The dawn light had not yet fully bloomed upon the spires of the Junagarh palace. Prabhasha hadn't been able to close her eyes all night. The scene by the river from the previous day and the blurry reflection in the magic mirror were gnawing at her soul. It felt as if all the poison of the world had solidified within her chest. Just then, Snigdha entered the room, the sweet tinkling of her anklets filling the air. There was a strange radiance in her eyes today, as if the pure joy of an autumn sky was overflowing.
Snigdha came and sat straight on Prabhasha's couch, taking her sister's hands in hers, and said in an excited tone, "Do you know, sister? Yesterday was one of the greatest days of my life. At twilight, I went to meet my Rupanjan. I can't describe to you how magical that time by the riverbank was. My heart is overflowing with happiness today!"
Prabhasha's body shuddered. The name 'Rupanjan' pierced her ears like molten lead. Yet, suppressing an unknown terror rising from the depths of her mind, she pretended to be normal. Prabhasha asked with a pale smile, "Mother and Father have gone on a trade journey for six months, so why are you so happy, Didi?"
Snigdha laughed shyly and said, "Why shouldn't I be happy? Rupanjan has promised me he will stay by my side for a lifetime. I've decided that as soon as Mother and Father return, I will tell them everything. I believe Father and Mother Arohi will surely respect our five years of love. Then we will have a grand wedding. I can't even imagine it, Prabha—Rupanjan and I will become one forever!"
No other words reached Prabhasha's ears now. Only one phrase was hammering in her head—'Five years of love.' She had known 'Rup' for only a few months, and her sister had loved him for five years? Did that mean her sister was the enchantress? No, it couldn't be. Prabhasha inwardly wished for her suspicion to be false. She asked, feigning ignorance in a trembling voice, "Who are you talking about, Didi? Which Rupanjan? Where does he live? I'm not quite following..."
Snigdha was a bit surprised, then burst into a peal of laughter. Giving her sister a playful tap on the cheek, she said, "Stop acting so innocent now, sister! Are you pretending not to understand even though you know everything? You don't know Rupanjan? He is the man I love, my very life. I see you're becoming quite the prankster lately—teasing your elder sister, are we? You understand everything; you're just saying this to annoy me a little. Anyway, mischief is fine, but not too much!" With that, Snigdha danced out of the room, never noticing that her sister's face had turned as pale as ash.
Prabhasha sat there, turned to stone. It felt as if the palace roof was collapsing on her. Was the person Didi was talking about the same as her 'Rup'? If so, why didn't Rupanjan mention Didi even once? And why didn't Didi tell her everything clearly before? She felt as if everyone was deceiving her. Her simple-hearted love had become a joke to them.
All day, Prabhasha spoke to no one. Food arrived but lay there getting cold. Prafulla came to call her twice, but she turned him away with the excuse of a headache. The sunlight faded, and darkness descended. But the darkness in Prabhasha's mind was even denser. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She knew the solution to this truth wouldn't be found inside the palace. Those who know Rupanjan's true identity and his life best are the ones who were once very close to him—her sister Snigdha's friends, who are now rotting in the dark prison for treason or other crimes.
Prabhasha muttered, "Yes, I will know everything once I go to them. They keep all the news of Didi. They must know who Rupanjan really is and exactly how involved he is with her." She stood up immediately to head to the prison, but looking out the window, she saw that the night was very deep. The palace guards were extra vigilant now. Since Mother Arohi and Father Aditya were away, Prafulla had left no gap in the palace security.
Regaining her composure, she thought, "Going now might be dangerous. If the guards inform Brother Prafulla, everything will be exposed. It's better to go in disguise at dawn, when the guards are a bit drowsy and the sky is clearer. I must hear the truth from the mouths of Didi's friends."
That night, Prabhasha couldn't sleep at all. Tossing and turning in bed, she only thought—if Rupanjan is truly Didi's lover, what will she do? On one side was her beloved sister, and on the other, her first love. Wiping her tears in anticipation of the first light of morning, she noticed that there was no longer any tenderness in the corners of her eyes; there was only the fire of vengeance.