The fragrance of jasmine drifted through the mansion.
Sweet. Calm.
But Rithanya felt neither.
The soothsayer’s prophecy still echoed through her mind like a shadow that refused to fade.
“The golden bird will fly from its cage,
with truth concealed within.
Ruthless flames will hunt it down,
erasing every grin.”
While speaking those words, the old man had looked directly at her.
As though the warning belonged to her alone.
Something was coming.
Something inevitable.
And for the first time in years, fear settled beneath Rithanya’s calm exterior.
Another marriage proposal was arriving at the Pratap mansion today.
Maybe this one would finally be accepted.
Or maybe it would end like all the others.
Somapur village slowly awakened beneath the morning sun while preparations began inside the grand mansion of Devendra Pratap.
Servants moved through the hallways carrying trays of sweets and flowers. Fresh rangoli decorated the entrance. The scent of sandalwood filled the air.
Everything appeared perfect.
Too perfect.
Devendra Pratap was one of the most powerful businessmen in the region.
Rithanya was his daughter from his first marriage.
For years, proposals had arrived from influential families across nearby towns and cities.
Yet every single one had been rejected.
No explanation.
No discussion.
Only silence.
Sometimes, Rithanya wondered whether her father was protecting her…
—or quietly imprisoning her.
“Dayanand, keep watch at the gate,” Devendra Pratap instructed his son firmly.
“Yes, Appaji.”
Meanwhile, Rithanya stood in the kitchen preparing the final refreshments for the guests.
Her hands moved automatically.
But her thoughts remained trapped inside the prophecy.
A golden bird.
A cage.
Flames.
What did it mean?
And why had the soothsayer looked at her as though he already knew her future?
The prophecy had not ended there.
The old man had paused before speaking again, his eyes fixed only on her.
“The suffocating truth will emerge from the green woods,
only to expose the true colors.
Some will flourish, others will perish,
shaking the base of many pillars.”
A suffocating truth.
Who would perish?
The question refused to leave her mind.
“Rithanya!” her stepmother Kaamini Rani called from upstairs. “Leave the work and get ready. They’ll arrive any moment.”
The sharp voice pulled her back to reality.
“Yes, Maa,” Rithanya replied softly.
She quickly dried her hands and walked toward her room.
Inside, everything had already been arranged neatly upon the bed.
A silk saree.
Jewellery.
Jasmine flowers.
And the ruby necklace.
Everything chosen for her.
Everything decided already.
Rithanya unfolded the bottle-green saree with its golden border and froze for a brief moment.
Green.
Gold.
Again, the prophecy returned to her mind.
Green woods.
Golden bird.
A strange uneasiness curled inside her chest.
Was it merely coincidence?
Or a warning she had failed to understand?
Pushing the thoughts aside, she quickly draped the saree.
And then, her gaze fell upon it.
The necklace.
The ruby pendant glimmered beneath the morning light.
Heart-shaped.
Surrounded by diamonds.
Beautiful.
Rare.
Heavy.
Her father had brought it from a distant city, where he ran his jewellery business.
Rithanya hesitated.
It didn’t feel like an ornament… but a decision.
Devendra Pratap was particular about the jewellery she wore when a proposal arrived.
Part of her wanted to leave it behind and appear simple before the guests.
She could feel the invisible cage tightening around her—the compulsion to obey, even when she no longer felt like herself.
“My dear Rithanya, are you ready?” her father called from outside the door.
“Yes, Appaji.”
After one final glance at the necklace, she slowly placed it around her neck.
The weight settled instantly against her skin.
The moment she opened the door, Dayanand’s excited voice echoed from downstairs.
“Appaji, they’ve arrived!”
Devendra Pratap immediately walked toward the entrance.
Outside, three jeeps entered through the mansion gates one after another.
The atmosphere shifted at once.
From the first jeep stepped Maheshwara Swamy and his wife Annapoornamma from the renowned Aranthad family of Chandrapur village, followed by relatives carrying trays filled with fruits, flowers, turmeric, and kumkum.
Village elders stepped out from the second jeep.
Then came the final arrival.
From the third jeep, Raghav stepped out.
Tall and composed, he carried himself with quiet confidence rather than arrogance.
Dressed in a cream dhoti and light brown kurta, he looked calm even amidst the attention surrounding him.
Even before anyone spoke, it was obvious.
He was the groom.
“Please come in,” Devendra Pratap said formally.
The guests settled inside the grand hall while refreshments were served.
Ratnakar Acharya, the family pandit and mediator, briefly introduced both families before gesturing toward Raghav.
“And this is Raghav… the groom-to-be.”
The elders nodded with approval.
Soon, it was time for the bride-seeing ritual.
“Call Rithanya,” Devendra Pratap said.
Moments later, Rithanya entered carrying a tray of beverages.
She kept her gaze lowered.
Calm.
Composed.
Careful.
The soft sound of her bangles echoed through the hall as she moved gracefully between the guests.
Her green saree flowed gently with each step while jasmine flowers rested against her long braid.
Once she finished serving everyone, Rithanya quietly took her place beside her stepmother.
Every eye in the hall observed her closely.
Simple, yet graceful.
Delicate, yet poised.
And then, their attention shifted.
To the necklace.
The heart-shaped ruby pendant shimmered against the deep green of her saree, catching the light with every slight movement.
For a brief moment, the hall grew unusually quiet.
A few women exchanged subtle glances.
Even among those familiar with fine jewellery, the necklace appeared rare.
Unfamiliar.
And then she felt it.
One gaze lingered longer than the others.
Raghav’s.
Rithanya slowly lifted her eyes—
—and found him already looking at her.
Her breath caught for the briefest second.
She quickly lowered her gaze again, though a strange nervousness stirred within her chest.
But moments later, something changed.
Raghav’s attention shifted toward the ruby necklace around her neck.
She could sense the calm expression on his face falter.
Only slightly.
Yet enough for her to notice.
The expression disappeared almost instantly, as though he had hidden it before anyone else could see.
Rithanya did not know why, but something about that single glance unsettled her.
And suddenly, the necklace around her throat no longer felt beautiful.
It felt heavy.
After several formal questions, the elders moved into private discussion.
The atmosphere grew heavier with anticipation.
Devendra Pratap remained calm outwardly, though hope lingered quietly behind his expression.
This was not the first proposal brought for his daughter.
Disappointment was not unfamiliar to him.
Yet today felt different.
Rithanya kept her gaze lowered—
yet she could still feel Raghav’s eyes drifting toward her.
Or was it the ruby necklace?
And somewhere beyond the walls of the Pratap mansion—
the prophecy had already begun.
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Author's Note:
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Copyright © 2026 Ranjana P. This story may not be reproduced or reposted without permission.
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