Today, finally, my wait ends. Maharaj is coming back from his battle conquest. All arrangements for welcoming him were made. He had returned with victory. As his wife, it was my duty to welcome him.

"Jyotsna!" I called out to the chief of my maids.

"Yes, Maharani," She came into my room and bowed.

Jyotsna has been with me ever since I was 11. She has been my childhood friend. She came with me to my husband's kingdom once I married. She is like a sister to me.

"Am I looking presentable?" I asked her, turning around to show her how I looked. I had done my makeup today all by myself.

"Hey Mahadev", she called out to Lord Shiva, our main deity, "You look like a mess, Maharanisa."

I huffed in disappointment. I did not like it when someone called me a mess, but Jyotsna was always my well-wisher. She had been the most loyal person that I have seen in my life.

"Jyotsna," I cried out, unhappy at her teasing me.

She shook her head slightly, mostly irritated that I had done the makeup, as now she would have to remove it and deck me up again.

"Come, Maharani," She said, pointing to a seat in front of my dressing mirror.

I went and sat down. My face looks like a child whose mango had been stolen from him. I decided to let Jyotsna do the work that she knows better than I do.

She clapped her hands thrice and called out, "Latika and Suprita, come here. We need to get the Maharani ready."

Suprita and Latika came in with the things they usually get me ready with.

"I feel so worthless, you know," I said, looking at Jyotsna with a pout.

"You are not worthless. You know that well," she said, not buying my pout at all but at the same time telling me that I had responsibilities other than decking myself up.

It took them just a few minutes to deck me up as the Queen. They had become so accustomed to making me look lovely.

"Perfect," She whispered into my ears.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked gorgeous and divine. The saree matched my skin tone perfectly. The kohl was not smudged at all. The red circle of virtue, also called the bindi, was perfectly above my nose. My hair looked perfect, not a strand out of place. The jewellery that I was wearing complimented my dress perfectly. The nose ring stood steadily fixed on my nose.

"You think so?" I asked her

"Maharaj will not be able to stay away from you tonight," She said softly in my ears.

I started blushing till I turned beet red. The thought of being with my husband was so amazing. It had been quite some months that he had gone for the conquest. The last time before going to the conquest, he had promised to bring something really special for me with him.

"Hmm, Hmm," Jyotsna cleared her throat.

I broke away from my thoughts.

"Already imagining it?" she asked with a smirk.

I gave her a tap on her hands to stop her from teasing me more. It had been three months since I had seen him. Three months since I wished him victory by handing him his sword and applying vermillion as a tilak on his forehead.

There was a short knock on the door of my chambers. I turned to look at the door. I saw the RajMata(The King's mother) present there.

"Rani Maa(Queen Mother)," I bowed and greeted my mother-in-law.

"Get up, my dear," she acknowledged me with a smile. My mother-in-law had always treated me like a daughter. She always stood with righteousness.

"You could have called me to your chambers," I said to her looking at her limping gait.

"Nonsense," she chuckled, "Rajmata Pratibha is not so weak that she can't walk around her own palace. Are you excited?"

I blushed and nodded my head. Ranimaa had been my rock-solid support during my husband's absence in court matters. My brother-in-law Ashutosh tried helping me but was unable to give me the support that Ranimaa gave during court.

"Bhabhi sa(sister-in-law), the army has entered the palace grounds," Ashutosh announced, interrupting our conversation.

Rajmata Pratibha and I exchanged a knowing look. The moment we had been waiting for had arrived. Maharaj was finally back.

"Everyone in the palace shall assemble in the grounds for his grand welcome," Ranimaa instructed, her voice filled with excitement.

I stood up, adjusting the pleats of my saree nervously. My heart raced with anticipation. After months of waiting and worrying, my husband was finally returning victorious. 

The palace grounds buzzed with activity as soldiers lined up, musicians tuned their instruments, and the courtiers assembled to welcome their king. As the grand gates swung open, Maharaj, adorned in his regal armour and riding a majestic horse, entered the palace grounds. His victorious aura radiated around him, and his eyes searched the crowd until they met mine.

A smile spread across his face, and my heart skipped a beat. With grace, he dismounted his horse and walked towards me, his steps filled with purpose and pride.

"Maharani," he said, his voice filled with warmth as he approached.

"Maharaj," I replied, my voice barely a whisper, overwhelmed with emotion.

He embraced me, and in that moment, everything else faded away. It was just him and me, reunited after what felt like an eternity. The court erupted into cheers and applause as Maharaj and I stood together, basking in the glory of his victory and the love that bound us.

"Tara," He whispered into my ears.

"Hmm?" I looked up into his eyes, the crowd's shouts still yelling into my ears.

"I have something to tell you," He said.

I could see the nervousness in his eyes. I moved back slightly from him to look up at his face properly. I know the face he is making.

Guilt.

He never has looked at me with guilt.

"What is it?" I prod him.

"Come inside," He said, holding my arm to pull me in.

I was about to move with him when I turned to look at the entourage that had arrived with him. I stopped when I spotted a palanquin. No woman ever travelled with my husband.

Has he betrayed me?
He would never.
My Anshuman would never.

The grasp on my hand to pull me into the palace grew stronger. I looked at my husband, who had noticed that I understood what he might have to say to me.

"Tara, come inside," he pleaded.

I looked at the palanquin again. I wanted to go and see who was inside. He might have just brought an old lady who needed shelter with him. I tried to move towards the palanquin but his hand was not letting me move.

"Tara, come inside," as he urged me to follow him inside, my heart pounded with uncertainty. His anxious demeanour only fueled my apprehension, and I found myself torn between obeying his wishes and confronting the unsettling sight of the palanquin.

But my curiosity got the better of me, and instead of obeying Anshuman's plea, I walked toward the palanquin, determined to uncover the truth lurking within its confines. Anshuman's grip on my hand tightened, his eyes pleading with me to heed his words, but I shook him off gently, my gaze fixed on the mysterious palanquin.

"Tara, don't.  Listen to me," Anshuman's voice wavered with urgency, but I remained resolute, my feet carrying me closer to the truth I sought.

Ignoring the commotion, I reached the palanquin and motioned for the attendants to open it. With bated breath, I watched as they obeyed, revealing the occupant hidden within. My heart skipped a beat as I beheld the sight before me – a woman, veiled and adorned in opulent attire, her presence casting a shadow of doubt over my once-unshakeable faith in my husband.

Anshuman's silence spoke volumes, confirming my worst fears. Betrayal hung heavy in the air, choking the words I longed to speak.

"Who is she?" I demanded, my voice barely a whisper yet laced with a steely resolve.

Anshuman averted his gaze, unable to meet my accusing stare. "Tara, please, let me explain," he pleaded, his voice tinged with remorse.

But I would not be swayed by his pleas. Clenching my jaw, I turned to face him, my eyes ablaze with righteous anger. The crowd kept quiet now. Not one sound except for the birds could be heard. I could see my mother-in-law moving down from the terrace of the palace to approach us.

"You have betrayed me, Anshuman," I declared, each word ringing with the weight of betrayal. "You promised to be faithful, yet here you stand, with another woman by your side."

Anshuman's shoulders slumped, his guilt written across his face. "Tara, I... I never meant to hurt you," he confessed, his voice filled with regret.

But his words offered little solace, for the trust we once shared lay shattered at his feet, broken by his deceit. Anshuman's gaze met mine, his eyes brimming with sorrow.

How could he act like this after what he has done? He has no right to cry and behave like a victim.

Listen to him. He loves you. You can see the love in his eyes for you still alive. My heart was trying to tell me. 

I looked at him. I could not see him without the anger running through my veins. The hatred of whatever he had done.

"I hate you," I said, and walked past him into the palace.