Chaos reigned in the kingdom of Suryagadh. The royal palace had been attacked by a masked assailant. Maharaja Veerendra Pratap fought with all his might. Maharani Devyani ran toward Princess Vidhika, but someone stabbed her in the waist from behind. She fell there and then.
Prince Veer Pratap rushed to the Maharani and cradled her, but her last hour had come. With labored breath, Maharani Devyani made him swear. "Son… will you keep my daughter's life safe? Promise me."
Tears welled in the prince's eyes, but he answered with fierce resolve, "Yes, Mother. I promise. I will not let anything happen to Vidhika." The Maharani gave up her spirit.
Veer Pratap ran to Princess Vidhika. "Vidhika, you must come with me. Run—now! The palace is under attack!"
Frightened, the princess asked, "Brother, who attacked? Where is Father? Where is Mother?"
Anger and pain contorted Veer Pratap's face. "It was one of our own, Vidhika. But keeping you safe is my first duty. Come—now!"
He led the princess out of the palace by a secret passage. "You will be married," he told her.
"Married?!" Vidhika gasped.
At that moment, in the palace, Maharaja Veerendra Pratap's head was cut off. A masked man sat upon the throne, his eyes alight with triumph. He had seized the palace and crowned himself ruler.
Meanwhile, in a broken hut, Princess Vidhika sat alone. Tears streamed down her face. Her world had been shattered; her faith erased. Yet Veer Pratap's vow—and the terror of being forced into a stranger's marriage—weighed on her like a choke.
The prince entered the hut and said to her, "Vidhika, I gave Mother my word to keep you safe. You must come with me. We must leave."
Vidhika could not process it all; she simply followed her brother.
Elsewhere, a young man's wedding was taking place. He sat under the canopy, but a cry rose: "The bride has fled! The bride has fled!" Hearing this, the groom left the mandap and sat in the temple before the deity, hands covering his face. "Oh God, what kind of test is this? What am I to do? How will I face society? Do something—please."
Prince Veer Pratap led his sister to that very temple and sat with his face hidden. The groom overheard them. Veer removed his hand from his face and said, "This is my sister. She was to be married today, but the groom did not come. Marry her."
The young man asked, "But who are you?"
"We'll tell you later," Veer said. "Right now, perform the marriage. Everyone is waiting for you."
Princess Vidhika looked at her brother but could not speak.
Hearing this, the young man replied, "Very well, sir. My name is Ayan. I am willing to marry your sister. This will save the honor of both our families. Bring your people."
Veer said, "I have no family left. It's just the two of us—my sister and me."
Ayan answered, "Then come to the mandap."
Vidhika and Ayan were married. As he gave his sister away, the prince said, "Vidhika, I know this is not easy for you, but your safety is my priority. You are unknown to everyone here; I am known. If you stay with me, you will be hunted. Take care of yourself. Ayan is a good man—trustworthy. If you can, send me word. I must go now. Take care."
Tears fell from the princess's eyes; she said nothing. Ayan approached. "Shall we go?" he asked.
Vidhika nodded.
Ayan took her to his home. The whole household welcomed them, for Ayan had already told them the truth about the bride swap.
Vidhika walked in silence. Ayan's mother instructed, "Daughter, please step steady and knock over the kalash with your right foot." The princess obeyed mechanically.
Ayan's sister guided Vidhika to her chamber and left her there. A little while later Ayan came in and asked gently, "What is your name?"
Gathering herself, Vidhika stammered, "V… V… Vidhika."
Ayan smiled. "Vidhika… that's a lovely name. Just like you."
He drew closer, but Vidhika turned her face away.
"Is something wrong, Vidhika?" he asked.
"N… n… no," she whispered.
"Alright. If you want to sleep, go to sleep. You must be exhausted."
Vidhika tried to sleep, but her tears would not stop. Ayan slept downstairs.
She remembered what Prince Veer had told her: that both their parents were dead, that someone had taken control of the palace, and that she must hide her true identity—hide the truth of what had happened.
She could not sleep. Morning came.
Dawn—The First Ray of the Sun
The night's terror still echoed through the palace lanes. The royal court of Suryagadh stood in its grandeur—tall minarets, the courtyard in orderly rows—but beneath that splendor there was deep silence and suffering; people were mute, their faces shaded with grief.
Prince Veer Pratap, his clothes stained with blood, stood upon the steps of the ancient Shiva shrine. Sleep had abandoned his eyes—only a burning vow remained. His mother's final plea, his father's sacrifice, and his sister's helplessness weighed in his heart like a single iron resolve.
He folded his hands and bowed his head before the deity. Tears fell from his eyes, but his voice thundered—
"Oh Mahadev!
Today the souls of my parents left this earth. Today my family was torn apart.
I vow—so long as breath is in this body, I will take revenge for this dishonor.
Whoever has defiled Suryagadh's dignity, whoever has destroyed my clan—I will bring them to justice."
He lifted his sword with both hands and held it toward the sky.
"By the Lord's oath!
I will not know peace until I have slain that villain from Suryagadh's throne.
I will not taste even a drop of pleasure until Princess Vidhika's safety is assured.
And I will rest only when my parents' souls find peace."
His voice echoed from the shrine across the palace courtyard.
"Jai Mahakaal!"
Driving the sword into the ground, Veer declared, "My life is no longer owned by any one person. My path now belongs only to Suryagadh.
I will remain as a shadow, and the day I return, justice will fall from my hands."
Dawn spread its light—but a darkness still sat in Prince Veer Pratap's heart. His road had become one of struggle and revenge