Prologue

By the sound of thunder and the brightness of lightning, it was obvious to Deviyani Laxmi Singh Raizada that this storm was truly the worst storm of the season yet. It was definitely a fierce one, and it didn't help her quivering heart. Ever since the day began, something was off for the 50 year old woman. Then again something had always been off for her.

In their town, men were the dominants of the land. Her late husband had once been The Lord of the Land, her eldest son taking over after him. Deviyani had tried her best to raise her three sons well, but the environment around them didn't help her sons keep all of those values.

Women hardly had any value in their land. Many saw women as just a breeder, even some of the women themselves! As soon as a girl had bled, her father would immediately look for a suitor, hoping for a wealthy man with no care of his age.

Deviyani Laxmi Vardhan was a simple villager before she had become a Raizada. Like the other fathers, her father, too, had looked for a suitor. Never had she nor her parents had ever thought that the Lord of the Land's son would be their suitor.

Deviyani still remembered it like it was yesterday. She was only 12 and she couldn't believe that she had truly become a woman. She was the first one of her friends to do so, and she couldn't help but to brag about it to them. While her friends pouted with jealousy, wanting to become a mature adult as well, Deviyani was too giddy, laughing and beaming with joy. Only, her friends' pouting didn't help to keep her mood, so as they walked by the river, Deviyani splashed water at them. They began a water fight, all of them in the river, when they heard boys laughing. All of the girls were shocked and frozen still as they stared back at Aditya Singh Raizada and his friends. As the girls remained in shock, Aditya had focused only on Deviyani. He simply asked for her full name and left, taking his friends with him.

And that was all it took - one encounter and her name. Aditya's father tracked down Deviyani's father and told him that Deviyani would become a Raizada bahu. Of course her father agreed; after all, who would dare to deny the Lord of the Land?

And so at the mere age of 12, Deviyani got married, becoming a Raizada. And not even one year after that, she gave birth to her eldest son, Aryan Singh Raizada.

It was hard, needless to say, to raise a child when she too, was just a child herself. Having three in total was no help either. But she tried, trying to raise them in a good manner, but her boys were just like the other boys in town.

"Ma?"

Deviyani snapped out of her reverie and looked at the 37 year old woman beside her.

"Is something wrong," Deviyani's daughter in law, Shalini, asked.

Thunder struck again and both women looked out the grand window.

"I don't know," Deviyani replied.

Lightning flashed, brightening the dark hall.

"We should step away and go elsewhere," Shalini said as she stepped away from the window.

Deviyani smiled. "Nothing scares me anymore dear."

"But Ma-"

Thunder struck once more and lightning struck again, brightening Deviyani's face. The woman stood still, even as thunder rolled on once more.

Light flashed once more, only this wasn't from lightening. Down below, Deviyani watched as a black Rolls Royce pulled up.

"Hmm...."

Deviyani walked away and Shalini followed behind. They walked through the dark, vast mansion, passing several portraits which portrayed the Raizada ancestors. One after another passed as the two women walked, having seen them so many times before.

As Deviyani approached the top of the stairs, she saw her other two daughter in laws appear. They glanced at her, then looked down at their husbands below. Deviyani turned her gaze as well, looking down at the three drunk men who were her sons. She cleared her throat and the three men paused and straightened.

"I believe there were six of you that had left," she simply said.

Aryan stepped forward, clearing his throat. "The boys wanted to continue to celebrate," the 38 year old explained.

"Hmm... and it seems as if the three of you felt the need to celebrate like them as well."

It was a statement, so the men didn't respond. Although they weren't exactly what their mother had wanted, they listened to her, following her words.

"Shalini, Amoli, Navya - help them to your rooms."

Her three daughter in laws nodded and did as she had said. The men said nothing and let their wives help them. However once they were some distance away, Deviyani saw her sons release themselves from their wives and attempt to walk on their own, being the true stubborn men they were.

The clock struck, notifying that it was 12 AM. With a sigh, Deviyani went down and into the family room, seating herself before the fireplace. Her three grandsons would be out late once again. And once again her hopes of making her boys good men, had failed. Her eldest grandson, Arnav Singh Raizada, was nothing more than a stubborn and arrogant 22 year old man with a bad temper. The second oldest grandson, Akash Singh Raizada, was a sweet talker at 20, his sweet and innocent looks being very deceptive, as he was far from it. As for the youngest grandson, he was just another careless 18 year old, Nand Kishore Raizada nowhere near as good as his name would claim.

If there was something she was successful at in these three, however, then it was having them not get married at such a young age as their ancestors had done before. She wanted them to live their youth off, especially the poor girls they were destined to be with.

Thunder struck once more, however for the first time ever in her life, it had scared her. Deviyani's head snapped to the window as her heart beat rapidly.

"A new beginning."