The light of the chandeliers in the Junagarh palace seemed a bit paler today. In Snigdha's mind, there was no longer any room for Rupanjan's ordinary face; instead, there was only the fairytale of that foreign prince. The next morning, Snigdha's cunning friends surrounded her again, their voices filled only with praise for the prince. One of them winked and said, "That prince is coming to a secret gathering this evening. Won't you meet him, Snigdha? You've never seen such beauty and nobility before." Under the pressure of her friends' words and her own growing curiosity, Snigdha agreed instantly.
When Snigdha arrived at the secret gathering in the evening, the atmosphere was magical and enchanting. When she finally stood face-to-face with the prince, she was truly dazzled. The prince was exquisitely handsome, and his voice was like honey. But behind that beauty hid a demonic devil, something Snigdha lacked the capacity to realize. When the prince looked at Snigdha, his eyes held no love, but rather a foul lust. He smiled inwardly, thinking, "The Princess of Junagarh is quite a firecracker! I can have some fun with her for a while. I'll just plunder her body and honor, and then toss her into the gutter."
The prince began his act of love very skillfully. He showered Snigdha with such compliments that she became completely captivated by him. She thought he might be the finest man of her life. During their conversation, the prince took Snigdha's hand in his and said, "Princess, I am a prisoner to the magic of your beauty. I can do anything for you." Snigdha swallowed the poisonous bait. She had no idea that this prince viewed her merely as an object to satisfy his physical lust.
After returning from the gathering, Snigdha's life became filled with strange deceptions. Now, whenever she thought of Rupanjan, she felt nothing but irritation. Whenever Rupanjan sent word to meet her or waited by the riverbank, Snigdha would give some excuse or the other every time. One day, Rupanjan sent a message: "Snigdha, will you come for a moment this afternoon? I haven't seen your face in many days." Lying on her bed and laughing with her friends, Snigdha sent back a reply: "I don't feel well at all today, Rupanjan; my head is spinning. I won't be able to go today."
On the other side, Rupanjan was worried sick. He thought his princess was truly very ill. He became restless, wondering whether he should inform the palace physician. But he didn't know that his Snigdha was busy exchanging letters with that foreign prince. This drama Snigdha had started with Rupanjan was moving toward an ugly situation day by day. Whatever respect she had for Rupanjan had now vanished like a mirage. Snigdha was now only looking for opportunities to get closer to that prince.
Snigdha cannot even imagine how horrific the final consequence of this game of lust starting within the Junagarh palace could be. She is mistaking infatuation and lust for love. On the other hand, Rupanjan, with his devoted love and loyalty, is heading toward a dark abyss. The breaking of trust and the ugly plans hidden behind beauty—altogether, the clouds of a devastating Nor'wester storm have begun to gather in the sky of Junagarh.