Page 48 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

What was that?!

My wrist was held from behind, and I turned around to the sight of blood. Red everywhere.

Tears rolled down my face as I raked my eyes through thecolonnade, blood splattered on the pillars, pooled around the wounded, writhing soldiers on the floor. They were weeping in pain, some lying lifeless on the ground, some helping the others.

He walked ahead, while I had my feet nailed to the ground, because my eyes had never witnessed something as barbarous as that.

He did all of that?!

The thought made me want to run away, someplace far, because I couldn't bear to look at hundreds of people bleeding to death.

While I stood traumatised at the place, he picked me up in his arms, catching me off guard. I shook my head. To say I was scared would be an understatement. I was beyond petrified.

When did he become so callous and cold-blooded? Words hung in my throat as I didn't know such a side of him existed.

He put me down when the massacre place was away from our range of vision.

“How dare you?” Suddenly, a woman’s voice rang through the empty corridors, and I turned to see an old lady approaching us, accompanied by a group of attendants.

“Rudra,” she yelled at him, and a frightening shiver ran down my spine when she delivered a stinging slap right on his cheek.

“How dare you?” She wrenched his kurta in anger, and I saw him standing still in front of her with his eyes set down to the floor.“I told you not to do this. I warned you about the destruction it would cause: people will go against you. Thousands of soldiers are now wounded because of you. How could you be so heartless? You put your life in danger along with thousands of others, just for the throne,” she slapped him again and held his face to make him look at her.

“What were you thinking?” Her voice cracked, and she coughed because of all the crying. Her footsteps faltered, and he immediately stretched his hand to hold her.

“Badi Maa,” He called her, but she stopped him from stepping closer.

“Don't touch me. You are a king now; I don't think someone like me belongs here.” His face fell at her comment.

“Please don't say that, Badi Maa,” He said, and she knelt on the floor, holding her head.

“You have made so many people stand against you now. I told you to wait—wait until he died. You were the only hereditarysuccessor. So why did you do all this?” she complained in a weak voice. I looked at him kneeling before her, holding her, as he voiced his concern.

“You need to see the physician,” she fainted, and he immediately lifted her in his arms and walked away in a hurry.

“Someone, call the vaidya,” He screamed and took her inside, while I just stood there not understanding anything. I was just trying to comprehend things when someone called me from behind.

“Please come with me, Ranisa35, I will take you to your chamber.” I looked at a girl standing with her head bowed down, accompanied by two more girls, as she politely offered help, and I nodded.

They guided me through the corridors adjoining the palace’s main building, accompanied by the others. The entire palace was divided into seven sections, each with its own entry gate and courtyard, connecting to another in a circle. We passed through all the galleries and finally reached a serene and uncrowded area of the palace.

It was entirely different from other buildings, nestled in a vast, beautiful, and well-kept garden, resembling a small palace, yet it was immensely large and spacious.

“Up here, Ranisa.” The attendees guided me as I climbed the stairs. The cool breeze coursed through the open courtyard at the chamber entrance, and I felt relaxed as the freshness of the air calmed my insides.

“This is your chamber, Ranisa,” the attendee assisting me said, and I lifted my veil to look around.

The chamber’s foyer resembled a dome, rising high on robust white sandstone pillars, adorned with an intricate motif design carved into the stone roof. It exuded a divine and positive atmosphere.

Massive wooden doors opened, and I stepped inside through the entryway. A grand, circular hall sat in the chamber’s heart, with doors opening to the other adjoining parts.

Unlike the outer architect, the interior was crafted from marble, with the overhead ceiling and pillars intricately sculpted and vibrantly painted in shades of gold, red, and blue. This detailing accentuated the floral patterns in the stone, giving the entire chamber an exquisite appearance. A grand chandelier hung at thecenter, adorned with crystals and glass carvings, designed to hold lanterns.

It seemed to be the main guest chamber, with numerous couches arranged, plush carpets to walk on, and tables in the center. More ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, smaller than the one in the middle, with curved arms to hold candles that would illuminate the entire room. Candlesticks were placed on an altar-like design in every corner of the chamber.

To my left, the hallways guided me to an enormous door that opened onto a library with couches and tables arranged for sitting and reading. It was packed. Wouldn’t it be too hot, with no windows and only the door for open space?! Lamps and candles had to be lit even during the day. I noticed thousands of books neatly arranged on the wooden shelves. A couple of book titles caught my eye, and I smiled at finding a few familiar ones. It was serene.

Ambling further in the same direction, I entered another part, in the middle of which I saw a small pavilion-like structure, and the space at its center was empty for the idol to be placed. It seemed like a prayer room, filled with sunlight streaming in from the latticed windows. I found it truly seraphic.

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