Veeresh had always observed things carefully, but tonight curiosity gnawed at him. Poornima—the princess with fire in her eyes, the woman who had just been declared his match—had layers he couldn’t quite penetrate. He waited until the palace was quiet and sent a discreet question to the maid who had been with Poornima all her life.

“Tell me about her,” he asked.

The maid hesitated for a heartbeat, then spoke with solemn honesty. “Sir… Poornima is not the real blood of the Mewar family. She is the daughter of your father, Rivaj Mewar Singh’s mistress. Her mother… she died giving birth to Poornima. And ever since, the family never loved her. Never treated her as their own.”

Veeresh’s jaw tightened, a shadow crossing his sharp features.

“She grew up with me, sir,” the maid continued, voice soft but steady. “From the day she was born until now. I’ve watched over her. She’s… kind, strong, brave, but with insecurities buried deep. She feels abandoned, sir—especially by her father, who never accepted her. And… she’s afraid of love. Afraid that anyone who claims to care will only hurt her, like her family did.”

Veeresh’s eyes darkened, a mix of anger and concern. “And her heart?”

“She… will give herself only to someone who can love her fully,” the maid said. “If you are able to give her love, respect, and honesty, then marry her. But if not… don’t. Don’t break her heart, sir. She is fragile in ways no one should take lightly. And she told me herself… even her birthday, when someone remembered her, made her feel happy. She is a good girl, strong, but always carrying the weight of being abandoned.”

Veeresh was silent for a long moment, staring into the flickering candlelight of the empty hallway. A quiet determination settled over him.

She is afraid, yes. Afraid of love. Afraid of being hurt. But I will not fail her. I will not let her feel abandoned again—not by me.

And in that silence, he promised himself—and perhaps, in some unspoken way, her too—that he would protect her heart, no matter how much the world tried to break it.