Page 17 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

I became furious and tried to find him. But the soldiers surrounded me immediately and asked me,“This way, Princess.”

?? ? ??

The vision of his reflection in the holy water distraught me as I stumbled back into my chamber and settled on the bed.

My heart throbbed in fear of what I had witnessed earlier. I saw Rudra's face. It was supposed to be the King, but…. it was Rudra. Why? Why him?

The ritual was sacred and solemn. But he used it for his convenience, deliberately stepping forward to prevent me from looking at the king.

How could he? How dare he do that?

I clutched the bed cover in my hands when there was a loud knock on my door.

“Nandani,” I heard my mother's voice, and I immediately brushed my tears away to open the door.

“Maasa,” I acknowledged and saw her holding a food platter. Entering the chamber, she placed the platter on the table and said,“You should eat now.”

Walking to the couch, I sat beside her. She made a morsel and brought it near my mouth to feed me. I took it silently when she said,“Nandani, you should think about it again.”

I was on the verge of crying.

“Have you heard from Nand yet?” I asked about my twin brother.

She disappointingly shook her head.

“Nothing. Since he learned what Rudra did to you, he has secluded himself in the palace of Pratapgarh. The head commander sent a letter saying he didn't want to talk to anyone.” She explained and fed me another bite.

“So, how can I think about it again, Maasa?” I questioned and continued,“I was the reason why Abhinandan left us behind. He couldn't see me in pain and endure what happened to me. He thinks he's the cause of it all since he brought Rudra here. And this did not just break his trust, this broke him from the inside.” I explained how emotionally imbalanced my brother would have been.

“As I've already told you, maasa, Rudra is a quick-witted man. He is not the supreme commander of Suryagarh's army for no reason. I believe he, by now, must have started scheming to claim the throne. Let’s say he will not attack us, but Abhinandan will oneday. He would want to kill Rudra at some point when he gets over his grief. That war is inevitable.” I spoke of the future crisis and continued,“And when that happens, I want to stand by my brother's side not as a weakness but as his strength, and my marriage to the King will strengthen us. If I bear his child, people will adhere to the queen even if anything happens to the King. At this point, it’s not about me or anyone else, but my brother. And for him, I don't want to have any second thoughts. The sooner the better,” she was in tears by the end.

“I don't know Nandani. I don't know what to do anymore. I've never been so helpless. Ever. On one side, it's you; on the other, it's your brother. You are both equal to me, although we cannot disregard your words. But, the price is too big, my child, we cannot afford it.” Her lips quivered as she let out how obligated she felt while holding my hand.

“The King is a gentleman, Maasa. What if he is old? At least, I'll be a queen and nobody will question my virtue. Because a king and his queen are powerful,” I justified.

“But your father? He will never let it happen,” she replied. I took a deep breath and requested,“You’ll have to convince him, Maasa. But make sure in the end you choose what is correct—a young man for your daughter or the life of your son and the safety of thousands of people of our empire.” Standing up, she closed her eyes, allowing the tears to drip down her face.

“That's tougher than death,” she stated, leaving my chamber. I wiped away my tears and retired for the night. Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day. I had to tell whom I would choose.

I didn't know how to convince my father, as he was impulsive and reactive. He has always chosen to act on his instincts instead of thinking them through. But I was no longer bothered about him; it was my brother who concerned me. My brother, who was in anguish and not in a state to fight a war.

With these thoughts lurking in my mind, I eventually drifted to sleep.

?? ? ? ?

I looked at myself in the mirror, inhaling sharply to gather all my energy. I prepared for the meeting in the palace hall. However, my trembling fingers and rapidly beating heart weren’t helping my condition.

I placed the veil over my head and looked at Suman, who was waiting for me with the other attendees.“Shall we go?” Suman asked.

I nodded.

However, the visuals of everything that occurred in the last two weeks and during Gangaur kept blurring my mind repeatedly. So, I told them to give me privacy and sank into a chair.

“Nandani, are you okay?” Suman placed her hand on my shoulder and asked when all the other attendees left the chamber.

“I don't know, Suman,” I palmed my face in dismay. She sat in front of me, holding my wrists gently.“What is this about?” She asked, moving my palms off my face. I looked at her.

“On one hand, I have my life, dreams, but shattered, trust but broken, and my dignity questioned. And, on the other hand, I have my family, its honour, and its pride that I've already ruined. I…want everything to be well-ordered now, no more drama, no more talks, and no more crazy things,” I vocalised exhaustively.

---