As days passed, Indra found herself slowly falling for the King—just by observing him. She knew he felt something too. The way his eyes lit up when they met, the way he stumbled over his words whenever he tried to speak to her... and yet, something always seemed to weigh him down. Something he couldn’t let go.
Seeing that sadness in his eyes broke her heart. She wanted to understand. She wanted to know more.
That night after dinner, she saw the King sitting alone beneath a tree, staring off into nothing. Quietly, she approached him.
“Your Highness, is everything alright?” she asked gently as she took a seat beside him.
Surprised by her presence, the King blushed slightly—but then the weight of reality returned, and he sighed, eyes still fixed on the empty space ahead.
“You can tell me when you're ready,” she said softly. “I’ll be here… by your side.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, the night wrapping around them like a gentle veil.
Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he spoke.
“Ch… Chandra… my beloved wife… she died here.”
His hands clenched together, and he bowed his head, as if praying for the nightmare to disappear.
“She took her own life… right in front of my eyes,” he said, the pain raw in every word. “She had grown old… she wasn’t the same woman I once knew and loved…”
He let himself drift into the haunting memory. “It was this exact day…”
Before he could finish, he felt a small, warm hand touch his. He looked up to see Indra kneeling before him, her eyes gentle and kind.
“Remember it clearly,” she said. “Face it, and it will fade. The nightmare you’re fighting now… one day it will be just a memory. Everything will be okay.”
She gently patted his hands. Slowly, tears began to fall from the King's eyes. Indra reached out and wiped them away before sitting beside him again. She looked up at the stars.
“Dear King… I’m really glad I met Mano. If it weren’t for him, I might never have met you.”
She smiled softly and continued.
“Mano was found collapsed at the village gates. The people brought him to the palace, and he slept for two whole days. When he finally woke up, he wouldn’t stop talking—and followed me around like a baby chick. It was annoying at first,” she laughed lightly, “but he was so excited about how different our country was.
Then one day, he suddenly panicked. Said his brother was getting married and he had to be there. That was the last I saw of him… for a while.”
She paused, glancing at the King. His tears had dried now. He was fully focused on her story, like a child waiting eagerly for the next chapter. She smiled and continued.
“When I saw him again, he was different—quiet, sad. He said ruling a kingdom was a heavy burden… and something terrible had happened to his beloved brother. He was devastated that he hadn’t been there when you needed him most. That you had to face it all alone…”
Her gaze softened as she turned to him.
She reached out and gently cupped his cheek, brushing it softly with her thumb before taking his hands in hers.
“I may have agreed to marry you for the sake of the kingdom… but I know now that you need more than a wife. You need a friend. Someone who can stand by your side. I hope I can be that person for you.”
The King sat frozen, staring at her in awe, unable to blink.
Indra stood and began to walk away. But halfway to the palace doors, she stopped and turned around.
A soft breeze swept through, lifting her hair. She tucked it behind her ear, looked at him with those clear, expressive eyes, and said with a smile,
“I do like you, King Vikram.”
Then she walked away, leaving him stunned and smiling.
That night, two people lay blushing and smiling to themselves—King Vikram, and one more person, hiding behind bushes, who had eavesdropped on the entire conversation: the sneaky, beloved Mano.
……..
The next day, Mano couldn’t stop teasing his brother. As soon as they met up with Indra, the King's face turned bright red—so red that even Mano, who usually did the teasing, got flustered for a moment… before bursting into laughter.
“Brotherrrrr… look, look, look!” he grinned mischievously as Indra approached them.
“Say it… you did fall for my brother, didn’t you?” he teased her, wagging his eyebrows.
Indra gave a shy smile, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“Look, bro—” Mano began again, but before he could finish—
BUMP!
“OWWWW!” Mano yelped in pain.
“How dare you tease me!” Indra snapped. “And more importantly, how dare you eavesdrop on someone’s private moment, you sneaky little rat!”
“Why you—!” Mano raised his hand to playfully bop her on the head, but she blocked it with ease, grabbing his wrist.
“Hehehe… How dare you!” she shouted, her face full of mock fury. She grabbed a long, thick stick nearby and began chasing him around the courtyard.
The entire palace burst into laughter, watching the chaotic scene unfold—like a mother scolding a mischievous child.
The palace, once cloaked in solemn silence, was now filled with joy and laughter. And in the center of it all, the King's heart—once heavy with sorrow—was now alive again, filled with warmth, love, and the kind of happiness he thought he'd lost forever.
Just like that, a few delightful days passed.
With her answer clearly a “yes,” Princess Indra finally returned to her palace, escorted by her guards—while Mano proudly accompanied her all the way, still talking, still teasing, and still smiling.
……..
The wedding celebrations lasted an entire month—joyful, vibrant, and utterly exhausting. Even after the festivities had ended, the busiest person of all was still Mano, constantly traveling back and forth between two kingdoms.
“It’s so tiring!” Mano whined dramatically.
Most of the time, his brother just listened silently while Indra fed Mano food, trying to keep him quiet.
“It’s your fault, you know!” Indra said, glaring at him.
“Why do you say that?” the King asked, curious.
“It was a deal,” Mano answered with a shrug.
“A deal?” Vikram echoed, raising an eyebrow.
“Yup. A deal. If he’d just talked to me first, none of this would’ve happened,” Indra growled, crossing her arms.
“You see,” she continued, “there were rumors going around—about a young princess ruling her kingdom in a unique way after his brother stepped down from the throne. The story spread to many kingdoms. My father got curious… but he didn’t know the so-called ‘prince’ was Mano!”
She shot a playful glare at Mano, who looked sheepish.
“What did he do? He went to my father first—before speaking to me—and asked for my hand in marriage. So, of course, Papa made a deal that benefited our kingdom. When we found out we’d been tricked, we went to confront him—and he just laughed! So full of pride, bragging about how clever he was!”
“Well, Uncle was pretty smart—” Mano began.
Thud!
“No—you were just too easy!” Indra scolded, knocking him lightly on the head.
“Hahaha! A man should never go back on his word, brother,” King Vikram teased with a grin.
Although the wedding had gone on for a month, there hadn’t been a single private moment for the King and Queen. The palace was filled with music, lights, and crowds. People from far and wide came to see them—Queen Indra, renowned for her martial arts, swordsmanship, and traditional dance… and King Vikram, famous for his battlefield victories and as the long-awaited ruler who had returned. Some even came just to catch a glimpse of Mano, the rumored king-turned-prince.
But eventually, the guests began to leave, and the palace slowly returned to a quieter rhythm. The distance between the newlyweds began to shrink.
And finally, the night came—a night just for them.
The King sat by the bedside, heart pounding. Though they had been married for a month, this would be their first night alone together. A night of peace… and perhaps, something more.
The door creaked open.
There stood Indra, dressed in a soft, shimmering silk saree. A delicate net veil covered her face, revealing only her nose and her soft, blushing lips. Her body adorned with fine jewelry, she stood still, nervous.
The King could see it in her posture—she was anxious.
So, he rose slowly and walked to her. Gently placing a hand on her shoulder, he turned her to face him.
“My dear…” he whispered softly, as he lifted the veil.
And then—he froze.
His breath caught in his throat. His voice vanished. His eyes locked in disbelief.
The person standing before him...
Chandra.