Echoes of Destiny

The Next Day- I

Reva chuckled and clarified, "Oh, you know! Your wedding night..."

Advaita's brow furrowed in bewilderment, "It was okay," she replied, still not entirely sure where this conversation was heading. "Did you mean if I slept well in the new place? I did. But why do you have that teasing and gossiping expression on your face?"

Reva raised an eyebrow, her curiosity unabated. "You slept well?" she asked, wide-eyed.

Advaita nodded, slightly perplexed, "Yes."

Reva's shock was evident, "So nothing happened?" she asked incredulously.

"What was supposed to happen?" Advaita was becoming irritated. "Reva, you are confusing me. What exactly do you want to know?"

Reva leaned in and said with a sly grin, "Yuvraj... Did Yuvraj do nothing last night?"

Understanding finally dawned on Advaita, and her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. She stammered, "Oh, that," her voice barely above a whisper, "Umm... he gifted me the most beautiful pair of anklets," she confessed, her shyness and embarrassment evident in her words.

Reva persisted as she probed further, "Just gifted you anklets?"

Advaita's irritation was evident in her tone as she responded, "Yes? Why are you repeating everything? And what do you mean 'just anklets'? They are the prettiest anklets I have ever known," she defended, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

Reva, sensing her frustration, quickly backtracked, muttering an apology, "Oh, nothing. I'm sorry. "

"It's not necessary to consummate on the very first night."she whispered to herself.

Advaita heard Reva whispering something but did not catch her words. She looked at her suspiciously, "Now what are you muttering to yourself?" 

"I said nothing," Reva explained. "Are you sure, you were not bad-mouthing me?" Advaita asked her again.  As Reva hurriedly explained, "No my dear princess, How dare I bad-mouth the future queen. Now come on, tell me what do want to wear today?"

Advaita's demeanor lightened as she turned her attention to the wardrobe, looking for her outfit for the day. Advaita carefully selected a vibrant green and yellow lehenga from the wardrobe. The choli and ghagra were a rich leafy green, while the dupatta complemented it beautifully with its sunny yellow hue. With Reva's assistance, she took a refreshing bath and then changed into the elegant ensemble.

Reva skillfully styled Advaita's hair into a long braid that gracefully cascaded down to her hips. As Advaita stood before the mirror, she adorned herself with matching jewelry, each piece adding to her radiant appearance. But what caught Reva's eyes was a new pair of anklets advaita was wearing, she hadn't seen them ever in Advaita's trousseau.

"Oh dear! They are so pretty. Are these the ones's Yuvraj gifted you?" She asked, to which Advaita smiled and shyly nodded.  Finally, she carefully applied sindoor to her head, symbolizing her newlywed status. 

As Advaita got ready, she couldn't help but feel a hint of nervousness. She turned to Reva and asked, "I am not late, right?"

Reva smiled reassuringly and replied, "No, you are not late. It's still early." Her comforting words helped alleviate some of Advaita's apprehension as she prepared to face the day's events.

Advaita, having prepared herself for the day, encountered Rani Leelavati in the hallway. She greeted her with respect, saying, "Pranam Maasa."

Queen Leelavati smiled at Advaita and remarked, "Oh, Advaita! You are ready so early, my dear. I was going to come to you shortly. According to tradition, today is supposed to be your 'pag phera' ceremony. However, due to the inconvenience it has caused in the past, we have discontinued this practice for years. But, of course, if you wish to have the ceremony, we can send a letter to Amravati, informing them of your arrival for the occasion. After all, Amravati is not too far away."

Advaita recollected her conversation with her mother regarding this matter and replied, "It is okay, Maasa. We don't need to do that. But what am I supposed to do today then?" she inquired.

Rani Leelavati reassured her, "I told you that you have no household responsibilities at the moment. As for what you are supposed to do today, we will decide later. For now, let's go to the temple for the morning prayers."

Advaita followed Queen Leelavati to the royal temple, where they were greeted by the presence of the royal priest, Pandit Nagadev. Queen Leelavati introduced the pandit to Advaita, who respectfully joined her hands and greeted him with a heartfelt "Pranam" before bowing to touch his feet, seeking his blessings.

"May God grant you a long and prosperous life, and fulfill all your desires," Panditji blessed her with a warm smile.

As the other members of the royal family gathered in the temple, Queen Leelavati initiated the morning prayers, holding the Aarthi plate in front of the sacred shivlinga. She performed the ritual and then passed the plate to Advaita and Rajveer, who repeated the ceremonial gestures. The plate continued to circulate among all the family members as the prayers progressed, fostering a sense of unity and spiritual connection within the royal household.