Times Intertwining Destinies (On Hold)

4. Telling Lies

"That is a beautiful painting my dear sister" said loud voice sitting beside a very pretty young girl.

The owner of the voice obviously, a well built young youth obviously doted on his sister given the love exuding from his eyes.

"But bhratashri, I wish I had the new paint, the artists have recently invented. It would have added life to the painting."

He smiled at her. His little sister always had her way and he would ensure it remained like that.

"It is beautiful as it is dear" he said.

"Bhratashri, you will say that for anything I make."

"Alright, alright. You will have the new paints Dushala" he said patting his sister's head.

She grinned back at him. Her brother, the prince of Hastinapur, whom the world knew as one of the toughest warriors, aggressive and unpredictable, even for the wrong reasons was still the most adorable elder brother to her. He who would never bend in front of anyone else would even give up his life if need be for his one and only sister.

Suddenly there was a loud crash. Brother and sister turned around sharply. A young maid was standing near a smashed flowerpot having apparently caused its cause.

Dushala stared at it teary- eyed while Duryodhan strode towards her angrily. It was Dushala's favourite vase where she used to keep the flowers her flowers her brothers would bring to her turn-by-turn.

"I am sorry" she said softly, her head covered carefully with a thick duppata leaving not a single strand of hair to the eyes of others.

"What did you just do?" Duryodhan roared.

"You can see that" the maid muttered under her breathe immediately regretting.

"How dare you insult me!" he yelled, glaring at her unusually lean form "What can we do with you now?"

"Bhratashri" Dushala intervened placing herself between them "Let her be. She has been through a lot. I gave her a work under my protection."

"Oh" he said calming down "But what happened to you?"

"I can't say" she replied meekly, her gaze lowered.

"When the prince of Hastinapur asks you something, you are supposed to answer" Durodhan replied a bit impatiently.

"Don't be sacred of my brother, he can help you" Dushala said kindly.

"What is your name?" DUryodhan asked.

"I am Dhaarya" she said meekly.

"And how did you land yourself a job in the palace?"

"I came away from my home due to some reasons" she began her carefully rehearsed speech "I was travelling to Hastinapur having heard of its fame and was attacked on the way by some bandits. I was rescued by a couple also travelling towards Hastinapur and then Rajkumari Dushala was kind enough to take me in her retinue of servants."

She inhaled sharply. She didn't say complete untruths but she did hide some truths. Nandini Kaki and her niece, Kritika, living in Hastinapur had been so adamant that she keep her implausible story a secret. They were so afraid that she might be arrested as a spy or something of the manner. Well, she thought, they were right in a way.

"Can you describe those bandits? Duryodhan asked gravely.

'I could if there were any' she thought.

"I don't remember" she said instead.

"Do you remember the place where you were attacked?"

She shook her head.

"The couple who rescued you?"

"They were middle aged and their names were Shyam and Rupa" she lied, they had been insistent that she keep their identities a secret.

"Looks like I have to strengthen the policing of our borders" he muttered to himself, "People travelling should be safe-"

"Yes. Borders cannot be unguarded" Dhaarya interjected, turning up to face him, her eyes flashing, and almost immediately looking away.

'Why do I keep forgetting, I am supposed to act meek and mild' she thought biting her lips, pulling the duppata back to its place which had shifted slightly, revealing some of her curls.

A tiny, barely noticeable smile played on his lips. He always admired boldness in people and in women it was rare to find and all the more attractive.

"Hmm. I will take my leave for now, Dushala." he said, and then in a voice laced in sarcasm "I have to turn my dear cousin Yudhistira's intellectual head on matters more pertinent than 'Dharma'."

'Yes bhratshri" Dushala replied before turning back to Dhaarya. She smiled at her reassuringly.

Dharya returned the smile and then proceeded to clean the mess she had just created. At any rate, she needed to survive before she could do anything to find Preets and Shaks or return to her time, and for that she needed this job.