“Daadi-sa,” I forced a smile.
“Come with me,” she said, pulling me along. I looked around for someone who could save me from her. But, to my doomed fate, there was no one, since everyone was too busy with their own work.
She led me to her chamber, using her wooden cane to move around. She smiled at me and said,“These attendants will help you take a bath and get dressed. You look tired.”
I looked at the group of attendants and shook my head.
“But Daadi-sa, I think I look fine. I mean, why change my clothes and take a bath?” I tried to maintain a broad smile on my face to appear happy.
“Why not? Your marriage is my responsibility, and I shall fulfil it with utmost care. I want you to look beautiful, like someone never seen,” she said, and I lowered my gaze.
If I did that, I was afraid Kunwar Agastya would get angry since he asked me not to go to Mahabaleshgarh, and if I didn’t, Daadi-sa would get hurt. She would’ve thought I didn’t trust her. I didn’t want to break her heart, but it was dangerous. I couldn’t hurt either of them, especially Daadi-sa.
“Okay,” I said, managing a smile.
I watched the attendants approach and couldn’t resist entering her chamber. My heart raced as soon as I entered the bathroom. The scent of bathing oils filled my nostrils, making me feel weak in my knees.
“You should change into this,” a fellow attendant handed me a bathing dress.
I gulped, taking it from her hands, and nodded, walking behind the wooden partition.
Thoughts of him clouded my mind against my will. The way he rolled his eyes before the ceremony made it clear how annoyed he already was. It would’ve angered him if he’d ever learned about it.
However, he was never my husband. He remained Princess Rashmika’s fiancé, and there was no reason to go against Daadi-sa.
I sighed in frustration, removing my dupatta, blouse, and skirt, and wrapped the bathing cloth around my bosom, reaching my thighs.
Honestly, I had never taken a bath like royalty. But Daadi-sa was a sweetheart; she liked to see women happy.
I stepped outside and noticed an attendant approaching me. She undid my braid, letting it fall loose down to my hips. The loose curls danced against the side of my face, making me feel unexpectedly shy.
I wanted it to be wrapped quickly so he wouldn’t discover it. His teasing made it clear he would get mad.
I walked with the attendants toward the pool and stepped inside. They asked me to sit comfortably, but I was highly uncomfortable.
Guests filled the palace. A lot of work was pending, a feast was underway, the villagers were lined up to receive donations, and I was being treated like a princess to marry again.
I exhaled deeply. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.Should I tell Daadi-sa that I couldn’t get married?I thought.
However, she would ask me why.
I didn’t know why, from her point of view, she was doing the right thing, helping a woman settle down with a good man so they could spend time together, start a family, and be happy. But she didn’t know how eventful this woman’s life was.
I couldn’t believe I was technically married to Prince Agastya, and no one except Commander Eklavya knew about it. Now, he was going to marry Princess Rashmika, and I was seeing another man.
I sighed tiredly when an attendant asked,“Are you okay?”
I gulped and nodded silently, closing my eyes to feel whatever was happening to me.
As they began applying the cold paste, a shiver went down my body. They rubbed the half-dry paste on my skin and cleaned the hair off my hands.
I felt the pain intensify throughout the process and groaned lightly. I did all that to Nandani, but experiencing it was incredibly different and more painful. My skin had turned red.
“Is this necessary?” I asked.
One of them nodded and replied,“Yes, Daadi-sa asked us to take our time and help you get ready like a bride.”
I grunted internally.
