Rajkumari Bhanumati sat in front of the mirror looking at herself as her cousin and her best friend Princess Uruvi of Vrijji, decorated her hair with red flowers, which matched her attire.
Next to them stood Supriya, Bhanumati's dearest friend Supriya, daughter of the chief minister of Kalinga.
-"You are looking like a goddess Bhanu!" Supriya said, handing over the last piece of jewellery to Uruvi.
-"Our Bhanu is the most beautiful princess in the entire Aryavarth. The kings are going to faint when they see her today. Besides she should look like a goddess or else, what is the point of my hard work?" Uruvi said setting Bhanumati's veil over her head.
Bhanumati stared at the mirror absentmindedly. Supriya and Uruvi looked at each other a little worried about their friend.
-"Bhanu are you ok?" Supriya asked kneeling in front of Bhanumati and looking up at her. Tears rained down from Bhanumati's eyes. She held the hands of her friends and a sob escaped her lips.
Uruvi immediately engulfed her in a hug and Supriya rubbed her arm.
-"What if the person I choose doesn't love me back? What if I choose someone who already has another wife? Or what if he marries another one after me? How will I leave Kalinga? How am I going to live without Pitashree and you two? I am going to be alone."
Supriya turned Bhanumati's face towards her, "Who told you, you are going to be alone? You are going to have a big new family, Bhanu, and a husband who will love you and cherish you forever. And don't worry about unnecessary things for now, OK?" A drop of water shined at the corner of Supriya's eyes.
-"But, but..."
-"No buts Bhanu, it's your Swayam Var, you should be happy. It's not at all a good thing to cry on your Swayam Var, it brings bad luck." Supriya said, wiping Bhanumati's tears.
Uruvi rubbed her eyes and said, "Bhanu, If you continue crying, it's going to ruin your sringer. Do you want all my efforts to go in vain?"
Bhanumati shook her head and the pout on her face changed into a small smile.
-"Just like that..." Uruvi starched the two sides of Bhanumati's lips with her thumb and index to make the smile bigger. The girls held each other in a group hug and their giggles filled the room.
Soon the giggles were suppressed under the loud sound of a conch shell declaring the start of Swayam Var, followed by Ransinghas and drums. Uruvi jumped up and down in excitement and tugged on Supriya and Bhanumati's arms.
-"Come, come, they are going to enter the Sabha!"
-"Absolutely not, we are not supposed to be seen just yet!" Supriya stood rigid.
-"Come on, I want to see the entry of the kings and princes! We will be behind the curtains...Please..." Uruvi looked at Supriya with a puppy eye, "...Please!"
-"You are not going to listen, Are you?" Supriya sighed, nobody can ever resist Uruvi's puppy eyes.
-"Please, Supriya, I want to see them too! It will just give me some extra time to make decisions." Bhanumati looked at Supriya with hopeful eyes. Finally, Supriya gave in.
-"Ok, but we will stay behind the curtains where no one can see us..." she gave a pointed look at a giggling Uruvi, "...and no giggling." Uruvi pouted and stuck out her tongue at Supriya's turned back.
Bhanumati laughed at her cousin's action and shook her head.
-"Uruvi, soon Mausha Shree and Mausi are going to arrange your Swayam Var you know, all the princes and kings invited in my Swayam Var will also be invited there. So, take a good look at them and let us know if you like someone. I will tell Mausha Shree to send a special invitation to that particular kingdom."
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Beyond Times
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