Lotus among the Roses

Ketki's Words

" Maids, bring some good snacks and drinks for us. Today I shall talk all smack about everyone in the capital, and entertain my sister." Ketki ordered in a cheerful manner.

Kumud who had paled, had recovered much after a few moments, burst out laughing at Ketki's enthusiasm about gossip.

In no time, they were in the new Rose Garden. Vibrant and fragrant roses bloomed, as bees buzzed around. Both the sisters were engrossed in their gossip,

Intermittent sounds of their incessant laughter resounded, creating an environment of joy and happiness. Slowly, their topics moved to the darker, heavier happenings in the capital. Like, how several family members of Triveni family had died, with no apparent reason, and then how the Amravati Raja's daughter tried to seduce the Crown Prince, who ordered her to be beheaded in a fit of anger.

As they talked, a hushed whisper passed between them, carrying with it the weight of unspoken gossip and scandal. "Did you hear about the latest scandal at Devendra's household?" Ketki murmured, her voice tinged with disdain as she carefully handed a piece of Kesari Laddu to Kumud's hands.

 "It seems his wife met with a tragic end, along with their son, yet he scarcely spared them a moment's thought, too consumed by his affair with that woman-Abeera, was it?"

Kumud's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of Devendra and Abeera, a flicker of disdain crossing her features as she listened to Ketki's words. Though she knew little of the intricacies of their tangled web of deceit and betrayal, the mere mention of their names stirred a sense of unease within her-a visceral reaction born from the depths of her soul, where the memories of her past life as Padmini l ay dormant and unspoken.

"I have heard whispers of such things," Kumud replied coolly, her voice betraying none of the turmoil raging within her. "It is a tragedy indeed, to see such disregard for honor and duty. But let us not dwell on the misfortunes of others. We have our own joys to celebrate today."

"You know, Didi , I was thinking about Padmini today," she began, her words carrying a tinge of nostalgia. Ketki let out a soft sigh, her gaze drifting towards the moonlit sky. "I miss her, you know? Padmini was always so full of life, so vibrant and spirited," she mused, her voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness. "It's hard to believe she's gone."

" I never got to meet her you know Didi, but I remember you saying that she looked like a woman of integrity, when you had met her seven years ago. Ah! How I wish to meet her!" Ketki said, her gaze full of longing.

Ketki's words had unlocked a new set of memories of the previous Kumud, which she tried to shake off, as it only brought pain and helplessness.

But even as Kumud sought to banish the memories of her past, Ketki's words lingered in the air like an ominous cloud, casting a pall over the room. "It's truly tragic, isn't it? How Abeera wove her way into Devendra's heart like a serpent, poisoning everything in her wake," Ketki continued, her voice heavy with sorrow.

"I remember when Padmini first introduced Abeera to the court. She seemed like a harmless flower, but little did we know the thorns that lurked beneath her beauty."

Kumud's breath caught in her throat at the mention of Padmini's name, her heart aching with the weight of unresolved grief, the mention of her name stirred something deep within her-a flicker of irreconcilable anger, that tugged at the edges of her consciousness.

"Abeera was like a shadow, always lurking at the edges of Padmini's life, waiting for the opportunity to strike," Ketki continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "And when she did, it was with a venomous bite that left Padmini's world in ruins."

As Ketki spoke, the room seemed to grow darker, the air thick with the weight of unspoken sorrow. Kumud's hands trembled slightly as she reached for the necklace around her neck, the pearls cool against her skin as she clutched them tightly in her grasp.