-𝓐 𝓣𝓸𝓾𝓬𝓱 𝓸𝓯 𝓡𝓮𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓸𝓷-
"How did you ruin your mehendi?” Dushala inquired, her gaze fixed on Aanya’s crimson-stained hands, where the mehendi patterns had been marred. Aanya blushed, swiftly concealing her hands behind her back, concealing her secret.
“I tripped,” Aanya mumbled, her response hurried.
Dushala shook her head, “Aadat se mazboor.”
“Let it be,” Aanya insisted, shaking her head. “Why did you call me?”
Dushala nodded, her lips pressed together. “Wait.” She motioned to the maids, instructing them to leave the room. The door closed, cocooning them in a private world of secrets and unspoken fears.
Aanya sat down beside Dushala, the cool silk of her dress rustling. She leaned in, her eyes urging Dushala to reveal her truth. Dushala sighed, her vulnerability laid bare.
“I am just scared and nervous about what lies ahead,” Dushala confessed. Her voice trembled, revealing the fragility beneath her regal facade. “I need to gather myself, find my footing in this labyrinth of expectations.”
Aanya’s heart ached. She remembered another time, another tear-streaked face, the day of Dushala’s haldi.
Flashback
“Dushala,” Aanya murmured softly, gently shaking her. Dushala looked up, her once-vibrant eyes now swollen and bloodshot, a testament to her anguish.
“What happened?” Aanya whispered, her voice laced with concern. She couldn’t bear to see her friend in pain.
Dushala shook her head, unable to articulate her emotions. She found solace in the warmth of Aanya’s presence, the one constant in a world that spun out of control.
“I think… I’ve fallen in love,” Dushala confessed, her voice barely audible.
Aanya gasped, her heart racing. “With whom?” Her mind raced, piecing together the fragments of stolen glances and hushed conversations.
Dushala bit her trembling lips, her gaze dropping. “Yuvraaj Dhruv.”
Aanya nodded, not surprised. She had noticed their closeness, the stolen moments in moonlit gardens, the shared laughter that defied their roles. “Does he know?”
“We can’t tell him, Aanya. I’m getting married,” Dushala said, her voice breaking.
“But—” Aanya began, her heart warring between loyalty and longing.
“Love is a luxury we can’t afford,” Dushala interrupted, her tears falling freely. “Our duty lies elsewhere.”
Flashback ends
Aanya sighed, her eyes tracing the mehendi patterns on her friend’s hands. The crimson-stained lines, once symbols of celebration, now bore the weight of secrets. Dushala’s gaze remained fixed, as if seeking answers within the intricate curves.
“You should tell him, Dushala,” Aanya urged, her voice soft but insistent.
Dushala shook her head, her fingers brushing the hennaed designs. “No, there’s no use. Fate has already etched its course.”
“But,” Aanya persisted, leaning closer, “you’re not married yet. You still have a chance. What if he feels the same way?”
Dushala’s laughter held no mirth. “Yuvraaj Dhruv is bound by duty. His responsibilities weigh heavily on him. Love is a frivolity for princes.” Her words hung in the air, a bitter truth woven into the fabric of their lives.
YOU ARE READING
Love Across Time
Fanfiction"Two Hearts Intertwined Across Different Eras" Aanya, once living a life so plain, A simple existence, her heart not quite enthralled. But fate, with its whims, would soon conspire, And send her on a journey through time and space. To the era of the...
