Dev POV

The heavy wooden doors creaked open, and the world outside my chamber simply ceased to exist.

There she stood. I had seen Roohi in simple attires always; I had seen her in simple cotton dresses while teaching the village girls. But tonight, wrapped in the traditional red and gold bridal silk of Vijaygarh, she possessed an aura that knocked the air straight from my lungs. She didn't just look beautiful—she looked regal. The silver moonlight slanting through the high windows caught the heavy gold embroidery of her veil, casting a warm, celestial glow around her. She carried herself with a quiet dignity, a rare grace that outshone every piece of jewelry adorning her skin. I was entirely, utterly smitten.

She took a slow step forward, her heavy anklets chiming softly in the quiet room. Her eyes, filled with a beautiful nervousness, looked into mine.

"Commander Devnath..." she murmured softly, her voice a sweet melody in the silence.

Hearing that formal title on her lips tonight felt like a barrier I could no longer tolerate. I stepped across the distance separating us, closing the space until I could feel the gentle warmth radiating from her.

"Do not call me that, Roohi," I said, my voice dropping to a low, intense whisper. "For the world, I am the Commander-in-Chief. For the king, I am a warrior. But for you... I am just Dev. Your Dev. Between us, there are no positions, no titles, and no royal decorums needed. Just you and me."

A soft, breathtaking smile broke across her face. She lowered her gaze for a split second before looking right back into my eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "Dev..."

The sound of my name slipping from her lips with such intimacy sent a jolt of pure emotion straight to my chest. Slowly, my hands trembling in a way they never had in battle, I reached out and gently cupped her warm cheeks with my fingers.

"Roohi," I breathed, anchoring myself to her touch.

She didn't pull away. Instead, she reached up and gently placed her smaller, soft hand over mine, holding it against her cheek. She leaned into my palm, her eyes locking onto mine with an unshakeable devotion, and then, she leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss right into my hand..

As her lips brushed my skin, a single, crystal tear slipped from her eye, wetting my hand.

My heart twisted with a fierce, protective ache. I didn't speak. I simply nodded my head, a silent promise passing between us that I would spend the rest of my life ensuring she never had to cry alone. I brushed the tear away with my thumb.

As she moved her head slightly, her heavy, intricate jhumka suddenly got caught in the delicate golden zari work of her bridal lehenga. She winced softly, her fingers flying up to the earring, struggling to untangle the stubborn gold threads without tearing the fabric. She was completely flustered, her breath hitching as she tried to fix it.

I smiled gently, capturing her frantic hands and lowering them. I looked deep into her beautiful, flushed face.

"May I?" I asked softly.

Roohi nodded, a deep, beautiful blush creeping up her neck and staining her cheeks. She stood completely still, trusting me.

I stepped even closer, my chest almost brushing hers. Slowly, with utmost patience, my large, battle-hardened fingers worked through the delicate threads of her attire. My knuckles brushed against the soft skin of her jaw and neck, sending ripples of electricity through the space between us.

"There," I whispered as the jhumka finally broke free, dangling safely against her neck.

But I didn't step back. The air between us grew thick, charged with a love that had traveled across centuries to find its home. I looked down at her lips, then back into her eyes, silently asking a thousand more questions. Her breath hitched, her fingers lightly gripping the fabric of my royal angrakha, pulling me just closer.

That was gesture which showed my woman also wants me the way I do..

I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. The kiss was not a storm; it was a slow, rhythm. It was the gentle meeting of two rivers finally finding the sea. It tasted of unspoken promises, of a trust so absolute that it defied the boundaries of time itself. I cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss, pouring every ounce of my hidden devotion, my reverence, and my fierce love into her.

Roohi let out a soft sigh against my lips, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck as she pulled herself completely into me. She hugged me with a fierce intensity, burying her face into the crook of my neck, holding onto me as if I were her entire universe. And in that quiet, sacred embrace, wrapped in the warmth of our love, our souls seamlessly melted into one, binding us together for eternity.

Roohi POV 

The soft, golden rays of the 12th-century morning sun filtered through the grand arched balcony, painting the room in hues of amber and rose.

I slowly opened my eyes, the familiar scent of sandalwood enveloping my senses. I didn't move. I couldn't.

I was completely enveloped in the safe, protective arms of the man I loved. Dev was still asleep, one of his arms wrapped around my waist,which made me feel secure. Even in his sleep, his hold on me unbelievably gentle.

A profound, beautiful sense of peace washed over me—a feeling so deep that it made my heart ache with pure happiness.

From a woman's perspective, the world often demands so much. We are taught to be guarded, to build walls, to protect our hearts from being misunderstood or shattered. For an orphan like me, those walls were twice as high. But last night... last night hadn't been about breaking walls. It had been about finding a sanctuary.

The union of two souls is a beautiful mystery, but to a woman, its true beauty lies how safe and secure she feels about her partner. Last night, there was no rush, no demands, and no expectations. There was only Dev—his patience, his reverence, and his profound respect. When he untangled my jhumka, when he looked into my eyes and asked formy consent, he wasn't just asking to hold me; he was asking to hold my soul.I nodded with acceptance not just because he is my husband and this is our marital duty.but because I trust him with my heart and soul and I love this man with utmost respect.

Being in his arms this morning, I realized that true intimacy isn't about consumption; it's about shedding the armor around your heart. It's about knowing that you can be entirely vulnerable, entirely be yourself , upright with your emotions, and yet feel completely safe.

I smiled softly, tilting my head back slightly to look at his sharp, sleeping face. The fierce commander looked so peaceful, the tension completely melted from his brow.

I traveled centuries into the past, leaving behind everything familiar, only to realize that my true destiny was written right here, in the quiet rhythm of this man's heartbeat.

A soft smile graced my lips as I carefully moved closer, sliding up over him to press a tender, lingering kiss upon his forehead; in his sleep, Dev's lips instantly curved into a beautiful smile, his strong arms instinctively tightening around me as he cuddled me fiercely into him.

I closed my eyes again, snuggling deeper into his warmth, completely content to spend the rest of my life right here in his arms.

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