Rudransh was happy to see his mother Vasishtha, who had been away from the palace for several months.
As she hugged her son, she whispered, "I'm so glad to see you again."
Just then, Rudransh's father arrived with Navami and Kalyani, his concubines. Rudransh greeted them with a curt nod, not showing any enthusiasm. His father got straight to the point, sharing that he wanted him to marry Raivati. Rudransh didn't want to marry someone he didn't love, but he didn't want to argue with his father either. He simply agreed, hoping to end the conversation quickly.
Navami and Kalyani then left, saying they were tired. Vasishtha also excused herself, leaving Rudransh alone with his father. His father began to talk about the concubines and his future fiancé, telling Rudransh to keep a close eye on them and not let them cheat on him.
Rudransh was not interested in this conversation but nodded anyway, not wanting to prolong the discussion. He assured his father that he knew what he had to do as a king and ordered one of his guards to take care of everyone's needs.
In the evening, during dinner, Rudransh was introduced to Navami and Kalyani's children, Bagwati and Litvik. Jagruti, his half-sister, was also present, accompanied by her mother, the king's concubine. The tension in the air was palpable, and it was clear that the concubines and their children hated each other and the king's wife.
As they sat at the dinner table, Rudransh tried to strike up a conversation with Jagruti, hoping to get to know his half-sister better. "So, how have you been, Jagruti?" he asked, attempting to break the ice.
Jagruti gave him a cool glance, "I have been well, thanks for asking."
Bagwati, who was sitting next to Jagruti, interjected, "Rudransh, do you know that just because your mothers queen it doesn't mean your better then anyone?"
Rudransh felt a pang of anger but controlled his emotions. "I don't believe in comparing one's mother with another, Bagwati. Each one is unique and special in her way," he replied calmly.
Litvik, who had been quiet until now, spoke up, "But Rudransh, your mother is just a queen. Our mother is the king's concubine, and she is still much more respected in the palace."
Rudransh felt like he was being bullied by the children of the concubines. "Please, let's not talk about which mother is better or worse. Everyone deserves respect and honour," he said, trying to diffuse the situation.
But the conversation soon turned back to comparing mothers and their status, and Rudransh felt like he was trapped in a circle of hatred and jealousy. He couldn't wait for dinner to end and for everyone to go to their rooms.
As they were about to leave, Kalyani's younger child, Bagwati, approached Rudransh with a sneer on her face. "Rudransh, I hope your fiancé is better than you. You wouldn't want your father to throw her out like he almost did to your mother," she taunted.
Rudransh felt like his world crushed. He knew that his mother Vasishtha had been banished due to his father's selfishness. It was not her fault, but he had made her the scapegoat of a political plot. And now, for his father's ambitions, Rudransh was to marry someone he had no interest in.
Trying to keep calm, Rudransh told Bagwati, "Please, keep your opinions to yourself. Your mother may be a concubine, but your manners should not be that of one."
Jagruti was the first to reply, "You think you're so high and mighty, Rudransh, just because you're the son of the queen. But don't forget, you are still a bastard in the eyes of the kingdom."
Litvik and Bagwati nodded in agreement.
Rudransh felt his temper rising, but he kept his voice calm.
Kalyani, who had been watching the exchange silently, now stepped in. "Let's not argue over who is more worthy or less worthy," she said. "We all come from the same place, and we should all be treated with the same respect."
But Jagruti was not ready to accept Kalyani's words. "We may be from the same place, but our mothers are not equal," she said, her voice dripping with contempt.
"My mother is the queen, and she is the highest ranked lady in the palace. Meanwhile, your mother is just a concubine, and she will never be respected the same way."
Litvik nodded in agreement. "It's true, Jagruti," he said. "Our mother may be respected, but she will never be considered equal to the queen. That's the way it is, and there's nothing anyone can do to change it."
Rudransh felt his anger boiling over. "That may be true," he said.
"But it doesn't give anyone the right to treat anyone else differently, I have never treated anyone of you differently. We all deserve to be treated with respect, no matter what our mother's status is."
He looked at the king, hoping for some support. But the king remained silent, watching the argument unfold.
Jagruti snorted in disbelief. "You can talk all you want about respect," she said. "But the truth is, your mother has almost been banished from the palace because of her lover. That's how much respect she really has."
Litvik chimed in, "And if the king hadn't taken a liking to her, she would still be in exile!"
He wanted to shout out his frustration, but he forced himself to keep his composure. "You may be right," he said. "But that doesn't change the fact that my mother deserves respect, just like anyone else."
the argument continued as the king stayed quite and finished his meal.
Bagwati scowled but left without saying anything.
Rudransh knew that this was going to be a long and lonely journey. He couldn't wait for the day when he could make his own choices and not be burdened by the expectations of his father or the hate that the concubines had for each other and the queen.
Rudransh felt a sense of relief as he reached the garden beside the small creek. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing thoughts. But before he could even settle down, he heard footsteps behind him again. He turned back to see Raivati and the concubines walking towards him, making him feel trapped.
Raivati spoke first, "Rudransh, I know there is tension between us, but we need to talk about our wedding."
Padama interrupted her, "No, let's talk about how much we adore you, Rudransh."
Madhavi added, "Yes, we will do anything to please you."
Runjhun chipped in, "You are the center of our world, Rudransh."
Vineeta said, "We all love you, Rudransh. You are ours, forever."
Rudransh sighed inwardly. He had hoped to be left alone for a while, but it felt like the women were always there, cramping his space.
He tried to keep his composure and replied, "I appreciate your affection, but I need some time alone. Can you please leave me?"
Raivati replied, "But Rudransh, we are your women. We have a right to your attention."
Padama added, "Yes, Rudransh, we are devoted to you. Please don't ignore us."
Madhavi said, "We just want to please you, Rudransh. Is that so wrong?"
Runjhun chipped in, "We all want to be by your side, Rudransh. Why can't you see that?"
Vineeta said, "Rudransh, please don't push us away. We love you too much."
Rudransh felt a sense of exasperation rising within him. He couldn't believe that the women couldn't see how much he needed space and time to himself. He tried to control his anger and replied in a calm voice, "I am not ignoring you. I just need some time alone. Please understand."
Raivati replied, "But Rudransh, you can spend some time with us and then have your alone time. Can't you do that for us?"
Padama said, "Yes, Rudransh, we don't want to take you away from your passions. We just want to be a part of your life."
Madhavi added, "We will support you in all your endeavors, Rudransh. Just give us a chance."
Runjhun chipped in, "We will always be there for you, Rudransh. Please don't push us away."
Vineeta said, "You can count on me, Rudransh. I will always be your loyal companion."
Rudransh felt like his patience was wearing thin. He couldn't believe that their constant nagging and need for his attention never ended. He had had enough. He felt like he had to snap.
With a raised voice, he replied, "I need all of you to leave me alone now. I have to be alone. My sword-fighting skills need to be sharpened, and I need to practice alone. Goodbye."
He turned around and walked away, feeling the weight of their stares boring holes into his back.
Sundari wiped the sweat off her forehead. Sundari was busy fixing the royal garden, her hands moving quickly as she trimmed the grass and pulled out any weeds she found. Simba was standing by her side, constantly whining and complaining about having to do work.
"Why do I have to help you? I'm sure there are other things I could be doing!" Simba grumbled. Sundari ignored him, her focus only on the garden. She heard a voice behind her and quickly turned around. It was Charun, one of the other maids.
"Sundari, dinner is ready. Everyone is in the eating room. Come join us," Charun said with a smile. Sundari smiled back, grateful for the distraction.
"Yes, I'll be right there," she said.
Simba's face lit up with excitement. "I'm coming too!" he said eagerly.
Charun laughed. "Of course, Simba. We'd love for you to join us."
Simba and Sundari quickly followed Charun to the eating room. The guards and maids were all gathered around the table, talking and laughing. Sundari and Simba quickly took their seats, and a few minutes later the food was served. Everyone began to eat and talk, and Sundari and Simba soon found themselves in the middle of the conversation. Sundari laughed as Simba told a joke.
Sundari gasped in surprise when Charun told her about the latest gossip. "The King's father wants him to get married to his long time fiance Raivati?" she said, her voice full of disbelief.
Charun nodded. "That's right. We heard it from one of the other guards. It's been arranged since they were both very young."
Simba's face lit up with excitement. "The King is getting married? That's so cool!" he exclaimed, a king getting married ment great food.
Sundari frowned, a feeling of jealousy rising in her chest. "I didn't even know he had a fiance," she muttered. Sundari felt her face grow hot as she thought of the King getting married to someone else. She quickly pushed the thought away and tried to focus on the conversation. Simba leaned forward, his eyes bright with excitement.
"So, what do you know about the bride-to-be?" Simba asked eagerly.
Charun smiled. "Her name is Raivati. She's from a kingdom that is currently at war and her father wanted her to be safe, so he sent her here," he said.
Sundari felt a pang of envy. Raivati was wealthy and probably beautiful, while she was a poor maid. She tried to push the thought away, but it lingered in the back of her mind. Simba was still full of questions.
"Do you think the King will be happy with her?" he asked.
Charun laughed. "I'm sure he will. He's been betrothed to her since they were both very young. I'm sure they know each other well."
Sundari felt a twinge of jealousy again as she thought of the King and Raivati. She knew it was ridiculous for her to be jealous of the King's fiance, but she couldn't help it. She knew she could never compete with someone like Raivati, so instead she tried to focus on her own life and the things she could control.
Simba whispered into her ear, "Oh come on Sundari, don't be jealous. You know you don't stand a chance against Raivati."
Sundari shot him a look. "I'm not jealous," she said defensively. "I'm just surprised that I never knew about it. I mean, if the King is getting married, why didn't we know about it?"
She couldn't help but feel a little envious of Raivati, who was about to marry the King. Simba patted her shoulder. "Don't worry Sundari, you'll find your own prince someday," he said, trying to cheer her up.
Charun laughed. "Well, the King rarely ever meets any of his women. He has four concubines and he only sees them when he needs to," he said and all the other guards nod.
Before Sundari could ask more, Simba quickly jumped in. "Wait, does that mean the King has four concubines now?" he asked.
Charun and the other guards nodded. Sundari felt a twinge of jealousy again. She knew it was ridiculous to feel jealous of someone she had never even met, but she couldn't help it. She suddenly felt a little inadequate in comparison to Raivati. She quickly shook her head, trying to push the feeling away. She knew that she couldn't compete with someone like Raivati, so instead she tried to focus on her own life and the things she could control.
"So, what is Raivati like?" Sundari asked, trying to sound casual.
One of the guards smiled. "She's a lovely girl. She's very kind and generous, and she's an excellent dancer. She's very smart and well-spoken," he said.
Sundari felt her jealousy start to rise again. She knew she could never compare to someone as accomplished as Raivati, so she quickly changed the subject.
"Well, I'm sure the King is very lucky to have such a wonderful fiance," she said, trying to sound cheerful. The other guards nodded, and the conversation moved on. Sundari tried to push her feelings of jealousy aside, but it was hard. She knew she would never be able to compete with someone like Raivati, so she focused on the things she could control. She knew that one day she would find her own prince, and she was determined to make the most of the time she had.
Sundari shook her head in disbelief. "If I were a woman, I would never marry a man who has multiple women. I mean, it's hard enough taking care of one wife, let alone four!" she said. The other guards laughed in agreement.
"That's true. It's hard enough taking care of one wife, let alone four!"
Charun nodded. "It's certainly true that the King has a lot of women in his life, but it's not like he sees them all the time."
"Well, I suppose it's good that he doesn't spend too much time with them," she said to herself, trying to sound cheerful.
The other guards nodded in agreement. "That's true. It would be too much work for one man to take care of four women," said Charun.
Simba smiled. "That's true. It's hard enough taking care of one woman, let alone four!" he said, jokingly winking at Sundari. Sundari smiled, but inside she felt a little inadequate in comparison to Raivati. She knew she could never compare to someone as accomplished as Raivati, so she quickly changed the subject.
The other guards nodded, and the conversation moved on. Sundari tried to push her feelings of jealousy aside, but it was hard. She knew she would never be able to compete with someone like Raivati, so she focused on the things she could control. She knew that one day she would find her own prince, and she was determined to make the most of the time she had.
...
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