The Thread Of Two Souls.[Fantasy Romance]

ADITHYA

The world looks so beautiful when seen through the palace window. The palace garden is filled with flowers, and everything seems perfect except for my life. I am the prince, feared by all, the Prince of Darkness, Adithya Senju. My mother died the day I was born, and no one knows who my father is. Today marks my 20th birthday. In all my twenty years, I've never left the palace. After all, I am the child of a monster someone who commands the vast, unknown darkness. At least, that's how the palace gossip portrays me.A knock on my door pulls me back to reality."My lord?" a servant calls, snapping me out of my thoughts.I clear my mind and say, "Enter.

"Your highness is waiting for you in his chamber, my lord," the servant says, her face pale with fear.It's the same look everyone gives me. But why?"Uh… my… my lord," the servant stutters.I wave her off. "You can go."Without another glance, she disappears.

A little later, I make my way to my uncle, King Udhaya Rai's chamber. He's sitting in a chair, holding a letter in his hand, staring into space with a troubled look on his face, his brows furrowed as if he's lost in some dark thought. The king is in his late forties, but he looks much younger nothing like his age.

My uncle and I are nothing alike. He has a dark, muscular build, while I am pale and thin. The only thing we share is our brown hair.I clear my throat and say, "Uncle." Looking up, my uncle smiles and taps the chair beside him. "Come, sit, my boy."I returned my uncle's smile, sat on the chair opposite him, and asked, "Is everything okay, Uncle?"My uncle cleared his throat and said, "Everything is fine, my son, but there are things I need to tell you before explaining why I called you here." He looked at me, paused for a moment, and continued.

"Two decades ago, King Vijaya of the Uttara Kingdom and I were good friends. Together, through our friendship, we brought prosperity and happiness to both our kingdoms. What you see in our lands today is a result of that bond. Because of this, we decided to strengthen our alliance further—beyond mere friendship. So, we agreed that his younger brother, Kashya, and my younger sister, Dharunya, would marry."

My heart raced with excitement, thinking I had finally learned who my father was, but then it came to me, in shock. My eyes widened as I said, "Wait, are you saying my father was the younger brother of our enemy kingdom's king?"

My uncle smiled sadly. "Yes, Lord Kashya was your father. But before you were born, he was killed. To this day, no one knows what happened that night except for your father and mother. When Vijaya discovered Kashya's body, he confronted your mother. But no matter what he did, she refused to say a word. So, he imprisoned her my little sister while she was pregnant with you."

"When I learned of this, I went to Uttara and demanded Vijaya release her. He refused, and in that moment, I declared war on the Uttara Kingdom."A boulder hit my excitement as he said that. I didn't even have a father anymore, and he was from the enemy's kingdom. "So, the war that turned our kingdoms into enemies started because of my parents?" I asked, processing the revelation, unable to believe what I was hearing.

My uncle nodded solemnly. "Yes. That's how the first war between our kingdoms began. Nine months into the war, there was no sign of either side backing down. Meanwhile, you were born. It was then that my sister requested a meeting between Vijaya and me on the battlefield. We both agreed. That was the first time I saw your mother in months, though I never imagined it would be the last..." "What happened?" I asked, a sudden heaviness settling in my chest.

My uncle patted my shoulder and continued. "Your mother came to us, desperate to end the war. She begged us to stop, but we wouldn't listen. Then she suggested a truce, saying, 'Because of our wedding, our kingdoms became enemies. Here is my son. His name is Adithya. Brother… he will marry the first child born to King Vijaya's first wife. Let both kingdoms remember: if anyone tries to prevent this marriage, both lands will face destruction.'

"Oh, my god…" I muttered, the weight of her words sinking in. My own mother made me go through this without considering I was just a child. "So, you're saying I'm supposed to marry someone from our enemy's kingdom? Is that what this is about"

"Yes, my son," my uncle replied gently. "But there's more. According to your mother's wishes, you are to marry the first born to King Vijaya's first wife. Tomorrow, you will meet your fiancé"

I was stunned, unable to speak. After a long silence, I finally asked, "Can you at least tell me who I am going to marry?"My uncle cleared his throat nervously. "The thing is… King Vijaya's first wife's first born is a boy. Your fiancé is Crown Prince Abhimanya."

My heart sank further. Why did today have to be full of such shocks? I knew same-sex marriages were common in the Uttara Kingdom, but not here. I didn't know what to say. Lost for words, I muttered, "Oh, okay," and left the room, his words ringing through my head. How am I supposed to marry someone I've never met? Why should I even marry him in the first place?