Nayantara pov:

I went straight to bed after applying the mehendi, skipping a bath so the dark paste could dry overnight. It is said that the darker your henna leaves its stain, the deeper your husband will love you.

Picking up an apple from the bedside table, I took a crisp bite. I had been fasting all day for Maha Shivratri—the sacred night when Mata Parvati married the man of her dreams, Lord Shiva. Young women fast on this day, praying to find a loving groom. I didn't fast to seek a husband; my parents had settled my match long ago. I fasted simply to celebrate the festival, out of my own quiet devotion.

I knew my parents had my best interests at heart. It wasn't that King Rudra was a bad man... but how could I possibly know who he truly was?

Suddenly, his face flashed in my mind—Raj.

I shook my head, scolding myself. Why was I thinking about a stranger when I should be focusing on my fiancé?

Yet, there was an inexplicable feeling every time I felt Raj's dark eyes on me. His presence made my pulse race with unease, yet a part of me longed to stay right beside him. I had only met him twice, but an unspoken pull seemed to thread between us, binding us together.

A sudden rustle from the balcony shattered my thoughts.

I rushed over, only to see a tall, dark silhouette leap gracefully over the marble railing.
Raj!

My heart shot into my throat. I grabbed his hand, pulling him swiftly inside before glancing out to ensure no guards had spotted him.

"What on earth are you doing here?" I whispered frantically.

"I know I shouldn't be sneaking into the Princess's residential quarters," he said, stepping into the dim candlelight, "but where else could I find you? I only knew you worked for her."

A heavy breath of relief escaped my lips. He still thinks I'm a maid.

"Thank goodness the Princess isn't in her chambers, or you would be executed on the spot!" I scolded softly. "Don't ever attempt something so foolish again."

He merely smiled, his eyes lingering on my face before dipping down to my hands. "Your henna looks beautiful... though something vital is missing."

"What?"

"Hamara naam," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave, deep and velvety

 (My name.)

Before I could process his words, he wrapped a firm arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him. Our chests collided. I had to awkwardly hover my hands out to the sides to keep from smearing the wet henna across his tunic.

"Do you know why I came here tonight?" he whispered near my ear.

A sharp shiver traced its way down my spine. Overwhelmed by his intoxicating closeness—having never been held by a man like this in my entire life—I could only shake my head, hiding my flushed face.

"Close your eyes," he commanded softly.

He placed his broad palm gently over my eyes, blocking out the room. I listened as his footsteps shifted away, though his hand remained lingering against my face for a moment longer.

"Now... open them."

He withdrew his hand. Resting right before me was a fresh, exquisite lotus flower.

"Thank you, Raj!" I gasped, a genuine smile breaking across my face. "Could you put it in that bowl over there? I can't touch it with my hands."

I pointed toward the large brass bowl on the table, already filled with water and holding the single lotus Pratig had brought me earlier.

Raj walked over and carefully dropped the stem into the water. Noticing the other bloom already floating inside, he paused, turning back to me with a raised eyebrow.

"And who gave you this one? Another admirer?"

Admirer?

I hid my amusement, leaning into the game. "That was a gift Prince Pratig gave to the Princess."

"So... another admirer?" I repeated, stepping closer with a dangerous, slow grace. "May I know who the first one is?"

My breath hitched as he closed the distance between us, his gaze dropping from my eyes down to my lips. He ran his tongue lightly over his bottom lip before leaning his head down, hovering mere inches from my face. My eyelids fluttered shut, anticipation fluttering wildly in my chest as I waited for whatever was coming next.

I could feel his warm breath fanning across the left side of my cheek.

"You look remarkably cute when you act dumb... Princess," he whispered softly against my ear.
My eyes snapped open. Princess?! He knows?!

I spun around, but Raj was already at the balcony edge, one leg hooked over the stone railing.

"What do you mean?!" I called out, my heart pounding against my ribs.

"Come to the temple tomorrow if you want to know about your first admirer," he called back with a wicked smirk—and leaped into the dark night.

Panicking, I rushed over to the washbasin and recklessly washed the henna off my hands, uncaring if the color ruined. I took a deep, shaky breath to calm my racing mind. Falling back onto the mattress, my head spun with endless questions.

How long has he known I am the Princess? Will he expose my secret? And why is he summoning me to the temple tomorrow?

Unable to find answers, I rolled over and stared at the brass bowl, where two pink lotuses now floated side by side.

Sleep proved elusive for hours, but long past midnight, sheer physical exhaustion from the fast and the day's chaos finally dragged me into a deep slumber.

The next morning, a sharp knock on my chamber doors woke me. Rubbing my eyes, I pulled the door open to reveal a young girl draped in a maroon ensemble, her entire head covered in a thick veil.

"Who are you?" I asked, squinting against the morning light.

"Tara-jiji! It's me, Arundhati!" the girl hissed from beneath the cloth.

"Why are you hiding your face?"

"Just let me in first!" she pleaded.

I pulled her inside and closed the door. The moment we sat on the bed, she threw back her veil—and I burst into uncontrollable laughter. Dark, reddish-brown handprints of henna were clearly stained across her cheeks and the side of her neck.

"Jiji, stop laughing!" Arundhati whined, slapping her palms over her face. "Pratig is going to tease me to death! Please, lend me your cosmetics!"

"I am fairly certain he is suffering the exact same fate," I wheezed through my laughter.

I pulled out my chest of cosmetics which I rarely ever touched and helped her apply heavy layers of powder. It managed to lighten the stains, though anyone standing close enough would easily spot the marks.

Sitting in front of the mirror, Arundhati glanced down at my hands and gasped. "Jiji, you are so lucky! Your henna left such a deep, rich color! Jiju-sa is going to adore you!"

I stared down at my palms in shock. The stain was a deep, fiery crimson even though I had washed the paste off early in a panic.

"Well, Mrs. Nayantara Rudra Raj Singh," Arundhati teased, nudging my shoulder, "it is time to break our fast."

We walked down to the royal temple to offer our morning prayers, then proceeded to the dining hall for breakfast. As we sat down, I noticed an empty seat. Pratig was nowhere to be found.
I clapped my hands twice, summoning a maid. "Where is the Crown Prince?"

"Chhote Hukum requested his breakfast be served in his private quarters, Princess," she reported with a low bow. "He has strictly forbidden anyone from entering his room."

I looked over at Arundhati and whispered, "I told you. He refuses to show his face!"
Arundhati muffled a giggle behind her hand.

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Queen Parvati asked sternly from the head of the table.

"Nothing, Badi maa!" Arundhati replied instantly, putting on an innocent face.

Once breakfast concluded, Arundhati hurried off to torture Pratig in his room. Taking advantage of the distraction, I returned to my chambers and announced to my attendants that I was exhausted and wished to sleep undisturbed.

The moment the heavy doors were shut, I slipped through the hidden tunnel behind my wardrobe, emerging near the outer palace walls. Dressed once more as a simple commoner, I hurried down the dirt path toward the Ram Mandir, my mind consumed entirely by one person.
Raj.

::::::::::::::

Nhi Jo dil mein jagah to Nazar mein rahne do
meri hayat ko tum apne asar mein rahne do
me apni soch ko teri gali mein chid aaya hu
mere vajud ko khvabo ke Ghar mein rahne do.