The calm before the storm

Iswari POV

We walked into the royal dining room together, me rubbing my poor ear like I’d been attacked and Dada walking with that same stiff serious expression as always, like he hadn’t just twisted my ear in front of the entire kingdom.

The golden lotus lamps floated above us, their soft glow reflecting off the polished marble floors and casting a warm light across the long, grand dining table. The air was filled with the scent of saffron rice, ghee roasted vegetables, and sweet cardamom. My stomach grumbled loudly, and I almost giggled. It sounded like a protest against my earlier troubles.Maids stood in their usual position on both sides of the room, heads bowed, hands folded. Everything was perfect. Everything was royal. But none of it could quiet the thoughts swirling in my head.

I rushed forward and quickly touched Aaisaheb and Babasaheb's feet. “Pranaam,” I said, my voice soft and respectful.

Arjun Dada followed suit, his movements sharp and proper as always. Then we took our seats at the long table.

Babasaheb, as always, was calm and collected. He looked at me with his usual mix of curiosity and a hint of concern. “Where were you, Iswari?” he asked, his voice smooth but his eyes searching mine.

Before I could even open my mouth to form a response, my brother, the traitor, decided to play his part.

“She went to the mortal world,” he said nonchalantly, picking up a piece of roti and tearing it off, completely unfazed.

I turned my head quickly, giving him a sharp look. “Dada, don’t you dare—”

But he was already dipping his roti into the daal, acting like he hadn’t just sold me out in front of both our parents.

Babasaheb, however, only nodded. His expression remained unchanged. “It’s not safe ishwari” he said gently, the calm in his voice almost soothing. “ I know your heart. You’ve always loved the mortal world, their colors, their laughter, the way they live with so little and still find reasons to smile. I see it in your eyes every time you return… like the air feels lighter there for you. But you are not just a wanderer of the lands. You are a princess of the Lotus Realm. And in times like these, when shadows stretch longer than ever before, your safety is not just your own. It is a matter of the realm’s future Rudraksh… the Moon King….He has become a storm cold, relentless, and unmerciful. If he ever learns that the lotus princess walks freely among mortals unguarded... he will not hesitate….I do not speak to cage you, ishu. I speak because I cannot afford to lose you.”

I felt my smile falter, the weight of his words sinking in. My eyes dropped to my plate, though I didn’t feel hungry anymore. The warmth of the food, the laughter in the air, it all felt distant now. “I understand, Babasaheb,” I said quietly, my voice smaller than I intended.

Dada, ever the protector, added a little more seriously, “Rudraksh’s army is growing stronger by the day. He’s got his eyes on the Lotus Kingdom, I don't care if it’s the mortal world or our own halls it's too dangerous for you to wander around like it’s just another day.”

His words were sharp, but I could tell he wasn’t scolding me. just trying to protect me. Even though I had my own ideas about the matter, I couldn’t deny the truth in his tone. The war was getting closer.

We started eating in silence after that. The food was delicious, just Aaisaheb had promised. But my thoughts… they weren’t here. They kept drifting back to the faces in the market, to the people laughing and struggling, to the chaotic beauty of it all.

A loud conversation from Aaisaheb and Dada about some old, funny childhood story managed to pull me out of my thoughts. I smiled at their banter, but it was all so distant. Even Aaisaheb's laughter felt far away. Then, that name… Rudraksh.The moment it entered my mind,something inside me tightened. It wasn’t just the fear that everyone else had about him it was something deeper. Something that made my skin prickle and my chest feel like it was caving in.

“Iswari?” Babasaheb's’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I snapped back to the present.

“Hmm?” I responded, blinking up at him.

“You seem distracted,” he said, his gaze softening a little. “What’s on your mind?”

I forced a smile, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling gnawing at me. “Nothing, baba. Just tired, I guess.”

He studied me for a moment, his eyes never giving away much, but there was a glint there that made me wonder if he knew more than he was letting on. inside, I knew. Something was coming. Something bigger than I could imagine. And it wasn’t going to leave us untouched.

Two months have passed… but this war still shows no sign of ending. Rudraksh, the one who desires to rule not just one realm but all of existence, continues to spread his shadow. He wants power, control, fear and now his eyes have fallen upon our Lotus Realm.

Our kingdom holds the centuries old Lotus Crystal, a source of life, peace, and balance. It breathes with the realm, and the realm breathes with it. Rudraksh wants it because with it, he’ll become unstoppable. But we won’t let that happen. Even if we have to fight till our last breath, we will protect our home….

A cool breeze brushes against my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blink slowly, the silk curtain fluttering softly beside me. No matter how many times I try to sleep, sleep refuses to come. The same question keeps circling inside my mind, like a whisper I cannot silence.

Will my father and brother be alright?

I trust them. With my whole heart, I do. They are brave, powerful… and kind. I’ve seen the way their smiles fade when they think no one is watching. I’ve heard the quiet in their voices when they speak of battle. I know they cry but never in front of anyone. And that thought it’s eating away at me.

Because Rudraksh… Rudraksh doesn’t cry. He doesn’t pause. He doesn’t feel. He kills, without blinking, without guilt.

That’s what frightens me the most.

I sigh and throw off the covers, my feet softly touching the cold floor. The night is silent, too silent. I walk to the window, my steps slow and unsure. Outside, the stars are scattered like whispers across the sky. My room glows faintly in the moonlight.

I stand there, fingers resting on the window frame, eyes searching the darkness. I look at the sky, but tonight… it doesn’t feel like every other night. Something is different.The stars, which usually shine like soft prayers, seem hidden behind thick, heavy clouds. The wind feels heavy, like it’s carrying secrets.

It’s as if the world is holding its breath.

The calm before the storm.

Dark clouds stretch over the heavens, covering the moon like a mourning veil. They whisper tales of the battlefield of warriors who fell, of swords that struck true, of eyes that closed forever.

Some are winning.

Some are losing.

Some smile at the sight of blood.

And some… are drowning in it.

I press my palm gently against the cold windowpane, my heart thudding with a strange unease.

Then—BANG!

The sound of the door slamming open crashes into the quiet.

I turn quickly, startled. Standing at the doorway is one of the palace maids my mother’s personal maid. Her clothes are slightly twisted, her forehead damp with sweat, chest rising and falling rapidly like she’s run across the entire palace without stopping even once.

Something is wrong.

I walk toward her slowly. My anklets chime softly in the silence, their gentle sound clashing with the hurried rhythm of her breath. Every step I take feels heavier.

When I finally reach her, I place a hand gently on her shoulder.

Her eyes widen, and she flinches as if waking from a nightmare.

“What happened?” I ask, my voice low but firm.

She opens her mouth, but the words are dry, stuck. She swallows hard, then finally speaks in a hoarse, trembling voice.

“Princess Ranisaheb… has asked you to appear… in the courtroom near the main gate.”

She pauses. Something flickers in her eyes.

“And… Prince Arjun… is in an injured state.”

Her last words hit me like a dagger. My breath catches in my throat. For a moment, the entire world goes silent.

Dada?

No. No, no, no.

The window behind me is forgotten. The stars, the sky, the storm none of it matters now.

Only one thing does..

Dada is hurt.

I didn’t wait to ask another question.

My body moved before my mind could catch up.

I turned around and ran barefoot, heart thudding, breath sharp in my chest. My anklets clinked wildly with each step, not soft this time. No. They screamed through the corridors, loud, panicked, desperate.

The cool marble floors felt like ice beneath my feet, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.

“Dada…”

The word left my lips like a prayer, like a plea.

Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t care. I just kept running.

The maids I passed stood frozen lined up in the hallways, their heads bowed low in silence. But I could feel their eyes on me. I could feel the pain in their silence.

No one spoke.

No one needed to.

Just the sight of me..their princess…running, crying, afraid…

It was enough to turn the whole palace still.

The golden walls I had always admired were just shapes now. The carved lotuses on the pillars seemed to wilt. The soft scent of sandalwood couldn’t calm my heart.

One thought kept piercing through my mind like a sharp thorn:

What if something happened to Dada?

What if I never get to fight with him again?

What if he never pulls my ear again and calls me stubborn?

What if… what if I lose him?

I reached the tall doors

of the courtroom near the main gate massive and shining, always guarded.

But now… the doors were already open.

And what I saw inside….

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