Page 138 of The Burning Mountain
RAJGARH
The summons to Rajgarh came a couple days after that eye-opening conversation with her brother. Several horses, a small battalion of soldiers, and an accompaniment of maids were sent to escort her during the journey, which thankfully went uneventfully. And today marked the day she returned to Ujjaini.
Chandra peered out her palanquin as it carried her through the main street of Rajgarh’s capital city. Flowers were strewn on the road, and others were twined into yellow and red-gold ropes decorating the many doorways. People lined the streets, and their cheers, mixed with the sound of trumpets, were deafening. The entire city seemed to celebrate her arrival.
The royal family and court were assembled to greet her at the entrance to the palace.
For a princess who was wrongly accused of murder and abandoned, this was indeed a high honor.
Chandra was dressed in a rich flowing saree, embroidered with delicate threads and with intricate jewelry adorning her hair and arms. Veils covered her face, as per the custom here.She stepped down from the palanquin and went to her in-laws first, touching their feet in blessing.
“You are our people’s hero, Chandrasena. Welcome back home,” said Queen Archana Devi, smiling warmly as she hugged her, escorting her inside.
Chandra felt bittersweet about the welcome. She could feel the tall, dark shadow of her husband beside her. And yet as she glanced at him, she discovered his eyes were shuttered, his jaw stern, giving her no indication of his feelings.
Many things fell to her, on her first official day as the crown princess of Rajgarh. First, her mother-in-law and Vireni took her on a tour of the palace. She found an entire wing was dedicated to her rooms, but they were a distance fromhisquarters.And then she had to meet several important people.
Just when she was giving up hope that she would see him that day, Veer sent word to meet him at the balcony where Vihari usually landed.
By the time she climbed the long flight of stairs, the misery turned into annoyance and then anger. But despite being miffed, she hoped to get some answers for his behavior.
She found Vihari waiting for her, his feathers glowing bronze in the setting sun, and she ran to him when he gave a whiny cry of recognition, resting her forehead against his neck, hoping to feel some warmth for her soul.
“Are you tired?”
She lifted her head. Veer stood before her.
She drank in his appearance greedily. He looked so handsome in his gold-and-black tunic, but so solemn, while she felt a mix of trepidation and longing run through her. He was clean-shaven, his sharp jaw showing the slight scar he carried. The heavy sword tucked into his cummerbund added to his remoteness.
She shook her head, knowing if she opened her mouth, she would either cry or scream at him, probably both.
“There’s a place I want to show you.” He offered her his hand. “If you’re not too tired, we can make the trip now. Vihari will take us.”
She stared at his hand and resolutely turned her head away.
“Please, Chandra.” His entreaty prickled her back. Curiosity won and, ignoring his helping hand, climbed up on Vihari. She thought she heard him sigh, but Veer said nothing else as he settled behind her and then they flew, soaring over the tall towers, steep staircases, and colonnaded walkways, leaving behind the safety of the castle.
The scenery kept her mind off the yawning distance between them. He held her carefully in the cradle of his arms, a solid presence at her back, but his continued silence grated at the insecurity that lived in her heart, the tiny voice that told her she might never be good enough. That she would always be the daughter of an enemy.
She deliberately silenced her thoughts, focusing instead on the once-in-a-lifetime scenery unfolding before her—the mountainous peaks, the verdant valleys, the tiny dots of human settlements, the streams that wound through the greenery that would later join to flow as rivers. The sheer beauty of life.
Soon they were in a snow-covered territory. A large body of water pooled, surrounded by the white-topped mountains, its serene, pristine surface created a giant mirror reflecting the sky.
“Manasarovar Lake,” answered Veer, before she could question him.
67
THE MANSION IN THE MOUNTAINS
Chandra spotted a palatial dwelling tucked into the side of the mountain. A wide balcony perched to one side faced a spectacular view of the lake and mountains. Vihari flew swiftly toward it and landed on top of a flat ledge built for that purpose.
“This is my home in the mountains. You can travel by road as well, but you’ll have to cross a mountain pass for that. There’s a nearby village too.”
From the balcony that the ledge opened into, she saw the scope of the structure. Chandra’s gaze traveled up—the building was tall, around three floors high, and seemed to blend into the backdrop of the mountain.
She shivered in the bracing mountain air, and Veer immediately steered her inside, draping a thick shawl over her. Here, the sun was still trying to retire for the night, the sky blooming a delicate twilight purple.
She studied the interior, which was like the royal palace at Rajgarh in the basic build and architecture, but the interior was less ornate. Braziers occupied every corner, already lit, and provided a comforting warmth in the chill of the mountains.
