Shefali looked at the maid amid shock and confusion.
She had heard of the stories about Eshant's marriage and how badly it broke off but she never expected to ever see the much talked Dharmini.
"Why is she here all of a sudden?"
Shefali turned to Ekta, horror in her eyes.
She was scared of something she could not afford to lose.
"Don't worry. Let's just hear what's the matter"
Ekta said tightly holding Shefali's shoulders.
Shefali nodded containing herself.
The maid left in a hurry to possibly call everyone else.
Shefali walked out into the corridor not caring to do her hair or put the odhna over her head.
Her hands were turning cold and a certain kind of sickness started arising from her gut.
"Are you alright?"
Ekta asked when Shefali stopped midway down the stairs holding the support to the side.
"Nothing, my head spun slightly"
Shefali whispered back.
"Don't panic. We are here alright? God knows what are they again upto after making a joke of our family years ago."
Ekta said even when she was not born back then to have experienced that, the stories she had heard from Aai were ridiculous.
Shefali walked down after taking a deep breath.
Whatever awaits me, will not get the upper hand. Not this time... She was determined.
The soldiers walked behind the two women after bowing down, in case they needed them ahead.
The air was drowsy and the sky was a cloudy mess.
The distant sound of trees moving with the fierce wind hovered over the huge land.
The iron gates were closed and behind that, stood a bizarrely dressed young woman, older than Shefali, with rushingly tangled hair.
"Open the gates"
She demanded.
This time around, the soldiers did not question back.
The sun had just ascended over the sky yet the people of the brothel and the maids had started tip-toeing to see the massacre was about to take place in no time.
The gates opened on both sides making an audible noise.
Shefali was not expecting to see her standing here alone. Especially not looking so bizarre. As if she had run away with whatever she could grasp around her.
"Who are you?"
Shefali asked to recheck.
Without saying anything, Dharmini walked forward aiming for her feet but the soldiers stopped her halfway.
"Speak"
The guard shouted.
The girl protested in their hard grip.
"Leave her aside"
Shefali said not being able to contain herself anymore.
Who knew if she was even Dharmini? And in case she was Dharmini, she could be here for anything... Shefali justified her action in her mind.
"I- I am Dharmini"
She suppressed her sob and folded her palms together from where she stood.
"Why are you here? To criticize us again?"
YOU ARE READING
𝟏𝟓𝟐𝟗: 𝐀 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐣𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚| Indian Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 Ⅰ 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐉𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐈-𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 Shefali Roy had lost her parents in a pandemic when she was just one year old. That was the first time she was orphaned. The next time she was orphaned was when she was seventeen. The army of...
