The phoenix promise

Chapter 1

The same day:

At Sheeshmahal

The winds outside pick up fiercely, howling through the trees and shaking the shutters of the palace. Lightning crackles across the sky.

The soft glow of oil lamps fills the room as Ratna, is seated before a small shrine adorned with flowers and offerings. Incense smoke spirals gently upward, creating a serene, almost sacred atmosphere. Ratna closes her eyes, deep in prayer, her hands folded with reverence as she seeks blessings for her family, especially for her son's safety.
Suddenly, as she reaches to ring the taal, it slips from her hands, clattering to the floor with a loud, unsettling sound. In the next instant, the small pot of sindoor (vermillion) tips over, scattering across the floor in a stark red splash. Ratna's eyes widen in shock as she watches the red powder spread ominously, almost as if marking something unforeseen and dangerous.

Her heart races, and she feels a shiver down her spine.

Ratna (whispering anxiously): "Hey Devi Maiyya... what is this? Is this a sign? A warning?"
She kneels down, her trembling hands gathering some of the sindoor, her mind clouded with worry. It reminds her of past warnings and premonitions she'd once dismissed. She feels the weight of foreboding, unable to shake the unease that something life-changing is approaching.

At Devimahal, Dadi sat comfortably in her chair, her hands resting gently on the open pages of the Ramayan. Her reading was interrupted by a sudden loud thud as the window shut forcefully, rattling the frames. The wind howled through the air, a wild energy swirling outside.

A young maid rushed into the room, her face etched with worry.

Maid (kaveri): "Dadiji! There's a storm raging outside. The crops we cultivated on the western side have been destroyed by the wind. And..."

Dadi looked up from her book, sensing that there was more troubling news.

Dadi (calmly but with a slight edge of concern): "And what, kaveri? Speak clearly."

Kaveri: "And also... the river by the eastern border has started to overflow. The villagers are saying it could reach their homes if the storm doesn't stop soon."

Dadi's gaze drifted to the window, her eyes narrowing with a mix of worry and resolve. This storm felt like more than just a natural disaster; it felt like an omen, a sign from Devi Maiyya herself.

Dadi (whispering to herself): "Nature is stirring. Something is coming... something inevitable."

She closed the Ramayan and rose from her chair, her expression turning solemn. She knew well that in times like these, prayers and strength were needed more than ever.

Dadi: "Tell the villagers to gather at the temple if the water rises any further. We will do all we can to protect them, no matter what comes."

The maid nodded and hurried out. As Dadi watched the storm rage, a feeling of foreboding filled her heart, as if a shadow from the past was looming, waiting to reveal itself.

Dadi (thinking): Why this sudden downpour? This village... it has been dry, starved of rain, for nearly a century. Then So why now?
If this rain continues, the village won't survive.

Dadi (whispering, almost to herself): "Is this a sign, Devi Maiyya? Are you preparing us for something... or warning us of the storm within that will follow this storm without?"

As thunder rolled across the sky, Dadi clasped her hands together, her voice trembling with prayer and determination.

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Back in Delhi

Gupta House

Khushi, still shaken from her encounter at the mall, tries to concentrate on her daily tasks. Yet, her mind drifts back to that piercing gaze and the strange sense of familiarity she felt. She shakes her head, brushing it off as a fleeting moment.