Prathabhgarh's Princess

The scent of fragrant oils fills the chamber as you sink into the warm bath, seeking solace from the day's anxieties. Sumitra Bhabhisa's words about the impending marriage and the possibility of it being Adhvay still swirl in your mind.

You lean back, closing your eyes, letting the maids gently apply paste and massage your scalp.

After dismissing everyone but Purva, a strange sensation prickles the nape of your neck. A touch, a hand sliding from your neck to your shoulder.

Your eyes snap open. You turn abruptly, but the chamber is empty. Was it just your imagination, fueled by nervousness? It felt so real.

You submerge yourself in the water for a moment, then rise, splashing. Purva returns with your wedding dress.

As you leave the chamber, a masked figure steps out from behind a pillar, their hand stained with the same paste used in your bath...