CHANDRAVATI

The gentle breeze of dawn carried the soothing fragrance of jasmine and sandalwood through the intricately carved jharokha windows of Chandravati's royal palace. Long silk streamers in shades of silver and blue danced gracefully above the marble courtyard, while palace maidens sat together stringing fresh marigolds into vibrant garlands for the Raksha Bandhan celebrations.

From the temple courtyard echoed the deep, resonant sound of the shankh, its sacred melody filling the kingdom with blessings for every brother and sister.

“Princess Taravati, please stop running; you'll get hurt,” the maid requested, running behind Taravati .

“Hurt me? My bhai sa will never let me get hurt,” Taravati giggled while running. The palace corridors were filled with Taravati 's cheerful laughter.

“Princess Taravati, please be careful on the stairs,” the maid requested while following Taravati. This was a routine for Taravati.

Every day, she climbed to the palace rooftop. of the palace to see if her bhai sa had returned. Every day, she would be disappointed not seeing her bhai.

But today, on Raksha Bandhan, Taravati knew her bhai sa would return no matter what. Taravati had prepared a beautiful rakhi for her bhai sa.

Panting from her climb, Taravati placed her hand on her chest as she stepped onto the palace roof. Below, Chandravati glowed in festive spirit, its bustling markets alive with music, laughter, and the fragrance of sweets.

Beyond the great gates, the mighty mountain loomed a barrier separating Chandravati from their bitter rivals, the kingdom of Suryagrah.

Behind that mountain resides Suryagrah. If we say the distance from Chandravati to Suryagrah was not much, yet they were miles apart from each other.

Generations of bloodshed had turned Chandravati and Suryagrah into sworn enemies. Every treaty had ended in betrayal, every truce in another battle. Hatred had become an inheritance passed from one ruler to the next.

Battles for trade routes, broken alliances, and some past grudges. A few days before, they received news that enemies were spotted near the Chandravati border.

So her bhai sa went to investigate the matter; Taravati trusted her brother's ability and skills. She knew he would return, and when he did, she would tie the rakhi she had made with her own hands.

“Bhai-sa,” she whispered, closing her eyes, “you always came back, no matter how busy you were. Please, Mahadev, protect my brother.”

She had a bad feeling since morning, but she shrugged it off. It's said that if you think bad things, bad things happen, so always think about good things and positive things.

Suddenly, an injured bird dropped onto the stone floor before her. Taravati 's eyes widened; she quickly ran towards the fallen bird. She gently picked it up and caressed the bird's back.

“It seems to be injured, Bai sa,” the maid said. Taravati 's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't see anyone's pain.

“I'll nurse it so that it will fly again.” She carried the bird back to her chambers, mixing herbs into a paste with surprising skill for one so young. Carefully, she applied the medicine, whispering encouragement as though the bird could understand.

“I hope this will help you, little one.” Taravati let the bird rest.

SURYAGRAH

Meanwhile, in Suryagrah, the whole palace was hustling and bustling for the rakhi celebration and also to celebrate the victory of their prince who would return from the battlefield.

“Did you know Yuvraj never lost any battles”? One of the maids spoke while they were decorating the palace.

“And you know what, Yuvraj is so kind-hearted; no wonder everyone likes him so much,” another giggled while blushing.

Yuvaraj Veerendra Suryavanshi was the pride of Suryagrah. He was an excellent swordsman, Good at literature, and a born leader; in short, he was an all-rounder.

Despite all these, Yuvraj Veerendra was lonely; the scar his mother gave him made him distant and cold.

But that doesn't mean he would disrespect any woman; he would respect every woman, even his mother, who left him.

“What are you girls chit-chatting about? Quickly finish the work, bhai sa may come anytime now,” Princess Myra scolded the maids.

Her brother was returning today; she was more than excited. Also, today was Raksha Bandhan. She loved her brother very much.

He was the one who became her emotional support when their mother left them. They had only each other because their father is busy with the kingdom's responsibilities.

“Ji bai sa, we'll finish this work soon,” the maid replied, bowing. Myra nodded; just then, the sound of the dhol indicated that her brother had arrived.

“Bring the pooja thal quickly; bhai sa has returned,” Myra instructed the maid and rushed towards the main door.

As soon as she saw her bhai sa safe and sound, she quickly hugged him. “Congratulations, bhai sa, for winning the battle.”

Veerendra gave Myra a warm smile and wiped her tears. Myra smiled and applied a tilak on Veer's forehead and did his arti.

Veerendra patted Myra's head. and went into the palace to greet his father and give him the detailed report about the battle just happened.

While Myra started preparing for the Raksha Bandhan ceremony.

CHANDRAVATI

It was evening, and Taravati was still on the palace roof waiting for her bhai sa. She had not eaten anything since morning.

“Bai sa, please eat something; you have not eaten anything since morning,” the maid pleaded with Taravati, worried about her health.

But Taravati stubbornly shook her head; she wouldn't eat anything until and unless she saw her bhai sa.

She knew her bhai sa would return today, and until he came, she wouldn't move from her place.

The maid was worried about Taravati. She knew how stubborn Taravati was. Just then, Maharani Rajeshwari Devi walked in.

She was Taravati and Aditya's mother; she was a poised, elegant woman with a calculating brain.

After the death of her husband, Maharaj Prithvi, she handled Chandravati on her own despite the opposition of the royal board members.

“Rajkumari Taravati,” hearing her mother's voice, Taravati quickly walked towards her.

“Ma sa,” she bent down to touch Rajeshwari's feet. Due to her mother being busy with work, Taravati had spent too little time with her mother.

Rajeshwari kept her palm on Taravati 's head, blessing her. “Why are you here? Shouldn't you be practicing now?”

Rajeshwari wanted both her children to be good at everything, whether it's swordmanship, battlefield knowledge, or literature.

“Ma sa, today is Rakshabandhan. I am waiting for bhai sa to return,” Rajeshwari paused.

Looks toward the horizon.

“Finish your training.” Her tone was not strict, but it was stern.

Taravati lowered her eyes. Of course. The kingdom always came first. She wondered if, just once, she could have her mother's attention instead of Chandravati.

Taravati quickly nodded and left the palace room and went to practice. For hours, Taravati practiced her sword skills until she didn't feel any sensation in her arms.

Suddenly, a maid rushed into the room. “Bai sa, are you okay?” The maid asked worriedly.

But instead of replying to her, she asked the maid, “Did my bhai sa return?” Taravati asked with hopeful eyes.

The maid looked down, nodding, and a bright smile formed onTaravati 's lips. Forgetting about her pain, she left the practice room and rushed towards the main hall where her bhai sa would be.

As soon as she reached the main hall, all she could see was silence; there was no sound of dhol, no one spoke anything, they all just stood surrounded by the corpse of her brother.

Seeing her brother's lifeless body in the middle of the hall, Taravati 's legs almost gave up. She gathered her courage towards her bhai sa.

“This is a joke, right?” Taravati asked, shocked. She looked at her brother.

“Bhai sa chaliye uthiye bohot hogaya majak ab tho apko rakhi bhi bandhvani hai,” Taravati spoke, shaking her brother's lifeless body.

(Brother, come on now, wake up; we have to celebrate Rakshabandhan also)

Receiving no reply, she shook his body again, “bhai sa uthiye na ap uth kyu nahi rahe hai yei koi sone ke vkt hai kya”

(Brother, wake up now? Is this time to sleep)

Taravati looked at her mother, who just stood there trying to take in her son's death.

“Ma sa tell bhai sa to wake up. I'm waiting for him since morning.” Taravati held her mother's hand hopefully.

“Princess Taravati , Prince Aditya is no mor ”

“NOOO STOP IT DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT NONSENSE YOU ARE TALKING HUH” Taravati yelled at her brother's right-hand man.

“My brother can't die; he is the best swordsman; he can't die.” Slowly, Taravati 's leg fully gave in; she fell to her knees.

“My brother can't die; he can't.” Taravati 's eyes were filled with tears. The bad feeling she had been feeling since morning was this.

She hugged her brother's body, crying on his chest.

“Bhai sa, you promised me that you would never leave me, then why... why did you leave me bhai sa?”

Her mother, Rajeshwari, who was barely controlling herself, walked towards Taravati.

For the first time in years, Rajeshwari hugged her daughter; she knew Taravati needed her mother today and not Maharani Rajeshwari.

She hugged Taravati tightly while controlling her own tears. Feeling her mother's warmth after years, Taravati couldn't help but hug her even more.

She always wanted her mother's embrace, which she finally got, but not this way.

Taravati stopped crying and looked at her brother's lifeless body. She wiped her tears she pulled back from her mother's hug. Her eyes were cold.

“I won't spare anyone; I'll destroy every person who is behind my bhai sa’s death”