"The structure was built in 1705 after the legendary King Rana won against Mughals, demanding equal rights and respect for women. The impressed emperor took a step back after five months of war and left these lands under the care of Rana ji. The Fort stands over the hill, 180 m (590.6 ft) in height, and spread over an area of 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the plains of the valley drained by the Holy River. The fort covers 65 historic structures, which include five palaces- Chitrakoot, Mayur, Aryavarte, Rajwada, and Chandra Mahal, 15 large temples, 20 large water bodies, 4 memorials, and a few victory towers. The Queen Mother lives in the foremost- Chitrakoot Palace whereas, the King loves his privacy and has occupied the furthermost- Rajwada Palace, at the back of the fort facing the luxuriant forest." The priest notified casually to a gawking Kishan Singh.

Clutching an old purse close to her side, brown orbs scanned the foreign premises warily. The beats of a nervous heart suppressed the joy of visiting a monumental ground. She registered everything at once, but the troubling mind erased it all an instant later. The grumbling of engines makes her jump out of the haze and she took deep breathes, collecting the wild thoughts. This was a bad idea. Her brain supplied for the hundredth time. The stationed guards near entrance stood stoic, not even glancing their way, yet she felt a ton of judgment swirling behind their blank masks.

The decision of oiling otherwise thick mane was now biting her ass. She should have listened to her grandmother and dressed accordingly rather than choosing to slip into dull attire. The worn-out garment has now put her to shame in front of the lowly maids passing her curious stares.

"This way."

Pandit Damodaran gestured towards the grand entrance leading to a whole new world. Where Kishan followed eagerly, Gauri weighed her choice. She hasn't entered the Palace yet and has a chance of escaping. Will they notice if she rushed past the magnanimous doors on two feet? Do they care?

"Gauri, hurry up."

Her father waved his hand, making a blush climb her neck. He acted as if he was the chosen girl and her a hopeless maiden. Puffing her cheeks in exaggeration, she straightens her shoulders and with an emotionless façade, enters. Her eyes didn't dare to wander on faces gawking at them. It wasn't like she was eager to please. This was a formality as Damodaran said. There's no way the Queen Mother would jump yipping- You are the one. Yes, you are the one I have been waiting for ages.

The staff, the servants, the guests, and the guards, all jumped at once, startled by the loud thud that resonated from darkened hallways at far right. Gauri squinted her eyes, trying to decipher the reason behind sudden disturbance. Either something fell, or someone has opened the door more forcefully than usual. A clearing of throat distorts their focus and they all bow their heads.

"Must be one of her highness' pets. They are pretty wild." Damodaran smiled while rubbing the nape of his neck absentmindedly. Alarms rang in her head. Her instincts punctuated another tale. The lie spurting from his silver tongue didn't go unnoticed. Tightening her fists with newfound resolve, Gauri permits her curious orbs to drink in a new area. Generous would be an insult. Any word she uses to describe such grandeur would be an offense to the artisans and architects. The visionary who first came with this idea must be the sharpest of his time. These high walls have registered changes over centuries, yet they stand strong and resilient, not letting anyone doubt their ancestry.

"Can we have a tour after meeting her highness?"

Kishan approached politely, the unhidden excitement dripping in his tone.

"I can't promise anything, Kishan ji."

Damodaran replied honestly, and Gauri huffs in distaste.

"It may be a historic site to you, but this is home to someone, father. We can't just barge in and go sightseeing." Gauri tried to cheer her disappointed father.

"So, the girl does have manners. Nice."

A feminine voice rang from the top of the stairs of giant hall. Gauri visibly shuddered at the ghostly appearance of this new woman. She was pale and a bag of bones marred by thousand wrinkles. Her eyes sunken deep in sockets and her nose was too big for her face. To make matters worse, she was dressed in black. The woman must be a widow.

"Ambika ji, kindly alert her highness about the guests."

Adjusting the drape of black saree on her silver hair, she nodded cordially and disappeared into one of the hallways of the first floor.

"That was Ambika ji, the queen mother's chief handmaiden. She is well respected among the staff and folks." The priest introduced with a tight smile and lead the duo towards a beautiful garden behind the Queen's palace.

"Oh wow."

Kishan whispered in wonder and Gauri couldn't help but agree.

"Her highness will see you here. Gauri, prepare yourself and Kishan ji, follow me. Let's freshen up and have a tea."

"You are leaving me here. Alone." Gauri inquired breathlessly and Damodaran purses his lips.

"The Queen wants to meet you in person, remember. If things go right, she will talk with Kishan ji later."

"Oh god! Don't do this now. Why didn't you tell me before that I have to do this on my own?"

"Don't be scared. The queen may be intimidating, but she is just a woman who is searching for an ideal bride for her son. Be yourself and things will be fine. All the best." Damodaran patted her shoulder in encouragement and then left the garden with Kishan Singh in his tow.

Her heart was thundering so loud, she thought she might faint under the pressure. Taking a seat on the chair, she opens her purse and pulls out a candy. Peeling off the wrapper, she eats it. The sweetness that floods her mouth relaxes her unraveling mind.

"God help me. I promise I won't trouble my mother anymore after all of this is over. Please make her reject me."

On cue, the back door of the palace opens and the reason behind her restlessness enters. Clad in a white silk saree with a pearl necklace adorning her neck, the queen stood tall and fierce. Her dark hair was tied in a bun and serenity masked her royal features. Gauri immediately stood and joined her hands in greeting. As she approached the timid girl, Vasundhara scanned her appearance from head to toe. Amusement shone in her clever eyes and her lips twitched to blow a smile. God forbid her. Other girls would do anything for this one-in-a-million opportunity, still, this villager has come with no intentions of joining the guild of desperate females. She was dressed soberly, in dull clothes that hugged her figure at the right places. Her hair was braided tightly to let any single strand fly loose. The sandalwood oil she used was swarming the air around her, hiding the true scent of her skin. Unknowingly, she has played a game in Vasundhara's favor. Her face was devoid of any makeup, featuring the natural beauty she wore effortlessly. The doe-like eyes were a window to her soul, innocent and ethereal.

"Take a seat, dear. I hope your journey was comfortable."

The soothing tone immediately melted doubts circulating in her mind and Gauri gulps the candy before perching on the cushioned chair.

"Yes, it was pleasant."

Vasundhara nodded, secretly pleased with herself for choosing the girl. Even her voice was hypnotic. The picture didn't do justice to her actual appearance. She was far beautiful.

"How are your parents? I heard you have a grandmother. Tell me about them." A beat of silence passed and Gauri clears her dried throat. She couldn't believe she was conversing with a former queen, let alone discussing her family.

"My parents- Kishan and Rukmani are locals of Shivpuri Village. They are farmers and own 4 acres of land along with a herd of goats and four cows. Grandmother is old but still active. She spends her days singing prayers of God and reading holy books. Arthritis is catching with her, but she is too proud to confess it. She is my best friend."

Vasundhara smiled. Like she deduced, an innocent girl.

"Good. What about you? What do you do, Gauri?" the question puts her under a spotlight and she swore air in the fort stilled to know her more.

"I... I help with chores around the house and sometimes tutor the girls of the village. Mostly, I tell the kids stories from mythology."

The queen chuckles and shakes her head.

"That's great. You must be good with children. I heard you weren't able to finish your education due to financial problems. If given a chance, would you continue your studies?"

Gauri was left spellbound. Nobody, not even her parents discussed this before. Though the burning question that how the Queen know so much about her rang aloud, she only focused on the recent development.

"I don't know anymore. It has been three years. I never took it seriously. But it would be fun to go to college and meet new people. I would probably graduate in finance and accounts. It was my strongest subject."

"Really? I have finished my masters in the same field!" Vasundhara exclaimed and leans forward to prepare the tea brought by Ambika. "Sugar?" She asked politely and Gauri instantly shook her head.

"Uh... your highness, you don't have to."

"Rubbish. You are my guest. Feel free to order."

"Two sugar, please."

Vasundhara laughed as she added two cubes and stirred the tea using a small spoon. Taking the tea from Vasundhara's hands, Gauri waited until the queen took her first sip. The beverage was hot and warmed their insides. Silence passed as they sat comfortably, enjoying the company of chirruping birds and gentle gust. It was so out of her character to spend time in the company of a girl half her age and discuss ordinary life. For years, Vasundhara didn't let herself lose like this. Even not in the company of Yagya's first wife. That woman rarely visited and kept to herself. After her husband, the former king had a paralysis attack, she felt lonely and grief-stricken. Though Ambika accompanied her mostly, she was still distant to reach for the right reasons. The burdensome life she led as a queen came with many dark secrets. The guilt she carries on her shoulders because of naïve decisions made in the past, sporadically lets her breath in freedom. The cage of the consequential crisis was thickening around her with passing days, suffocating her.

Blinking back the unshed tears, she focuses on the shy girl in front of her.

"Gauri, you are aware of the reason behind this visit. I was never good at talking in circles. My direct approach may sound rude at times but it's the only way of striking the point. You are chosen because your horoscope is compatible with my son's, which is rare. The last time he married the woman of his choice, by ridiculing the matters of stars, it ended badly. His first wife passed away within 4 years of marriage. As you hail from a religious background, you might relate to my troubles. Not any girl will be able to lead a life with him but one of a kind. It's a case of one in a million.

ahilya draupadi kunti tara mandodari tatha |

pancakanyah smarennityam mahapatakanasinih ||

This Sanskrit sloka when translated means- Ahilya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara, and Mandodari. One should forever remember these five women in Hindu epics, who are the destroyers of great sins. It is believed that reciting their names destroys one's sins. These five women are also known as five virgins, symbolizing the perfect chaste female.

Other than that, these five women were born and created under the same position of stars that matches yours. These women were married to great warriors, kings, and sages.

My son is in great suffering due to horrible sins committed by his ancestors. Although they were punished, it failed to bring justice to victims, hence the entire bloodline got polluted with a curse. Being a direct descendent, it is affecting him the most.

If you marry him, your compassion may help him to walk on the path of light.

I won't beg you to consider this option. The moment I saw your picture, I knew you were the one. By talking to you, I read the truth of your character. You are a good person and that's what we need to lighten the darkness hounding these halls for decades."

"But I..."

Gauri tried to butt in, interjecting the thought of marrying the King but Vasundhara was already set to proceed with this decision. There's no backing out. She has already opened a forbidden chapter in front of this new girl.

"I am not forcing you to jump into a married life right away. After the wedding, you will live in my palace- Chitrakoot. The Rajwada Palace of King Yagyavardhana Rana is a different territory. You don't have to shift there until he asks for you or you are comfortable around him. I understand. It isn't easy to live with a man you barely know. On the other hand, you would be able to pursue higher education. It will bring me great joy if the bride of this Fort achieves success on the academic level."

Gauri was left speechless. She wasn't brought here to be tested or seen. The Queen Mother has already made a decision and she was brought here to hear it.

"I can't..."

"I will take your opposition as an impertinence." There was a coldness in Vasundhara's tone that clawed her spine. The earlier impression about this royal started to change. She was as cruel and dangerous as she is rumored. Gauri felt trapped. Coming here was wrong. How to defend herself in front of the lioness?

"Your family will be informed about recent developments. In the upcoming week, you'll move to the Mayur Palace along with your family and start the pre-wedding rituals. On coming Akshaya Tritiya, the two of you will be married officially.

This may sound too fast and forced, but this is our only choice. Start preparing yourself."

Gauri didn't move or blink. She sat like a stone.

From the rooftop of the Chitrakoot Palace, King Yagya registered this and fumed at the schemes of his mother. He couldn't help but pity the girl who got accidentally roped in this hellish life. He can fight Queen Vasundhara till he drops but he can never win. She was a bloody pillar amid the sea of fallen ruins. Her words were law and she has paid a great price to reach this far.