Chapter 116 - Dream, Illusion, Or Another Past Life? Part 1 (1/2)

Breathing a sigh of relief, she languidly made her way to the steps. As she took them one at a time, everything seemed to slow down and she painfully closed her eyes. The soft evening breeze caressed her cheeks and silent tears rolled down her fair face.

Her heart was heavy.

At last, arriving at the last step, she paused to caress her pounding heart. Taking a deep breath, she calmly opened her tightly shut lids.

It was supposed to be her thirteenth birthday. She should be celebrating with her loved ones, but instead, Durga Krishna was surrounded by strangers. She felt like her whole world was turning upside down. Her brothers were nowhere to be seen and her father was occupied with foreign ambassadors. Of all her family members, he was the one she was most close to.

When she gave her opinion and view on a topic, he did not think that she was crazy or insane, like everyone else did.

No. He once told her that he thought she had the exceptional skill to see beyond status, religion, and social norms. To think deeper and see broader than anyone had ever thought to do so.

But right now?

Right now, she did not feel like she was an exception, because she was going through the same cursed custom that every woman in every country had gone through for the past centuries and might continue to do so in the following centuries.

Marriage.

Shifting in her seat, she tried to keep her mind as far away from that topic as possible. But of course, since the whole reason for this event was exactly for that, it was impossible to do so.

”Are you nervous? Don't be. It is always that way at the beginning. The nervousness, I mean. I can understand how you must be feeling right now. I felt the same way when it was my marriage ceremony last year. But I found out that part of it was anticipation,” Came from her left.

Anticipation? That was a word used to describe expectancy or hope. The only thing that she was expecting right now was her doom. For goodness' sake, she was being handed over as if she were no better than a sheep and had no will of her own.

She had not even seen her intended yet. Surely, that could not be something that people felt excited about? But then again, people said that she was the insane one. Maybe they were right and that was probably why everything felt so wrong to her. Either way, there was no stopping this now.

”May I see your henna? I was not able to make it to your mehndi and Haldi ceremony.” Came from her right. She was tempted to just ignore whoever that was and act like she had not heard, then admonished herself for her behavior.

Whatever situation that she was in, it had nothing to do with whoever that was. Turning to the direction of the voice, Durga saw a slime girl around her age hovering on her right. She seemed to be standing on her toes, the excitement in her eyes barely concealed. A smile twitched on her lips at the sight.

”Hi. I don't think that I have seen you around before. What's your name?” she gently asked.

It took a moment girl for the girl to comprehend that the question was directed at her.

”I, uh, I am Asha. My dad is a councilman, but this is my first time coming to the palace. I heard that Rajkumars and Rajkumaris from other countries will be here and wanted to see them. I have never seen foreign people up close before.” She rumbled then stopped.

Durga chuckled, the first since the announcement of her marriage. The girl, Asha, seemed to glow with curiosity. Her name fit her well, Asha, meaning hope.

Suddenly, there was a change in the air. The crowd grew quieter, and murmurs rang throughout the hall. Asha looked over her shoulder and her eyes grew large as her mouth hung open.

Turning to see what had captured everyone's attention, Durga came face to face with a boy.

No, a Rajkumar, to be exact.

He seemed to loom over her even though he was a few good paces away. Dressed in a black suit, with a black robe held together in the middle by the largest pure-blue lotus flower gem she had ever seen, he held himself like he owned the world.

He is not an ordinary Rajkumar, she concluded, as their gaze caught. His midnight hair shimmered as he shifted his weight and held his hand out to her. She stared at the outstretched hand, not comprehending what she was supposed to do with it. He chuckled causing her gaze to shift back to his face.

”May I have a dance with you, Rajkumari?” he asked pleasantly.

She did not know what to say as this was the first time that someone had asked her to dance since she entered the ballroom. After a moment of awkward silence, she replied,

”I am betrothed. It might not be in your best interest to dance with me, Rajkumar.”

”Oh? Why not? I do not see your mangital around? And it's Yuvraj, Rajkumari. Yuvraj of Rajas.” Her mouth dropped.