Lotus among the Roses

Princess Consort

Inside the quiet sanctuary of the mandapam, Ketki's voice rang out in a frantic tirade, her words tumbling over each other in a rush of fear and frustration. "Do you even realize how scared I was?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion as she rounded on her elder sister, her eyes flashing with anger.
"You could have drowned, Didi! And for what? To save some stranger's child?"

Kumud listened in silence as Ketki berated her, her expression calm and composed despite the storm raging within her. But as her sister's words grew more heated, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Kumud's lips, her eyes sparkling with a quiet amusement that only seemed to infuriate Ketki further.

"What do you think of yourself, Didi?" Ketki demanded, her voice rising to a crescendo as she sought to shake her sister from her apparent complacency. "Do you think you're some kind of hero, swooping in to save the day? Well, newsflash, sister dear – you're not! You're just a reckless fool who doesn't care about her own life, let alone anyone else's!"

Kumud's smile only widened at Ketki's words, her demeanor unshaken by her sister's tirade. "Is that what you think of me, Ketki?" she replied, her voice soft but tinged with a hint of amusement. "That I'm some kind of reckless fool?" Ketki bristled at Kumud's words, her frustration boiling over as she struggled to comprehend her sister's seemingly carefree attitude. "Yes, that's exactly what I think!" she shot back, her voice laced with bitterness. "You act like nothing fazes you, like you're invincible or something. But you're not, Didi. You're just human, like the rest of us."

As the two sisters faced off in the quiet confines of the mandapam, a tension hung in the air between them, thick and palpable like a summer haze. 

As tears streamed down Ketki's cheeks, Kumud's heart softened at the sight of her sister's distress. With a gentle touch, she reached out and wiped away Ketki's tears, her own smile widening as she sought to lighten the mood."Come now, dear sister," Kumud said with a playful twinkle in her eye, "if you keep crying like this, you'll flood the entire mandapam! And then where will we be? I can't swim anymore you know ?"

Ketki blinked in surprise at Kumud's unexpected remark, her tears momentarily forgotten as she processed her sister's words. And then, despite herself, a soft giggle escaped her lips, quickly followed by another and another, until she was laughing so hard that tears of mirth mingled with her earlier tears of sorrow.

Kumud joined in Ketki's laughter, the sound echoing through the quiet sanctuary of the mandapam like a melody of joy. In that moment, as they shared a moment of levity amidst the tumult of their emotions, Kumud knew that their bond as sisters was stronger than any hardship they might face. And with that knowledge, she vowed to always be there for Ketki, to support her through every trial and tribulation, just as Ketki had always been there for her.

Just then a vice of fury boomed in the mandapam, " Pundarik Gupta Kumaari Kumudini! How dare you? How dare you put your life in danger? What do you think of yourself huh?"

Vikram came in, his eyes bloodshot, tears threatening to spill out any time now.

As Vikram's furious voice filled the temple, Kumud bowed her head in silent acquiescence, knowing that she had incurred her brother's wrath with her impulsive actions.

Ketki watched with a heavy heart, tears welling up in her eyes as she listened to Vikram's scolding, his words echoing off the stone walls of the temple, her chest tightening with a mix of fear and sorrow as she listened to her brother's scolding.

The main priest, who had accompanied Vikram to the mandapam, looked at Kumud with a mixture of pity and concern, sensing the weight of her remorse. His gaze softened as he observed her bowed form, recognizing the turmoil within her heart. He offered a silent prayer for her solace and guidance, hoping that she would find the strength to weather the storm of her brother's anger.