The Heir and the Humble

Decision Point

Anika's world seemed to pause. The gentle breeze, the rustling leaves, everything faded into an unreal blur. Her mind was a tempest, struggling to comprehend the words she had just heard. Devraj, the man she had admired from afar, the one who had rescued her, was asking her to consider him.

Her gaze met his, a silent question hanging in the air. She felt a surge of emotions - surprise, disbelief, and a strange, unfamiliar thrill. This was happening. The man she had dreamt about was asking her to be his.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and expectant. Anika's mind raced, trying to process everything. She looked into Devraj's eyes, searching for a clue, a hint of what this meant.

As they walked back to the house, the weight of the moment hung heavy between them. Rani Devi, sensing the tension, greeted them with a warm smile.

"How was your talk, children?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Devraj and Anika exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding. They both knew that Rani Devi was perceptive and would sense the change in their dynamic.

"It was pleasant," Devraj replied, his voice steady.

"Yes, very pleasant," Anika echoed, forcing a smile.

Rani Devi nodded, her eyes scanning their faces. She could feel the undercurrent of tension, but she chose to ignore it for now. Instead, she turned to Devraj.

"How did the puja go?" she asked.

Devraj explained the details of the puja, his voice filled with reverence. Rani Devi listened attentively, her eyes closed in contemplation. When he finished, she nodded in approval.

"You have performed your duties with great devotion, my son," she said, her voice filled with pride.

Devraj bowed his head in respect. "Thank you, mother," he replied.

Rani Devi turned her attention to Anika. "And you, young lady, how did you find the temple?" she asked.

Anika smiled. "It was beautiful," she replied. "I felt a sense of peace there."

Rani Devi smiled. "That is good to hear," she said. "The temple is a place of solace and spiritual renewal."

After a while, the conversation turned to other topics, and the tension between Devraj and Anika eased slightly. But the unspoken words between them hung in the air, a constant reminder of the unspoken promise.

The elders exchanged pleasantries, while the younger generation mingled and got to know each other.

Anika's father pulled Devraj and Rani Devi aside for a private conversation.

"I have heard many good things about the Varma family," he said, his voice filled with respect. "You are a credit to your family."

Devraj smiled. "Thank you, sir," he replied.

Anika's father hesitated for a moment, then continued. "I know this is a delicate matter, but I wanted to discuss the dowry."

Rani Devi's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Dowry?" he repeated.

Anika's father nodded. "It is a tradition in our family, and I wanted to make sure that we are on the same page."

Rani Devi smiled. "See Ramu garu, in our family, we do not accept dowry. We believe that a woman is a blessing, not a burden. We are honored to have Anika as part of our family, and her love and companionship are the only dowry we desire."

Anika's father was visibly touched by her words. "Thank you," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "You have a noble heart. I don't have to worry about my daughters future." They smiled heartfully and nodded at each other.

The two men shook hands, and Anika's father returned to his family, his heart filled with gratitude.

When they come back, Rani Devi announced " Lets give the children sometime to think and be sure of this alliance".

Ranni devi asked Anika's mother " Rama Garu, Meanwhile I would like to take Anika's horoscope to ask my family pandith for the compatibility of their life before proceeding to other things".

After hearing this Anika's mother and Father exchanged looks before nodding and Rama Went to fetch her horoscope and gave it to Rani devi with some hesitation.

Rani devi responded " Don't worry, I will guard it safely and return this to you safely".

Then Rama Devi went to Anika with some careful intimidating steps. Anika Immediately bent to take blessings form her. Rama devi blessed her and lifted her by shoulders and said " You Both have two days to think about it. Let your parents know your decision. No one will force you. Okay?" to which Anika shyly nodded and smiled at her.

Rama devi informed everyone " We will take our leave Ramu Garu. Take care and let us know your decision in two days"

They happily nodded at them and bid Bye's to everyone. But our Anika from her bedroom window was looking at them leaving as she should not come out.

She looked at the setting sun, its golden rays casting long shadows on the ground. As the darkness enveloped her room, she closed her eyes, trying to find answers within herself. The decision she was about to make would change everything.

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Hello my dear readers,

Now the Next chapter is out....

From now, there are going be many twists and turns

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