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Trishalini POV

I was changed into a heavier attire. Something royal and burdensome.

It was bridal red, with heavy borders and challenging to tie around the waist. The blouse felt explicit due to its open back. The dupatta was even heavier, and I could hardly walk with the jewellery on.

And, it was feeling tiresome to be empty-stomach.

Once I was ready, my father stepped inside with a plate of food.

"She must break her fast now," he said, handing the plate to Maasa if she allowed me to call that.

"Pitaji," I stopped him. "At least one bite from your hand?" I almost begged, and he stared at me. The tears left my eyes again, and he nodded slowly before coming forward. Making a bite, he forwarded it to me, and I burst into cries.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry. I did not know why I failed. I am so sorry," I burst into cries, and he shook his head. "I should have been careful enough when I saw it coming," he said, and I shook my head.

It was not true.

"Take it," he said, and I opened my mouth to get his first bite. It made me smile out of nowhere. I remembered the time of my childhood, the way he used to feed me, and the way we used to work together. I would miss him terribly.

"I will miss you, Trisha," he said, handing the plate to Maasa before leaving hurriedly. She sat beside him and washed my tears.

"You will come back in two days for the Pakphera," she said, and I looked at her in confusion.

"Are you sure?" I asked and hesitated a little to add. "Maasa,"

She smiled, nodding, and Daadisa caressed my head. "Eat, Trisha," she said, and I looked at Queen Nandani, who was smiling looking at me.

"You will love it in Mahabaleshgarh, Bhabhisa," she said, and I smiled weakly before nodding.

Maasa fed me a few more bites, and I refused to take anymore.

"I am full," I said, and she shook her head.

"The way is long, so you must eat a little more," she said, and I took two more bites.

"Enough,"

"Maharani," suddenly, Ranvijay Bhaisa's voice caught our attention, and she turned to look at him.

"We should leave, or it will be late," he said, and she nodded.

"Who is staying here with Guruji?" she asked. He replied.

"Agastya will stay here for a while,"

She nodded in response, and they began to prepare for my departure. I could not help but feel at the lowest of my life. I did not expect to leave my father like this, with tears and shame.

I knew he was unhappy with whatever happened. But, there was someone who looked even more disappointed than him. Yuvraj.

He waited near his horse until I met my father, and I cried my heart out while hugging him.

"God bless you, and you will make me proud by being a good daughter-in-law," he said, and I nodded.

I knew he was saying it only to make it easy for me. He still had not accepted our wedding, and I was unhappy with how it had happened.

After meeting my father, I greeted my friends and neighbourly mothers. They looked shocked by the wedding and failed to utter a single word.

Maasa helped me to sit inside the Palanquin and asked Queen Nandani to sit with me. He did not even turn to look at me.

They sat in a different one, and I peeked through the curtains. My father was seated on the cot with Agastya. The people silently looked at me, leaving, and I couldn't help but let the silent tears roll down my cheeks.

It was difficult for me.

"The way is a little longer, Bhabhisa. You must close your eyes and rest," Queen Nandani said, and I nodded silently.

I could feel the palanquin moving amid the darkness with the soldiers, foot by foot; I could feel the air change, the environment change, and me becoming the daughter-in-law of the Mahabaleshgarh.

By the time we reached there, it was past midnight. The doors opened for us, and I was asked to wait with Queen Nandani until Maasa and Daadisa brought essentials to welcome me.

"You shall step outside now," Queen Nandani said, stepping before me and taking me near him. He looked at us, and Nandani looked at him.

"She is your wife now, Abhinandan. Treat her like one," she said, and he inhaled deeply.

"You are the last person I need all this marital advice from," he said, and I pulled my hand back from his when he tried to hold.

He was being unnecessarily rude to everyone.

We stepped forward, and I looked at Maasa and Daadisa doing our Aarti.

"Welcome to your home, Trisha," she said, and I lowered myself to touch their feet.

"You should push the Kalash straight and ink our Kingdom with your godly arrival," she said, and I did the same. I gently pushed the Kalash and stepped into the plate of red Kumkum.

Taking steps forward, I could feel the cold stones of Mahabaleshgarh beneath me. It was vast and beautiful at night.

I smiled weakly, looking at both my mothers.

"Maasa, Daadisa," I addressed both of them.

"Aapko dene ke liye neg to nahi hai hamare pass or in keemti gehno me se kuch nahi de sakte kyuki ye sab to aapka hi hai. Parantu jab bahu pehli baar ghar aati hai to apni Saas ko kuch na kuch jaroor deti hai. Aap bataiye hum aapko kya de?"

"I do not have anything to give you. All of these precious metals I am wearing already belong to you. But, when the bride enters her new home, she gifts something to her mother-in-law. Please tell me what should I give to you?" I asked, and they both looked at each other, and Daadisa smiled.

"The Kingdom feels like cursed these days, Trisha. If you want to give something, bless us with happiness and your love," she said, and I smiled weakly, nodding.

"I will try my best," I said, noticing him stepping forward.

"Come, let's take my father's blessings," he said, holding my hand to take me forward inside the Kingdom. Everyone followed as we walked past a vast compound and entered a valley of galleries and gardens. The servants, maids and soldiers froze in their steps to look at us as we walked past through a long gallery and reached a vast chamber. I could not see all of it clearly, but it had stairs—at least ten.

We both climbed them up. I could hardly match his pace and entered a vast and beautiful room. Once my sight fell on his father, I immediately lowered my dupatta to cover my face a little. He was sitting on the couch and stood up, seeing us.

"Baapusa, meet your daughter-in-law," he said, coughed, looking at us.

"He is ill," I reminded him in a slow voice.

"Stay shut," he said, and I immediately looked down.

"You cannot be my son," the King said, taking me closer.

"Come on, give her blessings," he said, and his father shook his head.

"What the hell did you do? This is not acceptable, Abhinandan. This is not what the crown demands,"

"But, Baapusa, they like each other," Queen Nandani suddenly interrupted, stepping forward, and he glared at him angrily.

"Do you not dare to bring your sickness of love and likeliness here.

"Why?" Yuvraj interfered.

"She could marry whoever she wants, and I could not?" he asked, and Queen Nandani added.

"Yes, Baapusa. What is wrong with this?" she asked, and he suddenly stepped closer to her.

"You must leave right away. All of this blunder has been caused by the dirt you have been. His mind has been off since the day you were found with him. Leave before you face the wrath of mine," his words brought tears to her.

"What is my mistake in all of this? baapusa," she asked, and he raised his hand suddenly, and Ranvijay stepped in between.

"Maharaj, I am sorry, I should not speak about the family matters, but she is the Queen of Suryagarh," he said, glaring at him.

"Then you must ask her to stay silent in my family's matters," the King roared angrily and suddenly sat on the couch.

"I do not accept this wedding and..."

"Raj," suddenly, Maasa stepped in between and looked into his eyes. She forwarded her hand on which a ring was placed.

"You granted me a wish a very long time ago. I know you are burdened with the throne's future and cannot see properly due to your sickness. But, I must remind you that I can ask for a wish, and you have to grant it to me," she said, and he shook his head.

"Do not you dare step up for this blunder, Abhishree. You supported our daughter and begged me to support her, too, and see where it brought us. The marriage outside royal blood will end our reign. It is what keeps us different from the commoners and the others. What will be left of us if we sacrifice it?" he said, and she knelt before him.

"I am too blinded to understand all of this. All I can see and want to see for my children is to be happy. You spent your whole life being a great King and a father, too. Do not become the villain you are not. See them as your children first rather than a bloodline, for God's sake. Where is the Raj who used to fight for his sister, saying she was his child? How could you not bear their happiness? How could you raise your hand on your daughter?" she asked, breaking into slow cries, and he shook his head, inhaling deeply.

"What the hell have they done for us in return for all the love and sacrifices we have made? She threw our pride away for the sake of a man, and he..." he pointed at Yuvraj. "He does not even know how to speak with his father. He called me a coward. He called me a coward," he said, coughing hard.

"Raj, you should rest," Daadisa said, and he shook her head.

"You tell me, Maasa?" he asked, looking at her.

"How much does he know about a war hn? How many had he won? How many times he had asked his mother what she felt after losing her brother in the war? How many times has he asked me what I have felt living with his mother after killing her brother? He called me a coward," he coughed even harder.

"I am not a coward. I can kill as many as I want right now. But all I want to see is peace before I die, and I hardly think of peace knowing that both my children have failed me for their self-interest. They are the real cowards. I cannot believe that they are born from Abhishree's womb and carry my genes," he yelled at us, and I could not help but cry.

"You asked for the wish, right?" he turned towards Maasa.

"I have granted it. Tell this son of yours to leave my sight and take his sister along. He was against her and left to wage a war on Rudra. Tell me what difference you and Rudra have now?" he asked, looking at him, and he gritted his teeth.

"You are too blind to see it," he replied in equal anger, and the King glared into his eyes.

"Baapusa," I could not stop myself from speaking out. Everyone turned silent, and I could not help but kneel before him and touch his feet. "I am so sorry," I said, and suddenly he cried.

"I am so sorry to be the reason for your pain," I said, and he palmed his face. "But, I cannot begin my home without your blessings," I said, and he shook his head.

"You do not understand this, my child. Every step you take towards the throne will be a trial by fire. My words might feel like blades to you, but it is not my bane but the reality. The legality and righteousness of your children will be put to question again and again. It is easy to question the one who sits on the throne, and it is tremendously difficult to answer the question once you sit on the throne," he said, looking at Yuvraj at the end.

I could not believe how stubborn he was standing there.

"I do not know about the thrones. But I know of the family, and I want your blessings to fit into this one I am married into. I do not wish to sit on the throne. Neither would I wish my child to sit on the throne if he would not fit. Nor will I stop Yuvraj from marrying any Princess. I promise I will never cause you any problems, but you must not cause yourself pain," I said, trying to make him understand. Suddenly, he smiled weakly and kissed my forehead.

"Finally, someone sensible enough to converse with me," he said, looking at me and nodded.

"God bless you," he said, and I stood up.

"You must rest now, Raj," Daadisa said, and he nodded.

"I am sorry, baapusa," Queen Nandani stepped forward and sat beside him.

"I know you are still angry with me," she said, and he placed his hand on her head.

"Do you not dare to leave because I yelled at you? It's night," he said to her, and she nodded, smiling.

"I know, do not worry. I find love in your yelling, too," she said. I looked at Yuvraj, who stood there and rolled his eyes.

"Cannot believe all this," he said, looking at me before looking at him.

"She might have agreed to let me marry a princess, but I must clear it beforehand that I will not take another wife," he said in pure determination. The King inhaled deeply before standing up. I took a step away from him as he stepped closer to Yuvraj. He held his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"The Kings in our family do not take second wives. We are meant to be loyal once wed," he said, caressing his back. "Congratulations on your new life, Abhinandan," he said. I noticed Yuvraj cringing a little, and then slowly, he gave in and hugged him back.

"Thank you, baapusa," he said in a breaking voice, and I looked away, unable to control my tears.

"It is not like I do not want my children to be happy and loved and in love, but I am afraid of the future," the King said, and he did not reply anything.

He pulled back slowly and looked into his eyes. "But, you still did wrong, Baapusa. And you have to accept it. You let Rudra take advantage of us, and let me tell you something about him. If it was Rudra in your place and somebody had defiled his daughter, he would have killed him and all of his related bloodlines," he said, and the King looked at Nandani.

"Let's see once he has a daughter," he replied, and I lowered my gaze.

"Abhinandan, I love him so much. Do not curse my new family," Queen Nandani said. He closed his eyes for a moment and then hugged her. "I am sorry,"

"You should all rest," Maasa said, catching our attention, and Queen Nandani walked closer to me.

"Come, let me show you your chamber," she said, and I nodded, suddenly feeling uneasy.

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