Rudra pov:

"Shastri-ji, we require concrete, indisputable evidence before we can formally present this claim to the council," I said, leaning over the strategic map spread across the mahogany desk.

"Rana-sa, if I may explain, the border reports..." Shastri-ji began, but his words were abruptly cut short by a heavy, urgent knock on the heavy study doors.

Veins bulged on my neck as I whipped my head around. "I gave explicit orders not to be interrupted! Which part of that instruction did you fail to comprehend, soldier?!" I barked, my voice echoing off the high stone arches.

The guard at the door flinched, swallowing hard as he bowed trembling shoulders. "F-Forgive me, Rana-sa! But... a sealed parchment arrived just now. You ordered that it be brought to you the absolute second it reached the palace gates."

The dark storm in my chest dissolved instantly. A wide, helpless smile broke across my face. Abandoning the map entirely, I practically crossed the room in three quick strides to snatch the letter straight from the soldier's hands.

Behind me, the entire council of ministers sat with their mouths hanging open in utter bewilderment. They had every right to be stunned; never in my seven-year reign had they witnessed their stoic King abandon a high-level state meeting over a piece of paper.

Catching Nanda's eye, I saw him biting his lip, trying desperately to hide a knowing smirk.

Clearing my throat loudly to reclaim a shred of royal dignity, I smoothed my royal tunic. "We shall adjourn this briefing and resume later this evening."

Without waiting for their response, I turned on my heel and retreated straight to my private chambers, unsealing the parchment with eager hands.

Dear Raj,
You are the man who has brought back all the joy and happiness in my life which I had been missing till now. You are the one who has made me feel complete and made all my dreams come true. When I think of how life was before you, I shudder, and I realize that God in His infinite wisdom led you to me and made my world a better place.
Thank you for being who you are and for standing by my side through thick and thin. I love you, and I am yours—for now and until forever.
There was a sacred pooja held in the palace temple today. I am sending a sacred protection thread blessed by the priest. Please wear it on your wrist. It will keep you safe from every harm.
Your Tara,
Love you.

Dear Love,
You are, without a shadow of a doubt, the most wonderful thing that has ever entered my life. I never dreamed I could feel this deeply about someone. You are breathtakingly beautiful, sweet, kind, and deeply caring, and I find myself falling more in love with you with every passing sunrise.
I cannot imagine a single day without you, and I vow to spend my life making you feel just as cherished as you make me feel. Thank you for making me the happiest man alive.
I tied the sacred thread onto my wrist the moment it arrived. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I will come to see you very soon.
Your Raj,
Love you.

Dear Raj,
I look at you and wonder at times how I grew so incredibly lucky to have you in my life. You have given me everything one could ever desire, and so much more. The truth is, now that I have you, I know my life will be infinitely brighter than it ever could have been without you. I love you, and you know I will never be able to repay you for all the warmth you have brought into my world.
I used to fear that the vast distance between us would tear us apart, but I know now that nothing in this world can keep us separated. I love you. Please come visit me soon. I will be waiting for you.
Your Tara.

"Roop, I need you to oversee the internal palace management for the next few days. General Nanda will be here to assist you with security and administrative state papers," I instructed my sister as we walked down the grand gallery. I had firmly made up my mind: I was riding to Indragarh to celebrate the festival of Holi with Tara.

Roopmati offered a respectful nod. "Ji, Bhai-sa. Everything will be taken care of."

"Queen Meena is entering the Royal Library!" the herald's voice announced from the far corridor.
I turned to see Maa-sa stepping into the hall, flanked by two senior royal attendants.

Roopmati joined her palms, bowing softly. "Ghani Khamma, Maa-sa."

I offered the same traditional bow. "Ghani Khamma."

Maa-sa's sharp, dark eyes locked onto mine, her expression cold and unusually grave. "I require a private word with you, Rudra."

"Ji, Maa-sa."

"Ekant," she commanded curtly. The attendants bowed low and immediately backed out of the gallery, while Roopmati shot me a worried glance before taking her leave.

Once the heavy oak doors clicked shut, Maa-sa turned to face me directly. "I want you to finalize your marriage with Princess Nayantara of Indragarh without any further delay."

My eyes widened in surprise at her sudden, unyielding demand. "Maa-sa... that is far too sudden."

"How is it sudden?" she countered, her voice rising in crisp authority. "The Princess is nineteen, and you are twenty-three! The kingdom of Rajgarh needs its Crown Princess, and it needs a direct heir! Furthermore, I want you to formalize a meeting with Princess Kangana of Mewar. I have personally invited her to reside at our palace for the festival of Holi."

Frustration bubbled in my chest, and I shook my head firmly. "Maa-sa, I will not engage in a second marriage with any princess. I urge you to keep your political matchmaking away from my personal life."

Maa-sa's lips thinned into a sharp, bitter smile. "Ah... so Roopmati has already run her mouth to you. I see. Roopmati needs to learn to conduct herself like a royal princess instead of playing political informant for her brother! It will prove quite difficult to secure a respectable alliance for her if she continues this reckless behavior."

"Maa-sa, Roopmati told me nothing!" I lied quickly, stepping forward to shield my sister. "I know how your mind operates. I am stating my final verdict: I will never take a second wife. I shall marry only once, and that is my non-negotiable decision."

Maa-sa snapped her head up, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "Indeed? You recently took an unscheduled, three-week disappearance to Indragarh to inspect your betrothed, Princess Nayantara. Is that not true?"

"No," I replied immediately, keeping my expression stoic.

"Then who is sending these constant secret missives to my palace—letters so urgent that my son abandons high-level ministerial meetings just to collect them?!" she demanded.

I pressed my tongue against the inside of my cheek, a dark frustration mounting. There was no plausible lie left to shield myself with. "Maa-sa... I must ask you to stop planting eyes and ears on my personal movements."

"I am the Rajmata; it is my duty!" she snapped back. She paused, inspecting my tense jawline, before a sudden look of suspicion crossed her face. "Tell me... is this secret girl a Princess?"

I looked away, taking a sharp breath. "No. And I am not going to marry the Princess of Indragarh. I love someone else, Maa-sa. I intend to make her my wife."

"What?!" Maa-sa gasped, taking a stunned step back. "How dare you even speak such blasphemy?! You are bound by honor to marry Princess Nayantara and install her as the Crown Queen of Rajgarh! Those were the explicit words and solemn pledge of your late father! Do not bring dishonor upon his memory!"

"But I do not love Princess Nayantara!" I pleaded, my voice rising in desperation. "I love someone else!"

"What is she?!" Maa-sa demanded, her tone laced with absolute venom.

"Her name is Tara," I answered softly, trying to soften the blow.

"I did not ask who she is, Rudra! I asked what she is!"

Closing my eyes, I forced myself to breathe through the burning rage in my chest, steadying my trembling hands.

"A maidservant," I answered quietly.

"Unbelievable, Rudra!" Maa-sa spat, her voice dripping with pure disgust. "You are genuinely contemplating placing a common maidservant upon the golden throne of Rajgarh?! You intend to let a servant carry the royal bloodline of this dynasty?!"

The insult to Tara's honor made my blood boil past the boiling point. "Maa-sa, speak of her with respect!" I roared, the sound echoing off the stone walls.

"Do not raise your voice against your mother!" she yelled back, her eyes flashing with fury.

 "Look at what this girl has reduced you to! She has driven you to scream at the mother who bore you, forcing you to break the sacred oath of the father you claimed to worship unconditionally!"

She stepped closer, her tone turning cold, rigid, and absolute. "Marry whomever you wish in your personal quarters, Rudra, but I will not allow you to dragged your father's word through the dirt! You are destroying the dignity and royal standing of Princess Nayantara! What foreign kingdom would take her if you publicly reject her now?! You will marry Princess Nayantara first, crown her as your Queen, and only then may you take this maid as a secondary concubine! That is my royal order... disobey it, and I will end my own life before your very eyes!"

The weight of her familiar, emotional coercion slammed into me like a iron wall. The absolute unfairness of it all fractured my restraint, and before I could filter the poison from my tongue, the raw, bitter truth spilled out of my mouth.

"Maa-sa! I love Tara! I will never be able to offer a single thread of affection to Princess Nayantara... Do not repeat the exact same tragic mistake with her that father made with you!"
The silence that followed was suffocating.

Maa-sa froze as if struck by lightning, her face draining of all color. Her mouth opened slightly in pure, hollow shock, the cruel reality of my words striking the deepest, unhealed scar of her life.
Regret flooded my entire soul the exact millisecond those words left my lips. I reached out a hand, my throat tight. "Maa-sa... I—"

"Thank you..." she whispered, her voice trembling with a terrifying, hollow weight. "Thank you for so graciously reminding me... that your father never loved me for a single day of his life... that his heart belonged only to her."

Without waiting another second, she turned her back on me and walked out of the library with slow, rigid steps.

I slammed my back against the stone pillar, gritting my teeth so hard my jaw ached, running both hands frantically through my hair in absolute self-loathing.

Maa-sa, come back...

Before I could move to follow her, Maa-sa paused at the threshold of the archway, her back still turned to me. Her voice came out devoid of any emotion, cold as ice.

"And you are not stepping foot outside this kingdom for Holi. That is a royal command. If you dare disobey and leave Rajgarh... I will immediately finalize Roopmati's marriage alliance with the elderly Chief of the Eastern Marches."

With that final, fatal blow, she vanished down the corridor.

I reared back and kicked a heavy wooden chair across the room, watching it shatter into pieces against the wall. A raw, helpless roar of fury ripped from my chest.

She always knew exactly where to strike. She always did.

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Ishq junoon jab hadh se badh jaaye – 2
Haste haste aashiq suli chadh jaaye
Ishq ka jaadu sara chadha kara bole – 2
Khoob laga lo pehre raste rab khole
Yahi ishq di marzi hain
Yahi rab di marzi hain
Yahi ishq di marzi hain
Yahi rab di marzi hain
Tere bin jeena kaisa
Haan Khudgarzi hi
Tune kya kar dala marr gayi main mitt gayi main
Ho ri ha ri ho gayi main
Teri deewani deewani – 4

🖤🖤🖤