Chapter 9: Whispers of the Past

Satya traced his fingers over the name in the old book—Meera Rathore. He whispered it under his breath, as if saying it aloud would bring her closer. The portrait stared back at him, eerily similar to the girl in his dreams and sketches.

She was real. She had lived.

But there was barely anything written about her.

Most noble families had detailed records—achievements, land ownership, marriages—but the Rathores were different. Their history was fragmented, almost erased.

Satya scanned the pages, flipping through brittle paper, hoping to find more.

Then, a short entry caught his eye.

"The Rathore family of this era was known for its secrecy. Unlike other royal families, they rarely engaged in politics or public matters. The head of the family, Virendra Singh Rathore, was a man of strict discipline and upheld traditional values. He was known to be particularly wary of outsiders, especially commoners."

Satya's grip on the book tightened.

It wasn't much, but it explained why Meera's past seemed hidden. If her family stayed away from the public eye, it meant fewer records, fewer stories passed down.

But something about the way the entry described Virendra Singh made Satya uneasy.

A nobleman who didn't trust commoners.

And yet, Satya's dream—his memories—showed him fastening an anklet around Meera's ankle, in an intimate, quiet moment.

If her family was so strict, how had they known each other?

Were we not supposed to be together?

A Fading Trail

Satya shut the book, his mind racing. He needed more than old records. He needed something tangible, something real.

He returned to the old jeweler, showing him the name. The old man's eyes darkened.

"The Rathores?" he muttered. "Ah… not many talk about them anymore. They weren't like the other royal families. They kept to themselves, and when their era ended, it was as if they vanished."

Satya frowned. "Do you know anything about Meera Rathore?"

The jeweler shook his head. "I only know rumors. Some say the family's legacy ended in tragedy, but no one knows for sure."

Satya's heart clenched. Tragedy.

Had something terrible happened to them? To her?

He had to find out.

As he turned to leave, the jeweler hesitated before speaking again.

"If you really want answers… find the old Rathore estate. It's abandoned now, but if the past is calling you, that's where you'll hear it loudest."

Satya's breath caught.

An abandoned estate. A place tied to Meera's life.

A place where echoes of the past might still linger.

And maybe—just maybe—where fate would lead him to her once again.