Chapter 66: chapter 66

S A N M A Y I The morning sun had risen high over Amaravati, casting golden rays through the lattice windows of the palace. It was a time of preparation, of anticipation, and yet, for me, it felt as though a storm was silently gathering on the horizon. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and sandalwood, as the palace echoed with the bustle of servants and courtiers making last-minute arrangements for the wedding. But amidst all the flurry, I stood in the quiet of my chamber, preparing myself for the next ritual, the Kanya Samrakshana, the vow of protection.The tradition was simple in its essence. The groom, in front of the gods and their ancestors, vowed to protect his bride with his very life. It was a solemn pledge, one that carried the weight of not only personal devotion but also duty to one another in the face of the world's cruelties.As the time for the ceremony drew near, I found myself pacing in front of the small mirror that adorned the wall of my room. My hands were trembling, the weight of the future pressing down on me. There was so much at stake now. My past, my rebellion, my fears—all of it felt like a shadow looming over the bright future I hoped to create with Ranajay. Could I be the woman he needed me to be? Could I truly walk beside him as his equal and not the rebel queen that the kingdom had feared?A soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and before I could respond, Ranajay stepped inside, his presence immediately commanding the space. He was dressed in his ceremonial attire, his dark hair falling just so over his forehead, his eyes focused yet filled with warmth as they met mine.“I am ready,” he said simply, his voice low and steady, as if he, too, were preparing for something momentous.“Are you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The words came out before I could stop them, a question I had not meant to ask aloud. But in that moment, it seemed the only thing that mattered.He walked toward me, his steps silent as though the very air bent to his will. When he reached me, he placed a hand gently on my shoulder, and for a moment, we stood in silence, allowing the world to settle around us. His touch was grounding, a reassurance that everything would be as it should.“You are the strength I need,” he said, his words so soft that they felt like a promise. “No matter what happens, I will protect you, Sanmayi.”I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, feeling a rush of warmth and relief. His words were the first real balm to the uncertainty that had plagued my heart. Yet, even as he spoke, I could feel the pressure mounting. This vow, this ceremony—it was not just a promise for the present. It was a declaration for the future, for the trials that would surely come.---The Kanya Samrakshana was to take place in the grand courtyard, where the sunlight danced off the marble floors, and the air was thick with the aroma of incense and the hum of anticipation. The court was assembled, dressed in their finest silks and adorned with jewels, watching with bated breath as the moment of the vow approached.Ranajay stood before the sacred fire, his face set with determination, as I joined him in the center of the courtyard. The sacred fire crackled with life, its flames flickering like the very heartbeats of the kingdom. The priests chanted ancient hymns, their voices rising to the heavens, invoking the blessings of the gods on our union.“Sanmayi,” the chief priest called, his voice reverberating through the courtyard. “Do you trust this man with your life, your heart, and your soul?”I took a deep breath, my heart racing as I met Ranajay’s gaze. There was no hesitation in his eyes, only the purest devotion. I nodded, my voice steady as I spoke the words that sealed the vow.“I do.”The priest turned to Ranajay. “And you, Ranajay, do you vow to protect this woman, this soul, for as long as you draw breath?”Ranajay stepped forward, his voice strong, carrying over the courtyard like a thunderclap.“I vow to protect her with my life, with every fiber of my being. In this life and the next, I will guard her heart, her mind, and her soul.”His words rang out in the still air, and for a brief moment, everything felt perfect. The tension, the uncertainty, all of it seemed to dissolve in the heat of the flames, in the purity of his promise. But as the fire crackled and the priest raised his hands to bless us, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.---As the ceremony concluded, and the court erupted into applause, I could not ignore the undercurrent of unease that still gripped my heart. Ranajay had promised to protect me, and I had vowed to stand by him. But as I looked out over the gathered crowd, I saw Nandini standing at the edges of the courtyard, her eyes cold and calculating. There was something in her gaze that unsettled me, something I could not put my finger on, but I knew that this was far from over.---Later that evening, after the ceremony had come to a close, Ranajay and I retired to a private chamber. The weight of the day was pressing on both of us, but there was a brief, fleeting moment of peace as we sat together in the quiet.“I meant it,” Ranajay said, his voice barely above a whisper as he turned toward me. “I will protect you, Sanmayi. No matter what it takes.”“I know,” I replied, my heart swelling with emotion. “But I fear that we are not the only ones with plans, Ranajay. Nandini… she will not let us be.”Ranajay’s jaw tightened at the mention of her name, but he did not look away. “She can try, but she will not succeed. We are stronger than she knows.”I looked at him, the conviction in his eyes a fire that matched the vows we had just made. Still, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the coming storm. Nandini’s next move was not far off, I was certain of it. And this time, her plan would not be as subtle as before.---And so it was, that as I leaned into Ranajay’s embrace, a fresh resolve settled over me. His vow to protect me had rekindled something within me—something I had forgotten in the chaos of the rebellion and the court’s intrigues. There was power in trust, in knowing that I was not alone. But I also knew that the battles we faced would not be won by love alone.The storm that loomed on the horizon was real. But with Ranajay’s vow, with his promise to protect me, I knew that we had a fighting chance. And no matter what Nandini and King Jayavikram had in store, I would not falter. Together, we would face whatever came next.For the first time in a long while, I believed in the future.