The palace buzzed with life as preparations for Veer and Meera's wedding reached their peak. Laughter and the hum of activity filled the air, with servants hurrying about, arranging flowers, carrying trays of sweets, and hanging vibrant drapes. Meera's radiant smile lit up every room she entered, embodying joy and anticipation. Yet, beneath her glowing exterior, unsettling occurrences began to cast a shadow.It started innocuously—restless nights where Meera woke trembling, drenched in sweat, haunted by dreams of shadows and blood. At first, she dismissed it as pre-wedding nerves. But the symptoms grew worse. Daytime brought crippling stomach pains, her lively demeanor dulled, and her steps became sluggish. Then came the night she could no longer ignore.As Meera sat before her mirror, preparing for a ceremony, she froze. In her reflection, her hands appeared drenched in thick, dark blood, pooling onto her lap. She screamed, stumbling back. The door burst open, and Veer rushed in, panic etched on his face."Meera! What happened?" Veer grasped her trembling hands, searching for injuries."There's blood... on my hands!" she gasped, her voice breaking.Veer looked at her hands—clean and unblemished. "There's nothing there," he said gently, though concern flickered in his eyes."I'm not imagining it, Veer," she whispered, clutching his arm. "Something is wrong with me. I can feel it."Veer held her face between his hands. "I swear on everything I have, I will find out what's happening to you. You're not alone in this."The next day, Meera's family sought answers, consulting both a tantric and a pandit. After hours of chants and rituals, the pandit spoke gravely."This is no natural ailment. A powerful spell—kaala jaadu—has been cast on her. Its purpose is destruction, to strip her of everything."The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in."Who would do such a thing?" someone whispered."It must be someone close to her," the tantric added. "Only someone who knows her deeply could inflict harm this way."Suspicion thickened like smoke in the room, and all eyes turned toward Nandini, standing silently in a corner."Nandini," an elder said cautiously, "you've always been close to Meera. Could it be... you?"Shock rippled through the room. Nandini stepped forward, her face pale but her voice steady. "How dare you? Meera is my best friend. I would die before harming her.""Then who else could it be?" another elder retorted. "You've loved Veer since childhood, haven't you? Are you jealous that he chose Meera?""That's enough!" Veer thundered, stepping between Nandini and the crowd. "Nandini would never do such a thing. She's family. I won't tolerate baseless accusations."That evening, soldiers stormed Nandini's chambers, upending her belongings. Books, jewelry, and personal items were strewn across the floor, her private life laid bare."What are you doing?" Nandini demanded, storming in. Her voice trembled, but defiance burned in her eyes."The king ordered this search," a soldier replied curtly."Search for what?!" she cried, her voice echoing. "What do you think you'll find?"Meera rushed in, fury flashing across her face. "Stop this madness!" she shouted. "Nandini has done nothing wrong.""She must clear her name, Meera," Bhimrao said solemnly as he entered. His guilt was evident. "This is not what I wanted, Nandini. But the council demanded it."Hurt flickered in Nandini's eyes. "You too, Maharaj? After all these years, do you think I'm capable of this?"Bhimrao hesitated. "I don't believe it. But we must silence the doubters."That night, Nandini sat on her disheveled bed, trying to gather what little remained of her belongings. Meera sat beside her, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder."I know you didn't do it," Meera said softly. "We'll prove it. Somehow, we'll prove it."Tears welled in Nandini's eyes. "How, Meera? Everyone is against me. Even the king doubts me.""You're not alone," Veer said from the doorway. "We believe you. And I won't rest until the truth comes out."Urmi joined them, her usual cheer replaced with fierce determination. "Whoever did this is in this palace. We'll find them. And they'll pay."The council chamber felt like a battlefield, with Nandini standing alone at its heart. Her breaths came shallow as the weight of the accusations pressed down on her."Is this true?" a council member asked, his voice cold. "Has Nandini used black magic against Meera?"Veer's gaze bore into her, his face a mask of confusion and betrayal. "Nandini..." he began, his voice shaking. "Tell me it isn't true. How could you?"She flinched as if struck. Her voice cracked with desperation. "I didn't do this! Someone is framing me, Veer. You've known me your whole life—please, you have to believe me!"But his hesitation shattered her. Doubt clouded his features, and he looked away, unable to meet her eyes.Then, from his seat, Devraj's voice rang out, heavy and unrelenting. "Enough." His tone silenced the murmurs in the court, his gaze cutting through the air to pierce Nandini directly."You dare stand here and deny this?" he asked, his words sharp as a blade. "This family has endured enough because of you, Nandini. From the moment you were born, you brought nothing but pain."Her voice trembled, but she refused to lower her head. "Pain? My only crime was being born. I had no choice in that. Yet you've hated me my entire life for something I couldn't control."Devraj's hand clenched into a fist on the armrest of his throne. "You took my wife from me," he growled. "The love of my life died bringing you into this world. From that day, you cursed this family. And now, you stand accused of trying to harm Meera—the one glimmer of happiness this family has left. Tell me, Nandini, why should I believe anything you say?"Her knees buckled under the force of his words, but she stayed upright, her pride and pain warring within her. "You think I would harm Meera?" she asked, her voice breaking. "The one person who has ever treated me like I mattered? I would rather die than hurt her.""You have always been selfish," Devraj spat. "Your existence alone was enough to destroy everything this family once was. You are no daughter of mine."Her breath caught, but she forced herself to reply. "You've made that clear my whole life, Father. I tried to earn your love, to be the daughter you wanted—but you never gave me a chance."Devraj's expression hardened. "I don't care for your excuses. The court demands action, and I will not hesitate. You are no longer welcome in this family or this kingdom. From this moment on, you are banished."A collective gasp rippled through the room. Nandini stood frozen, her chest heaving as the words sank in. Banishment wasn't just a punishment—it was a death sentence, stripping her of her identity and condemning her to a life of isolation.Her brother stepped forward, his face twisted with rage. "You've ruined everything!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fury. "You took our mother, you took our father's love, and now you've put Meera's life in danger! You're a curse, Nandini. You always have been."Before she could respond, his hand struck her across the face. The sharp sound echoed in the silent chamber, followed by the collective intake of breath."You're not my sister," he spat. "And you never were."The sting of the slap burned less than the hatred in his words. Nandini touched her cheek, her tears flowing freely now. But she refused to crumble."You may all hate me," she said, her voice trembling yet defiant. "But when the truth comes out—and it will—I hope you can live with the weight of what you've done."Her words fell on deaf ears as the court buzzed with whispers. Bhimrao, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his face heavy with conflicting emotions."Devraj," he said quietly, "are you certain of this? Banishment is irreversible. The council demanded action, but this decision... it will haunt you."Devraj didn't waver. "I've already lived with the ghosts of her birth for years. What difference does one more decision make? She has brought this upon herself."Bhimrao's shoulders sagged, his eyes filled with regret. He turned to Nandini but said nothing, his silence more damning than any words he could have offered.Nandini removed her royal ornaments one by one, her hands trembling. She placed them on the floor before her father. Each piece felt like a shard of her soul being stripped away."I leave," Nandini said, her voice breaking but unyielding, "not because I am guilty, but because I have no place here. I was never truly a daughter, never truly a part of this family. I was just... an unwanted reminder of someone you lost."Her gaze swept across the room, lingering on each face. "I tried. All my life, I tried to earn your love, your trust. But I see it now—it was never about what I could or couldn't do. It was about what I was to you: a mistake. A curse. That's all you'll ever see when you look at me."She turned toward Veer, her voice softening, though the pain was palpable. "And you, Veer... You knew me better than anyone. Or at least, I thought you did. I thought we were friends, that you believed in me. But today, I see you believe the lies over the truth you've known your whole life."Veer opened his mouth, but she cut him off, shaking her head. "Don't. Don't speak unless it's to tell me you believe me. Anything else will break what little I have left."He hesitated, his silence crushing her. Nandini's tears finally fell, but her voice grew stronger. "I stood by you when no one else did. I fought for you. And yet, when I needed you the most, you turned your back on me. Tell me, Veer, does loyalty mean nothing to you? Or was I just a convenience?"Veer's face contorted with guilt, but he didn't answer. His silence was deafening.Nandini's voice cracked as she continued, "I thought you were different, but you're just like them. You see what you want to see, hear what you want to hear. When the truth comes out—and it will—you'll realize what you've done. I hope you can live with that."Her chest heaved, but she didn't wait for him to respond. She turned away, removing her royal ornaments one by one. Each piece clattered to the floor, echoing in the tense silence. When she was done, she straightened, her voice calm but filled with finality. "I leave not because I'm guilty, but because staying here means holding on to the hope that someone will fight for me. And I see now... there's no one left."With that, she walked out of the chamber, her steps steady even as tears blurred her vision. The palace doors slammed shut behind her, and she stumbled into the cold night, the weight of betrayal pressing down on her.The dark forest loomed ahead, its eerie silence amplifying her despair. Every step felt heavier as she ventured deeper, the shadows around her seeming alive, whispering accusations she couldn't silence.Suddenly, she felt it—a presence, cold and menacing, watching her from the darkness. Her heartbeat quickened. She turned sharply, scanning the trees, but saw nothing. "Who's there?" she called out, her voice trembling but defiant. Only the rustling of leaves replied.Her feet quickened, breaking into a run as the feeling grew stronger. The sound of footsteps—heavy, deliberate—followed close behind. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she darted through the dense undergrowth, her gown snagging on branches. She didn't dare look back."Nandini..." a voice hissed from the darkness, chilling her to the bone. It wasn't a voice she recognized, but its malice was unmistakable."Stay away from me!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the night. Her legs burned as she pushed forward, her surroundings blurring in her panic.The edge of a cliff suddenly came into view, the rocky expanse barely visible in the moonlight. She skidded to a halt, her chest heaving, but the sound of footsteps grew louder, closer.Turning to face her pursuer, she finally saw the shadowy figure emerge—a dark silhouette cloaked in hatred. Its intent was clear in the glint of a blade catching the moonlight.Nandini's back pressed against the precipice, her hands trembling. "Why?" she asked, her voice breaking. "What have I done to deserve this?"The figure didn't answer. It only stepped closer, silent and merciless.With no escape and the ground crumbling beneath her, Nandini made her choice. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, "If this is the price for their hatred, then so be it."She closed her eyes and stepped back, the world falling away as the wind swallowed her scream. The figure stood at the cliff's edge, watching as the darkness claimed her.For Nandini, the pain of betrayal was far greater than the fear of the fall. In that moment, she felt a bittersweet relief—because in the end, she chose her fate, even if the world had denied her justice.