Inseparable Souls

Chapter 3

Shree's enchanting voice, filled with the sweetness of her unconditional love for her partner, captivated everyone around her—except for King Abhimanyu. The fury and jealousy etched on his face were unmistakable. The admiration and affection that others held for Shree drove him to the brink. In his eyes, she had no right to love or admire any man other than her husband, Abhimanyu. From this moment on, he was her everything, and she was not permitted to sing for anyone else.

"Abhimanyu! You have found a treasure. She possesses the voice of the goddess Saraswati. From now on, the palace will resonate with Shree's melodies," Kalindi praised her enthusiastically.

"She will not, as my wife, have any other duties to fulfill," Abhimanyu replied coldly.

"As you wish!" Kalindi conceded.

"Shree, come with me. I’ll show you your husband’s room where you will be staying," Kalindi instructed, leading Shree away.

Shree's legs trembled, and her heart sank with fear. She had no idea what awaited her and how she would refuse Raja Saheb's advances.

"This is Abhimanyu's room!" Kalindi announced with excitement.

Shree gazed at the room’s walls in disbelief; it was larger than her father's entire home. The walls were painted in shades of white and grey, adorned with the heads of deer, swamp deer, jackals, and cheetahs, which sent chills down her spine.

"Abhimanyu hunted these animals himself," Kalindi boasted.

"Why? Why does he need to hunt at all?" Shree inquired, perplexed.

"He doesn’t need a reason. He has royal blood, and hunting has been a pastime for royals since ancient times; it’s merely a game to them," Kalindi replied nonchalantly, as if it were inconsequential.

"But it’s illegal! More importantly, he has no right to take the lives of innocent creatures just for sport," Shree retorted, her face reflecting her disdain.

"Girl! Don’t forget who he is. He is the king of Jaisalmer, and most importantly, he is your husband! To you, your husband is a god, and you have no right to question his actions because a god cannot be wrong," Kalindi scolded her sharply.

"He is not a god! He is just another human being. Don’t compare him to the Almighty Lord Krishna," Shree protested.

"Looks like we have a feisty one here!" Kalindi remarked, grabbing Shree’s hair and tugging it roughly.

"Let go of me!" Shree hissed in pain.

"Listen here, insignificant girl! Abhimanyu may have graciously taken you as his wife, but that doesn’t grant you the status of queen in this palace or the authority to command me. Abhimanyu has given me the role of a mother, and before making any decisions, he consults me. In this palace, not even a single leaf stirs without my consent. Keep that in mind. You are just like the other servants to Abhimanyu; the only distinction is that, to outsiders, you’re perceived as his companion. So don’t expect anything more," Kalindi said, tossing her hair over her shoulder dismissively.

With tears in her eyes, Shree replied, "Do as you wish! Nothing will change my faith; I won’t place Raja Saheb above God."

"What’s happening here?" Abhimanyu entered, his expression serious.

Fear rooted Shree to the spot as she clutched her saree, her gaze locked on Kalindi.

"What’s wrong, Daai maa {godmother}?" Abhimanyu directed his question at Kalindi, his face stern.

"Take this piece of advice: keep her in check if you want to preserve the reputation you've built," Kalindi stated bluntly before leaving the room.

Once Kalindi exited, Abhimanyu’s gaze turned angrily toward Shree. He locked the door behind him and approached her menacingly.

The frightened girl gasped, her legs trembling. "I didn’t do anything wrong," she stammered, retreating slightly.

Abhimanyu grasped her hand, shaking it and lightly caressing it until her panic subsided.

"I wasn’t—" Shree began to explain, but her words were cut short by a harsh slap that left her cheek stinging and her ear ringing.

"Remember! Daai maa cannot be mistaken. It must be your fault," he claimed, gripping her neck.

"She said you are my god," Shree sniffled.

"And what’s wrong with that? I am your god! I am everything to you. Do you know what that means?" Abhimanyu insisted, digging his nails into the soft skin at the back of her neck.

She hissed in pain, twisting away. "You may control my body, but my heart and soul belong to Krishna," Shree protested.

"Be quiet, you foolish woman. How dare you speak to me like that?" he snapped, shoving her down onto the floor.

"You can’t deny the truth!" Shree gasped in pain.

"It seems you enjoy being defiant, don’t you?" Abhimanyu twisted her arm.

"Arrrgh! Please let go! It hurts," Shree winced.

"Remember, I am your husband and your master. I will do as I please. No one can stop me," Abhimanyu warned.

"Do you understand?" He twisted her arm more harshly.

Shree nodded, tears of pain welling in her eyes.

Finally, Abhimanyu released her hand, taking deep breaths to regain his composure, while Shree fought back tears.

"Stop crying!" he commanded, and when he attempted to wipe her tears, she flinched away.

"I said stop crying!" he shouted, hurling a vase against the wall.

Shree screamed, covering her ears, wishing to disappear where Abhimanyu couldn’t find her.

"Look at me!" he ordered, but she had no courage to lift her gaze.

"I said look at me!" He grasped her jaw, forcing her to meet his furious stare.

The intensity of his red, rage-filled eyes sent a chill down Shree’s spine.

"Listen, I'm trying to keep my temper in check, so don't do anything that might provoke my animal instincts," Abhimanyu said calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Shree blinked back her tears. "Make me happy, and I'll give you a life of luxury beyond your wildest dreams. All you have to do is satisfy my needs and be obedient. Many women like you surround me to escape their lives of hardship, but I chose you. Do you know why?" Abhimanyu asked, slowly removing her bangles.

Shree gasped and pulled her hand back. "I don’t know what you mean," she replied abruptly.

Abhimanyu caressed her cheek, smiling. "Because of your irresistible beauty! I want you all to myself." He moved closer.

Shree's breath caught in her throat. She tried to avoid his gaze, feeling uncomfortable, and instinctively pushed herself away from him.

"Don't be shy! You must serve your husband. This is my right," Abhimanyu said, gripping her waist.

"I... I am..." Shree stammered, unable to finish her thought.

"Shree, it's our first night together. We should consummate our marriage. I know you might not understand, but don't worry—I’ll teach you how to please your husband," Abhimanyu said, unhooking her blouse while kissing her collarbone.

"Please, let me go! I said no!" Shree yelled, pushing him away.

Her defiance ignited Abhimanyu's anger; no one dared to refuse him.

"You little witch! How dare you push me?" he shouted, slapping her, causing her upper lip to bruise.

"I don't want this! Leave me alone!" Shree cried.

Abhimanyu took a deep breath. "It will hurt at first, but you'll get used to it."

"I need time! Please, just let me be," Shree begged.

"Stop crying, you foolish woman. Damn it! You've ruined my mood," Abhimanyu snapped, kicking her.

Shree covered her exposed cleavage with her hands, staring at the floor as tears streamed down her face.

"I'm giving you a month! Surrender yourself to me, or I know how to reclaim what's mine," Abhimanyu warned, annoyance etched on his face as he left the room.

As Abhimanyu descended the stairs, Kalindi spotted him. She wanted to confront him but noticed him entering a maid's room, prompting her to hurry to Shree's bedroom.

"Shree! What happened?" Kalindi asked, her brow furrowed.

Shree, terrified and in need of support, rushed into Kalindi's arms and hugged her tightly. "I want to go home! He’s a terrible man. I can’t live with him," she sobbed.

Kalindi pushed Shree to the floor. "You foolish girl! How dare you complain about your husband? This is the first and last time I will tolerate such insolence," she scolded.

"But what have I done wrong?" Shree asked, bewildered.

"What have you done? Don’t you realize the sin you’ve committed? You’ve denied your husband the consummation of your marriage! It’s a sin; God will not forgive you. You have no right to refuse him," Kalindi reprimanded.

"But what about my feelings? My consent matters, doesn’t it?" Shree felt crushed by Kalindi's harsh words. She had expected more empathy from another woman.

"It doesn’t matter! He is your husband! Have you forgotten that Abhimanyu paid for you? You're like a puppet, your strings controlled by him. It would have been better if he had taken you as his mistress. I warned him against marrying a poor girl like you; look at the consequences," Kalindi taunted.

"I never begged him to marry me, nor did I want to be his so-called wife. Just a few hours in this palace, and I already feel suffocated. These expensive clothes and jewels feel like shackles! Your son brought me here without considering that I’m the same age as his daughter. I was poor, but I was happy. Now, he has stolen my happiness and caged me like a canary," Shree vented her frustration.

"You need to learn your lesson," Kalindi hissed, grabbing Shree's arm and dragging her out of the room.

"Because of you, my Abhimanyu's night was ruined. I’ll make sure you don’t get any sleep," Kalindi said, pushing Shree toward the back of the palace, where the forest began.

"No! Please, don’t do this. It’s cold outside!" Shree begged.

"This will help clear your head," Kalindi retorted, shutting the gates behind her.

"Daai maa (godmother), please open the door! It’s dark out here! Don’t punish me like this!" Shree cried, banging on the door.

The screams of Shree echoed through the palace, drawing the attention of all the royals. They emerged from their chambers to investigate, but upon seeing Kalindi at the doorway, they refrained from asking any questions—except for Abhivayakt, who appeared visibly unsettled.

"Chote kunwar saa (younger prince), you can return to your room; there’s nothing to worry about. She’s just a maid who needed to learn a lesson for disrespecting the royals," Kalindi said calmly as she locked the door.

"But Daai maa (godmother), it’s cold outside, and wild animals sometimes cross the fence in the backyard. She could get hurt," Abhivayakt argued.

"Wild animals no longer come here! And as for the cold, she must endure it to learn her lesson," Kalindi replied.

"Abhivayakt, don’t stress over a mere maid. It’s late; you should be in bed," Madhurima chimed in groggily.

"She’s right! Don’t worry yourself," Kalindi added before retreating to her room.

"What are you waiting for? Maybe you need my company," Madhurima teased Abhivayakt.

"I’m going to get some water," he replied, heading toward the kitchen.

On his way back to his room, however, an inexplicable pull led him to the backyard.

The large wooden gate was locked, preventing him from seeing the maid, but he could hear her faint sniffles and the chattering of her teeth.

"Hey! Can you hear me?" Abhivayakt called from the other side.

Startled by his sudden voice, Shree closed her eyes and began to pray.

"Don’t be afraid! I work here as a servant," Abhivayakt reassured her, sensing her fear.

Shree sighed in relief. "I’m fine, you can go. If Daai maa sees you, she’ll scold you."

"She’s probably asleep by now," Abhivayakt assured her.

"What’s your name?" Shree asked.

"I’m Krish, the new gardener at this palace," he lied.

"You have a beautiful name!" Shree complimented.

"Are you feeling cold?" he asked with concern.

"No, I’m not," Shree fibbed, not wanting anyone to pity her.

"Don’t lie; I can hear your teeth chattering," Abhivayakt said bluntly.

"Sorry!" Shree mumbled.

"Can I help you in any way?" Abhivayakt offered.

"No! Please don’t. If Daai maa finds out, she’ll punish you," Shree replied.

"No, she won’t. She may seem tough, but she has a soft side," Abhivayakt explained.

"And how do you know that?" Shree inquired.

"My mother was like her, which is why I understand her better," he lied again.

"My mother died giving birth to me! I don’t even know what she looks like, but people from my village say I resemble her. I’ve never known the warmth of a mother’s love. My friends’ mothers braid their hair and dress them beautifully, while I have to do everything for myself. I don’t know what it’s like to have a mother," Shree confessed.

"My mother was a beautiful woman, not just in looks but also in strength. She fought for women’s rights. I love her dearly," Abhivayakt said.

"Wow! She must have been a great inspiration for women. Where is she now?" Shree asked.

"Look at the sky; the brightest star is my mother," Abhivayakt replied with a sad smile.

"I’m sorry!" Shree said softly.

"It’s okay. You know, you’re better off than me. At least you don’t have memories of a deceased mother. Sometimes, those memories feel like a curse," Abhivayakt said.

"Don’t be sad! Your mother is watching you from the sky, and she must be proud of you for helping a stranger," Shree encouraged.

"I hope so!" Abhivayakt leaned against the wall and sat on the cold floor.

"I don’t feel scared anymore," Shree said.

"What about the cold?" Abhivayakt asked.

"A little, but I’m used to it," Shree replied.

"How?" he probed.

"We poor people don’t have any other option but to cope with our problems," Shree said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Then you need to fight against it," Abhivayakt urged.

"You’re a good person," she complimented.

"Thanks," he said, feeling shy.

The two talked throughout the night, sharing stories until they grew tired and fell asleep in their respective spots, unaware of how quickly time had passed. It felt as though they had known each other for century.

At dawn, as the birds chirped, Abhivayakt rose from his spot. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed his brother Abhimanyu emerging from a maid’s room. Shocked yet relieved that Abhimanyu had not touched Shree, he felt grateful that her purity remained intact.

Meanwhile, Kalindi approached the backyard gate, prompting Abhivayakt to hide behind a curtain to catch a glimpse of the maid he had spoken with the night before. Kalindi opened the door, and Shree entered.

"I believe you've learned your lesson," Kalindi remarked.

Shree nodded silently. "Get ready! Today, you’ll be preparing dishes in the kitchen," Kalindi instructed.

Abhivayakt was taken aback; he had not realized the woman he had helped was Shree. Once Shree left, he went straight to Kalindi.

"You’re up early! Let me make you some coffee," Kalindi offered.

"Daai maa (godmother), how could you deceive us?" Abhivayakt questioned.

"What are you talking about?" Kalindi stammered.

"Last night, the woman you punished wasn’t just a maid; she was Shree," Abhivayakt said, his brow furrowed.

"And what of it? What I did was justified," Kalindi replied confidently.

"How can you be so heartless? She’s just a young girl!" Abhivayakt exclaimed.

"Have you forgotten that she married your brother last night?" Kalindi shot back, her tone sharp.

"I know, but as a member of the royal family, she deserves better treatment than this," Abhivayakt argued.

"She was being stubborn, and that’s why I punished her," Kalindi yelled.

"I will discuss this with my brother," Abhivayakt declared, storming back to his room.