The grand entrance of Suryagarh was adorned with curtains embroidered with gold and silver thread. A path had been meticulously decorated with flower petals. When the royal carriage from Chandragarh came into view, Raja Vidhaan himself stepped forward to receive them. He opened the carriage door with his own hands and immediately touched the feet of Maharaj Rudrapratap and Maharani Madhavi in a gesture of deep respect.
"Sasurji, Mataji," Vidhaan's voice held genuine reverence, "Your arrival has blessed Suryagarh."
Maharani Madhavi's eyes instantly scanned the welcoming party, searching for Viddhi. When her gaze fell upon Viddhi, standing to the side, adorned in a gold-zari lehenga and a cascade of glass bangles, her eyes welled up with tears. She rushed forward, pulling Viddhi into the safe harbor of her embrace.
"My life! My daughter!" Her voice was choked with emotion, "The palace feels so empty without you. How are you, my child?"
Viddhi hugged her back tightly. The affection from this false family still managed to pierce through her armor and touch her. "I am perfectly fine, Mother. You came... that is all that matters."
An Emotional Farewell and Hidden Meanings
The entire day passed in a blur of gift exchanges and formal rituals. When the moment of farewell arrived, Vidhaan once again touched Maharani Madhavi's feet and said, "Mataji, we will always await your next visit. Please come whenever you wish, without any hesitation."
Then, he turned to Viddhi, a special gleam in his eyes, and said, "And we will be waiting for you, Maharani... please return soon."
Viddhi smiled and bowed her head in acknowledgment, but her inner thoughts were a stark contrast - 'Yes, do wait, Vidhaan... Wait for the day when the very queen who stands before you will reveal herself as the goddess of justice, here to make you taste the bitter fruit of your actions.'
💭 In the Dense Forest of Emotions
After the carriage departed, Viddhi returned to her chamber. The golden evening sun was casting a warm, yellow glow on the palace walls. She stood by the window. Below, the market was bustling with people; in the distance, she could hear the marching of soldiers... everything seemed so normal, as if nothing had ever happened.
'Will you truly wait for me, Vidhaan?' her inner voice echoed. 'But do you know what I am waiting for? I am waiting for the night when I will see the same fear in your eyes that was in my parents' eyes on that fateful night. I am waiting for the moment you discover that the queen you hold close to your heart is the very instrument of your demise.'
A Mother's Affection and Incomplete Answers
A knock sounded at the door. "Please, come in," Viddhi said.
Maharani Madhavi entered, holding a box of Viddhi's favorite sweets. "Beta, your father has gone to sleep. I thought I would talk to you for a while."
"Of course, Mother, please sit." Viddhi made space for her on the divan.
The Maharani looked intently at her face. "Tell me the truth, beta, how is everything here? Are you facing any troubles in your new home? Is Vidhaan... is he taking good care of you? I saw how he looks at you with so much love. He seems like such a good man."
Viddhi took a deep breath. 'A good man? Yes... a man so good he had my father beheaded. So good he slaughtered my husband, Ayaan. So good he made me a stranger in my own palace.' But all she said was, "Yes, Mother... he is... very good. He takes care of everyone."
There was a hollowness in her voice that the Maharani mistook for the shyness of a new bride. "Oh, my daughter is so shy!" Maharani Madhavi laughed, "Well, when you have a daughter of your own one day, you will understand what a mother's heart feels like."
Viddhi forced a smile onto her lips.
After a little more small talk, the Maharani rose to leave. "Alright, you should rest now. You must be tired after the long journey."
The Fire of Solitude
The room was once again filled with a profound silence. Viddhi held back the tears that threatened to fall for Maharani Madhavi. Everything was becoming so complicated.
She stood in front of the mirror. She touched her face, studying this new visage that wasn't truly hers.
'Yes, Mother... Vidhaan is very 'good'...' she said, speaking to her reflection, 'So good that he murdered my real parents. So good that he slaughtered my husband, Ayaan. So good that he made me a stranger in my own palace.'
She took off her bangles and slammed them onto the table. 'But I am here now. And I will tear away this mask of false love to reveal his true face.'
She went to the window and, looking out at the palace of Suryagarh, made a vow: 'You left me alone, Vidhaan... but I will not leave you alone in this kingdom. I will make you as alone as you made me... the only difference will be that your solitude will be eternal.'
Viddhi had now become a warrior whose greatest weapon was patience, and whose strongest armor was deceit. And the preparation for the next act of this play had now begun.