The melancholic light of the afternoon filtered through the casements of Junagarh Palace, falling upon Prabhasha's sorrowful face. She sat alone on the couch in her room, contemplating her strange destiny. She wondered if she would ever find a true place to call home. She thought, "Should I return to my biological mother, Sushila? But no! That mother is also wretched. I haven't forgotten those days when I was hungry, and instead of giving me a morsel of food, she was busy satisfying her own hunger. It makes me loathe myself to think that the blood of a woman who could hideously insult Mother Arohi and drag her by the hair flows in my veins. No, if necessary, I will live as a beggar on the streets after leaving this palace, but I will never return to that vile Sushila."
Just then, Snigdha pushed open the door and entered. The mark of arrogance was still evident on her face. In a disdainful tone, she said, "So? Sitting alone and muttering to yourself? Hatching some wicked plan against me, are you?"
Prabhasha said dejectedly, "No, Didi, why would I think about you? I am thinking about my own fate."
Snigdha gave a mocking laugh and said, "Good, you've gone half-mad lately anyway. Regardless, I have no desire to provoke you right now. I've come to ask you one thing clearly—daughter of a rival!"
Hearing the term 'daughter of a rival,' Prabhasha felt as if salt had been rubbed into her wounds. She said with a hint of anger, "Didi, why do you repeatedly insult me by calling me the daughter of a rival? I am not your rival's daughter. Mother Arohi and Mother Sushila might be rivals, but I am your sister. Why do you use such a hideous term for me?"
Snigdha paused for a moment. She thought, "Yes, she's right. Why am I calling her that? Actually, if anyone else enters Rupanjan's life, I won't be able to tolerate them. Anyone else having a right over my Rupanjan would mean she is my rival. God knows why those words are coming out of my mouth!" Composing herself, Snigdha spoke in a soft, almost affectionate tone, "Fine, let's forget that. I said it in the heat of the moment. Listen, Prabha, I came to find out something. You said I go out at noon to meet someone, that I do 'filthy work'—what do you actually know? Tell me the truth."
Prabhasha was an extremely simple girl. Seeing her sister's softened tone, she melted. She said calmly, "Didi, to tell you the truth, I know nothing. I haven't seen where you go or who you meet. I said that in anger just to scare Brother and to save myself. I shouldn't have questioned your character like that, Didi; please forgive me. I don't want to fight with you anymore. Will you leave my room now, or should I leave?"
Snigdha felt an immense sense of relief. She thought, "Thank goodness! So Prabhasha still knows nothing about Rupanjan. It was all just her guesswork." Putting on a faint smile, she said, "No, no, you don't have to go anywhere. I'm leaving. You take rest."
Meanwhile, Prafulla felt it was his duty to protest against this injustice. He went straight to Snigdha's room. Snigdha was standing before the mirror, fixing her hair as if nothing had happened.
As soon as Prafulla entered, he said in a grave voice, "Snigdha, you have crossed all limits! I've heard everything from the guards. How you dragged Prabhasha by her hair, how you made her lip bleed, and how you broke the ivory comb and jewelry given to her by Mother Arohi—can any sane person do this?"
Without taking her eyes off the mirror, Snigdha said dismissively, "The guards are talking too much, I see. Drop it, Brother!"
Prafulla screamed, "Drop it? A while ago, without thinking of both sides, I supported you and scolded her—that was the biggest mistake of my life. I should have realized earlier that you have no interest in royal duties lately. Everything Prabha said about where you go and what you do at noon—now it seems all of it is true! You are definitely hiding something."
Snigdha turned around with lightning speed. Her eyes were like burning coals. Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Speak! Have you come to advocate for that rival's daughter again? Who is she to you, Prafulla? Why is your sympathy overflowing for her? Are you insulting me, your own twin sister, based on that venomous girl's words?"
Prafulla was losing his cool. In a trembling voice, he said, "Why won't you understand, Snigdha? She is our little sister! The beloved little sister we used to protect like the apple of our eye. I don't know what demon has possessed you lately! Why are you behaving like a maniac with all of us? Your ego and jealousy have blinded you."
Snigdha hurled a vase from the table onto the floor. She screamed, "She is NOT my sister! There is a defect in her blood, which is why she can accuse me of being characterless. And you believe that? Get out of here! Go to her!"
Prafulla turned his face away in disgust. He said steadily, "Truly, Snigdha, talking to you is like banging one's head against a wall. It's useless to speak with you! I never dreamed you could be so cruel."
Prafulla did not stay there for another second. As he left the room, a mountain of resentment built up in his heart. Snigdha might be his own sister, but seeing her behavior today, Prafulla felt as if this girl had become an unknown monster. Inside the room, Snigdha was trembling with rage, tearing off her bangles and slamming them onto the floor. To her, it felt as if this palace, Prafulla, and Prabhasha—everyone had become enemies of her love.
Shortly after Snigdha left, Prafulla entered Prabhasha's room. The mark of guilt was clear on his face. He approached Prabhasha and said in a low voice, "Prabha, forgive me, sister. I've heard everything from the guards. What Snigdha did to you is inhuman. She dragged you by the hair, broke your comb, and even drew blood—after hearing this, I cannot forgive myself. I scolded you after hearing only one side; I threatened to throw you out of the palace. I have truly made a great mistake, sister."
Prabhasha looked at her brother in surprise. Prafulla added, "I don't understand what has gotten into Snigdha. she has no interest in royal affairs. I must uncover the mystery of where she goes every afternoon. You were probably right, Prabha. I must bring justice for the way she is torturing our little sister."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Prabhasha gripped her brother's hands. She said, "No, no, Brother, don't feel bad. You said those things under the pressure of the situation. Even if my Didi hates me, my Brother loves me. That is enough for me to stay in this palace." Prafulla embraced his sister and calmed her. He saw that Prabhasha's wounds were still red. He asked, "Have you applied medicine, sister? And have you eaten anything?" Prabhasha nodded, indicating she had eaten.
As Prafulla was heading toward his room, an old memory of something Snigdha once said flashed in his mind. Snigdha had once told Prafulla that she loved someone named 'Rupanjan.' Prafulla wondered, "Does Snigdha go to meet that Rupanjan? Should I tell Prabhasha about this now? No, no, she is in a lot of pain; it won't be right to throw her into a new turmoil. Let her sleep in peace for now."
Prafulla went to his room. Meanwhile, lying alone in her room, Prabhasha thought, "At least Brother understands me, no matter how much Didi insults me. I can survive in this palace with my head held high, fueled by Prafulla Brother's love."
In that dark night at Junagarh Palace, while the bitterness between the two sisters remained, the brother's selfless love brought peace to Prabhasha's mind like a shower of rain. But no one knew what kind of storm the seed of doubt sown in Prafulla's mind would bring in the coming days.