Chapter 6: chapter 6

S A N M A Y II had thought I had buried my past deep enough—far enough to shield it from prying eyes. But fate, it seems, has a cruel way of ripping off the veil of safety we weave around ourselves.It started as an ordinary day, the kind that would pass in the same dull routine that had grown familiar to me in the village. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a lazy golden hue over the dirt paths and the market square. I was at the stall where I had been helping old Marni with her herbal remedies. Her hands were shaking as she ground the dried roots into powder, and I had taken it upon myself to steady the mortar, to help ease her work. We were quiet, content with the simplicity of the task, when suddenly, a shout rang out.A group of soldiers appeared at the far end of the market, their gleaming armor reflecting the setting sun, as if to announce their arrival to the entire village. My breath hitched in my chest, and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I had known this day would come. The soldiers of Amaravati were never far from a village like ours. They came to collect taxes, to root out rebels, to remind us of their dominance.I stood still, watching them through the corner of my eye, my heart pounding in my chest. They were too close now, and there was no hiding from them. It was then that my hand brushed against something cold and familiar—an object hidden beneath the folds of my worn tunic. My fingers brushed over the royal pendant, the one my father had given me on my last birthday, now a relic of a life I could no longer claim.I cursed silently. The pendant—my symbol of who I had once been—was the one thing I could not take off, not even if I tried. It clung to me as if it were an extension of my body, of my soul. I had always kept it hidden, tucked deep beneath my clothing, but today, as the soldiers drew nearer, my grip tightened around it. The weight of it felt like a death sentence, one that would not go unnoticed.And then it happened. One of the soldiers—a tall man with a cruel, sharp face—stopped in front of Marni’s stall, his eyes scanning the crowd. His gaze drifted over the people gathered, but when it landed on me, it stopped.I froze, my heart sinking into my stomach. There was something in his eyes, something calculating. My pulse quickened as he approached."Wait," he said, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of the market. "You—you're wearing the royal pendant."A wave of dread washed over me. How could I have been so careless? How had I allowed this tiny detail to betray me? I cursed again, under my breath this time, and backed away, clutching the pendant as if it could vanish into thin air."No," I whispered, though I knew it was futile. The soldier was already making his way toward me. He reached out and grabbed my wrist with a grip so strong it sent a jolt of pain up my arm."Come with me," he said, his voice laced with authority.A dozen emotions surged through me—fear, fury, shame. I knew what would come next. I knew the punishment for defying Amaravati, for daring to bear the mark of a fallen kingdom. They would drag me through the streets, make an example of me, and then…But as my eyes met his, something unexpected happened. The soldier’s gaze flickered over my face, his suspicion turning to something deeper.And that’s when I saw him.Prince Ranajay.He emerged from the crowd like a shadow, his imposing figure cutting through the throng of people. His eyes—those cold, implacable eyes—locked on mine, and for a moment, I thought my heart might stop.The soldier who held my wrist straightened at the sight of him, dropping his hand from my arm and bowing slightly. "My lord," he said, his voice faltering. "This woman is wearing the royal pendant. She is a—"Ranajay’s voice cut him off, sharp as a whip. "I know what she is," he said, his gaze never leaving mine. "I do not need you to tell me."The crowd around us began to murmur, their curiosity evident in their whispers. I could feel their eyes on me, and my breath grew shallow. I did not want to be the center of this, not now, not when everything I had tried to bury was being pulled into the light."I have to take her, my lord," the soldier said again, his voice tight with uncertainty. "She is a traitor, a member of the fallen royal family. She—"Ranajay raised a hand, and the soldier fell silent. "You will do no such thing." His tone was final, but there was something else there, something that made my blood run cold. A hesitation? A hint of something that was not the usual cold command?The soldier hesitated, and then looked back at Ranajay. "But she is of the royal house. We must bring her in."Ranajay’s jaw tightened, and his eyes never left mine as he spoke. "I said, no. She will not be taken. Not by you."For a long moment, the world seemed to stand still. The crowd had gone silent, and the only sound was the rush of blood in my ears. My stomach twisted with dread, my heart clattering against my ribs.Ranajay’s gaze softened, just a fraction, as he looked at me. And in that moment, I knew something had shifted between us—something that could not be undone. There was no returning to the way things had been. He saw me now, truly saw me, and I was no longer the nameless woman hiding in the shadows."You’re a fool," I spat, my voice shaking with both rage and fear. "A murderer. You killed my family. You destroyed everything I had, and now you’re here, pretending to be some kind of savior?"His face darkened at my words, but there was no anger in his eyes—just something else, something unreadable. "You do not understand," he said quietly, though his voice was hard, like stone. "You know nothing of what I have done.""Don’t you dare try to justify it," I hissed, my fury rising like a tide. "You and your soldiers burned my home. You killed my father. You slaughtered my people, and now you think you can play the hero?"Ranajay’s eyes narrowed, but I saw the flicker of discomfort in his gaze, as if my words had struck something deep inside him. His jaw clenched, but still, he did not give the order to take me. Instead, he turned to the soldier who had first grabbed me."She is my captive now," Ranajay said, his voice low but firm. "She will be taken to the camp under my charge."The soldier bowed, though he looked uneasy, as if he were not sure what to make of this decision.I wanted to scream. I wanted to resist. But there was no way out. Ranajay had decided, and there was no changing his mind."Take her," he ordered, his voice carrying the weight of his authority.As they moved toward me, I resisted, pulling against their hold. "I hate you," I spat, the words like acid on my tongue. "You have no right to do this. You are nothing but a monster."Ranajay said nothing, his expression unreadable. But I saw the flicker of something—regret?—in his eyes, and that was enough to make my insides twist in a way I could not name.They bound my wrists, and I let them. There was no escaping this now. But as they led me away, I knew that something had changed—something that would not let me go. And for the first time, I wondered if I had made a mistake in hating him so blindly.