Evening Of Score

Chapter 3

After a long and tiring day at the palace, Shilpika returned home just at the time of sun set. She breathed a sigh of relief as she reached home. On her way, she hardly found any woman and the gazes of the men around scared her to core.

"Thank god you are back. I started to worry when you didn't come back." Her mother hugged her and sighed im relief, all the tension leaving her body.

"How was your day?" Shilpika's mother asked breaking the hug.

"It was long, tiresome. Queen lost her child." She informed her mother with pity on her face.

"Hey narayan, again? This curse is really proving to be a disaster." Her mother shook her head.

"I know. Poor queen was so upset and frustrated. She was snapping at everyone even more today. Not that we mind. She is going through a rough patch so her behavior is understandable." Shilpika stretched her arms and began working on the night's meal.

During the entire meal, the mother and daughter shared all the events of their respective day. After the meal, Shilpika made her mother's bed and helped her on the bed.

"Amma, you sleep. I'll stay awake to spot any danger today." It was a ritual that they followed that one of them would stay awake to hear any kind of disturbance ourside as they lived on the outskirts of the kingdom. Though they had street dogs who were just like their family, they were too scared to sleep through the night without any worries.

"You will guard? Have you ever harmed an ant?" Her mother laughed making Shilpika sulk like a kid.

"Amma, sleep." She said in a stern voice making her mother sigh. 

"Fine my mother hen." Shilpika smiled as she saw her mother dozing off to sleep.

"I can't wait to see you get married." Her mother teased with closed eyes after a few minutes knowing how her daughter hated this topic.

"Amma!" Shilpika scolded her mother who chuckled in return.

"Fine! I'm off to sleep my little mother." Shilpika chuckled at the name her mother gave her before continuing knitting her sweater.

***

Padmini entered her room after a long day. She gasped in surprise as she saw her husband sprawled on the huge bed with a glass of wine in his hand. She smirked realizing that it was one of those days when he changed women. After every six months, he changed girls if they were not pregnant. Today was one of those days and she was proud that he decided to spend the night with her.

Discarding her jewelry and her drape, letting her black luscious hair down on one side of her shoulder, she walked to her husband seductively.

"What did I deserve to have the mighty king in my bed today?" She asked keeping a hand on his chest.

"Do I need a reason to come to my wife?" He asked in a rough tone.

"Of course not maharaj. Pardon me, I'm just too happy to see you here." She said while refilling his empty glass of wine.

"What made you so worked up in the court today?" He asked while his hands roamed lazily on her bare back, playing with the loose knot of her uttariya.

Padmini gritted her teeth as she recalled the court session. She hated Vasundhara from the depth of her heart. She always got what she wanted. Even after being the queen, she thought that Vasundhara overpowered her in every sense be it beauty, intelligence or being in the good books of her husband. It was not like he never listened to her but she hated that Vasundhara's opinion mattered to him.

"How can I not get angry? A mere king of a filthy kingdom had the audacity to insult my king. If it were in my hands" she trailed her finger seductively down his face before continuing.

"I would cut his head into pieces and put them under your feet, your highness." She spoke while kissing her way down his neck and chest.

The glass of wine made a clattering sound as it made contact with the exquisite marble floors. The queen gasped as her husband turned her around, now him lying on top of her.

"This fire of yours is what attracts me the most darling." He whispered in a low and raspy voice while sniffling her hair that smelled of jasmine and lavender oil.

His rough hands moved all over her soft stature as he made rough love to her. The queen, however tried to think of all scenarios to get her position back and somehow remove the obstacle named Vasundhara from her life.

A

t midnight, Advait woke up from his slumber. He glanced sideways at his wife, wrapped in fine silk sheets. Sighing, he moved out of the bed, into the living room of the chamber.

In the royal quarters of women, only the king was allowed and no other male could enter. The whole place was surrounded by female guards. The place had just two male guards om the main entrance - Mukund and Madhav.

They were the most trusted guards of Advait and were responsible for patrolling and taking care of who enters the quarters of the royal women.

"Speak" Advait ordered Madhav while he puffed out smoke from the hukkah.

"The girl's name is Shilpika, age nineteen. She lives with her widowed mother on the outskirts of the city. Her only brother, elder, works in the army so stays out the whole time. It's her mother who works for the queen mother but since she is sick since a few days, Shilpika is working on her place."

"Why did she enter the royal palace for the women? Mother lives in her own palace in the temple premises." Advait voiced his doubt.

"Your highness, because Queen Ambika was pregnant, queen mother ordered Shilpika to take care of her." Advait hummed in response.

"This also explains why a mother allowed her only, young daughter in this palace. She's herself unaware about it."

"Yes your highness."

"Any relationships?"

"No sir. She's not seen with the opposite gender." Advait sighed.

"A virgin means more chances of getting pregnant. Perfect." Advait dismissed the guard who left after bowing his head.

Leaning his head on the high chair, he thought about the young girl that he laid eyes on with a new ray of hope shining in his eyes that maybe this time he will win over the curse.