The warmth from the bath still clung to our skin, and the sensation of surrender lingered. 

Wrapped in a towel, I stood before my trousseau box, uncertain of what to wear. Angad, aware of the turmoil within me, approached with a commanding presence, holding out a stunning saree in red and yellow, fit for the bride of the King.

"I believe this would be perfect for you," he said, his eyes locking onto mine. The intensity of our connection from moments ago was still palpable.

I took the saree, my fingers brushing against his, and stepped behind the wooden partition. It served as a reminder of the barrier between us, one that Angad was determined to break and one I was desperately trying to hold onto. 

As I took my time changing, Angad's impatience grew apparent. He couldn't stand the distance, and he moved closer, determined to assert his control.

"Here, let me help you," Angad's voice held a commanding tone as he approached me. 

"There is no need for your help Maharaja Angad, can you please call a handmaiden to help me with this?" I asked holding up the saree to my chest. I was wearing a blouse and the under skirt but the saree was not draped around me at all, thus was covering nothing. 

"You are adorable when you try to disobey me Hayat. I just saw and touched your entire naked body 5 minutes ago and now you are being shy? " 

My head hung low in embarrassment on his words and I quietly hand him one end of the saree. 

He began to drape the saree around me. His fingers moved with practiced precision, his touch possessive and forceful. The intimacy of our earlier encounter was still fresh in my mind, making this contrast more intense. His hands brushed over my waist and my neck multiple times and I knew his movements were not just for the purpose of tying the saree. 

Angad's words hung in the air, a silent demand for submission. "Hayat, you will submit to me, willingly or not. Our union is a matter of Destiny, and you will learn to accept it."

I bit my lower lip, torn between defiance and desire. "I won't be just another possession in your kingdom, Maharaja Angad. I won't bend to your will so easily."

His grip on the saree tightened, causing me to wince. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear. "You have no choice in this matter, Hayat. You are mine, and I will not tolerate disobedience."

I absorbed his words, feeling the weight of his dominance press down upon me. As Angad continued to dress me in the saree, I realized that defiance might come at a steep price. The vibrant colors and intricate design accentuated my beauty, but I couldn't ignore the possessive gleam in Angad's eyes.

"My body is yours but I never will be", I say meekly. 

 "Oh we will see about that. You will learn your place in this palace, Hayat. Now, shall we head to breakfast? I'm sure the palace is abuzz with preparations for the day.", Maharaja Angad said nonchalantly. 

As we made our way to the dining hall, the air was thick with tension. I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. I dared to speak, my voice cautious. "Angad, is this all you want from me? Obedience and my body?"

Angad glanced at me, his eyes narrowing for a moment. "What I want from you, Hayat, is to fulfill your duties as my wife and the future queen of this kingdom. Your obedience is non-negotiable, but there is more to our marriage than that."

I struggled to understand his intentions, my mind grappling with the conflicting emotions within me. I couldn't shake the disturbing feeling that my role in this marriage might indeed be reduced to mere obedience and fulfilling the desires of a ruthless king. As we entered the bustling dining hall, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to find my own path in a marriage dominated by Angad's relentless control.
As I walked beside Angad towards the dining hall, my heart felt heavy with the weight of my conflicting emotions. The intimacy we had shared in the bath had left me shaken, my desires at odds with my determination to assert myself in this marriage.

I couldn't deny the undeniable allure of Angad's touch, the way it sent shivers down my spine and ignited a fire within me. Yet, I couldn't ignore the fear that his dominance instilled in me, the constant reminder that I was bound to him by the treaty. 

Could I truly find a balance between my desire for independence and the reality of my role as the wife of the King of Suryagarh? The path ahead seemed uncertain, and I couldn't help but question my own strength.

As we entered the dining hall, my thoughts were interrupted by the lively chatter of the royal court. The palace was indeed abuzz with preparations for the day, but my mind remained preoccupied with the enigma that was my marriage to Angad.
With all the time we took in the bath and with the saree, obviously, Angad and I were the last people to enter the dining space.

My eyes searched for my sister, and finally, they landed on her. She was chatting with Rajkumari Supriya, and I was relieved just to see her, even though I still couldn't talk to her as per my husband's orders.

Angad and I approached Badi Rani to touch her feet for blessings, but she wasn't kind to me. 

In the dining hall, Badi Rani's taunting voice cut through the air as she addressed me, "Ah, Angad's wife has finally graced us with her presence."

Her words stung, a reminder of my place in this intricate web of royalty. Despite the tension between us, I offered a respectful nod in response.

"I apologise for our tardiness Badi Rani sa", I responded with a small smile even though it was her own son who made us late. 

As we took blessings from the elders, family members began to take their seats. Maharaja Angad occupied the head of the table, with me beside him and his mother on the other side. Arjun sat next to his mother, and Rukhsat sat next to Arjun. 

Rajkumari Supriya was sitting next to me, always quick with a jest, she just couldn't resist teasing. "Yes, Angad Bhai, your wife was fashionably late for breakfast. I hope your wedding night wasn't too tiring."

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and I noticed a satisfied smirk on Angad's face. His dominance was a game, one I was only beginning to understand.

After breakfast was done, Angad stood up and made an unexpected announcement, "Two weeks from today, we will have another celebration in the palace—the coronation of my wife as the Maharani of our grand kingdom of Suryagarh."

The revelation took me by surprise. I had assumed that sooner or later, Angad would take another bride from his own community, someone his mother preferred, and make her the queen. This unexpected announcement left me both astonished and puzzled, further deepening the enigmatic nature of our marriage.

As the announcement settled in, Angad turned to Rajkumar Arjun. "Arjun, walk with me. I need to talk to you about some kingdom matters and also about the security preparations for the coronation."

Rajkumar Arjun swiftly got up to follow his brother, leaving me with a sense of isolation.I looked towards Rukhsat, my beautiful younger sister, in hopes of seeing from her face if she had been doing okay. I got my answer when I saw her bruised cheek when her veil slipped a little.

My heart pounded, and anger surged through me. Rajkumar Arjun had hit my sister?