Strangled Hearts : The Different Worlds

⫷|3|⫸ The Palace Politics

Vishaka suddenly had a surge of rage run through her veins as the memories of this body was slowly coming to light.

The faintest of memories that returned to her justified how Vishaka in person was not innocent and it would be false to state that she was always right.

Because facts being told....Vishaka had played her share of dirt...she probably cheated in the Swayamvar and falsely blamed others for her gain.

She did cheat her way into the palace...but what else could she do?

An heir meant a male figure....

And she was nothing but a disappointment to her family by being the eldest daughter.

Vishaka and Nilanjana were no different.

Nilanjana had lost her parents at a very young age...and she had to do everything in order to just be accepted and respected.

Vishaka was born into a noble family...and even then she had to do everything in order to just be accepted and respected.

The only way Nilanjana followed was fighting for the rights of her kind.

Vishaka, on the other hand...knew the only key to this was power...her parents were training her day and night to be married into a higher noble family...but she decided to marry into the palace.

When she did so...that was the first time, her parents acknowledged her existence.

As former Nilanjana and now Vishaka walked into the chambers of the queen...objects floated in the air...

Dasis around the corner stood with their heads bowed.

Typical scene of a monarchy.

That wasn't it.

In the presence of Queen Anuradha, known as Rani Maa, Vishaka maintained the decorum and respect befitting her position.

As she touched Rani Maa's feet, seeking her blessings, she remained conscious of the unwavering royal protocol.

It was a fundamental expectation within the palace walls-one that was never to be breached.

Rani Maa's voice cut through the stillness, acknowledging Vishaka's resilience in the face of her recent behaviour.

"I'm impressed you still have some mind left." She stated.

However, something peculiar caught Vishaka's attention-the glow of Rani Maa's eyes, a shimmering shade of blue that hinted power.

Slowly, it dawned on her that the Kingdom of Shivalik was no ordinary realm-it was steeped in magic and witchcraft, a revelation that sent a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, Vishaka's hand twisted painfully behind her back, as if gripped by an invisible force.

She winced, the sensation both disorienting and perplexing.

"Didn't you know trying to take your own life is a sin in shivalik?...yet you jumped into the sacred lake.... don't you know how this would impact Shivaditya?" Rani Maa's voice shifted, her anger palpable as she addressed Vishaka's impulsive act of jumping into the sacred lake.

"You know what you have to tell in the court tonight right?... remember, how you slipped into the sacred lake and your husband Shivaditya rescued you?" Rani Maa's words carried authority.

This wasn't a question....this was an order, Rani Maa meant if asked in the court this is what Vishaka has to reply.

The air crackled with tension, and as Rani Maa concluded her command, a thunderclap resounded, followed by a sudden downpour.