, relaxing, yet thoughtful bath, I stepped out and changed into a cotton peach lehenga to be comfortable at night, yet decent enough for dinner in the dining hall.

I removed the extra jewellery, leaving my nose ring, bangles, waist chain, anklets, and headpiece in place.

“You all may leave. And if anyone asks about me, please tell them I’m having dinner in the chamber,” I told the attendants who were helping me dry my hair.

“Okay, Princess,” they nodded. I gave them a faint smile and watched as they left.

Night had already fallen, and I still had no idea where my husband was. He couldn’t be with my parents or his brothers because I had been with them until the evening.

I didn’t want to overthink it, but something inside me… didn’t feel right. My heart was unsettled, and a deep dread began taking hold.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

I could feel it in my bones. A tight, chilling unease crept through me, and my body shivered as the winds shifted outside. My eyes welled up with tears, uninvited.

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