The Village Girl

Chapter Thirteen - [Seetha]

My friends left, winking at me, seemingly knowing with the conversation was going to be about. "Pleasing the Prince," as Maha had called it.

Lady Suhanya sat me down and turned me to face the mirror as she started to pin the flowers into my hair. "I imagine you have had to deal with quite the amount of flirtatious jokes about the first night back in your village?"

I nodded, my cheeks warming. I felt a little guilty, as I wasn't going to tell her that Aaryan and I had already made love only a short while earlier.

Nevertheless, she was right. Back at him, all the village girls, old enough to understand, would get together and help the bride prepare for her 'first night' with the groom. The older, experienced girls would share their tips and the younger ones, like myself, would stare in awe and imagine who the man they would one day share this special night would be.

Lady Suhanya smiled. "It was like that with me too. It was fun... seeing all the other girls giggling and hopeful that their special night would be perfect."

I looked at her through the mirror with a smile. "I often forgot that Lady Suhanya was not a noblewoman. She carried herself like one... and people respected her like one, but she wasn't one. Not from birth, at least. Maybe... she was more like me than I ever thought.

"Unfortunately," she continued. "It's not as... dreamy, here in the palace."

I raised my brows. I didn't expect this turn.

"Love making is extremely formalized here. It is for the purpose of conceiving... in fact, generally the wife of the King does not even share a room with him, except on the nights that they are attempting to conceive."

Aaryan had mentioned something like that to me before. He told me that wouldn't be an issue between us... that once we were married, we would share a room and while he was at the palace, I would not sleep alone.

"And you must get used to being asked about the intimate details of your 'relations' with the Prince."

"Why?"

"Because, my dear, you are a princess now. And not just any princess, but the crown princess. Aaryan will be Maharajah one day and that means he needs heirs."

I let out a breath. Heirs. I have never once said that word before. I knew what it meant, but I had never used it. It was not a necessary term. We never call children heirs. We called them children. I never imagined my future babies as heirs... I imagined them as my children. So I said it out loud. "Heirs?" It felt odd.

"Our Maharani," Lady Suhanya continued, lowering her voice, "as you may already know, is not very well liked... even by her own sons. Despite that, she is extremely powerful. Do you know why?"

"She is wealthy?" Aaryan said that she came from a very wealthy northern family.

"Yes, but wealth does not equate to power, Seetha... especially for women," she said. "Our queen's power comes primarily from the fact that she gave birth to five, healthy sons."

"Huh." Clearly, I still did not understand the politics of being a royal.

"If, god forbid, Aaryan were to pass, she has given the King four other sons. She has consolidated the Maharaja's position and his line. She is the reason the kingdom stands strong from internal conflicts and is practically unbreakable. There will always be more people who support the crown over anyone else. People like stability, and bearing healthy sons promises stability.

"Thus, people may not like her, but she holds much power. She is the mother of not just one Prince, but five. Five warrior Princes. It also helps that her eldest has done nothing but prove his capabilities and capacity to be Maharaja. Aaryan is humble, but he does not make mistakes and the world around us is aware of that. So devastation would have to rain for the Rudraraja clan to fall, and people associate that with the Queen and her... fertility."

I let out a breath, feeling the weight suddenly on my shoulders. This was not something I ever thought about. I couldn't have cared less if I had only daughters before this. In fact, the thought of gender never really crossed my mind. That was what happened when your father raised you as an equal. I knew girls could work the land and be as useful as boys. I knew girls could take care of their parents as well, if not better, than boys could.

But this was entirely different.

This was... bigger.

"So... I have to give Aaryan a son," it came out softer than I intended.

"The more the better."

I stared at my reflection for a moment before I spoke again. "Girls have always been valued too in my village... more so in my family..." I didn't know why I said that.

"Royalty... is unkind to girls."

I frowned. "And if I don't? If I only have girls?"

"Discussions of concubinage will begin."

"Concubinage?" I scoffed.

Lady Suhanya nodded. "Generally, it's a lot less complicated. Marriages among the royals is always an arrangement... so there is less of an emotional bond. The women come in already aware of this, and though there is often emotion involved when concubinage occurs, it is usually just jealousy. An emotion that is trivial in itself. Women don't usually concern themselves with heartbreak," she said. "Of course, you and Aaryan are different. You are in love. You have a strong band which makes things difficult... which is why I'm going to tell you this–"

When I looked up at her through the mirror, I saw that she was already looking at me. "Seetha, I know you are a lovely, good hearted, smart girl, but that does not change your position. I wish it did, but it doesn't. When these nobles look at you, they cannot see past 'the village girl who stole their prince.' They will always question you and always be suspicious of your motives.

"Because of that, you must work harder than an average princess. You must educate yourself to the highest extent. You must learn the arts and play all the instruments. And most importantly, you must give Aaryan a son."

My palms began to sweat, getting nervous.

"Of course, I will be there to help you every step of the way. You have the king's support as well... it also seems that Prince Aayu has taken a liking to you. We are you resources in the physical world. Listen to us and we will keep you afloat. Other than that, we must pray to the gods and hope they are on your side as well... hope that they give you a son."

"And Aaryan," I said softly.

"Pardon me?"

"Aaryan," I repeated. "He will help me too."

Lady Suhanya nodded. "But be careful, my dear," she started. "Aaryan may love you, and he may mean well, but he is blinded by his love for you. Sometimes his decisions may not be completely wise."

"Alright, consult with you first. Always."

She chuckled before bending down and surprising me with a kiss on the top of my head. "Let me tell you one more thing," she started. "In my time at this palace, I have met hundreds of characters... but I have never once met someone like you. Someone who reminds me so much of myself."

That made me smile, my nervousness fading just a bit.

"I made it," she said. "It was hard, but I did. And so that is why I have faith that you will too."

"Thank you, Lady Suhanya."

She smiled. "And Aaryan is as much my son as he is the queens... and I know you make him happy. Thus, I will fight for you, my dear. So congratulations on your wedding and never feel alone. I am here for you."

Her words were touching, so I stood up and gave her a tight hug.