“Oh my God, she’s beautiful… but so tiny. Are you sure it’s Bhai-sa’s?” he asked, and Nandani immediately punched his arm.
“Don’t you dare, stupid!”
He laughed and leaned in to kiss the baby’s feet.“I’ll make you the most spoiled princess this world would ever know,” he said, but suddenly Daadi-sa interrupted.
“What about the princess you’re marrying, Kunwar-sa? How will you spoil her?”
I sensed the teasing in her words and immediately lowered my face, wanting to escape from her.
He laughed, gently touched the baby’s cheek, and said,“You are too old to know about it, Daadi-sa.”
Nandani interrupted,“Aye, she’s not old.”
He laughed again and looked at us. His gaze lingered on me for a moment before he spoke.“Then maybe I can tell you,”
I quickly glanced at Daadi-sa and said,“Um… I need to go, Daadi-sa. I must see the kitchen.”
She didn’t even hear me as I slowly escaped, listening to his voice fade away.
“I will teach her how to use the dagger wisely. You know it’s a journey of self-discovery,”
Nandani laughed loudly. Daadi-sa chuckled too, but I didn’t understand what was funny. I never quite understood Nandani or his jokes; their bond was deep, like that of best friends.
I hurried out of the room, but before I could, someone grabbed me and pinned me against the wall. I quickly glanced around before turning to look at him.
“Kunwar-sa,” I gasped.“Someone will see us,”
He quickly untied the curtain from the pillar, covering both of us.“Not now,” he said. Frustration ran through me.“I want to talk to you,” he continued.
I shook my head, trying to push him away.
“Aye, don’t!” His warning only provoked me to push him harder.
However, as I tried to walk past him, he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. A wave of pain shot through my hand when he twisted my arm behind my back, dragging me precariously nearer to him.
My eyes widened with shock.
“I’m talking to you,” he said.
My whole body shivered with his strength, and I gazed into his eyes with a trace of fear.
“Kunwar-sa,” I muttered.
He gulped, loosening his hold on my hand.“Why did you take it off?” he asked, studying my face, and I shook my head.
“What?”
“Your nose ring,”
I was stunned.
“Because my husband is dead. It’s only for married women,” I reminded him.
He took a step closer, pushing me against the wall. I felt smaller next to him.
“You have a husband,” he gritted through his teeth.
I shook my head.“No, I don’t,” I replied immediately.“The world doesn’t know about it,” I added in a low voice.
