Chapter 1
🎶Chanakya - Rishab Rikhiram Sharma
A powerful afternoon breeze rustled the pages of her notebook. Khushi struggled to jot down the last of her findings before quickly reaching for her hat. Too late - the wind swept it clean off her head, and it slipped beyond her grasp.
Khushi darted across the courtyard of Amer Palace, her white dupatta billowing behind her, flapping like a restless bird against the dry Rajasthani wind. The sun blazed high, casting a searing white light over the sandstone courtyard, making it shimmer like molten gold. Each stone radiated heat, a fiery touch under hermojris[footwear] that was softened only slightly by her rapid pace. The dry, parched air bit at her skin, an unrelenting reminder of Rajasthan’s fierce summer.
With every step, the warm gusts of wind seemed to taunt her, whisking her hat just out of reach. Her cheeks flushed, whether from the heat or the thrill of the chase, and her grumbles rang out, punctuating the stillness of the vast fort. Squinting against the sunlight, Khushi pushed forward, her steps fueled by the spirit of the land - a fierce dance beneath the gaze of the ancient walls and the relentless desert sun.
Bent double, and wobbling on unsteady feet, her futile attempts failed until the hat stopped by a pair of shiny leather shoes. A hand, much larger than hers, shot down and picked it up. Khushi jerked upright, snatching it from the man.
He was far more graceful about it than her as he straightened. Khushi’s breath caught in her throat as he slowly took off his sunglasses.
Khushi’s vision began to blur, the man before her seemed distant, like a mirage glimpsed through a long, winding tunnel. His form shifted and phased, flickering between two worlds - a warrior from a forgotten era and the present-day businessman. His hair fell to his shoulders, wild and wavy, only to shift back to the crisp and trimmed cut. A full beard shadowed his face, momentarily replacing the well-kept stubble, while an ancient suit of armor adorned his form, bearing theShivashakticrest etched upon his chest...
Khushi’s bag slipped down her shoulder, but she had no strength to stop it. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist as she slipped into the void.
The sword swung down menacingly as Khushi smirked, the resounding clang managing to grate her nerves as well as fan the flames of her euphoria. She moved closer, until she was looking directly into a pair of deep brown eyes staring down at her.
Senapati [commander-in-chief] Raizada’s lip curled as he drew the sword away with a flourish. Khushi’s eyes darted to his other hand, but too late, the blunt edge of a small knife was at her throat before she could raise her arm to deflect it.
“Too bad, your highness,” he chuckled, pinning her to the wall. “Never take your eyes off the target, no matter how enigmatic your adversary is.”
“Ha! He only wishes,” she breathed. Her sword fell from her slackened grip before Khushi grabbed his face and kissed him, ignoring the knife as it left a mild welt on her throat.
The Senapati drew back aghast, flipping the knife back in its case in one swift move. He grumbled at her foolishness but she was not going to hear any of it.
Determined to make the most of their precious time together, Khushi flung her arms around his neck and kissed him in earnest, her hands fisting in his hair.
It didn’t take long for Arnav to break free of his ironclad resolve. He backed her to the wall and responded with a passion that nearly overpowered hers. Their collective moans and sighs filled the limited space, their secret hideout, secluded from the rest of the castle and its inhabitants.
Khushi’s hand traveled down his collarbone and slid inside hiskameez, feeling the hard contours of his chest. Arnav broke the kiss with a groan, panting hard. He held her at arm’s length as they stared into each other’s eyes, desire raging within their heated gaze.
“Rajkumari [Princess] Khushi!”
Arnav’s head whipped to the left, his hands instantly dropping to his side. Khushi felt her stomach plummet to the ground. The Maharani [Queen], stood by the archway with an entourage of handmaidens. Khushi convulsed at the look of sheer ferocity in her mother’s gaze.
“You saw nothing,” said the Maharani, her voice ringing in the silence as she addressed her servants. “Anyone spreading falsehoods will die a most painful death.”
Khushi shivered as she witnessed this new side to her mother. Before she could take a step in her direction, Arnav had stormed forward and lowered himself on one knee before the Maharani.
Offering his sword with both hands, he bowed his head and spoke aloud, “Please forgive me, Your Highness. The fault is mine alone. I beg you to take my life as payment and spare the Princess from your wrath.”
“No,” shouted Khushi, sprinting forward. Her mother jerked her head toward her servants imperiously. They responded by grabbing hold of Khushi’s arms and restraining her.
“Your transgressions are beyond the scope of my jurisdiction, Commander. It will not be I who determines your fate, but those far above my station.”
Khushi’s view of Arnav was cut off as the servants dragged her away to the west wing. She yelled, kicked, and scratched but to no avail.
“Leave us!” cried the Maharani once they had reached Khushi’s quarters. The servants scattered and closed the large double doors behind them.
The moment Khushi was left alone with her mother, her face was whipped to the side as the Maharani’s slap struck. Anger and humiliation flooded Khushi’s heart, and tears spilled down her cheeks as her mother gripped her arms, shaking her with fury.
“What the hell were you thinking, Khushi? Do you realize what you have done?!”
“I don’t care! I have known him since I was a child! I love him!”
“Don’t you see?” begged her mother. “If word of this gets out, you’ve condemned both your lives to death! Not to mention those poor servants who were forced to witness your disgrace!”
She let go of Khushi and slowly sank onto the bed, silent tears streaming down her face.
“There’s more... The real reason I sought you out tonight was to deliver a message that will change everything. Your father awaits the arrival of the young prince of Mewar—BharmalSisodia Rajput. You are to marry him. And within the week, your palanquin will depart.”
“H-how..when,” said Khushi, her mind growing numb with disbelief.
“It was decided years ago, and yourfather," she almost spit the word. “He didn’t think it worth informing his wife or his only daughter before casting his own flesh and blood out of the kingdom, all to feed his insatiable hunger for power and control.”
“I...I will not allow it!” yelled Khushi. “I have thwarted proposals so far, this time it won’t be any different-”
“Stop being so naive, Khushi,” her mother hissed, rising abruptly to her feet. “The commander is an honorable man. He will go to the King and beg for your hand in marriage. The alternative,” her voice faltered, “would be his readiness to face his own end - a fate he knows awaits him - if it means preserving your honor. If you want to see him alive, then forget him! Sever this thread that was never meant to bind you two. That is the only way both of you will survive!”
“No! There has to be another way! Theremustbe another way!”
Khushi stormed out of her quarters, ignoring her mother’s cries and ran down the vast palace halls.Devi Mayya would have the answers!Her feet thundered against the sandstones of the castle as she threw open the doors to Shivashakti temple.
