Dark Knight [A Wattpad Featured Story]

Chapter 13: Old Wounds and New (Part 1)

SHIKHAR MAHAL, SHIKHARPUR   

"Keerti!" Vijaya's voice was sharp with suppressed censure, jolting Keerti out of the soporific daydreaming she had been indulging in. "Your mother in law asked you a question, Keerti. Where is your attention?"

Keerti flushed, but Suchitra and Padmavati both smiled at her benignly, in contrast to her unsparing mother. Suchitra laughingly dismissed the lapse, and Keerti tried to cover up, although her mind remained preoccupied. If her mother knew the exact recollections she had drifted into, she would be even more furious; her own rather puritanical nature would balk at what she would deem an unbecoming focus on a necessary element of a marital relationship, but nothing to make one starry eyed. However, Keerti was uncaring. Her innermost thoughts were her own and she would guard them fiercely. No one could dilute her happiness at not only marrying her beloved prince, but also the pleasure she had found with him. Keerti's mind diverged to the memories of sleeping and waking next to Raunak, discounting their relative awkwardness, which she told herself was entirely expected given the newness of their relationship. What was important was that Raunak had fully accepted her as his wife in every sense of the word, and with him she was able to bury her gnawing feelings of guilt about what she had done to obtain what she now had. The fear for Siya and her fate still ate at her, and she spent each day vacillating between that, and the inherently selfish part of her that rejoiced in reaping the benefits of her base and poisonous labour. She shifted uncomfortably as these inconvenient thoughts resurfaced, earning her another sharp glance from her discerning mother.

Just then, Surekha scampered in with a flurry of heavy skirts, wringing her hands in agitation as she called for Suchitra in shrill tones. Suchitra's only betrayal of concern was a slight widening of her eyes, but her tone as she addressed her high-strung sister-in-law was collected as ever.

"Whatever is the matter, Surekha? What is wrong?"

"Jiji, I am sorry to interrupt but you must come at once. That woman is here! And she is making a ruckus; she managed to come in somehow but the interior guards won't let her in much further and she says she won't go until she sees Bhai Saa and if not him, she is asking for your brother-in-law. She is talking loudly about Aaryan and ..."

"Surekha! Stop babbling for a second. Whom are you talking about?"

Suchitra shot an exasperated look at her confounded sister in law. All her years of stringent influence had not curbed the impetuosity that ran deep in Surekha's veins. Suchitra often wondered if Surekha was really as giddy as she appeared, but at such times, there seemed little doubt. She could have taken Suchitra aside, no matter how urgent the summons. They were in company and Suchitra knew that whatever it was, and it was clearly not good, must be discussed before the Udawat females, as to seek privacy now would be to insult their new relatives with the implication that they were not in their inner circle of trust. Sighing, she focused on Surekha.

"Jiji, that woman. Oh God, how do I even say her name to you? Oh, whatever, I have no time, you must stop her. Kalavati is here! She wants to see Bhai Saa."

The name landed like a slap on Suchitra's face. Her cheeks first turned bright red, before paling to the colour of the marble pillars in her majestic chamber. She stiffened, her brain working furiously, noting that the other three ladies watched her and Surekha in bewilderment. Suchitra knew she did not have time to digress. Struggling to control the very slight tremor in her voice, she spoke very deliberately.

"Ah, so SHE is here, is she? She wants to see the Rana? Well, today she will have to contend with his queen instead. Surekha, please be calm, you are needlessly fretting. She wants an audience and we must grant it."