(Roohi's POV)
I walked behind the two palace maids, my steps echoing against the grand marble corridor as if the palace itself was listening… and judging. The air smelled faintly of genda phool and something ancient — like a story left unfinished.
My fingers fidgeted with the edge of my dupatta. I was still trying to understand — I, Roohi Rai Singhania, was standing inside a palace. A real, royal palace. Not in a museum, not on a school trip… but as a guest.
Or… was guest the right word?
Maybe a prisoner of situation was more accurate.
The corridor was lined with tall pillars carved with intricate lotus vines twisting around scenes of warriors and dancers. Gold lanterns cast warm constellations across the walls, making everything glow in hues of amber and history.
"Bas thoda aage, Huzoor…" one of the maids murmured nervously. Her voice trembled as if she were too scared to raise her volume in this holy labyrinth.
Huzoor.That word sat awkwardly on my skin. Royal. Important. Privileged.
Ha. If only they knew I had just been fired two days before falling into a freaking portal.
We stopped in front of a massive wooden door — carved with a royal insignia: two rearing lions and a crescent moon between them. The maid gently pushed it open, and the moment I stepped inside…
My breath left me.
The room was bigger than my entire house back home. The ceiling arched high above like a painted sky — a mural of constellations I'd never seen before. The floor shimmered with polished stone, cold and perfect under my shoes.
A canopy bed draped in rich maroon velvet stood at the center — elegant yet intimidating. Cushions embroidered with gold thread rested neatly, almost too perfect to touch. A balcony at the far end opened to a view of sprawling gardens and fountains lit by moonlight.
It was beautiful.…And terrifying.
Because beauty here came with rules. With power. With danger.
The maids bowed and left, closing the door behind them. Silence wrapped around me like a cloak.
I let out a long breath I had been holding since the royal court.
Prince Arshin Singh Shekhawat.His name replayed like a drumbeat inside my mind.
The intimidating crown prince who looked like every fantasy man women wrote about in romance novels — except colder. Untouchable. His eyes had been sharp, as if they could slice through lies and fear at the same time.
And when he looked at me…I felt seen. Too seen.
The memory of his voice still crawled under my skin:
"Tum kehti ho tum is duniya ka hissa nahi ho… prove it."
Challenge and warning — sweetly wrapped in royalty.
I pressed my palm to my chest, steadying my wild heartbeat. A part of me wanted to collapse on the plush sofa, bury my face in the cushions, and pretend nothing had changed.
But the smarter part whispered:
"Roohi… you're in a different world now. Survive."
I walked deeper into the room, my eyes drinking every detail. There was a mahogany writing desk with parchment paper, an ink bottle, and quill pens arranged too neatly — a scholar's haven.
Maybe they actually expect me to work?The thought made a nervous laugh escape my lips.
The windows draped with silk curtains allowed a cool wind to slip inside, carrying jasmine fragrance from the garden. I stepped onto the balcony and gripped the carved railing.
The night sky above wasn't the one I knew. New stars. New shapes. New destinies.
My eyes stung.
Not from sadness — not entirely — but from the overwhelming reality of a life I never asked for.
Yet… something inside me whispered that maybe, just maybe…
This wrong road had led me exactly where I needed to be.
Suddenly, a knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.
I turned.Rani Sa stepped in gracefully — her presence filling the room like the first light of dawn. Behind her walked two palace women with a tray and folded garments.
Her soft eyes studied me — not cold like her son's… but not entirely gentle either. A queen could never afford gentleness wholeheartedly.
She came closer, her voice wrapping around me in soothing silk.
"Roohi beti… yaha sab kuch naya hai tumhare liye. Darna nahi. Tum mehmaan ho humare."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, nodding quickly.
"Thank you… truly," I whispered, my voice softer than I intended.
Rani Sa smiled — the kind of smile that hides a hundred unreadable truths.
"Kahaan se aayi ho, hum jaante nahi. Par tumhe yahaan surakshit rehna hoga. Bahaar ki duniya… tum jaise logon ke liye dayalu nahi hoti."
Her words carried warmth… and a warning.
She signaled to the maids.They brought me fresh royal clothes — silk with gold borders — far from my jeans and shirt lying folded near the bed.
"Aaj aaram karo," Rani Sa said, "Kal tumhara agla imtihan shuru hoga."
I blinked nervously. Imtihan.A test… for my right to exist here.
She placed a hand gently on my head — motherly, respectful.
"Hum tumhare saath hain… jab tak tum apne aap ko saabit karti raho."
The sentence stabbed and comforted at the same time.
She turned to leave but paused near the door.
"Prince Arshin… hamesha sahi faisla karte hain. Darna nahi. Bas… palat kar bhaagna mat."
Before I could reply, the door closed behind her.
And I stood frozen.
Afraid. Uncertain.But also… alive in a way I had never felt before.
I touched the clothes she'd left for me — soft, royal, unfamiliar.
This is it, I whispered to myself.
A new world.A new life.A new Roohi.
I sat on the edge of the enormous bed and stared at the moon outside. It shimmered differently here — heavier, closer — like it could fall if I breathed too hard.
My breath trembled.
"What if I can't do it?""What if I fail?""What if they find me useless?""What if Prince Arshin decides I'm a threat?"
The fear was real.
But the fire beneath it was brighter.
Because if I succeeded — if I could truly help this kingdom — then maybe… this wasn't a curse.
Maybe it was fate.
And somewhere deep inside, a tiny voice — stubborn, hopeful — spoke:
"Sometimes… the wrong world leads us to the right purpose."
I lay back against the pillows, eyes heavy yet wide awake.
Outside, the palace continued to breathe ancient secrets.
And inside, I promised myself one thing:
I will prove my worth.And I will survive this royal destiny.No matter what — or who — stands in my way.