Chapter 2- The Forgotten Princess of Samudrapuri
Vinayakumari was hiding behind a pillar.
Not particularly well.
At twenty years old, Princess Vinayakumari of Samudrapuri had perfected the art of becoming invisible in crowded rooms, but the palace garden offered fewer opportunities.
Especially when one had six older siblings who knew every hiding place.
"Vinaya."
She lowered her book.
Nothing.
"Vinayakumari."
She sighed.
Devyani appeared around the pillar.
"There you are."
"I wasn't hiding."
"You are sitting behind architecture."
"I was reading."
"Behind architecture."
"The sun is unpleasant."
Devyani put both hands on her hips.
Vinaya stared up at her eldest sister.
Even irritated, Devyani was beautiful.
People had been saying so for as long as Vinaya could remember.
Devyani was beautiful.
Kaveri was graceful.
Shailaja was brilliant.
Uma was charming.
Crown Prince Kalidas was born to rule.
Prince Abhimanyu was handsome, athletic and capable of making an entire room laugh before breakfast.
And Vinaya—
Vinaya read behind pillars.
"Mother wants you."
"Why?"
"Come and discover the miracle of conversation."
Vinaya closed her book.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"You touched your necklace."
Devyani immediately lowered her hand.
"So?"
"You do that when you're hiding something."
Her sister stared.
Vinaya smiled faintly.
"Reading teaches observation."
"You are intolerable."
"So Abhimanyu says."
"You're worse than Abhimanyu."
"That is unnecessarily cruel."
Devyani laughed and caught her hand.
"Come."
Vinaya followed.
The Queen's private chamber was full.
That was Vinaya's first warning.
Her parents were there.
So were all six of her siblings.
Crown Prince Kalidas stood beside their father. His wife was seated nearby.
Kaveri and Shailaja shared a couch.
Uma was whispering to Abhimanyu, who immediately stopped when Vinaya entered.
Vinaya looked around.
"Who died?"
Her mother gasped.
"Vinaya!"
"What? Everyone is staring at me."
Abhimanyu choked back a laugh.
Their father pointed at him.
"Do not encourage her."
"I didn't do anything."
"For once."
Vinaya noticed the scroll beside the King.
Dark red wax.
A royal seal.
Two mountains beneath a rising sun.
She knew it.
Krishnagiri.
Her curiosity sharpened.
"Did something happen with Krishnagiri?"
Her parents exchanged a glance.
Oh no.
Vinaya slowly sat.
Her mother came beside her.
"We received a proposal."
Vinaya nodded.
"For whom?"
Silence.
She looked around.
"All of you are married."
Abhimanyu finally laughed.
Uma slapped his arm.
Vinaya frowned.
Then she looked at her mother.
"No."
Her mother smiled.
"Yes."
"For me?"
"Yes."
The room suddenly felt too warm.
Vinaya stared at the letter.
Marriage proposals were not unfamiliar in their family.
Her sisters had received dozens.
Vinaya had received very few.
A minor prince when she was seventeen.
A widowed nobleman when she was nineteen.
Neither had progressed beyond initial inquiry.
Eventually, Vinaya had stopped expecting anything.
She told herself she preferred it.
Books did not ask whether her nose was delicate enough.
Trade records did not compare her waist to Devyani's.
Maps never told her she would be lovely if only she smiled more.
"Who?" she asked.
Her father leaned forward.
"This is not an ordinary proposal."
"Father, that makes it sound worse."
Kalidas smiled.
The King ignored him.
"It would make you Crown Princess."
Vinaya's stomach dropped.
There were only so many unmarried crown princes.
Krishnagiri's seal lay before her.
No.
Surely not.
Her gaze lifted slowly.
Her mother took her hand.
"The proposal comes from King Amarendra and Queen Lakshmidevi."
Vinaya knew the name before it was spoken.
Everyone knew him.
The widowed prince.
The tragic prince.
The man who had buried his childhood sweetheart and their child on the same day.
Her mother smiled gently.