NAYANTARA : Hukum's Warrior Queen

9 ~ A heartfelt gift

Nayantara's Pov

It was the mehendi ceremony today. I was dressed in a beautiful dark green attire with golden embroidery on it along with simple but quite pretty jewellery.

I headed with bhabhisa towards the hall where my mehendi was about to begin.

As we entered there, my maasa came and pulled me into a hug. I could sense how she was feeling. She didn't know if she should be happy for her daughter's wedding or should be sad for her princess' forced marriage. I hugged her back calmly and gave her a smile assuring that I was happy.

She made me sit on a couch present in the middle of all other seats. Besides the couch, there were already two ladies present who greeted me after noticing me.

"Hamari pyari rajkumari ke haatho ki mehendi sabse sundar honi chahiye."

"My princess' henna must be the most beautiful today."

Maasa instructed the women present delightly and then placed a small kiss on my forehead showering me with her blessings.

Whatever mistakes a child commit, but their mothers' love would always be unconditional for them. I was always grateful to Mahadev for my family.

The women began making beautiful designs of henna on my hand which seemed quite attractive.

"Rajkumari. What's your would be husband's name?"

I didn't know why but mentioning him as my would be husband somewhere made me feel timid.

But, why?

I never had any sort of romantic feelings towards any man. Then why for him?

"Princess?"

I came out of my running thoughts and the mehendi artist asked me if I was okay. I nodded and answered her.

"Rana Dev Pratap"

She wrote his name beautifully, finishing the henna design on my hand. Then, they began applying it on my feet. Till they were doing their work, I stared at my hands, especially his name.

I was going to be married, to live a new family and to start a new journey.

Just then, Chandra and bhabhisa arrived. She looked at my mehendi and were astonished to see it.

"It's so beautifully done, Nayan."

Chandra complimented and bhabhisa patted my head smiling.

As the time passed, the artists finished applying henna on my feet and they went along with bhabhisa. Just then I called Chandra to sit beside me.

"Where were you from the morning?"

I asked her as she was nowhere present since the morning. Neither she arrived to get me ready. She looked slightly nervous hearing the question.

"Chandra?... If there is anything, please tell me."

She sighed and answered.

"Today morning, I was going to maa and bapu sa to greet them morning. But before entering, I saw pandit ji there and stood outside their chamber."

Her face fell as she continued.

"They were asking pandit ji to find good alliances for me. But..."

Tears almost welled up in her eyes as she was speaking.

"Hum kisi or se atyant prem karte hai, Nayan. Or unhi se vivah karna chahte hai."

"I immensely love someone else Nayan and want to marry him only."

I was shocked listening her. She already loved someone and somewhere, her situation seemed like mine. I already knew what I was suffering through because of this forced alliance. But I could not let her suffer the same. Especially when she loved someone else.

Somehow, I tried to calm her so that no one could notice her crying. Gathering my whole courage, I asked.

"Who is he?"

She was about to answer but.

"Whom you both are talking about?"

We both shivered as we saw my pita ji. Mahadev, please save us.

"No... No one. Mama ji"

Chandralekha stutterd while answering him. He knitted his brows and faced me.

There was an attendee behind him holding a medium sized jewellery box. Pita ji took it from him and handed it to Chandra and said.

"Humari taraf se aapke liye ek chota sa uphaar."

I asked her to open the box. It was a beautiful necklace made up of gold with small pieces ruby in it. I was glad, not because I received this precious necklace, but because my father gave me something precious after such a long time.

I hugged him but he did not return the same gesture. Something shattered in me due to this but I tried to gather myself and thanked him whole heartedly.

He went from there I diverted my gaze to Chandra. Again she became nervous. She gazed back at me and said.

"I will tell you later about him. Right now it's your mehendi and we have to enjoy."

She spoke somehow but I knew that how worried she was. But I agreed with her as it was not the time to discuss that.

I had no clue what was in my destiny further but this gift I received from my father was heartfelt for me. I accepted it in the form of his blessings for which I craved from long.

After everything ended, I decided to have a word with Chandra to know what was going on with her. She came to my chamber after dinner and I asked her.

"So Chandra, who is he? And where you both met?"

She started fidgeting her fingers as if something was wrong. I asked her again.

"Does he belong to any of our for kingdom?"

She shook her head slowly and stammered slowly, making me shock.

"Nay... Nayan... He's a... commoner from our neighbouring kingdom..."

Another update ✨

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