It came to her in a dream or was it a dream of a dream, where the moon looks down at her and smiled, despite the thundering sky, fearless of the darkness slowly engulfing its light. The moon knew that the heavy gloom will soon engulf his aura, blanketing the cool silvery rays that lightened the once lonely sky, yet he smiled, knowing his glow might be foreshadowed but none can gulp the wrath of the sun. Those who tried were erased from existence and a few cowards returned with the agony of a lifetime.

When the chirruping of early birds reached his ears, he finally moved from the chair and slowly opens the window, welcoming a new day. The sharp light when fell on her peaceful face, he averted his eyes, and respectfully left the girl alone, to fend for herself. Footsteps in the distance alerted him about the arrival of maids and he made a beeline towards his chambers. A little tired and satisfied.

The moment he disappeared into his private chambers, Ambika enters the hallways of Rajwada Palace followed by two maids and an artist in tow. The clock has struck 7 and other ceremonies will start in about an hour. Gently knocking on the door of the new bride, she realized it was unlocked. Frowning at the carelessness of the girl, with a hard jaw Ambika enters the waiting hall and bursts into the bedroom.

Gauri was still out.

"Fill the bathtub for the princess and lay the accessories over the vanity." She mumbled and shook Gauri's shoulder.

"Wake up, princess. It is time to initiate your first day as the new daughter-in-law of this household." Gauri winced at the wiggling of pointy fingers in her soft flesh. Her eyes immediately open and she releases a squeak watching Ambika leaning close to her face. The view of an old woman draped in black, wearing no accessories and big eyes scared her to the core. This isn't what she wanted to see first thing in the morning. Her previous routine of waking up with closed eyes and praying to mother earth and sun god recoiled back with a grimace.

Ambika rolled her eyes and pulls the cover before tossing them in another maid's direction.

"Make the bed. Hurry up, princess. The queen mother has asked for your presence before the arrival of the priest." Gauri nodded sleepily and strolled towards the bathroom where a young maid passed her a tightlipped smile.

"I will help you bathe, your grace."

Her mind tumbled and her head almost hit the floor by the amount of respect in those words. But somewhere a blast went off at the mention of a bath.

"Umm... No. I can bathe myself. Please." The girl nodded with blush flooding her cheeks and she immediately exits the extravagant surroundings. Sighing in relief, Gauri locks the door and washes her face.

Finishing the morning routine and a quick shower, she wraps a towel around her dripping hair and wears a long robe. When she emerged from the bathroom, Ambika was nowhere to be found. Thankfully.

She passed a smile to the same maid who guided her towards the vanity and presented her in front of the make-up artist.

"Settle down, your grace. This madam has come from Delhi to ready you for today. First, we will have the Annapurna Devi Pooja in the kitchen, followed by Satyanarayana Pooja. Later, relatives and friends will arrive for the Mooh Dikhai ceremony to introduce themselves and welcome you into the house as the King's bride. In the evening, the Queen Mother has scheduled a reception in which his highness' business associates and their families will also take part. Since the wedding was a private affair, reception is held to share this happiness with everybody."

Gauri gulped, now looking slightly pale. The assuring smile on the maid's face did nothing to calm her nerves.

"Hmm.. okay."

She mumbled timidly and turned to face the mirror.

"I am Rekha, and the queen mother has appointed me as your help. If you ever need anything, I'll be around to assist you, your grace."

The nervous girl smiled, already liking the warm nature of this new face.

"Thank you for being here. I am Gauri."

The makeup artist picks a large pallet of eye shadows and Rekha immediately made a face.

"Please keep it natural like the wedding ceremony. She is a natural beauty. The Queen mother has said to enhance her sharp features so nobody can take their eyes off her." Gauri blushed as the make artist chuckled.

After what felt like an eternity, the new bride was ready to face the world. The heavy orange banarasi saree made her look divine. Adjusting the drape on her head, she leaves her room with Rekha and the artist in tow.

In the kitchen, Vasundhara was already charging orders back and forth. The maids rushed to fulfill the assigned task before the arrival of bride.

"Make sure that everything is clean and sanitized. The vessels, the counters, and the clothes. The priest and princess will arrive any time now. Arrange all the ingredients to prepare the dessert. After the princess makes it, we have to offer it to God Satyanarayana."

As Vasundhara announced the head cook stood beside her taking notes. He nodded politely and asked one of the maids to put rice, milk, water, dry fruits, powdered sugar, saffron, and jaggery on the kitchen counter.

"Maharaj Ji (Head cook), please assist the princess throughout the process and keep a close eye on everyone. No mistakes can be made today." The cook nodded and everybody turned their heads in the direction of a corridor from where the chime of heavy anklets reverberated. A ghost of smile adored Vasundhara's face when a radiant Gauri came into view. The mother-in-law scanned her appearance from top to bottom and nodded in approval. The saree she bought looked good on the young girl.

Cutting the distance between them, Gauri bows to touch Vasundhara's feet and immediately receives a selfless blessing.

"My dear, this is the Maharaj. He will help you prepare the kheer (an Indian dessert) and afterward, we will proceed with other rituals. I must go outside and see other groundwork before the guests start showing up. God knows where this Ambika went. Rekha, remain by the princess' side until stated otherwise."

Rekha nodded.

"Yes, your highness."

And then the queen mother was gone. Everybody in the kitchen relaxed and took a relieved breath. Their erect spines slowly bend in exhaustion. Gauri greets the head cook and approaches the ingredients.

"Do you know how to cook, princess?" he asked doubtfully and she smiled positively. The kitchen was home to her. From a very young age, Gauri was pushed into the kitchen to help manage the meals while her mother saw to the cattle in the barn or did other household chores. She used to cook in a small room on a choolha, but hoped it would be easier to do the same in an extravagant kitchen supplied with the finest interior and facilities. The burner itself was a puzzle to her.

The cook stood at the side and watched her wash the rice thrice under the nozzle and relaxed. She asked him to turn the burner on and he jumps to help. The maids salivated hungrily, watching the new bride making a delicious dessert. The odor was seducing their taste buds.

"Is it done?"

The cook asked from the sidelines when the princess finished the task at a remarkable time. She nodded and gently pours some dessert into the offered silverware. Vasundhara came into the kitchen holding a few leaves of holy basil and dropped them in the kheer.

"Very good, Gauri. The priest is here."

On cue, Damodaran enters the kitchen and is greeted by everyone. Gauri touches his feet as well and waited quietly for the next words.

"If the princess would put some offering in front of the Annapurna's idol- the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, I will start reciting Annapurna Ashtakam by chanting her hundred and eight names. It will only take fifteen minutes. While I chant the names, the new bride must bathe the idol with milk, turmeric, and Ganga Jal, and dress her up and later perform the shringaar." He explained and Vasundhara also covered her head with the drape of her saree and gestured at Gauri to start. The kitchen staff watched from the sidelines in utter devotion and silence. Their hands were joined in respect as the priest took various names of the Goddess.

As predicted, the ritual was completed in a matter of 15 minutes.

"Now Gauri, take some dessert in the main hall for Satyanarayan Puja and sit beside your husband,"

The peace vanished from her face and her hands froze near the hot vessel. She gulped and slowly poured some kheer into another silverware. Her heart throbbed in nervousness and she felt lightheaded.

"How long will it take to finish the prayers, Damodaran?"

"All the arrangements are made beforehand by my disciples, your highness. The ritual will take about an hour."

"Good. The king has to attend a meeting later."

Vasundhara puts a hand on Gauri's back and guides her towards the main hall of Rajwada Palace where the setup of the next ritual was already made. Gesturing her to sit beside Yagya, Vasundhara takes her seat beside Raghuveer.

Gauri, who has yet to see her husband properly, didn't dare move her eyes from the holy setting in the front. Her stomach somersaulted and flooded with a thousand butterflies when their legs touched accidentally, but the groom immediately made a space between them. She was thankful but felt insecure at the same time. He hasn't even talked with her. They married yesterday and have been busy ever since in these never-ending ceremonies. Also, the King handles a large empire. He is always busy.

As Damodaran starts the Katha (Story of Narayana where he vows to aid his devotees, during Kaliyuga, the last of four ages in the Yuga cosmology), Gauri closes her eyes and prays too.

'All those years, when I worshipped you in early mornings before breaking my fast, I prayed for a man who respects me. I didn't ask for a handsome face or a charming smile. I asked for an intelligent mind and honest nature. I asked for a groom who loves me as I am and accepts all my flaws as I accept his. I hope you heard my prayers, oh my lord, and blessed me with a man bearing a heart of gold. Only time will tell now if my faith in you bears sweet fruits or not.'

Mooh Dikhai (face showing) is an important Hindu post-wedding ceremony, which is held to introduce the new bride to the groom's family. The ladies unveil the face of the bride and shower her with gifts. The mother-in-law in particular offers presents to the bride as a gesture of welcome.

Clad in a different attire from the morning- a red veil, golden blouse, green lehenga (skirt), and heavy jewels, Gauri now sat in the middle of a large group of women. The hall was buzzing with laughter and chats of merry women who arrived an hour ago to see the King's soon-to-be queen. With a long veil hiding her face, and head bowed in shyness, Gauri sat with a smile in the middle, hyperventilating from the inside. The ceremony was about to start. An excited Rekha sat beside her. Her job was to cater to the gifts Gauri received after a brief encounter with each woman and to make sure she is comfortable.

Vasundhara touched the feet of older females from neighboring Royal families, who blessed her with good fortune.

"A hearty congratulations from our side, Queen Vasundhara." The grandmother of two neighboring Kings greeted and embraces her briefly. "As soon as I heard the news of King Rana's nuptial, I distributed ladoos (a type of sweet) across the kingdom. The women in my house performed Ghoomer. It is about time the lad settles and starts a family of his own. May these walls celebrate the arrival of a new successor sooner."

Gauri reddened hearing the words of an older woman and the chorus of giggles following next. These ladies have no filter, she thought in embarrassment. Vasundhara released a content laugh and guides them to sit on the cushioned chairs.

"May what you say come true, your highness." The ecstatic mother-in-law replied.

Gauri's toes curled and she wanted to hide.

"Hukum (my lady), every woman has to go through such nervousness once in her lifetime. You can share anything with me if you are comfortable but please don't consider yourself solitary and lost."

The sense of kinship in Rekha's tone puts her jumping nerves at ease. Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled.

"You don't even know Rekha Ji, how you calmed me in the most unfavorable environment. Thank you."

Holding her hands, Gauri gave a grateful look. The maid looked skeptical at first but relented smiling at the warm touch.

"Rekha!! Are you here to help or chatter? It's not a vegetable market where you start gossiping wherever and whenever you please. Know your place."

Ambika's sharp whisper from behind interrupted their sweet moment and bowing her head in apology Rekha breaks away from Gauri and sat with a neutral expression.

Amid auspicious hymns and sings, the invited ladies one by one behold the most alluring beauty with mesmerizing eyes. Gauri's innocent charm seemed to have cast a magic spell on every individual present there. One such comment-

"Even the moon seems threadbare in comparison to her artistically sculpted features. I must say the Rajwadas landed themselves a rare treasure this time. I bless you with lifelong companionship and healthy children, darling."

Elated on such positive compliments directed toward her daughter-in-law, Vasundhara's memory traced back to the time of Kirti's muh-dikhai when the bride's face was marred with dark circles and her skin looked ashen. Everyone was left confused and doubtful of transpired events that affected her looks drastically overnight.

Vasundhara's reverie broke when she saw Gauri shuffling with the presents and Rekha lifts them from her lap. The poor girl was strained enough. Greeting everyone with a slight smile and folded hands, and taking permission from Vasundhara, Rekha started taking Gauri towards her chambers, when the queen mother ceased her movements calling her name.

"Gauri, the coming night is a reception party arranged to get you familiar with new conduct and customs. All the significant and powerful associates of Yagya will be gracing the Mayur Palace. I expect you on your best behavior. Now you may retire."

Nodding in affirmation Gauri went to get herself yet again for a supposedly new challenge or better say adventure.