"I don't even want the Heavens Sita, if I cannot have You by My side. I may have broken the bow kept at the wedding, but I shall never break My wedding vows."
Love is a promise to walk through everything hand in hand. Whether it's the palace gardens...
"Sita didi! Come fast! An astrologer has been invited to the court."
Urmila shouted loudly from the terrace. Her voice echoed through the palace walls. Sita was sitting beside the fountain in the gardens, and She heard Her call from that far away.
"Wait Urmila! I'm coming!" She hurriedly ran down the stairs to catch up with the pace of Her younger sister.
She pushed through the crowd to the main hall, where Her Father, King Janaka was seated. Her Mother, Queen Sunayana was right beside Him.
Urmila had already hastened and taken Her seat beside Her parents. She gestured towards Sita and called Her to sit down on the vacant chair.
Sita walked towards the seat, as everyone looked on. She could feel the intense gaze of a strong pair of eyes looking at Her.
She stopped midway, to look at the pair of eyes. They belonged to a stranger. The woman was dressed in a simple, magenta coloured saree and had adorned Herself with intricate flower and seashell jewellery.
Maybe She is the astrologer Urmila was talking about.
Not wanting to sound rude, She bowed and wished the lady out of decency.
"Welcome to Mithila, ma'am. If You need anything, please feel free to contact Me. I assume You're the new astrologer?"
The lady laughed Her heart out at the sweet gesture. She smiled warmly and touched Her hand.
"No, Princess Sita, I'm not an astrologer. I'm a Vachaknavi, the one whose words apparently come true."
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⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
"I'm sorry about the mistake I made this morning, Maa Gargi. Please forgive…"
Gargi squeezed Her into a warm embrace even before She could complete Her words. She had been busy drawing alpona, a delicate design of rangoli, with some rice flour paste on the entrance to Her chambers. Her hands were still smeared fresh with paste.
Gargi Vachaknavi was one of the newly employed Navratans in the court of King Janaka. She was a Rishika who was renowned for Her knowledge and wisdom, and She was selected as the supervisor of the Brahma Yagya which would take place at the palace the next week.
"My dearest Sita, I've heard so many tales about Your divinity and magic. You need not apologize about anything. I've constantly admired You since You were adopted by the King and Queen."
Adopted? Did She say that word? Or am I hearing something wrong?
Sita remained stunned and frozen on the spot. "Priestess Gargi, I know You said that every word You speak turns out to be true. But I think there's a mistake. I'm not adopted."
Gargi realised the effect of Her words and empathised with Sita. They were sitting in the backyard of the newly constructed ashram style quarters, located in the south block of the palace. All the saints and priests were housed here.
