Inseparable Souls

Chapter 1

“These are the jewels and garments for the bride. If you need anything, just ask us. Your daughter is about to become the wife of Raja Sahab (the king). She must look according to our status. Consider it a stroke of luck that Raja Sahab has shown interest in the daughter of a humble peasant,” taunted an elderly maidservant from the palace.

“We are truly grateful to Raja Sahab! My daughter must have performed good deeds in her past life for him to choose her as his bride. I assure you, she will not disappoint him,” Shriman (the father of the bride) said, bowing in gratitude as he accepted the clothes and jewelry from her.

“I must take my leave now. Be ready on time; soon Raja Sahab will come to escort the bride,” the maidservant said before departing.

As Shriman examined the garments and gold jewelry in his hands, he thought, “It seems Goddess Laxmi is pleased with me. Soon I will be rid of this ill-fated girl (Shree), and all my troubles will vanish.”

“Father, I don’t want to marry! I want to continue my studies. I want to be a doctor and help the poor. Please stop this marriage!” Shree pleaded, emerging from the house and begging her father.

“Be quiet, you jinx! You took your mother’s life the moment you were born, and then you took your brother’s. Who would want to marry someone like you? It’s a miracle that Raja Sahab has taken notice of you and decided to marry you. Otherwise, you would have been a burden on me for life! Just think, you could reign as a queen! Stop being so stubborn and tell your friends to help you get ready,” Shriman scolded Shree harshly.

Shree fell at her father’s feet and pleaded, “Father! I want to be a doctor and treat the poor. If only we had taken Mother to a good doctor in time, she would have survived. The same happened to my brother; if we had gotten him to the hospital on time, he would still be with us today. I don’t want anyone else to suffer the way we did, which is why I want to become a doctor.”

Shriman’s anger flared at her persistence, and he slapped her so hard that she fell to the ground. “What? Do you want to be a doctor? Here, we struggle just to get one meal a day, and you dream of becoming a doctor? Give up this childish stubbornness. You’re grown up now; soon you’ll be eighteen. This is not the life for you. Your role is to manage the household and take care of the family.”

"But Baba!" Shree protested as Shriman gripped her hand tightly and pulled her into the room.

"Now you’ll only come out once you’re dressed like a bride. I’m going to great lengths to help a jinx like you, and you dare to stop me," Shriman said, locking Shree inside.

"Now you’ll only be allowed out once you’re properly dolled up like a bride. I’m doing a favor for someone like you, and yet you’re trying to hinder me."

"Father, please open the door! I don’t want to marry! I’m begging you, please! I promise I’ll work hard; I won’t be a burden anymore. Just stop this wedding," Shree cried, pounding on the door, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Despair washed over her as she sank to her knees and sobbed. "Mom! I need you. Brother, why did you leave me alone? Why did you save me from drowning that day? If you hadn’t saved me, maybe you’d still be alive. Why? Why did you do it? It's better to die than live like this," she lamented, mourning her fate.

...........................

In the Palace of King Abhimanyu...

The entire palace was aglow with earthen lamps and lights, adorned with fragrant flowers and exquisite handicrafts. Women filled the courtyard with music and dance, celebrating their joy.

"Chote Kunwar sa aa gaye Vilayat se!! Swagat ki tayari karo!!" the head guard joyfully announced.

"Chacha sa aa gaye!! Chacha sa aa gaye!!" A girl raced into the courtyard, her voice ringing with excitement.

"Nandini!! Sambhalo apne aap ko! Aap is mahal ki rajkumari hain. Aap badi ho chuki hain, baccho wala swabhav chhodiye," King Abhimanyu chided gently, stopping her in her tracks.

{"Nandini!! Get a grip! You are the princess of this palace. You’ve grown up; it's time to leave behind childish ways!" }

Nandini bit her lip and looked down, "Maaf kijiyega baapu sa, hum chacha sa ke aane ki khushi mein thodi utaawle ho gaye the," she apologized.

{"Forgive me, Father! I got a bit too excited when I heard about Uncle’s arrival."}

King Abhimanyu nodded and walked towards the main entrance of the palace to welcome his younger brother.

Excitement buzzed throughout the palace, especially among the girls, all eager to catch a glimpse of Prince Abhivayakt.

Suddenly, a tall, muscular figure emerged from the carriage, removing his sunglasses and hat to reveal his handsome face. The sight made the girls feel a pang of jealousy for his fiancée.

A woman in a flowing gown stepped out and took Abhivayakt’s hand, purposefully signaling to all the single women present that he was off-limits.

"Abhivayakt, kya dekh rahe ho? Chalo! Bhai sahab hamaara intezaar kar rahe hain," Madhurima said with a playful smile.

{"Abhivayakt, what are you staring at? Come on! Brother is waiting for us!"}

Abhivayakt walked calmly toward the palace entrance, where his brother eagerly awaited him.

"Bhai sa!! I missed you!" Abhivayakt exclaimed, wrapping him in a warm embrace.

King Abhimanyu beamed back, "Me too, chote Raja Sahab!"

"There's only one king around here, and that's you! I'm not interested in that kind of thing. Where are my niece and nephew? They must have grown so much!" Abhivayakt asked excitement in his voice.

"Neil didn't get leave because his exams are coming up, but Nandini is waiting inside," Abhimanyu answered, his tone calm.

"Madhurima, welcome to our palace!" Abhimanyu greeted her warmly.

"Thank you, Brother! Your palace is beautiful!" Madhurima complimented.

"Wait until you see the interior; it’s even more stunning!" Abhimanyu added.

As they entered the palace, a group of women welcomed them, showering them with flower petals and singing auspicious songs in celebration.

"Chacha sa!! { Uncle} I missed you!" Nandini ran to Abhivayakt and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I missed you too, princess! You've grown up and become so beautiful!" Abhivayakt said, tenderly ruffling her hair.

"Put everything aside and tell me, where's my gift?" Nandini asked, pouting.

"Oops! I’m so sorry! I completely forgot!" Abhivayakt replied playfully, a sheepish grin on his face.

Nandini's expression fell, her disappointment evident.

Madhurima playfully slapped Abhivayakt's arm and chided, "Stop teasing her, Abhivayakt! Don't worry, Nandini; your uncle has brought you plenty of gifts, and I picked them all out for you."

"Really? You're the best aunt!" Nandini squealed with delight.

"Hey, don’t call me aunt! I’m not that old. Just call me Madhurima," she replied with a smile.

"Madhurima, Abhivayakt! You both need to take a break! You have to be ready for my wedding rituals," Abhimanyu said.

"I'm glad to see you moving on, brother. You should marry soon," Abhivayakt said with a smile.

"Did you know, uncle, that my new mother is the same age as mine? She's so beautiful! I can’t wait to have a new friend in the palace!" Nandini exclaimed excitedly.

"Nandini! How many times do I have to tell you that Shree will be your mother? You need to learn to respect her. She’s not like your other friends; she’s the wife of King Abhimanyu," Abhimanyu reprimanded.

"But father, she's the same age as me! How can I call her my mother? I will never replace my Maa!" Nandini shouted, standing up from her chair and storming out of the dining room.

"Nandini!" Abhimanyu called after her, but she ignored him.

"Let me talk to her," Madhurima said, trying to ease the tension as she followed Nandini, leaving Abhimanyu and Abhivayakt behind.

"Brother, is it true that the girl you're marrying is the same age as Nandini?" Abhivayakt asked in disbelief.

Abhimanyu sighed and replied, "Yes. Why aren’t you happy for me? You wanted me to remarry after Nandini's mother passed."

"I did want that, but she's so young compared to you! How will she handle her responsibilities? This is wrong, brother," Abhivayakt exclaimed.

"Abhivayakt, this is my personal decision. I know what I'm doing!" Abhimanyu insisted.

"Brother, this isn’t right! How could you choose her?" Abhivayakt pressed.

"I don’t want to discuss this here," Abhimanyu said, dismissing him as he headed to his room, leaving Abhivayakt feeling sorry for the girl who was about to marry his brother.

With a sigh, Abhivayakt returned to his room, where Nandini was eagerly waiting to show him the jewelry gifted by Abhimanyu.

"You’re back! Look, Abhivayakt! Your brother gave me these beautiful jewels. I bet I look like a royal princess! I’ll wear them to his wedding so everyone knows I’m the younger sister-in-law of this palace," Madhurima said with a proud smile.

"Not again, Madhurima! Do whatever you want, just leave me alone!" Abhivayakt snapped.

Madhurima's smile faded, and her expression turned serious. "Abhivayakt, you’ve seemed tense all day."

"Don't you think it’s wrong for my brother to marry someone who's the same age as his daughter? It’s not moral; he's ruining her life," Abhivayakt voiced his concern.

Madhurima sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You’re worrying over nothing! There’s nothing wrong with it as long as both the girl and boy agree to the marriage. Besides, she’s lucky to be marrying your brother; she’ll be the queen of this palace, respected by the people, and she’ll hold the highest status. Her life will change completely."

"But what about love? What about the kind of life partnership she deserves? Doesn’t that matter?" Abhivayakt asked softly.

Madhurima sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You’re worrying for no reason. As long as both the girl and your brother agree to the marriage, there’s nothing wrong. Besides, she is incredibly lucky to be marrying your brother. She’ll be the queen of this palace, respected by everyone in the city, and most importantly, she’ll hold the highest status. Her life will completely transform."

"But what about love? What about the companionship she should have in a life partner? Don't those things matter?" Abhivayakt asked softly.

Madhurima smiled knowingly and replied, "Not really. I’ve seen many girls from humble backgrounds who have little to offer except their looks to attract wealthy men. Abhivayakt, you’re too innocent to grasp this, but trust me—women like her leverage their beauty to climb the social ladder. You shouldn’t be concerned about that girl; she’s getting everything she wants from your brother, and that’s all that really counts."

"Madhurima! How can you say that about a girl you haven't even seen? I expected better from you," Abhivayakt said, disappointment visible on his face.

"What I’m saying is the truth! As a woman, I understand other women better than anyone else can. Remember, appearances can be deceiving," Madhurima retorted angrily before storming out of Abhivayakt's room.

...

The next day, the palace buzzed with joy and excitement; laughter filled the air as everyone celebrated the rituals. However, Abhivayakt couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, though he felt powerless to oppose his older brother.

In an attempt to lift his spirits, Abhivayakt decided to take a walk around the city, hoping that time away would bring him some peace.

He paused at the temple where her father used to take him when he was young. He wanted to step inside, hoping to revive the memories of his father, even though he had lost his faith in God long ago with her passing. His mother had always been the reason for his visits to the temple. As Abhivayakt climbed the first step, a melodious voice reached his ears, drawing him in like metal to a magnet. Inside the temple, he stood mesmerized, captivated by the prayers sung by a girl whose back was turned to him. Her long, thick, shiny hair and the hint of bare skin only heightened Abhivayakt's curiosity to catch a glimpse of her.