"My greetings to the Crown Prince of Kaikesa." Aarunya folded her hands before the royal male seated next to her father, Maharaj Narang. "And I, you." Tarushyat nodded at the young princess and allowed his gaze to sweep over her tall physique. Her ebony tresses that held hints of mauve fell to her mid back were left untied, a symbol of her purity of being a kanya. She wore a lilac lehenga with a dori and an angavastram in similar shades.

The King and Queen of Suranchal were seated with grace in the dining chamber of the palace, the golden lights of the diyas illuminating the bronze hued walls and morphing them into a soft shade of aureate. Silver platters bore the distinct cuisine of Suranchal, never to be found in the bordering realms. 

Tarushyat could sense she was young, far younger than the time he had spent on this realm. Her doe eyes and dark amber irises stared at him curiously as well and he allowed a faint smirk to curve his lips upwards at her blatant glances.

Aarunya was beautiful and Tarushyat had an inkling of hope she would break the curse of murdered wives that had followed his seven marriages.

The young Rajkumari blushed furiously at having being caught at staring, but refused to lower her orbs. She gazed back defiantly at him without a trace of shame lingering in her features. He was in his late twenties and approaching the third decade of his life, but attractive as well and she felt it was a sin to not muse at his masculinity.

"It seems we have much to discuss over this night meal, Maharaj Narang." Tarushyat stated in his smooth, baritone voice and Aarunya flushed a dark red.

"And it would seem, those matters must require the presence of Crown Prince of Suranchal, Yuvaraj." Aarjyansh drawled, leisurely strolling in the dining chamber and seating himself in the low seats that had platters of gold and silver placed before on them an equally low table.

Aarunya glared at her brother who had the audacity to smirk back at her and she was abruptly reminded of how aggravating her sibling was in both genders. She knew this was another failed alliance for marriage and at this pace, she would end up as a spinster of the royal family.

******

The vivacious play of the moon with the clouds had little to do with the somber mood of the dining place. The subtle sound of the veena played along with the melodious tunes of the flute; trying to pacify the snarling silence of the place but there was hardly any difference made.

Aarjyansh was undoubtedly tired, his figure was slouched, and his eyelids barely followed his command to stay apart. Lazily, he swirled his glass of juice for the tenth time. He so wished to be served a glass of wine instead of this sweetened water but consuming alcohol before his sister, he dared not to do such things.

He still has this vague memory of when Aarunya was eight years old. It was the time when his little sister truly embraced her ifrit-like attitude. Much like how those travelers from the west reported, his sister too held a fire in her at that time— she was a rebel. In her quest to stir yet another trouble, she sneaked into the palace's brewery. That day the entire palace got to know why a kid and alcohol were not a good combination. Since then, their father, Maharaj Narang decreed to never consume any kind of intoxicating drugs forth Aarunya.

As the sky reached its darkest and the night-blooming Jasmine blossomed to spread the legacy of their fragrance, the awkward meal came to an end. After Yuvraj Tarushyat was not so politely interrupted by Aarjyansh, he never got a chance to put forward his proposal as the meal commenced. His only option was for the charade of this dining to end so he could put forward his desire to marry the princess.

Begrudgingly, he glared at the dandy crown prince of Suranchal, who seemed unbothered after delaying his plan. It was no secret in the entire land that Aarjyansh was a womanizer. Earlier, Tarushyat used to find him as a jester but today, Aarjyansh looked no better than a source of annoyance to Tarushyat. 

Turning away from his perpetrator, Tarushyat yet again fixed his sight on the lovely princess Aarunya. When her lips parted to take a morsel, they looked more enticing than the petals of a freshly bloomed rose. Her eyes shone like the most beautiful gem from the deepest of mines, waiting to be discovered by a skilled appraiser. Her ever-red-tinted cheeks felt delightful to Tarushyat as the moments passed; truly she was a beauty to behold and he was eager to embrace her as his own.

Finally, when the long meal ended, Tarushyat was in a rush to be done with all the formalities. He signaled the nearest servant to fetch him water to wash his hand. The fervor in his eyes was barely concealed as he cleared his throat to get everyone's attention to him.

"Maharaj, we were about to discuss something earlier," Tarushyat initiated the conversation yet again. His gaze lingered on Aarunya whose blush deepened due to the attention. She had an idea of what was about to happen.

Throughout the meal, Tarushyat was not the only one whose eyes were somewhere else apart from the food, Aarunya too held to skill to sneak glances, albeit, it wasn't direct as Tarushyat.

"What is the hurry, Yuvraj?" Aarjyansh chuckled humorlessly, the exchange of glances was no secret to him. "The moon has yet to rise to its peak and the night-blooming Jasmine has just bestowed us with its fragrance. I suggest you first— clean your hand— before initiating any conversation."

There was a pause in his sentence, it held a message, Tarushyat was sure of this but he was unable to point out what it was. The smile on Aarjyansh was unfazed while he wiped his hand with a cotton towel– his gaze, somehow felt unforgiving. Tarushyat was in a knot, unable to read the ambiance.

"Though I too am a fellow who lacks patience, I would side with my son on this. Let us talk in the garden. My son has arranged a token of hospitality for you at the vineyard," there was a kind smile on the face of King Narang as if his statement was not a command.

"Sure, it would be my honor," Tarushyat answered as he half-mindedly watched water caressing through his palm.

Taking the towel, just when he was about to wipe his hand, he stopped. His orbs widened and a shiver ran down his spine... Just two words sewn on the towel were enough for him to freeze. 

Second wife

******

Aarjyansh trained his keen gaze on Tarushyat, his vortex of irises perceiving the way an ivory fragment of cotton was grasped rigidly in his coarse hands. His musings of how the ephemera seemed unrestrained earlier and how he was the sharp contrast now were disrupted by the commanding tone of his father. "Yuvaraja Tarushyat." King Narang stated formally, his eased stride coming to an abrupt halt.

The son of Narang observed the way the Prince of Kaikesa stiffened in an un-natural way, his lips turning upwards in a forced pretense. "Maharaja." He tilted his head in reverence. 

"Do not deem yourself as being discreet in your glimpses of Rajkumari Aarunya." Narang's words were uttered lightly, with an undertone of coldness hiding beneath. 

Tarushyat's forged grin seemed to fade away, morphing into one of legitimacy. "Your daughter is a beauty, a reality neither you nor I can deny. Is it wrong for a man to worship such a divinity?

"Narang's taunting laugh rang out in the night of gleaming stars and the glow of the full moon. "Honey shrouded words would not deceive me of your intent, Yuvaraja."

Tarushyat merely chuckled, "My intent is only to propose an alliance Maharaja." The man's orbs morphed into one of a calculative gaze, his words guarded and illusionary. "Kaikesa is a strong Kingdom and Suranchal is no less. In fact, many say Suranchal has the power to take over the entire land of our seven rivers if it wishes so." 

Aarjyansh remained silent, his fingers curling into his palm when he realized his father's walls were slowly being brought down. "Kaikesa would aid you, it would serve you for generations to come if--" Tarushyat paused, smiling briskly at the father and son.

"If there were a bond of eternity between the two lands. Aarunya would be forever immortalized as the woman who brought two Kingdoms together." Tarushyat's motive resonated with clearness through the chilly zephyrs as he stared unnervingly at Aarjyansh and Narang.

The scent of sandalwood tainted the air, fighting against the fragrance of the jasmines and earned it's victory. A voice of the nymphs reverberated in the canvas of the twilight, drawing the attention of the three nobles. "The marriage-able age of young lady in Suranchal is 2 and 1 years my Lord, not 1 and 8 years as you presume it to be." Aarunya emerged through the mist of the night, her bright eyes shining in the light of the moon.

"I seek your forgiveness, my Lady." Tarushyat inclined his head, a charming smile playing on the edge of his lips. "It would seem I have much to seek and learn of the traditions of Suranchal from the youngest Princess."

Aarunya flicked her gaze to Aarjyansh, her eyes dancing in amusement. A faint lift of the eyebrows questioned her brother of whether the visitant was to be trusted in or not. A slight shake of Aarjyansh head was all Aarunya desired and she looked at Tarushyat once more, a teasing grin now residing on the edge of her lips.

The daughter of Padmavati knew what she had to do and she knew that only a single chance was held in her hands. A single prospect of piecing together the puzzle of his seven consorts that had all mysteriously passed. But the only question that lingered in her mind, that was etched into her thoughts was, will I be his eighth?

Tarushyat flicked his gaze to the Princess, the etched frown on her lips leading him to doubt that she had a hidden scheme of her own. Realizing that his desire to attain Aarunya is unlikely, the visage of Tarushyat morphed into deep thinking. He was informed about the naïve princess who was easy to swoon but arriving here, he realized Aarunya was far beyond his reach. Not only was she only docile to her family, but she also did not show any revolt against her family despite being obviously attracted to him earlier. 

"It seems like we have to deny Rajkumar of the alliance. Hopefully, he would find a worthy maiden for himself," Maharaj Narang dismissively rejected Tarushyat's proposal without an ounce of humility. Without a doubt, Tarushyat was being mocked by the trio but this was hardly something that was bothering Tarushyat.

"What about the other one?" A whisper-like suggestion escaped the lips of the desperate Rajkumar.

He had plans, plans that he dared not derail. He needed a princess of this nation, where it was Aarunya or---It was not of deep relevance to him. Clearly, he first chose Aarunya for her beauty and temperament but with things coming to this turn, he chose to retreat and stride with discretion alongst another path. Retrieving his morale and resoluteness that had been shattered into shards earlier, he met the eyes of Narang who had an eyebrow raised.

"There are rumors about a hidden princess of Suranchal. Albeit, those rumors are not much flattering but it has been set as a fact that she has royal blood running in her veins," Though the words of Tarushyat were not as defined as earlier, he forged a pretense of him being poised and equable.

"What are you trying to say, Rajkumar?" Aarjyansh yawned lazily, the histrionics manifested by the Crown Prince of Kaikesa were beginning to tug at his nerves in annoyance.

"Is it not clear? I am ready to accept the fallen princess of Suranchal. Despite her ambiguous past, I am ready to take her as my wife for the sake of our nation. Not only she would be alleviated as a crown princess but would also have a chance to become a queen. Not that I want to point it out, but I am easing the burden Maharaj Narang has to bear for all these years," Tarushyat tried to patronize his intent. Lifting his chin, he was now convinced that he was handing out favor to the Suranchal empire.

"Easing my burden?" Narang smirked. His thumb twitched as he further leaned on the ember brown bark of an strong, ancient tree. Aarunya had to kiss her teeth to halt the twitch of her lips as she flicked a glance to Aarjyansh and fought harder to keep her peals of laughter at bay.

Aarjyansh by now was ready to leave the place. He knew that there was no chance of any union between him and Tarushyat. It was improbable for his father to hand him to an unreliable person considering the secret they have been concealing.

Fluid women, the species he and his mother belonged to were like a myth on the mainland. That being said, when his mother married Maharaj Narang, she made him swear an oath to never reveal her or her offspring's identity to anyone. Unlike him, who regularly switched between his two forms, Maharani Maniprabha struggled to change her form after stepping out of her native land which bore assistance for Narang to keep the secret shrouded.

When he was born, with his first cry, he accidentally morphed into a boy, prompting the mid-wife to mistake him for a boy. The announcement of the birth of a prince was spread and his dual avatar of being a woman was cloaked from the citizens.

There were hardly any outlanders who knew of his fantasical gift and the presence of another princess in the city of Suranchal. Rajkumar Tarushyat knowing about Tamasi was already an applaudable feat for Aarjyansh but his entertainment was cut short when the fool proposed an alliance between the two.

Aarjyansh was ready to leave the place when he stopped listening to the verdict of his father, "I agree." 

With this, the attendees of the room witnessed their Rajkumar stumbling in exasperation for the first time as Aarunya released her tinkling laughter that sounded like the gently tuned strings of a harp.