Introduction 

Nayantara Solankyas - Princess of Anhilwara

Age: 19

Family: Digvijay (father), Gayatri (mother), Rajendra (uncle), Veena (aunt), Vishakha (17, cousin), Savita (daai ma)

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SiddhantVeer Agnivanshi - King of Maharav

Age: 29

Family: Suryadev (father), Padmini (mother), Adhisha (27, sister), Aditya (25, half-brother)

Prologue

Nayantara woke up early. Today was a special day for her. She sat up from her bed and yawned, looking out from the small and only window of her room. The sky was rose-pink, heralding the dawn of a new day. Today she was going to take her kingdom back. She's been waiting for this day for years when she would take her father’s kingdom back from her uncle.

She was just eight when her entire life turned upside down. She was playing hide and seek with her friends. She came to her father’s chamber to hide. Her father was not there at that time but the guards let her enter as it was her father’s chamber. She hid behind the couch. A few moments later her father, King Digvijay entered his chamber with his younger brother, Rajendra.

Digvijay was shouting. ‘How could you do this, Raj? There is a huge mess in the account. I was fighting the war and making our kingdom big. And here you are enjoying your life and spending money for your debauchery.’

‘I did nothing wrong,’ Rajendra shouted back. ‘I’m the prince of Anhilwara. I don’t need to explain my expenditure to anyone.’

‘I’m not anyone. I’m your King,’ Digvijay shouted and coughed as he raised his voice too loud.

‘Brother,’ Rajendra was immediately by his side and rubbed his back. ‘Calm down, brother. I will give you my explanation if you want.’ he walked away and took a jug of water and filled a glass.

They weren’t aware that Nayantara was there and she remained hidden. She saw that her uncle took out a small bottle from his overcoat and added a few drops in water.

Rajendra handed the glass to his brother. And Nayantara’s life changed forever. Her father died in front of her eyes and she couldn’t do anything. Her uncle was smiling while his brother was taking his last breath. Slowly the crowd gathered there and Rajendra started crying. In all this chaos nobody noticed Nayantara. Her mother, Queen Gayatri couldn’t bear this loss and she also died within a few days.

Her last words to Nayantara were, Play wisely if you want to survive and win one day. Don’t repeat your father's mistake.

Then after Nayantara’s daai ma, Savita, raised her and took care of her. She never uttered a word to anyone about her uncle’s secret, not even her daai ma.

Nayantara shook her head to clear her thoughts. She had to stay calm and collect today. She wiped sweat on her neck. Many times she would sweat while sleeping as the room was congested with no ventilation. It was the smallest chamber in the palace, which was generally used for the queen’s special maids. But after her father’s death her aunt, Veena, threw her in this chamber. She stepped down from her bed and went into the bathroom to finish her morning business.

She took a bath and then wore simple yellow attire. As she got ready someone knocked on her door.

‘Come in,’

The door opened and daai ma entered the room.

‘I am all set to attend my dear sister’s wedding,’ Nayantara said with a smile.

Today was her cousin's wedding. Her uncle’s daughter. Vishakha. She was seventeen years old and Nayantara was nineteen years old. But still, nobody thought about her marriage. Her cousin was going to marry the most handsome prince among all the kingdoms. The prince of Patyal. Prince Jayraj. The wedding was going to be organized in their old castle as it was in the middle of both the kingdom and convenient for both the groom’s and bride’s side.

‘Are you sure, Princess, you want to do this? I mean there is no other way,’ Savita said.

‘You think my uncle will give me my throne back just like that. I’m paying for my father’s mistake. Because of him, I'm in this state. He knew his brother was not a nice man, then why he should trust him? How could he be so stupid.’

‘Trusting your own brother is not stupidness, Princess.’

‘It is stupidness,’ Nayantara shouted. ‘He fulfilled his duty towards everyone. His kingdom. His family. But what about me? I was nothing for him. He had never spent his time with me. And then he left me in this mess. He made this big empire and for who? For his cunning brother. He didn’t think about my future, my safety. No Prince will marry me because my uncle will never fix my marriage to anyone. He didn’t want to give me anything. Not even a slight happiness. I have to live alone my entire life. All because my father had intelligence and power, but not wisdom.’ Nayantara’s heart twisted in pain. She didn’t like to say bitter things about her father. She loved her father a lot and her father also loved her. She knew that. Even if he didn’t have time for her. Her father was a kind man with a forgiving nature. He was so mighty that no enemy could beat him. But what you could do when the threat was inside your home. He wanted to keep his family together even if he was aware of their evil intentions.

‘I can understand your pain, Princess, but killing them…’ Savita trailed off.

‘There was no other way to take my throne back.’

‘Is throne that much important that you want to spill the blood of your own family?’

Nayantara gave a bitter laugh. Clearly Savita didn’t know how Rajendra took the life of his own brother. ‘I don’t know about the throne, but yes my self-respect is worth spilling the blood of my own family.’

‘But, Princess, what if you don’t succeed? You cannot fight, and your uncle is a trained warrior.’

‘You don’t need strength to betray someone.’ Her plan was simple. She was going to give his uncle the same poison he had used on her father. And then she would kill Prince Jayraj. Otherwise, he would marry her cousin and take the throne as a son-in-law. Nayantara wanted to do this a long time ago. But in the beginning, she was a small girl and had no courage to do anything. With time their tyranny increased. Sometimes she cried for hours and hours in her room but there was no one to wipe her tears. They never treated her as a family. But when they fixed Vishakha’s marriage without thinking about her, she decided to do something. She couldn’t live like a maid for the rest of her life. They made her do household chores. Her day used to start early. She had to prepare the Queen's bath and then clean her chamber. Then she had to do the same for Vishakha. Then she ate her breakfast with other maids. Then after she cleaned the royal garden, library and some other places. They gave her Vishakha’s old clothes to wear even if Nayantara was taller than Vishaka and her clothes couldn’t fit her perfectly. Some maids in the palace used to laugh at Nayantara’s condition and some felt pity for her. And if this was not enough they used to humiliate her in front of the royal guest. Her princess dignity was completely shattered. Her condition was worse than a maid. She believed that no work was small. But the problem was nobody laughed at maids if they wore someone’s worn clothes or did home chores. But when you are a princess, people used to taunt, laugh, gossip, or show pity.

‘If you get caught then they will…’ Savita said as Nayantara interrupted her.

‘I have nothing to lose,’ she stated firmly.

Savita sighed. ‘Even if you sit on the throne, it is not easy for a woman to rule.’ She tried to make her understand the risk of her plan.

‘I will rule,’ Nayantara said in a firm voice. ‘I will be the supreme authority. I will be a queen one day.’

Savita opened her mouth to argue further, but Nayantara raised her hand. ‘Someone is coming.’ she said and the next moment, the door opened and Vishakha walked in with some maids. Her family never knocked on the door like her privacy didn’t matter. However, she could never enter her Uncle, Auntie, or Vishakha’s chamber without permission. Now Nayantara had got used to it and was always cautious while talking about any confidential matter.

‘Good morning, Nayantara,’ Vishakha said.

Nayantara forced a smile. ‘Good morning, Vishakha.’

Vishakha was wearing a heavy lehenga and jewelry. She was covered in gold from top to bottom. ‘Here are some of my clothes that I think would look good on you. You have to look beautiful today. Don’t come in your rags. After all, it is my wedding,’ she said.

Nayantara always wanted to snap back, to give them a straight answer, but then her mother’s words rang in her head. Play wisely. She sighed and glanced at the clothes the maids were holding. ‘They are beautiful. I like it.’

‘Pick whatever you like and the rest I will distribute to maids.’

Nayantara nodded with a smile. ‘Sure,’ she stepped forward and randomly picked up three lehengas. ‘I like these three. The rest you can distribute.’

‘Okay. I know these clothes look beautiful on you. Now get ready. We are leaving in some time,’ Vishakha said and then walked out of the room.

‘You don’t have to wear this. I have made a beautiful lehenga for you,’ Savita said.

‘No, daai ma, I will wear this,’ Nayantara said. She had a lost look on her face.

‘Just look at my work. You will like it.’

‘No, this is perfect for me.’

‘Why are you hurting yourself, princess?’

Nayantara fought back her tears. Here she was. Alone. Holding old clothes. Living without mother’s love and father’s protection. And on the other side, her cousin was going to start a new life. Her uncle created his dream world by stepping on her father. ‘I don’t want my wound to heal. I want to keep them open. This pain is the only fuel to reach my motive.’