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62. Nayantara in pain.

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Nayantara's POV

"But Anirudh... Bhaisa is no more."

The room spun. My body went cold, my mind blank.

No more.

The words echoed inside me, louder than the blood pounding in my ears.

Anirudh,

My Anirudh,

No more?

I staggered back, clutching at the edge of a table for support as the weight of her words crashed down upon me. My belly tightened painfully, but I barely noticed.

All I could think was that the sun had truly set. And this time, it would not rise again.

The world blurred around me. My heart refused to accept Kashmira's words. No, it couldn’t be true. Anirudh had promised me. He had placed his hand over mine, over our unborn child, and vowed he would return. He had promised.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head violently. "No, you're wrong. You're mistaken!"

I pushed past Kashmira, stumbling out into the corridor. I didn't care that I was barefoot. I didn't care that my body was trembling so hard I could barely stand. I had to see for myself. I had to find Anirudh.

Behind me, I heard Priyamvada calling out, heard Kashmira running after me, but their voices were distant, like echoes from another world.

I half-ran, half-staggered through the long hallways of the palace, past startled maids and guards.

I reached the courtyard, where the horses were being prepared for the men returning from battle. Some of them were already arriving, soldiers with bandaged arms, bloody tunics, and hollow eyes. I searched every face frantically, but none of them were Anirudh's.

I spotted Maasa coming towards me, her face stricken with grief. Her usually regal appearance was crumpled with sorrow.

"Nayantara, stop!" she cried, reaching for me. "You cannot go there!"

"I have to!" I screamed, fighting against her grasp. "He’s waiting for me! He promised me to come back, he said he would be there when our child is born!"

Tears blurred my vision as I pulled away from her.

"You must listen, meri bachhi," she said, her voice breaking.

"There’s nothing you will find there but heartbreak. Don’t do this to yourself!"

I barely heard her. My mind was filled only with Anirudh’s smile, his warm hands, the way he had rested his forehead against mine and whispered that he would return safe and sound. He couldn’t be gone. He couldn’t.

"Nayantara!" Priyamvada cried, reaching me, Hriday clutched tightly in her arms, her face streaked with tears. "Please... please don’t!"

The guards tried to hold me back. Palace maids pleaded. Even the old priest came, murmuring prayers under his breath. But I fought them all, the pain in my chest more unbearable than anything I had ever known.

Then suddenly, a sharp pain tore through my abdomen.

I gasped, clutching my swollen belly. The world tilted dangerously.

Another wave of pain hit me, stronger, sharper.

"No, no, not now-" I whimpered, doubling over.

"Nayantara!" Kashmira screamed in terror, rushing to my side.