Chapter 8: Announcement:
Yuvaraja Abhinav's POV:
"It is time for you to marry," says Father.
"But Father, last night at the festival I met the one I must marry. I just don't know who she is. We have to find her, " I said. I pulled the tiny anklet from my pocket. "I will marry the owner of this anklet and no one else."
Father then called forth messengers. He told them to go to every village. "Have all the young maidens try on the anklet. The girl who can fit her foot through it will become the bride of the Crown Prince."
"I just want to say again," I said, "except Strange Shreya!"
Cinduri's POV:
"The Prince will be in our village this very afternoon," says Stepmother, "Lata, you must make the anklet fit you, then the Prince will marry you. That is what the King has said!"
"May I please come with you and try on the anklet, too," I asked.
"You," asks Stepmother, "oh, no. Lata and I will go first. You can come later, if you finish all your work."
. . .
I began my chores and felt hopeless. There was so much to do. By the time I finished, the Prince will be gone. He would move on to the next town, trying the anklet on every young woman. And I would never get to tell him how much I loved him."
To Be Continued
In the next chapter, Cinduri gets going.