Rudra Tara - A Love Bound By Duty

8.Unknown Feeling

Rudraksh's POV:

After she fell asleep, I instructed my soldiers to keep a close watch over the camp. No one was to enter under any circumstances. I assigned 50 soldiers to guard her, though I wanted more; I knew 50 would suffice.

As I headed towards the palace, I found myself staring at the bandages she had carefully wrapped around my wounds. Her soft touch and her fragrance lingered, a reminder of her presence. When I arrived at the palace, I gathered everyone in the resting room and shared what had happened. My father was overjoyed, seeing it as a major victory, but I knew it wasn’t due to me—it was because of her.

My father, in his excitement, wanted to meet her. “She is the real Lakshmi in our lives. Ever since she arrived, all our troubles have vanished. Your Dadi Saa has fully recovered, the spies have been caught, the treasury problems have been solved as we discovered immense wealth in the spies’ homes, and there are no more threats of attacks. But above all, today, I can finally see my son smile. I want to meet our Lakshmi as soon as possible. Where is she?”

As he spoke and praised her, I realized I was smiling. It was true—I hadn’t smiled since losing my Dada Sa, but today, it felt like our troubles had lifted. Could it really all be because of her?

Then my mother chimed in, “Where’s the sindoor I asked you to bring? It was meant to be applied to your bride.”

I hesitated. “During the puja, it fell on her. The entire vermilion fell on her head, and I couldn’t save even a pinch.”

My mother’s eyes widened. “I believe this is God’s will. He’s shown you that she is meant to be your bride. This isn’t just a hint—it’s a sign from the heavens.”

A smile tugged at my lips. The mere thought of her as my bride sent shivers down my spine. She had such power over me, even in our first meeting. I had knelt before her and touched her feet. But I didn’t tell them that.

Suddenly, I noticed everyone laughing quietly. My younger brother teased, “Big brother, why are your ears so red?”

Feeling shy, I smiled. My mother, however, was lost in her own thoughts. “This is truly God’s plan for our son. She is the Lakshmi of our kingdom, and I want to meet her. I’ve never felt this way about someone I haven’t even met. Just hearing about her brings joy to my heart.”

I told them she was injured and that I needed to return to her. My father, concerned, asked why I hadn’t brought her back to the palace. I silently cursed myself for not thinking of it earlier.

“I’ll bring her when she’s better,” I reassured them.

They all wished me well, and a grand ceremony was planned after Ekadashi to celebrate my Dadi’s recovery and our other successes. I returned to the camp, applied medicine to her wound, and tied it with her dupatta. As I watched her sleep, I shamelessly admired her for hours—her moon-like face, her delicate eyelashes, her beautiful cheeks. I noticed a small mole beneath her lips and fought the urge to kiss it. Her long hair framed her face perfectly, and her scent was intoxicating. Every detail about her captivated me.

Her hair kept falling into her face, so I gently tucked it behind her ear, continuing to watch her. I don’t know when, but eventually, I fell asleep beside her.

When I woke up, she was gone from the bed, and I panicked. I quickly rushed outside and saw her washing her hair with the herbs I’d brought from the palace. She then stood in the water, praying. When she started to change her clothes, I turned away, respecting her privacy. Shortly after, I heard the neighing of her horse and saw her riding away.

I couldn’t stop her, but I asked, “Where can I meet you again?”

She smiled and told me to meet her in Suryagarh, by the lake with the large tree covered in flowers. “I’ll wait for you on Ekadashi,” she said.

I watched as she disappeared into the distance. Determined, I decided to visit the spot before Ekadashi, to be sure I could find it when the day came. When I returned to the palace, I performed my puja, but today felt different. My family was filled with joy, and even my Dadi expressed her eagerness to meet the girl. I explained that she had left for her home, and they were surprised to learn that she didn’t know my true identity. She thought I was just a soldier from Udaygarh.

Then my aunt, Bua Sa, interjected, “What? Just a common girl? You can’t marry her. You’re a prince. You must marry a princess with wealth and power to ensure our kingdom’s prosperity.”

She reminded me of what I used to say, that I would marry someone with wealth and status. But something had changed in me. After meeting her, my old beliefs no longer seemed important.

“Yes, Bua Sa, I will become Rajadhiraj,” I replied, “but with someone I love. Together, we can build an even greater empire because we will be happy.”

Bua Sa shook her head, clearly unimpressed. “Oh my, you sound just like your father. He told me the same thing once.”

I smiled, but reassured her, “Nothing has changed, Bua Sa.”

“Everything has changed,” she muttered. “What will happen when this girl enters our lives? I can’t even imagine.”

She was like a mother to me, so I couldn’t be upset with her. She was right—marrying a princess would bring more wealth and power. But I needed to speak with the girl first, to understand her feelings. I already knew what I felt for her, that I would do anything for her, but I didn’t know if she felt the same way.

“Let’s end this conversation for now and have breakfast,” I said, changing the subject.

Bua Sa sighed but agreed. After breakfast, I went to the royal court, where everyone was talking about her, our Lakshmi. I hadn’t realized how quickly she had become a legend in our kingdom.

Later that night, I went to bed, thinking only of Ekadashi. I couldn’t wait to see her again. Before then, I would visit the lake to ensure everything was perfect. With thoughts of her filling my mind, I didn’t even notice when I drifted off to sleep