“I think it's perfect. I mean, you two deserve a perfect royal wedding,” Prince Ranvijay agreed.
Suddenly, he rose from his seat and marched to me. My heart thumped in my chest when he sat beside me in everyone’s presence, and I immediately looked down.
“What do you want?” he asked in a low tone.
Why is he making me feel embarrassed in front of everyone?
Looking up, I glanced at everyone smiling at us.“Um, whatever Daadi-sa would like,” I whispered.
He sighed deeply before saying,“Alright, I cannot stay away for so many days,” he said.
“Yeah, right,” Nandani broke in.“Like you were stuck to her completely throughout the last year.” With the sarcastic remark, everyone burst out laughing, and I lowered my gaze in embarrassment.
“She needed time,” he retorted.
“All right, I think it’s a good decision that Suman leaves for Mahabaleshgarh tomorrow. We’ll then start with the wedding preparations,” Ranaji spoke with finality in his tone and looked at Daadi-sa.“Daadi-sa, we’ll soon arrive at the palace of Mahabaleshgarh to ask for Suman's hand in marriage for our Prince Agastya Dev Singh.”
Daadisa joined her hands in respect and smiled.“We’ll be awaiting.”
I turned to Kunwar Agastya, who was already looking at me, and suddenly, Ranaji's voice caught my attention.
“So, Suman,” Ranaji’s voice had me sitting upright.“Is it a yes from your side?” he asked, and a slight shiver ran down my spine.
I stared into his green eyes.
The more everyone asked me, the surer I became that I wanted him.
“Ji, Ranaji,” I whispered, nodding.
“And, Agastya,” Prince Ranvijay interrupted.“What about you?”
Kunwar-sa turned to look at Prince Ranvijay and nodded.“Ji, Bhai-sa,”
My heart beat madly. I didn’t realise tears had blurred my vision when the attendants stepped in with huge platters of sweets.
“It is final, then. Suman and Agastya are going to get married,” Ranaji announced, and Daadi-sa collected me in her embrace.
“Ismein ashru bahaane waali jaisi to koi baat hi nahi, Suman,”“There’s nothing in this to shed tears over, Suman,” Daadi-sa said lovingly, stroking my head, making me chuckle.
When an attendant came to us with the sweets, Daadi-sa picked up a laddoo and fed me.
“Me too, Daadi-sa,” Kunwar-sa said, leaning closer from my side. I pulled myself a little back as she fed him.
Once done with the sweets, I stood up, adjusting my dupatta to touch Daadi-sa’s feet.
She blessed me and kissed my forehead. I then touched Rani-maa’s feet too. Then, walking to the middle of the hall, I knelt to touch the floor in a gesture to touch Ranaji’s feet.
“God bless you,” he said, and I did the same for Prince Ranvijay.
“May your life be filled with immense love, and obviously, if you’re marrying Agastya, then distress.”
Everyone laughed, and I smiled, quietly walking toward Nandani and Princess Aishwarya. They both hugged me and made me sit beside them, after which Princess Rudraja immediately leaned toward me.
When I took her in my arms, Nandani said,“She’s your Kaaki-sa now,” making me smile.
Everyone was happy except one. The groom himself. He kept staring between Daadi-sa and Ranaji as if he wished to poison them both.
After the celebration ended, everyone retired to their rooms. Most of the guests had already gone home. I also went to my room to rest when Ranaji returned to his chamber with Nandani.
