After bathing, I dressed in the red outfit laid out for me. It was much lighter than the previous one, perhaps meant for prayers and rituals.
Once I was ready, I stepped out of the bathroom and found him asleep on the bed. He had removed his upper garment and was lying on his chest.
I gulped and blinked nervously.
“You may leave now. Thank you,” I said to the attendants. They bowed and quietly left the room.
Walking toward him, I sat on the bed without making much noise, yet my jewellery betrayed me. Soft chimes of tiny bells rang with even the slightest movement of my hand.
“Kunwar-sa,” I murmured, placing my hand on his head.“Wake up. They must be waiting for us.”
He blinked awake, and his eyes were red from lack of sleep.
“Come on, get ready,” I urged.
He stared at me for a few moments, then muttered groggily,“Am I dreaming?”
I chuckled, leaned closer, and gently pecked his lips for just a moment.“No, love. You’re not dreaming.”
He drew in a deep breath and tried to press his lips to mine.
“You smell beautiful,” he said.
I kissed his cheek and whispered,“Come on, get up. You can sleep tonight.”
He rose from the bed, cocking a brow.“You wish.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the way he looked at me.
I lowered my gaze at once and sat quietly until he returned, dressed in a simple white outfit.
“Come, let’s go,” he said, holding out his hand.
I stood and placed my hand in his.
We walked together through the corridors and royal garden, making our way to the temple within the palace, where everyone awaited us.
When I was introduced as the third daughter-in-law before the family deity, a surge of emotions swept through me, blessing and gratitude foremost among them.
After offering our prayers, we sought the blessings of our elders. Everything felt dreamlike, as though I were still asleep. A month ago, I had been nothing; today, I was something, and the truth of it was hard to grasp.
Perhaps my patience had borne fruit. Yet, honestly, I had never asked for this, never even dreamt of it. That is the wonder of destiny: what we seek often collides with what we deserve. And when we surrender ourselves to the Almighty, we are granted what is best for us.
I found hope when I had lost all hope. The day I rose from that burning pyre, it was not just my body that learned to breathe again; it was my soul that was finally allowed to live.
And this was not merely about finding Kunwar-sa. It was about finding the right people who understood me and wished me well, even when I was unsure of what was best.
It was the elders who accepted me as I was and promised to make me feel worthy, capable, and whole again. They showed me that what mattered was not my past, but my longing for love.
When I sought only love, I found love, status, and wealth following behind me.
I smiled, watching my love, my status, and my wealth, smiling at Princess Rudraja as she played nearby.
On the day he saved me, I had felt burdened. I had thought of myself as a bird rescued from hunters, only to be caged. But if this were a cage, I was willing to fly within it. For when there is love, even a cage feels like freedom; and without love, even freedom feels like a cage.
I was suddenly free, enlightened, and loved. Free from pain and suffering, and awakened to the truth that I loved him, his soul. And when you love a soul, its sins begin to fade.
After all, we are sinners in one way or another. What matters is the ability to forgive the sins that can be forgiven, without prolonging hatred toward the soul.
