Gauri's nostrils flared when she noted that the moon has risen in the sky, warding the heavenly elixir of the night against boundless darkness. Yet, there was no sign of her husband.

The silvery hue brightened the once-gloomy atmosphere and shrieks of joy could be heard from everywhere. The restless women in the palace, that have battled a long day without water and meal, jumped in elation. Dressed in their finest clothes, they prepared a platter filled with items to commence the next ritual. Dragging their husbands into open ground, they pointed at the celestial body and started praying. The husbands noted the exchange in amusement and supported their better halves in finishing the festival by breaking their fast. All men made their women drink water at the end of prayers, and with happy faces, they entered the Chitrakoot palace of the old queen, where a feast was waiting for them.

A brooding Gauri rushed around to see the arrangements and took her role as the host of the evening seriously.

Where Vasundhara was settled on a throne-like chair at the center of the main hall, watching over her people enjoying the traditional delicacies, Gauri was yelling orders back and forth to the unmarried females. They were asked to serve the couples and make sure their plates are filled until they are satisfied. The Chitrakoot palace was ringing with positivity and laughter, something Vasundhara failed to register for a long time. She smiled lightly at the happy faces while fanning herself with a beejna {local name for hand fan generally used in the areas of Haryana and Rajasthan} to evade the sudden heat clogging her pores due to the slow rise in her blood pressure.

She was mad at her son for not being here on time. All the women in the household have broken their fast except for her daughter-in-law, for whom all the arrangements were made in the first place.

When Gauri informed her about the reason for his absence, her fury rose ten folds. He was attending a meeting with foreign investors rather than following his culture. The meeting could've waited but this can't. Deep in her heart, Vasundhara knew the main reason behind his uncaring attitude.

Such a festival held great value in his life once. He used to celebrate them with full devotion and share them with the woman he loved. But after her death, all these things seemed too materialistic and slowly, he lost interest, for such nights reminded him of a time when he was happy. The memories were always accompanied by excruciating pain. Still, for Gauri's sake, he must drink that poison and indulge himself. He can't lead the dynamism of a nomad anymore because someone has stepped into his life to keep him rooted.

Vasundhara's eyes then fell on Gauri, who was looking at the crowd with a smile despite the sorrow burning in her heart. All the ladies, including her mother-in-law, has broken their fast and she was the only one left behind. Poor girl must be tired and feeling faint. Unable to stop herself, Vasundhara called her.

"Gauri"

The girl jumped out of her daze and immediately rushed to see if the old queen needed something.

"Yes, mother."

"Dear, child. If he doesn't come even after 10, I want you to break your fast and have food. There's no harm in it as long as you are praying selflessly. The Gods understand your devotion and helplessness. It isn't your fault. Understand?"

Though Gauri didn't show it, Vasundhara's words confirmed the reasons behind her insecurities. Biting her lower lip to control the quivering, she slowly backs away and turns to leave for her room. Even her mother-in-law thinks that the wait was fruitless. He will not come.

She has been walking on eggshells since their confrontation in the morning. In a rage, she threatened him, desperate to stoop on any level to make him understand the importance of this day in their life. She had no idea how else to convince him other than showing the raw feelings of her heart. She wanted him to stand with her, to look at her, to support her decisions in this new journey.

He has promised plenty of times before that he will try to be a good husband to her and tonight is the first test. Let's see if these Ranas keep their word.

Entering her room, she discards the sweaty and dirty attire she has been donning since morning. All day's labor in the kitchen has turned her body sore. Her wrists ached and her shoulders moved with difficulty. Her spine cried for mercy when she tried to stretch and her feet were swollen red. Gauri sits in the bathtub and lets the tears flow. Her long hair was spilled on the ground and her feet rested over the edge of the bathtub.

She was burning in this bittersweet poison of loose threads that binds her to him. Despite being reminded of her place again and again in his life, why does she feel this longing? Why this hope against hope that one day, he will break all ties of the past and embrace her with all his heart? In her mind she is always begging him to look at her, to see in her eyes and sense the truth of her heart. That he is the only one she craves. His presence elates her, brings a smile to her face, and makes her blush when he is not around. Unknowingly in these past few days, when he has shown little care, she realized her thirst for more. It began when he held her hand and took vows in front of God and society, around the holy pyre. Clueless, she believed that she has entered a forced marriage. But the day when everyone reprimanded her for being an outsider and poor, he comforted her with words from distance. He stated that nobody is born a king or queen, we learn as we grow.

The way he preached to her from the shadows without setting any expectations, he earned her respect.

She smiled through tears that day.

In the difficult time, when trauma struck unannounced and the cadaver of innocent Rekha was swinging in the air, he held her tight from behind and covered her eyes, trying to shield her from the horrifying scenario. Though she failed to erase it, he had been there barking orders, pulling her more into him and locking her into the safest room.

He became a protector, a mountain she now trusts more than herself.

And when fate tested their waters, he came clean with a truth. A truth that has been eating him from the beginning, which no one knows. He announced the presence of a beast undeterred and supplied her with options about circumstances. He swore he wouldn't hold her back if she wanted to leave. He will abide by her decisions as long as she felt safe. Throwing the gravity at side, overlooking that she might tell people about it, he revealed the truth fearlessly. He displayed his bloody hands and asked if she will be able to live with a monster as such?

Of course, she couldn't have left, afraid of the remarks of society and its negative impact on her little family. But thinking about it now she realized, even if she wanted she wouldn't have walked away that day. For the man has kissed her soul and touched her heart. If he wanted, he could've ignored her, remained distant, and forget that he has married again, but he was always there, fighting his dilemmas and respecting her space in this relationship. It was never one-sided.

Wiping her tears, Gauri steps beneath the shower to wash and rinse her hair properly. Once bathed, she weakly wraps towels around her body and hair. Walking into the closet, she reaches for her wedding attire. The familiar weight brought beautiful memories of when her mother was dressing her for the big day.

Sliding into the heavy lehenga {skirt}, she wears the shiny blouse. Fastening the hooks, she ties the back string and reached for the vermillion in a little golden box and applied some in a circle on her forehead. Settling on the vanity chair, Gauri opened the box filled with ornaments and one by one she wore them. She started with the necklace and proceeded with earrings, maangtika, nose ring, bangles, anklets, toe rings, armbands, and in the end, the waistband. Drying her long hair, she braids them loosely and adorns them with a garland of jasmine and roses. Adjusting the Mangal sutra, she fills the partition of her hair with vermillion. Putting kohl in her eyes, she applies red lipstick and wears the heavy drape.

Reaching for the silver platter, the one she prepared in the evening, she decides to quietly reach the terrace and wait.

And wait she did, until her eyes turned glossy watching the moon turning red and slowly hiding behind the clouds.

Yagya rubbed his temple in frustration. His hold on the wheel tightened until his knuckles turned white. What the hell was he thinking? He left the office before they could conclude. The presentation went well and the investors were thinking about putting some assets in the said project because it had potential and possibly earn huge profits in the Indian market.

But Yagya's juggling mind paid no heed to it as he kept going back to his not-so-obedient wife, who threatened him about jumping from the roof. When the morning scenario kept playing in his head like a broken record, he ended up chuckling at the stubborn crinkle of her cute nose, in the middle of the presentation. Everybody froze in the giant conference room to see what amused their boss. They were more shocked that the emotionless genius was smiling. In their oldest memories, they only remember a man with a stoic face and authoritative aura judging their performance.

So why was he grinning suddenly?

Yagya wanted to smack his face on the table and run away. Now she was haunting his every waking hour from miles away. He cleverly took the situation under control and called for a break. Conversing with his P.A., he asked him to prepare a contract, get it examined and signed by the investors and send it to his home branch. He would sign it tomorrow with a fresh mind because his seductress was not letting him concentrate.

Losing his tie and opening the top shirt buttons, he snatched the keys from his confused driver and navigated towards home. He was pumped with adrenaline. There was no way he will make it before the deadline without earning a few speeding tickets, but still, he had to try. At once, he thought of running in beast form but quickly scoffed at the wild idea. He was slowly turning insane.

It was tough to cover a journey of 8 hours into less than 6, but he tried. Making two stops on the way to cool the engine, he bought a pair of diamond anklets, because he loved the sound they made whenever she moved. Paying the store manager, when he was going back to his car, a sudden wave of nausea hits him.

It wasn't like he felt weak. Goosebumps rose on his flesh.

The sickening stench that air carried made him gag and lightheaded. His hold on the jewelry bag tightened when his eyes started to lose focus. A deadly roar erupted in his subconscious, hinting that the monster has sensed the danger lurking in the atmosphere. Before he could've comprehended the next move, he automatically ducked, barely escaping an iron rod aimed at his skull.

A group of rowdy hooligans was following him. Their eyes focused on the jewelry bag in his hand and he sighed.

Of all the people in the area, they targeted him.

'Eyeing what's mine, they must be wishing to die.'

"Back off!" He warned catching the attention of locals, who stopped to see the rising testosterone in the middle of the street.

"Give us the bag and walk away." One of them stated his wish and Yagya smirked.

"If you want it, take it!" Yagya dangled the bag invitingly. He couldn't believe his day could get any better. The monster inside him was eager to lose some tension. The first assailant when tried to reach for the bag, received a punch in his jaw. The impact of the hit was so hard that he stumbled a few steps back before falling on the ground with a thud, unconscious. His enraged mates hesitated a bit, contemplating their options but watching the team leader signaling to attack, they jumped on Yagya together.

Yagya wasn't even using a percent of his power, he was simply grabbing their collars and throwing them in the air. The King was only playing. Watching the fight, one responsible citizen called the police. The enfolding drama was starting to jam the road. Once all of the gang members tasted dust, Yagya brushed his coat for any wrinkles and turned towards his cars, ignoring the claps and hoots coming from the audience.

He opened the car door when a giant rock came flying from the back and shattered the window glass.

The king snapped; his patience evaporated. With a growl, he turned but froze watching an unhinged maniac buckling towards him with a foaming mouth and animalistic grunts. The man could barely stand on his legs properly, still, he lurched in the King's direction at a lightning speed as if an invisible force was dragging him toward death.

The King failed to see it but the wildling in him recognized it with naked eyes. A clear dark shadow behind the man was guiding his every move and pulled out a pocket knife. With an unnatural force, the possessed guy brought the knife close to plunge it into Yagya's chest, but before anyone could've reacted, a fast-approaching car hits him from the side, sending him flying on the hood of another car.

Screams erupted in silence and shock engulfed the horrified audience.

The officers who just arrived at the scene also registered the accident and immediately cleared the busy area.

After listening to the statements of bystanders, they made sure that lawbreakers were packed into the van and apologized to Yagya, recognizing him as royalty and a big businessman.

Yagya didn't want to waste any more time and quickly climbed into his car, debating the wrath of his wife.

He was running an hour behind the schedule.