Rukmika and her maids were enjoying a nice picnic in forest, around the mango grooves and it's lake. The princess of Vidarbh was lying down on a branch, with her one feet swinging down.

A black swan of the rested in her hands as she caressed the bird, with a smile on her face. The red eyes of the dark swan reminded her of another pair of eyes.

The copperish ones that had intoxicated her mind, the eyes whose tearing gaze made a huge chaos in her heart and mind. The eyes which made her cheeks red just like it's orbs.

Suddenly the black swan flew down from hands and made its way to the lake. Rukmika got up and looked at the direction it went and saw the black swan going to a white one.

'A swan couple.' Rukmika thought.

The white swan looked at the black one caressed her head onto it's neck, it was like how one embraces a lover. Soon both the swans started singing in love, Rukmika giggled.

She looked up and sighed keeping a hand on her forehead.

"Mata Prakriti, why do you play such games with me ?" Rukmika giggled.

But suddenly the singing voices of the swans started to sound painful, and turned into a form of lamenting. Rukmika frowned and looked at the lake to see what happened.

Her jaw dropped seeing a big snake, biting onto the white swan's neck and killing it. She put a hand over her mouth seeing the black swan lamenting helplessly.

Rukmika quickly got down from the tree, her eyes kept looking at the lamenting black swan.

"Rajkumari, there might be other snakes here. We should go." Lata said.

She grabbed the hands of Rukmika and took her away. But the eyes of the princess was still stuck on the black swan mourning at his loved one's death.

Lata and maids took Rukmika back to the palace, the image of the black swan lamenting for its beloved swan haunted her mind for some reason.

"Rajkumari ? Rajkumari Rukmika ?" Lata shook her.

"Y-Yes ?" Rukmika looked at her breathing out.

"What happened ? Why are you so restless ?" Lata asked.

"N-Nothing.... Nothing." Rukmika shook her head.

Suddenly a maid entered the room with scroll in her hands.

"Rajkumari a message has come for you." The maid said.

Lata took the scroll from the maid and gave it to Rukmika who opened it. Seeing the name written on it a smile appeared on her face as all worries vanished in a moment.

••••••
Respected Rajkumari,

I was so overwhelmed after receiving a letter from you. I was half expected you would not write a letter and the time it took for the letter to reach me, my expectation was about to be proved right. But my heart kept telling me that you will write me a letter.

And then your letter came to me, just before I was about to leave for Varnavart where I shall be staying for the time being.

With love and affection
Arjun.

••••••

"Love and affection ? Oh Narayan !" Rukmika giggled.

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A/N

A chapter foreshadowing the future 🌝🌝🌝 ❤️💛❤️💛❤️💛