MORNING
The Pink City of India, Jaipur—a city where every street whispers a story and every sunset paints the sky with shades of royalty. Its beauty lies not only in its magnificent palaces and ancient forts but also in the countless emotions hidden within its bustling lanes.
Nestled amidst the city's timeless charm stood the sacred Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir. The rhythmic sound of temple bells echoed through the air as devotees gathered to listen to the divine katha of Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati—a tale of eternal love, unwavering devotion, and destined companionship.
Among the devotees sat a young woman in her early twenties, her eyes fixed on the idol of Mahadev yet her mind wandering elsewhere. She was Nandni.
While everyone around her listened attentively, Nandni was lost in the depths of her own thoughts. The words of the katha faded into the background as old wounds and unanswered questions stirred within her heart.
Time slipped away unnoticed, and before she realized it, the katha had come to an end.
The priest, who had been observing her silence, approached her with a gentle smile and asked,
"Beta, kya soch rahi ho?"
(Child, what are you thinking about?)
His voice pulled her back to reality.
Nandni lowered her gaze for a moment before looking at the idol of Shiv-Parvati and softly replied,
"Kuch nahi... bas yahi soch rahi thi ki jaise Mahadev ke har dard aur ghav ko bharne ke liye Mata Parvati thi, kya mere ghav bharne ke liye bhi koi hoga?"
(Nothing... I was just thinking that just as Mata Parvati was there to heal every pain and wound of Mahadev, will there ever be someone who can heal the wounds I carry within me?)
For a moment, silence settled between them.
The priest's eyes softened with understanding. Above them, the temple bells chimed once again, and a cool breeze swept through the mandir, carrying with it the fragrance of flowers and incense.
Nandni gazed at the divine couple standing together before her. Deep inside, she wasn't merely asking a question.
She was waiting for destiny to answer it.
Little did she know, somewhere in the royal lands of Rajasthan, fate had already begun weaving the threads of a love powerful enough to heal her deepest wounds and dangerous enough to change her life forever.
The priest looked at her with kindness and wisdom in his eyes. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he replied,
"Jeevan mein jo kuch bhi hota hai, woh uski ichchha se hota hai, beta. Agar woh ghav deta hai, toh use bharne wala marham bhi wahi bhejta hai. Bas uspar vishwas rakho. Sab theek ho jayega. Kya pata, tumhare ghav bharne wala aaj isi mandir mein ho."
(Whatever happens in life, happens according to God's will. If He gives wounds, He also sends someone to heal them. Have faith in Him. Everything will be alright. Who knows, the one destined to heal your wounds might already be in this very temple.)
Nandni smiled softly at his words. Joining her hands, she took his blessings one last time before walking deeper into the temple.
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NANDNI'S POV
"Hey Shiv Ji, kab humein bhi aap jaisa jeevan saathi milega?"
(Lord Shiva, when will I find a life partner like you?)
Closing my eyes, I folded my hands in prayer before the idol of Mahadev.
Just then, a sweet little voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Didi, chalo na hamare saath khelne!"
(Sister, come play with us!)
Opening my eyes, I found a little girl holding the corner of my dupatta and looking up at me with sparkling eyes.
A smile automatically found its way onto my lips.
"Haan, kyun nahi chale?"
(Of course, why not?)
I extended my hand toward her. She immediately placed her tiny hand in mine, and together we walked toward the temple garden where the rest of the children were waiting.
This place had always been my favorite. Whenever I felt lonely or burdened, I would come here, pray to Mahadev, and spend time with these innocent children. Somehow, their laughter always managed to heal a small part of my heart.
"So, what are we playing today?" I asked as we reached them.
One of the boys suddenly jumped up excitedly.
"Didi! Aaj hum alag game khelenge. Mujhe mil gaya!"
(Sister! Today we're going to play a different game. I found it!)
He grabbed my hand enthusiastically.
"Didi, chalo Aankh Micholi khelte hain!"
(Sister, let's play Blind Man's Buff!)
I laughed at his excitement.
"Achha, theek hai. Hum Aankh Micholi khelenge. Toh pehle kaun aayega?"
(Alright then. We'll play Aankh Micholi. Who will go first?)
The children exchanged mischievous glances before turning toward me together.
"Of course didi! Aap badi ho, toh pehle aap!"
(Of course, sister! You're the eldest, so you'll go first!)
I shook my head, chuckling at their cleverness.
"Theek hai."
(Okay)
Using my dupatta, they blindfolded me and spun me around three times.
The moment they let go, the game began.
Laughter echoed around me from every direction as the children ran around trying to avoid being caught.
I stretched my hands forward and carefully moved around, trying to locate them through sound alone.
But every time I got close, they escaped, their giggles filling the garden.
Soon I started running after them, but my silver anklets betrayed me. Their constant jingling announced my every move.
The children found this extremely amusing.
"Didi aa rahi hai!"
(Sister is coming!)
"Didi idhar hai!"
(Sister is here!)
"Didi humein pakad ke dikhao!"
(Sister, show us how to catch it)
Their laughter only made me more determined.
Suddenly—
THUD!
My forehead collided with something hard.
Before I could react, I lost my balance.
I waited for the painful impact with the ground.
But it never came.
Instead...
Strong arms wrapped around my waist.
For a moment, everything stood still.
My breath hitched.
Slowly, I removed the dupatta covering my eyes.
The world came back into focus.
And then...
I saw him.
Mesmerizing green eyes.
Deep.
Mysterious.
Dangerous.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Neither of us moved.
The world around us disappeared.
There was only him.
And me.
Lost in each other's gaze.
I had never seen eyes like his before.
And judging by the way he was looking at me, neither had he.
"Shiva!"
A voice suddenly called out.
The spell broke instantly.
Both of us blinked and stepped away from each other.
The moment his hands left my waist, an unfamiliar emptiness settled inside me.
Why did it feel as though I had lost something?
Embarrassed, I lowered my gaze.
"S-Sorry... mujhe nahi pata tha... main bas bachchon ke saath khel rahi thi..."
(I-I didn't know... I was just playing with the children...)
Without waiting for his response, I bowed my head slightly.
"Once again, sorry."
And then—
I ran.
As fast as I possibly could.
The last thing I heard before disappearing from there was his deep chuckle.
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"Good. Very good, Nandni. Kya din ki shuruaat hui hai."
(Great. What a wonderful start to the day.)
I mocked myself while taking out my phone and dialing my brother's number.
"Ashish Bhai, aap kahan ho?"
(Brother Ashish, where are you?)
His familiar voice came from the other side.
"Princess, main bas mandir pahunch raha hoon. Tu bahar ruk, main aa raha hoon."
(Princess, I'm almost at the temple. Wait for me outside. I'm coming.)
Hearing his voice, I smiled and walked toward the temple entrance, completely unaware that fate had just introduced me to the man who would change my life forever.
SHIVA'S POV
I, Shiva Rudravaansh, bow before no one except my elder brother.
Love?
For me, it had always been nothing more than a distraction. A waste of time.
The Rudravaansh family was one of the most prestigious royal families in India. Power, respect, legacy, and honor flowed through our blood. People feared us, admired us, and obeyed us.
As for me, I respected very few people.
Earning my respect wasn't easy, but once someone earned it, I would stand beside them against the entire world.
I lived life on my own terms.
I did what I wanted.
I went where I wanted.
And I hated taking orders from anyone.
The only people whose words I followed without question were my elder brother and my beloved Bhabhi Maa.
To the world, she was the Maharani of Rajasthan.
To me, she was family.
She was kind, graceful, caring, and humble—the perfect queen in every sense. No wonder my brother loved her so much.
That morning, while we were having breakfast together, she looked at me and asked,
"Shiv, will you accompany me to Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir today?"
A smile instantly appeared on my face.
"Of course, Bhabhi Maa. I would love to."
Her eyes softened as she nodded.
After breakfast, we left for the temple.
Bhabhi Maa was dressed in an elegant saree while I wore one of my usual tailored black suits.
The drive was peaceful, yet for some reason, I felt restless.
As soon as we reached Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir and stepped inside, an unfamiliar feeling settled within me.
It felt as if something...
Or someone...
Was calling me.
Bhabhi Maa went inside the temple to offer her prayers while I remained standing near the entrance.
Then suddenly—
Chhan... Chhan... Chhan...
The melodious sound of anklets reached my ears.
For reasons I couldn't explain, I found myself following the sound.
Without realizing it, my feet led me toward the temple garden.
And that was when I saw her.
A girl.
No.
An angel.
She stood amidst a group of laughing children, dressed in a simple white Anarkali suit. Her long silky hair flowed freely down to her waist, dancing with the wind.
For a moment, she looked less like a human and more like a goddess descended from heaven.
The children had blindfolded her with a white dupatta as they played Aankh Micholi.
Her laughter echoed through the garden.
Pure.
Innocent.
Beautiful.
And before I knew it, I found myself staring.
Completely captivated.
So captivated that I unknowingly stepped right into her path.
The next second—
She collided with my chest.
Losing her balance, she began to fall.
Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her against me.
Time stopped.
The world disappeared.
Everything became silent.
The moment she fell into my arms, something inside me changed.
I had attended countless royal gatherings.
Met princesses from influential families.
Shared conversations with women who were considered the epitome of beauty.
Yet never...
Not once...
Had my heart reacted the way it did now.
Her delicate frame trembled slightly against my chest.
For a moment, I forgot who I was.
Forgot where I was.
Forgot everything.
All I knew was that I didn't want to let go.
As if my arms had finally found what they had been searching for all these years.
Slowly, she removed the dupatta covering her eyes.
And then...
Our eyes met.
The world stopped.
No temple bells.
No children's laughter.
No voices.
Nothing.
There was only her.
And me.
Chocolate-brown eyes.
Deep.
Expressive.
Heartbreakingly beautiful.
I had seen beautiful women before.
But she...
She wasn't beautiful.
She was breathtaking.
The kind of beauty that doesn't steal your attention.
It steals your soul.
Her eyes held a thousand untold stories.
There was pain hidden within them.
Pain so deep that even her smile couldn't hide it.
And for some unknown reason, that pain hurt me.
Why?
I didn't even know her name.
I didn't know where she came from.
Yet seeing sadness in her eyes felt unbearable.
For the first time in my life, I wanted to protect someone.
Protect her.
I wanted to know who had hurt her.
Who had made those beautiful eyes carry so much sorrow.
And if that person existed...
God help them.
Because I wouldn't.
The thought shocked me.
I, Shiva Rudravaansh, who never cared about anyone outside my family, was thinking about a stranger.
A complete stranger.
Yet my heart had already accepted what my mind refused to understand.
She felt familiar.
As if I had known her for lifetimes.
As if destiny had finally placed the missing piece of my soul before me.
The more I looked at her, the stronger the feeling became.
Mine.
The word appeared in my mind before I could stop it.
Mine.
Not because I wanted to possess her.
But because every part of my being felt connected to hers.
As though fate itself was whispering her name into my soul.
"Shiva!"
Bhabhi Maa's voice suddenly reached my ears.
The spell shattered instantly.
Reality returned.
The girl immediately stepped away from me.
Embarrassment covered her face as she lowered her gaze.
"S-Sorry... mujhe nahi pata tha... main bas bachchon ke saath khel rahi thi..."
(I-I didn't know... I was just playing with the children...)
She bowed her head slightly.
"Once again, sorry."
For some reason, I didn't like that.
I didn't like seeing her apologize.
And I definitely didn't like seeing her lower her head in front of me.
I wanted to tell her that she had done nothing wrong.
That she never needed to apologize to me.
But before I could say anything, she turned around and ran away.
Fast.
Very fast.
As if I would eat her.
A chuckle escaped my lips.
"Who knows..."
I smirked.
"Maybe I will."
But as I watched her disappear, something strange happened.
For the first time in years...
I felt disappointment.
I wanted one more second.
One more glance.
One more heartbeat with her.
Yet she was already gone.
I don't know your name.
I don't know your story.
But I swear on the Rudravaansh blood flowing through my veins...
If destiny has written you for me, I will cross every distance, break every wall, and fight every battle to find you again.
Because from this moment onward, my heart belongs to the girl with the chocolate-brown eyes and silver anklets.
And whether she knows it or not...
My destiny just ran away from me.
As I walked back toward Bhabhi Maa, I looked over my shoulder one last time toward the garden.
A small smile appeared on my lips.
I had never believed in love at first sight.
In fact, I used to laugh at people who did.
Yet today...
For the very first time...
I understood them.
Because somewhere between a pair of chocolate-brown eyes and the sound of silver anklets...
I had lost my heart.
And I made a silent promise to myself.
If fate brings you back to me...
If destiny allows our paths to cross again...
Then I will make you mine.
TO BE CONTINUED~~~
this is my first story so please tell me if you like it or not
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