𝟎𝟎.|𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄 𖤓

The night was heavy, studded with the stars that were scattered across the vast, inky sky above. Eight-year-old Saudamini sat cross-legged on the cool, dew-kissed grass, her gaze fixed on the night sky. People say a falling star could grant any wish-
It was just a childish hope.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she thought about it.

What about her wish? To have her mother back? Or perhaps to feel the warmth of a father's affection, instead of his cold indifference? That was a plea to the universe that seemed deaf-eared to her cries.

"People say a falling star can grant any wish…But what good is a wish when you have nothing left to wish for?” she questioned the night sky, her voice barely a breath, Her wide innocent eyes which were filled with a mixture of longing and dejection as they scanned the heavens that offered no answers.

A lone tear escaped her eye, tracing a silent path down her cheek. The world was full of people who had lost something, but to lose a mother at such a tender age was a wound that refused to heal.

She looked down at the grass, her fingers tracing its soft blades. Nature was her only friend, that was a silent listener to her, never judging and always accepting.

Tomorrow, she would leave for the gurukul, a place of learning, as her father had said. But tonight, a cold dread settled in as she gazed up at the indifferent stars. She felt like a solitary island in a vast ocean, utterly alone. Her father's ignorance had left her heart empty, and the thought of facing a new world without a single friend was terrifying.

“You’ll be with the princesses,” her father had said, his voice laced with contempt as he refused to look at her pitiable form.

“Learn from them. Be more like them.” A sob escaped her lips as his words echoed in her mind.

The thought of the princesses, the daughters of the king her father serves, filled her with a mix of envy and dread. They live in a world of privilege and constant attention effortlessly. Her father often compared her to them with his voice full of disappointment which was like a dagger to her heart.

Would they, too, treat her with the same indifference as her father?

Well for her hope was a luxury she couldn't afford. Her mother, who was supposed to be with her and pamper her with all the love, had vanished, And her father? He was physically present, yet emotionally absent, busy in his own world of duties and ambitions.

For him she was just a reminder of his failed dreams.

Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over and tracing salty paths down her cheeks. She was just a child, after all, longing for love and affection.

She wrapped her arms around herself, seeking warmth in the cold night and whispered to the sky, "I will become a healer. I promise."

Not just to fulfill a duty or to earn praise, but to reclaim a sense of purpose.

A surge of determination filled her as she vowed not to be defined by her father's expectations but to carve her own path, honoring her mother's memory.

As she lifted her gaze back to the sky, a shooting star streaked across the heavens, leaving behind a trail of shimmering light. It was as if the sky itself was listening to her vow.

Perhaps, just perhaps, her mother was watching over her, blessing her with a smile?

Hope flared in her chest, It was a sign-

Just this one time, she felt the heavens, the universe responding to her astute resolve.

A single tear of hope and joy escaped her eyes, quickly wiped away by her trembling hand. A determined smile curved her lips as she closed her eyes, recalling the shooting star.

With a resolve that belied her tender years, she made a promise to the sky, the grass, and most importantly, herself. She would learn to mend, to heal, and to ease suffering.

And in doing so maybe, just maybe, she could also find a remedy for her own pain?

Tomorrow will be a new chapter of her life. A small smile curves her lips as sleep finally embraced her little form and the stars watched over her figure like a guardian she never had.

People say time heals all wounds, but that’s simply not true. Time can only soften the pain and the scars remain and she would not wait for time to heal her.

She will be her own healer.

.☘︎ ݁˖

Author's Note:-

So, the prelude to section one starts here. As we mentioned, this book is a spin-off from "Samyati - A Voyage Through Time."It would be great if new readers checked out that book to learn about the other characters in this story.

Thank You!