“Why are you tying it so firmly?” I asked softly.
Nandani smiled knowingly.“You’ll understand soon.”
Because of the wedding fast, I refused to eat despite their insistence. I was growing restless. Time seemed to crawl; each moment stretched longer than the last. I rested briefly before the chamber filled with attendants carrying jewellery and garments.
They positioned me in front of the mirror.
“You’ll need to change first,” one of them said.
I was timid, jittery, feeling everything at once.
Reva helped me out of the yellow attire and into the red in-skirt. When she handed me the ghaghra, my arms nearly buckled under its weight.
“It’s heavy,” I murmured.
“It is,” she smiled.“Ranaji and Prince Ranvijay gifted the stones themselves. The artisans worked day and night for seven days to complete it.”
Goosebumps rose on my skin.
I was marrying into royalty. I was marrying a prince. And this was just the beginning.
With her help, I slipped into the ghaghra. It felt as though its weight was grounding me, pulling me toward the earth. I sucked in a breath as she bound it at my waist, ensuring it sat perfectly.
The blouse was no lighter. It had golden threads intricately woven with shining stones, and it clung to my skin, almost too tightly, making me feel both regal and special, like Kunwar Agastya Dev Singh’s wife.
When I returned to the dressing room, Nandani and Princess Aishwarya were already dressed in deep red. Nandani’s eyes widened when she saw me.
I chuckled nervously, and a tear slipped down my cheek.
“You look beautiful,” she said, pulling me into a hug.
Princess Aishwarya smiled warmly and embraced me as well.
“Finally, your day,” she said.“Enjoy every moment. I was so anxious at my wedding, but today, I feel like it’s mine all over again.” Pulling away, she added,“You look extravagant.”
“So do you both,” I replied softly.
They seated me in a chair, taking complete charge.
I found myself admiring them both as Nandani fastened the heavy gold armlets around my biceps and Princess Aishwarya fixed the jhumkas in my ears.
I felt so happy, both for Kunwar-sa and for me. I never, ever thought the family I had longed for all my life would be this one—Nandani and Princess Aishwarya as my caring sisters-in-law, Ranaji and Prince Ranvijay as protective brothers-in-law, and Kunwar Agastya as my husband. The very realisation felt surreal.
I inhaled deeply, watching Nandani slide the rings onto my fingers, which were tied to the kangan54by delicate beaded chains. She then locked the kangan around my wrist. After that, she slipped the simpler rings, each set with an emerald at the centre, onto my other fingers. She repeated the same on my other hand, and I found myself wondering how I’d walk with so much jewellery adorning me.
Princess Aishwarya, on the other side, placed the maangteeka55perfectly along my hair parting, securing its chains to my earrings. She braided my hair, then adorned it with a long, custom-made braid ornament. It had golden floral circles with tiny bells dangling from each.
“The gold suits you beautifully,” she said.
I smiled shyly, thinking how much effort it would take for Kunwar Agastya to remove all of this later. The mere thought sent a chill down my spine.
“Look here,” Nandani said, lifting the nath56, and I winced softly as she fixed it into my piercing, tying its chain to my hair.
She then knelt—the queen of Suryagarh—knelt before me to clasp the anklets around my feet without hesitation.
I felt so small. Emotion swelled in my chest.
Everyone deserves a friend like Nandani.
