The grand gates of the palace slowly creaked open as the brides’ procession arrived, flanked by royal guards and musicians. Trumpets blared, drums echoed across the stone walls, and the golden banners of the Rajput Empire fluttered in the wind. A world untouched by time stood before them—glorious and cruel in equal measure.
Mayuka stepped out first, her lehenga catching the morning sun. She took in the vastness of the marble courtyards, the rows of intricate pillars, the lush gardens lined with blooming lotus ponds, and the towering jharokhas of the women’s quarters. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile.
“This is mine,” she whispered under her breath, pride gleaming in her eyes.
Palace maids and court ladies greeted the new concubines with choreographed bows. The Chief Attendant escorted them to the Antahpuram—the women’s quarters, a secluded world ruled by hierarchy, secrets, and silent battles.
While Meera quietly followed, offering soft nods of greeting to everyone she passed, Adira hesitated at the palanquin’s edge. Her legs trembled. Her eyes searched for familiarity in the alien grandeur of the palace, but found none. The moment her feet touched the palace stone, a cold wind swept through her heart. She was no longer a daughter or a girl. She was an offering.
Mayuka wasted no time asserting her presence. That evening, she demanded her quarters be adorned with the finest silks and gold-threaded curtains. She summoned the head maid and made clear her expectations: “My chambers should reflect my rank. Nothing less than perfection.”
Within hours, her room was transformed into a jewel box—opulent, glittering, and suffocating in luxury.
Meanwhile, Adira’s chamber was left in silence. She sat by the window, watching the last light fade behind the hills, clutching her mother’s woven scarf like a lifeline. The palace didn’t feel like a dream. It felt like the end.
That night, Mayuka walked the marble halls of the palace alone, her gold anklets chiming with each step. She passed courtiers who bowed deeply, all knowing who she was now. The First Concubine. The King’s favored. Or so she believed.
But ambition breeds impatience, and Mayuka wasn’t a woman who waited quietly for favor. She had always wanted more. More power. More recognition. More control. She had no intention of sharing her position, especially not with Adira—her father’s bastard child.
A dangerous thought crossed her mind.
“She won’t last long here,” Mayuka murmured to herself, her eyes narrowed as she looked toward the silent wing where Adira rested. “Not if I can help it.”
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