Dia, her 37-year-old cousin, giggles mischievously, a playful glint in her eye as she teases, “You marked her by applying sindoor, now, Rudra Rawat, it’s your turn to be marked by her.”

Without hesitation, Rudra drops to his knees, the motion slow and deliberate, exuding a sense of reverence that borders on obsession. The room descends into a stunned silence, all eyes drawn to the sight of the formidable king bowing without an ounce of hesitation.