Echoes of Destiny

The Royal Message

The maid, finally regaining her composure, stepped forward and began to share the urgent news. "Rajkumariji, Suryagarh se abhi ek sandesh aaya hai. Aapke vivah ke vishay me. Aur to aur Suryagarh ke Rajkumar Rajveer bhi aa rhe hai Amravati kuch dino me. Sandesh ke anusaar aap dono ka vivah ek varsh me nishchit kia ja rha hai." ("Rajkumari Advaita, a letter has arrived from Suryagarh. It carries a proposal of great importance. Prince Rajveer is to visit Amravati, and the letter suggests that your marriage should be solemnized within a year.")

Advaita's face registered shock and disbelief. Her heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the news. The thought of marrying so soon and leaving behind her beloved family sent waves of hesitation and uncertainty through her being.

She looked at the maid who looked very eager and joyful after sharing the news and rewarded her with a gold coin. "Ekant", she said. As everyone left the room she sat in solitide thinking. ("Privacy")

"Ek varsh me vivah!" she whispered, her voice tinged with both awe and trepidation. "Itni jaldi itni bade uttardayitv ke lie kaise taiyaar honge. Hum apne parivaar ko chhod nhi jana chahte. Yeh sab itni jldi kyu ho rha hai." ("Marriage within a year?How can I be ready for such a commitment? I am not prepared to leave my family behind. This is all happening so quickly.")

Advaita sat in solitude, her mind consumed by a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The news of the impending marriage within a year left her hesitant and uncertain. While she knew that it was not within her realm of choice, the idea of leaving her family behind and venturing into a new life filled her with apprehension.

Her heart longed for the warmth and familiarity of her family's embrace. The thought of parting from them, of stepping into the unknown, made her tremble with fear. She couldn't help but question if she was truly ready for such a commitment and if she had the strength to leave everything she held dear behind.

And  while the prospect of leaving her family behind weighed heavily on her heart, there were also lingering doubts about the state of her kingdom. She knew that the threat of terror loomed, but she was unsure of its extent and whether her uncle played a role in it.

Over the years, Advaita had keenly observed her uncle, Raghav, and his ambitions for power. While he presented himself as a loving and devoted family member, Advaita could discern a glint of hidden desire in his eyes. She was determined to protect her family and the kingdom of Amravati from his greed.  She had thwarted many of his small plans, using her intuition and cunning to protect her loved ones. From preventing him from heading a small army to exposing his right-hand man's misdeeds, Advaita had carefully strategized to safeguard her family and the kingdom.

 One incident that stood out in Advaita's memory was when Raghav expressed an eagerness to lead a small army as they were gathered in the royal council chamber, discussing military matters. When king devendra was thinking about it in his chambers and Advaita heard him her instincts immediately alerted her to her uncle's true intentions.

She said to her father with a series face (that looked adoreable on a 10 year old) "Babasa aap chachasa ko aur kaam na de. Ve pehle se hi bahot vyast hai." ("Babasa, do not give Chachasa (uncle) more work to do. He is already very busy.")

King Devendra looked at her serious face and asked seriously trying to hide a smile, "Aur aisa kyu humari nanhi Rajkumari?" ("And why is that my little princess?")

Advaita looks at him with concern and speaks softly.

"Tara jiji ne hume bataya tha ki chachasa unke saath nhi khelte kyuki ve bahot vyast rehte hai. Agar aap unhe aur kaam de denge to ve aur bhi vyast ho jaenge." ("Tara once told me that Chachasa does not spend much time with his family because he is always occupied with his duties.")