Parwati entered the palace kitchens, her footsteps echoing against the bustling ambiance of clanking pots and chopping knives. Though no stranger to the inner workings of a kitchen, this scene was unfamiliar—these weren't her usual surroundings, and the faces laboring here were strangers to her. As she stood, observing the organized chaos, her fingers unconsciously toyed with the delicate ring adorning her hand, a telltale sign of her nerves.

Interrupting her reverie, an older woman, her hair sprinkled with a dusting of white, approached with a curious yet authoritative air. "Who are you?" she inquired, her gaze scrutinizing Parwati's regal attire.