Veerendra POV -

The heavy golden curtains of the Vijaygarh royal chambers fluttered gently in the night breeze, casting long, familiar shadows across the polished marble floor. I stood by the grand arched balcony, a silver goblet of wine untouched in my hand, watching the moon ride high in the velvet sky.

From the inner chamber, I heard the faint, rhythmic clinking of heavy anklets and the soft rustle of pure silk.

A quiet warmth blossomed in my chest—a warmth that still felt entirely new, entirely miraculous, to a man who had spent his whole life hardened by the cold realities of war and crown.

I turned around slowly. There she was.

My Queen. My wife. My Diya.

She was sitting in front of the grand brass mirror, casually unpinning the heavy royal crown that rested on her head. Her long, dark hair fell over her shoulders in a wild, untamed wave—the exact same way it had looked years ago. She caught my reflection in the mirror, crinkled her nose, and gave me that exact same awkward, beautiful, sheepish smile that had once turned my structured world upside down.

A low chuckle escaped my lips as I walked over, setting the goblet down. I stood behind her, my large, scarred hands gently resting on her bare shoulders.

"What are you smiling at, Maharaj?" she asked, her voice carrying that same bold, bindass ring that the grand halls of Vijaygarh had now grown to love. She didn't lower her eyes. She looked right at me through the mirror, fearless and completely mine.

"I was just thinking about our first meet, Ranisa," I murmured, leaning down to press a soft kiss against the side of her neck, right where her pulse fluttered. "The night you fell from the heavens and into my courtyard."

"Oh, you mean the night I climbed down a rope of curtains like a thief because the doors were 'refusing to cooperate'?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Precisely."

I closed my eyes for a brief second, letting the memory wash over me. Back then, I was a fierce warrior who measured the world in swords, blood, and strategic conquests. I had entered Rajpur in disguise, looking for weaknesses to exploit, expecting guards or assassins around every corner.

Instead, the universe had played a beautiful trick on me.

I remembered the sheer shock that had paralyzed my senses when I first saw you hanging between the sky and the earth. In the silver moonlight, wearing the, scandalous white modern attire which was way ahead of our time, you had looked utterly alien, yet entirely breathtaking. My breath had caught in my throat. I remembered the exact moment you landed on the dirt, your eyes wide with panic, looking at me like I had just descended from another planet.

And then, you had laughed.

In a century where women shrank into the shadows, where queens spoke in whispered compliance, you, a strange girl had looked straight into the eyes of a Maharaja, made an excuse about a stubborn door, and smirked.

I remembered how fiercely intrigued I had been by your audacity. I had stood there, a powerful king now disguised as a soldier, utterly captivated by a girl who didn't know how to bow. And when you tricked me—pointing behind my back and running away like lightning with Roohi in those tight blue trousers—I had smirked for some strange reason.

"You were so confused," Diya's voice broke through my thoughts, full of affection. She turned around in her seat, wrapping her arms around my waist, burying her face against my chest. "You looked at my clothes like I was a ghost."

"You were a ghost to my world, Diya," I whispered, my arms wrapping tightly around her, holding her against my heart. "A beautiful, chaotic storm from a time I couldn't even comprehend. I didn't understand your clothes, your words, or your lack of fear. But my heart understood you instantly."

I lifted her chin gently, forcing her to look into my eyes. The heavy royal gold embroidery on her saree gleamed under the torchlight, but nothing was brighter than the fire in her eyes—the same fire that had stunned me in the Rajpur courtyard.

"Every king fights to conquer lands, Diya," I said softly, my voice thick with emotion. "But from the very second you smiled that awkward smile and ran away from me, I knew I didn't want to conquer the world. I only wanted to build a world where you would choose to stay."

Diya smiled, a tear glinting in her eye, and pulled me down into a deep, loving hug.

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