The Battle Of Hearts A Choice Between Power And Love

chapter 1 - Amidst The Crashing Waves

Annika's POV

Two years later...

As light seeped into her bed-chamber, Princess Annika laid in her bed, in her flowy skirt and her blouse as the nights were colder and the days were hotter - both stood at its extremes.

She rolled over her as she groaned at the sunlight, which hit her face, her slightly tanned skin, which illuminated a golden glow and covered her face with her blanket.

Suddenly she shot out of bed, her forehead beaded with sweat. A shiver ran down her spin as she recollected the vision she had last night. It was no normal dream, she knew that.

"The crashing waves by the sea shore , ships filled with men, a big storm on its way in the sea

Lots of ships in the sea."

The images came flashing down into her memory again, as she tried to recollect every last glimpse of the vision she had.

The fogginess in her mind vanished as she finally concentrated and flashes of the vision filled her mind again.

She quickly rushed to her table, took a new piece of paper and dipped the quill in the bottle of ink as she wrote down all she remembered about the vision, as fast as she could, just to make sure she did not forget even the smallest of details in the vision. Every flash held a meaning - she realised that when she was eighteen.

Someone then knocked on the door. A woman's voice called out for permission to enter. The door opened and her handmaiden Lakshmi walked in. She was around her mother's age.

******

Lakshmi entered my room.

"Lakshmi! There you are! I need to get ready soon. I must talk to everyone! Is papa here?"

"Yes, rajkumari. The raja is in the throne room with his advisors. Shall I send a messenger for you?" she suggests.

I shake my head. "No, it's ok. Anyways, papa comes to have breakfast with all of us. No need to disturb him now" I said.

She went to pick my outfit for the day. As usual, she picked a grand lehenga for me to wear.

"Lakshmi! We don't have an event in the palace today! I would settle for an easy going outfit, something with caution. It's summer now - you can't expect me to go around in that!"

Lakshmi searched for appropriate clothes as I went into my bath, which she prepared for me. It was filled with rose petals. The air around the bath carried the scent of roses and a bowl of freshly ground turmeric paste was left near the edge of the tub.

I sank in the tub and rose to the surface. I took the turmeric paste and rubbed it on the surface of my skin. As I stepped out to rinse myself and got in the tub again, the rose petals moved around me. I took one in my hand and blew it away.

I leaned back onto the edge of the tub. As I rested my head there, my long black hair fell off the edge of the tub like a waterfall.

Lakshmi came in to hand me a towel. I wrapped it around myself as I went to the mirror and sat down and Lakshmi started to do my hair.

"Is there a reason you want to meet the raja at such an early hour, yuvranii?"

"Yes, it's important," I told her. Is Aditya here?"

"Yes. The yuvraj is in his bed-chamber. Shall I call him for you?" she asked, her voice filled with patience.

"Yes."

Before she left the room, she handed me the chaniya choli she picked for me. I gave her a nod as she went out of my bed-chamber.

I quickly changed my clothes and sat down in front of my dressing table. As I wore a simple nose ring, I picked out my favourite pair of jhumkas.