In Aryanagar, the excitement of the upcoming festival was palpable. The streets were lined with colorful lights and diyas, the air filled with the scent of fragrant spices, and the sounds of drums and festive music echoed through the grand palace estate. The city seemed to be in full celebration, but behind the palace walls, a quieter and more painful story was unfolding.
One afternoon, Nandini practiced archery in the palace gardens. Her aim was steady, but her accuracy was lacking. As she drew her bow again, she felt a warm presence behind her. It was Veer.
"Princess," he said softly, his voice gentle and guiding. "Focus on the target. Keep your eyes fixed on the red mark. Let everything else fade away."
Nandini's heart skipped a beat at his close proximity. She took a deep breath and aimed, her hands steadier now. She let go of the arrow, and it landed perfectly on target. Her face lit up with joy, and without thinking, she threw her arms around him, overcome with excitement.
Veer was startled but smiled as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. The moment, however, was interrupted by a soft gasp. Meera had arrived in the garden and stood frozen, clearly surprised by what she saw. Veer immediately pulled away from Nandini, guilt flashing in his eyes. Nandini, confused and hurt, turned to find Meera standing there.
"You're getting much better at this, Nandini," Meera said warmly, though her tone had a hint of reserve. "Keep practicing, and you might even surpass Veer's skills." She smiled softly before excusing herself, mentioning that she needed to help her father with the festival preparations.
Veer, too, excused himself shortly after, but not before sneaking a quick glance at Meera. Nandini stood there, watching him leave, her chest aching with the realization that Veer's feelings for Meera were much stronger than anything he could feel for her.
Later that evening, Nandini retreated to her chambers, trying to quiet the storm in her heart. She looked out of the window, watching the festival unfold below. The laughter and celebration seemed so far from her own sorrow.
"I should be happy for them," she whispered to herself, wiping away a tear. "Meera is my friend. I won't take her happiness from her. If Veer's heart belongs to her, then I will let my feelings go."
Nandini sighed deeply, her heart heavy. She had come to terms with the fact that her love for Veer was unrequited, but she decided she would still support them both. She would endure her unspoken feelings quietly, with grace, because that's what true love and friendship meant to her.
Unbeknownst to her, a young maid had overheard her quiet confession. The maid, unseen in the shadows, understood the weight of Nandini's words. Without a second thought, she rushed to deliver the news to someone who would pay handsomely for such information: Rajkumar Yashvardhan.
Yashvardhan listened intently as the maid relayed Nandini's words. When she finished, he smiled darkly, pleased with the information he had received. He generously rewarded the maid before dismissing her.
Turning to his trusted advisor, Bhadra, Yashvardhan spoke, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "It seems our dear Princess Nandini has a weakness. A longing that I can exploit."
Bhadra raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Her unspoken love? You think that will be useful?"
Yashvardhan leaned back, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh, absolutely. Nandini is powerful, but love has made her vulnerable. This feeling, this longing—it's her greatest weakness. And now, I can use it against her."
He allowed himself a smug smile. "Nandini has something she truly desires but can never have—Veer's heart. And I intend to use that to bring her down."
The next day, the festival continued in full swing, but for Nandini, it was becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy. She spent much of the day watching Veer and Meera interact, her heart heavy as she saw the connection between them. There were quiet moments when they exchanged smiles and shared glances, moments that Nandini could only watch from a distance.
Yashvardhan approached Nandini, noticing her watching Veer and Meera from a distance, their shared smiles cutting into her heart. He walked up to her with a look of feigned sympathy.
"It must be hard, Rajkumar," he said, his tone dripping with false sweetness. "Watching them together, knowing that your heart will never be returned."
Nandini's eyes shot to his, a cold fire igniting within her. "You dare speak to me about my heart, Yashvardhan?" Her voice was low, but every word carried the weight of disdain. "You have no right."
Yashvardhan, unfazed by her sharpness, leaned in slightly, a sly smile playing on his lips. "I can see it, Nandini. Your heart is torn, watching Veer with someone else. It must be painful."
Nandini clenched her fists, her eyes narrowing. "You think you can manipulate me, Yashvardhan? You don't know anything about me or my feelings. You only prey on the weak."
Yashvardhan's smirk widened as he leaned back, clearly amused by her fiery reaction. "I know enough," he said smoothly. "Everyone has a breaking point, and I'm sure you have one too. All this... silence, this restraint—how long can you keep it up?"
Nandini's gaze hardened further, her lips curling into a sneer. "Don't waste your breath. I would rather die than listen to you lecture me about weakness. You'll never break me, Yashvardhan."
He chuckled darkly, clearly entertained. "You say that now, Nandini. But it's only a matter of time before you crack. You can't hide from your own desires forever." His voice dropped to a whisper. "What if I told you that there's more at stake than just your unspoken love? There's more I could expose, more I could make you lose."
Nandini's anger flared, and she took a step forward, her eyes blazing. "You don't scare me, Yashvardhan. Your threats mean nothing. You can never win against me." Her voice was sharp, unwavering.
Yashvardhan's grin faltered for a moment, but then he stepped back, eyes glinting with cold determination. "We'll see about that, Rajkumar. You've made a dangerous enemy. I'll make sure you regret underestimating me."
With that, Nandini turned her back to him, her spine straight and her steps resolute as she walked away, her heart heavy with anger. Yashvardhan stood there, watching her leave, the fire in her eyes only fueling his plans further.
Scene changes
The sounds of drums and lively chatter echoed through the palace as the festival celebrations reached their peak. Colorful lanterns lit up the evening sky, and the aroma of delicious food filled the air. The entire palace was alive with excitement, yet Bhadra walked through the festivities with an air of calm detachment, his eyes scanning the crowd for someone to talk to.
He spotted a minister, a trusted figure in the court, and approached him with a friendly smile.
"Ah, Minister Rajveer, just the person I was hoping to see," Bhadra greeted, his tone casual, yet laced with a hint of mischief.
Rajveer turned, returning the smile. "Bhadra, always a pleasure. How's the festival treating you?"
Bhadra chuckled lightly, shrugging as he joined Rajveer by a nearby pillar, watching the dancers twirl in the center of the courtyard. "Oh, the festival is wonderful, but I've noticed something... interesting in all the celebrations. Something that's hard to ignore, really."
Rajveer raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's that?"
Bhadra glanced around as if to ensure no one was listening, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "It's Princess Nandini... Have you noticed how she's been acting around Veer and Meera lately?"
Rajveer frowned, confused. "I don't quite follow. What about them?"
Bhadra leaned in closer, as if revealing a great secret. "Well, it seems Nandini's been... watching them. A little too closely. Whenever Veer and Meera are together, laughing or talking, you can see it in her eyes—there's a kind of... longing. And jealousy, too."
Rajveer's eyes widened slightly. "Jealousy?"
Bhadra smirked knowingly, his gaze flicking toward the dancing couple. "Exactly. Nandini is in love with Veer. It's obvious, isn't it? You see the way she looks at him. The way her smile fades whenever Meera's around him. She hides it well, but the pain is there, eating at her from the inside."
Rajveer blinked in surprise, processing the information. "But if she loves him... Why hasn't she said anything?"
Bhadra shrugged, his expression almost pitying. "Ah, because she knows it's hopeless. Meera has Veer's heart, and Nandini knows it. She's too proud to admit it, but she's suffering."
Rajveer looked back at Nandini, who was standing at a distance, watching the festivities unfold, her eyes occasionally flicking to Veer and Meera. "That's... quite a revelation. I never thought of it like that."
Bhadra gave a sly grin, watching the scene unfold. "Oh, it's not just a revelation, my friend. It's the truth. I've seen it for myself. Princess Nandini may try to hide her feelings, but you can't hide what's so painfully obvious."
He leaned back against the pillar, his expression casual again as he straightened up. "You know, it's strange. She's always the picture of grace, isn't she? But deep down, I think Nandini's heart is breaking. Watching them together... when she knows she'll never have him. That kind of hurt doesn't go unnoticed."
Rajveer was silent for a moment, his thoughts clearly racing. "I... I never imagined Nandini would feel that way."
Bhadra chuckled softly, standing up straight as he prepared to walk away. "Well, now you know. And trust me, these things have a way of spreading. People love a little drama, don't they? Especially when it's about a princess's broken heart."
He gave Rajveer a knowing look, then turned to leave, his voice low as he added, "You might hear more about this soon. And when you do, remember where you heard it first."
As Bhadra disappeared into the crowd, the minister remained frozen for a moment, the weight of Bhadra's words sinking in.
This all was heard by the maid, unable to resist, quickly scurrying off in the opposite direction, her heart racing as she made her way through the crowds.
The maid found another group of servants near the kitchen, still buzzing with excitement from the festival. She couldn't wait to share what she had overheard, her voice trembling with the thrill of gossip.
"Did you hear what I just heard?" she asked, her eyes wide as she glanced around to make sure no one else was listening. "Bhadra was talking to the minister about Princess Nandini."
The other servants, eager for news, leaned in closer. "What did they say?"
The maid lowered her voice and whispered, "Bhadra was saying that Nandini's in love with Rajkumar Veer... and that she's jealous of Meera. He said it's so obvious—Nandini can't hide it anymore."
The other servants exchanged looks, surprised and intrigued by the new information.
"Really?" one of them asked, a little shocked. "Nandini loves Veer? But... everyone thought she was just his friend."
The maid nodded eagerly. "I know, but according to Bhadra, it's clear. He said that Nandini was watching Veer and Meera today, and you could see the jealousy in her eyes. She's hurting, and everyone's starting to notice."
The others were silent for a moment, processing the revelation. "That's unbelievable," one servant finally whispered. "Nandini always seemed so strong... I can't imagine her being in love like that, especially with someone like Veer."
Another servant shook her head, clearly intrigued. "Well, now that's going to cause trouble. I bet the whole palace will know soon enough."
The maid gave a sly smile. "Exactly."
With that, the maid turned away, her heart racing as she felt the weight of the information she had just passed on. The rumor was set in motion, and there would be no stopping it now.