The Royal Crucible

The Golden Cage

It was an evening when the sun was setting, and birds were flying back to their nests. The moon was rising, casting its gentle glow. The sky was a beautiful blend of orange, red, yellow, and blue.

Anahita had already woken up and freshened up. She was standing on the balcony, taking in the breathtaking scenery. Maharaja Shivendra had built a magnificent palace for her. From her room, she could see a garden that was made just for her, a request she had made before leaving the palace. She felt so grateful to her father for creating such a splendid garden for her. The garden was filled with a variety of flowers, plants, and trees, and was alive with butterflies, birds like peacocks, pigeons, and parrots, and animals like rabbits, swans, and fish. In the center of the garden was a pond with a swing, a small room, and a golden throne for her to sit on. Everything was perfect, as Shivendra was always meticulous in his arrangements, especially when it came to Anahita. He believed that only the finest things were suitable for her. As Anahita admired the arrangements, she became lost in thought and murmured to herself, "Don't worry, sunflowers. Like you, I am missing the sun of my life. Thank God you can meet your sun tomorrow , but I can't." She felt a kinship with the sunflowers, imagining they were sad because the sun was setting.

While she was deep in thought, there was a knock on the door from her servant. She answered, "What's the matter?" The servant replied, "Rajakumari, servant Malini wants to meet you." Hearing this, Anahita was happy, but at the mention of the word "servant," she became angry and demanded, "What did you say? Come again." Her voice was stern, and her face showed anger. Nervously, the servant repeated, "Rajakumari, servant Malini wants to meet you." Immediately, Anahita furiously responded, "She is not a servant to me; she is my friend. Don't make this mistake again. Now, send her in." The servant hurried out and sent Malini in.

As soon as Malini entered, she was laughing. "Rajakumari, what did you say to her? She was very nervous," Malini said. Anahita replied with a smile, but Malini knew what had likely happened. Malini and Anahita were childhood friends, and Malini's parents worked in the palace. Their families had no issue with their friendship.
Malini asked, "How are you feeling? Are you satisfied with the arrangements?" Anahita turned to Malini and said, "Yes, but what's the difference? You know, Malini, the royal palace of Suryavarta is one of the most beautiful and grandest palaces in the world. It spans 1,000 acres with eight main entrances, five floors, a grand court hall, numerous chambers, and luxurious halls. It would take me at least two days to see the entire palace. I can't go wherever I want. I haven't even seen some of the halls and chambers since I was born here. When I told my father I wanted a garden to play in, he built this garden. Just look at my chamber-how many rooms are there? One room for my clothes, one for jewelry, one for bathing, one for sleeping, one for sitting and talking with others, and one for studying. Everything is made of gold, even my clothes are made of pure silk with real gold embroidery. My family wants me to live like this, and I respect their wishes, but I want to live like a free bird. Seeing this garden, I really want to go and enjoy nature, but I can't."

Anahita's words flowed nonstop until Malini gently interrupted her. "I know how you feel. Let's not dwell on this. Tell me, how was your time as a student?" Anahita replied, "It was good. I learned many things and became both a skilled warrior and a scholar."

They both became engrossed in their conversation, catching up on twelve years' worth of news and experiences. The time passed quickly, and soon it was time for dinner. Malini helped Anahita to get ready and then left the chamber.