The melodious sound of the dholki and the sitar echoed in the royal hall. Candles were lit around the palace, yellow flowers gracefully decorated the pillars and the stairs. Aditya’s gaze was hooked up on the stairs, awaiting the sight of his bride. He wore the traditional Indian sherwani, adorned with jewels.
“He cannot wait for a second more!” teased his friends. It was about time for the marriage ceremony but Nysa hadn’t stepped down.
“Nisha” Aditya called his sister. “will you go and check if everything’s all right? She isn’t here yet” he said. Nisha nodded and rushed upstairs.
The pandit was growing impatient, the mahurat was awaiting, but the bride wasn’t there yet. The crowd felt silent when suddenly Nisha rushed down the stairs. She was breathing heavily and could not control her tears from erupting. Aditya stepped down the platform and rushed towards her. He stared at her for a few moments, finding answers in her silence and pain. Nisha raised her hand and pulled Aditya’s hand towards her. She dropped a note in his hand, embraced her brother, and whispered “she is gone. But the goodbye note is not ordinary. None of us can read it. It is addressed to you, but the language is unknown.”
Aditya was petrified. He gathered all his courage and opened the note. He could read it. It was a different language. Symbols he hadn’t seen before but he could read it. He took a deep breath and read the letter.
“Aditya, this wasn’t meant to happen.
Yesterday night a few strangers visited me. They had a portrait of us, not from this life. They claimed it was 800 years old. A curse lures upon us, Aditya. We aren’t meant to be together. It may sound absurd but I believe them. And you too believe. You can read this letter! Can’t you? This language is 800 years old, and so no one else could read it. You get those dreams, dreams of drowning and raising your sword at a queen. I was the queen. You killed me 800 years ago and the curse then killed you. Since then, the curse has separated us in every life.
The curse has intensified in this life. I want to be with you. I cannot live a life without you. But the only way to kill the curse is to find the royal sword that killed me. Either of us will have to die. That is the only way to stay together.
I am on the journey to attain the sword. The strangers that call themselves “the shadow of time” have promised to guide me on every step. I am sorry, but I have to do this. For us. To be together forever. I will miss you. I love you Aditya, and I promise to kill the curse that has the power to separate us! We’ll be together. Soon. Until then, Goodbye.”
PART 2 – An Ancient Seal
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