PaulomīPrāṇaNāyaka: Labyrinth Of Lightning

|| Eka: The Daitya Alliance ||

Shachi inhaled, avoiding the cold touch of the metal jewelry on her sensitive skin. She didn't know if the jewelry was really hurting her or it was her state of mind which was making her feel that way. Her earlobes turned heavy with the kundalas hanging from there and the bangles grated through her wrists. A waist belt pressed painfully against her body. The necklaces that touched her neck threatened to choke her and the anklets around her feet forbid her from moving, the sound of the bells oddly intimidating. The armlets that stuck to her arms and the rings that surrounded her fingers pierced through her. The forehead ornament landed in her hair parting with the force of a whiplash, the nose ring that was clipped on her nose drew her blood and the tiny crown that sat on her head was heavier than the Meru mountain.

Nothing of that sort was actually taking place. It was all normal for everyone around her. Her handmaidens were decorating her as they were supposed to, but their purpose was the problem. She was being adorned for someone whom she had no wish to marry.

It was the day of the betrothal, a huge celebration for the Rasatala and the whole realm was dancing and swirling in utter delight. After this marriage, Emperor Hiranyakashipu, the father of the groom, the Daitya king and overlord of the Asuras, was going to be more attached to the Danavas, the clan to which Shachi's father Puloma belonged. The first alliance was between the Danava princess Kayadhu who married Hiranyakashipu, followed by the Daitya princess Simhika who married Puloma's elder brother Viprachitti, the King of the Danavas. The third important alliance was fixed for Shachi to enter the Daitya family.

"What is the use of adorning you with all these ornaments when you don't smile, Shachi?" Her friend complained, adjusting her hair for one last time.

"Why should I be happy and smile like a lunatic, Soorya?" Shachi rolled her eyes. "There's nothing good about this alliance. We have already seen how much Queen Kayadhu is suffering after marrying into the Daitya family."

"She's not suffering because of the Daitya family or her husband." Soorya sighed. "She's stubborn. She knows how people will react to her words yet she tries to speak nonsense. What was the need for her to ask her husband to forgive his brother's killer? Wouldn't any man get enraged at that?"

"Soorya, you are forgetting that her husband's brother Hiranyaksha had imprisoned Bhumi Devi. If Varaha Deva had killed him, it was fair for the sins that Prince Hiranyaksha committed. Queen Kayadhu wasn't wrong yet her husband was blind and self-absorbed."

"Alright, Shachi, let's agree. But you aren't getting married to Emperor Hiranyakashipu. You are marrying his son. What makes you think that Prince Anuhlada would behave in the same way as his father does? Have you ever interacted with him personally?"

"I cannot expect better from his son, Soorya, that would be far-fetched and illogically optimistic."

"You are insane, Shachi. You have seen Prince Anuhlada yet you are hesitating to marry him. I cannot believe you!" Soorya clicked her tongue. "Shachi, he's so brave and handsome! You are extremely fortunate that the Emperor chose you because you are the Princess of the Danavas. There are many girls in our clan dying to be in your place at this moment, you don't understand!"

"Many girls?" Shachi raised her eyebrow. "It seems like you too are included in the list. Stop torturing your uttariya by twisting it continuously."

"Oh, you are already getting possessive of your future husband?" Soorya giggled, making her friend hold her forehead in exasperation. "Don't forget that I'm your favorite companion. You have to share your husband with me."

"That's enough! I have no interest in marrying Prince Anuhlada. I'm taking part in this betrothal ceremony because my father and my uncle asked me to."

"But why?" Soorya straightened up as Shachi's tone changed. "I will never believe it if you say it's about the Daitya family. The Danavas might be less ruthless but our clan is no less evil, Shachi. That's why we keep allying with the Daityas to increase the level of our sins as we do not have enough power by ourselves. For demons, it's a matter of pride to commit misdeeds. You often talk about righteousness, goodwill and compassion but they are nice only as concepts. They are not all practical for who we are. I believe you are wise enough to let go of your childish fantasies and accept the reality. You and Prince Anuhlada are perfect for each other. Both the Danavas and the Daityas will prosper with this union!"

"They aren't childish fantasies, Soorya, they are the basic values of existence. I'm not ignorant about how fallen my family is. But I could do nothing about it as destiny had willed me to take birth in the Danava race. But the Daityas are absolutely the worst and their recklessness is the reason my family has deteriorated. I cannot be happy to become the daughter-in-law of the Daitya family which was the main reason my family and my childhood was also ruined. I detest them, Soorya, I'm sorry but I can never accept them."

"But you ACCEPTED the proposal!" Soorya screamed. "Shachi, don't tell me you will do something wrong!"

"Something wrong?" Shachi started laughing. "I thought that we demons have to take pride in doing wrong things, right? And the marriage proposal was accepted by my family, Soorya, I never accepted!"

"Shachi, listen to me!" Soorya gripped her friend's shoulders anxiously. "Prince Anuhlada is not at fault for this. Your families have planned your betrothal. That's why I think you should meet him and talk to him once. I feel you will begin to understand each other better. I'll still say you'll never get someone better than Prince Anuhlada, pay heed to my word!"

Shachi stared at her friend warily who who was clearly smitten and obsessed with Anuhlada, and was forcing her to consider his alliance only because of the senseless Asura custom of allowing a princess's husband to have rightful physical relationships with his wife's handmaidens, even to have his own families with them. At that moment, Shachi could feel a wave of disgust pass through her for the kind of position she was put in. She thought she would do something to stop the betrothal ceremony but Soorya would never let her do that. Shachi shouldn't have trusted her enough to spill the beans.