Guys in ancient time people used grow early, at age of eleven girl is called to be lady, if you ask your grandmothers they will say that at age of fourteen they delivered a baby. Just to start mensural cycle is enough to make the boy and girl get involved in sexual act, being so young they used to conceive early and have babies. Nandini being 14 is already grown up totally, being little pluffy she is seen as a teenage girl. So I request you all to just ignore it, I just can't say that a girl is still I married till age of 18 show 14 years girl unmarried in ancient times is too much.

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Manik and Nandini reached near mahal next day evening. In this two days they talked very little as Nandini is still crying. She is in pain and agony.

Manik stopped his horse near mahal, got down and made her step down "you get fresh up wash your face we are near mahal" Manik said she nodded got fresh up as Manik asked adjusted her dupatta till her neck covering her total face. Manik felt sad he so want to remove that dupatta which is stopping him from seeing her beautiful face directly but he know that she can't enter mahal without covering her face.

Both walked till entrance when Manik checked his back found Nandini few step back standing still. He frowned and walked to her, "what happened?"

"Yuvaraj send me to any temple I want to serve god please" she begged him

Manik got irritated he held her wrist tight and started walking she is running back of him as he is tall his one step is equal to three steps of her, when it was main entrance he stopped dragged her besides him and said "I hate repeating things, so stop nagging and just come with me" she nodded both at a time entered into mahal. He removed his hand from her wrist, gave his horse to dwarapalak, he took it after bowing his head and went away, Manik and Nandini directly walked to court hall, he called solider and asked him to inform king about his arrival and also requested king to visit them. Solider ran to inform king.

Manik and Nandini entered court hall, Manik took his place and Nandini is standing far away tensed and stressed. Manik is watching her keenly. She is rubbing her hands. He just want to hug her and make her feel ok. He was about to get up he heard king's voice he got up and stood straight.

King walked to his place and sat on his chair both bowed in front of him did Pranam. King sighed

Manik turned towards king and said "Rajaji there is bad news"

King frowned and tensed "what it is Yuvaraj?"

"Sri Acharya Ranganathan sir son Srinivasan murthy died two days back"

King got up from his chair and screamed "what?"

"Yes king," Manik explained everything.

King sat down with thud "o my lord krishna!!! How can I face my guru when I go to heaven??? How can I?? Being a king I couldn't even save his own son and family? His total murthy family is been demolished and I couldn't do anything?? What sort of king am I?" King started to feel disaster

Manik came to him and hugged him "father!!! Try to console yourself, I will make sure that such incidents doesn't occur again in future."

"Yes Manik you should take it seriously"

"I will"

King looked at Nandini he took deep breath "what is your name?"

"Nandini" she replied softly

"Are you married?"

She nodded no

"Are you manglic?"

"No!!! According to my kundali I... will get married at age of 15"

"What is your age now?"

"I just entered 15" she replied in low voice

He sighed heavily. "I know your family very well, your grand father is my guru teacher and mentor, your father was my advisor, I owe your family a lot, it's biggest lose to me as you, we need to get out of this sadness and agony I deeply feel condolences towards you, but the act of sucide is not acceptable, look girl you are my responsibility from this very moment, a small scratch on you will give me much more pain than now I am, as I want to face your family when I return to heaven with head up not with shame so I expect you to be safe and happy in mahal, my wives will take care of you"

Nandini took two steps and said "king please send me to any temple I want to serve god all my life"

"No I will look after you and will get you married to a good person and take all responsibility of you for life time" king said harshly

Nandini took deep breath "I can only agree for it if you allow me to cook and help you in doing chores if temple inside mahal" she said stubbornly

King got irritated but he know the attitude of bhramins and specially murthy family. He took deep breath "ok but you will just help pandit, and maharaj ji in kitchen"

She nodded did Pranam

"Beti!!!! Treat me as your father, I know the loss you had is irrecoverable and I can never meet your expectations but I will try my level best to be your father, and my wives will help you in all means, do walk to us whenever you needed don't hesitate"

"Ji Rajaji"

"Take rest beti and make yourself adjusted and comfortable in mahal"

"I am in suth till twelve days more after that I will join pandit ji and maharaj ji in kitchen"

"Take your own time to compose yourself beti"

"Thank you Rajaji"she bowed her head

King signalled dasi to guide her to spare room, she was taken to away. Manik looked at her petite frame till it faded he is already missing her why he too don't know

King's wives visited Nandini twice in this ten days, Nandini didn't step out of her room, she is just having one meal a day, all day she is spending in crying for her family.

Next day was hawan for her parents and family, Manik performed everything, Nandini just sat aside crying, as this is the last thing she is doing for her family, pandit performed hawan, then pind dhan was done even Nandini did it, all other kriyas performed as last salute to murthys family in all bhramin vidhi. Nandini folded her hand in front of Manik bowed her head "Yuvaraj!!!! You made my family reach heaven by performing this kriya as daughter which I couldn't, I owe my life for this, as dependent on you I can't offer anything to you but I will be at your service if needed please don't hesitate to order me anything that I can fulfil"

"Nandini!!!! I did it as a son of king, it is my duty you owe nothing to me, instead we are incapable as rulers that we couldn't protect our guru family we are sorry for your loss"

"Don't say that Yuvaraj!!! It's just your big heart nothing else I bow in front of you with all my heart and thank you once again"

Manik just smiled.

She walked away. Manik felt empty