*** Vaishnavi ***
"Should I wear Purple or red?" I asked more to myself as I looked through the wardobe to choose my outfit before I could go for a bath. I was a little taken aback at the lack of response from Sruthi or the other women but continued anyway, "No, I cannot choose purple, Adi will certainly pull out my braid if I do that....so what if I...."
I stopped talking when a hand from behind suddenly closed my eyes. It is not hard to guess who it is as it is a man's hand and there is only one man who could come this close to me....but I decided to be a little...rebellious....
"Sruthi, is that you?" I asked touching his hand.
He took a step closer so that he is standing directly behind me.
"Do I sound like Sruthi?" he whispered.
"Must be Naina," I guessed.
Adi gently held my hand with his free hand and intertwinned our fingers.
"If you guess it wrong again, I will be forced to prove my identity in other ways," he warned.
"Surely this is Pallu," I continued to play along and immediately felt a kiss on my cheek.
I quickly removed his hand from my eyes and looked around nervously. I did not expect him to kiss me infront of the other women, especially Pallu.
"There is no one around, Vaishu," Adi assured, "I am not that uncultured." "Have a look at this," he said with a smile giving me a jewellery box.
I opened it to find a beautiful necklace along with matching earrings.
"Whom did you get this for?" I asked curiously.
"Whom did I get this for?" Adi repeated my statement. "Pallavi," he answered.
"That is wonderful," I smiled, "This will look really good on her. Let me...."
Adi held my hand and blocked my way.
"Vaishu, why would I get jewellery for Pallavi?" he asked a little frustrated.
"Then...whom is it for?" I asked 'confused'.
"The walls," Adi replied angrily, "They are not decorated enough, so I got them some jewellery."
I looked down trying to hold back my smiles.
"I better leave before I..." Adi was about to leave but I held his hand.
"Even I find it amusing to make my husband angry," I said playfully.
"Do you, Vaishu?" Adi's frown turned into a surprised smile. "Then you must also know that...." he paused when he heard the sound of drums indicating that the royal court is about to start.
"Never thought I would regret being a king," he joked making me smile. "Alright," he said turning me around, "Let us see how the necklace would look on you."
"Do not pull out my braid again," I warned.
"Yes, your highness, I will not," Adi said playfully and moved my braid to the front. I waited for him to put on the necklace but he remained still. I felt his fingers touch the back of my neck.
"Vaishu, why do you have a burnt mark here?" Adi asked surprised.
Oh no! I did not expect to still have that mark....
I quickly turned around in panic.
Please do not start that conversation Adi.....
"How did it happen?" Adi asked again.
"I-I do not remember," I lied hesitantly.
"You remember everything, Vaishu," Adi plainly stated.
I remained silent.
"Did someone do this to you?" Adi asked again.
I did not know how to answer that question but thankfully the sounds of drums interrupted our conversation.
"You are getting late for court," I reminded.
"And you are deviating the conversation," Adi added.
I fell silent again.
"This is not over, Vaishu," he warned before quickly leaving for the court.
*** Adinath ***
"You seem to be angry today, your highness," Nanda stated as we walked out of the court room.
"According to you, I am always angry," I said.
"Yet I found the need to say it out loud today," Nanda said and I stopped in my feet. "Everything okay?" he asked.
I nodded and continued walking.
"Do you have any other friend to share your problems with?" Nanda asked. I stopped again and looked at him frustrated.
"Talk to me, your highness," Nanda continued, "We both know I am your only friend."
"Consider not adressing me as 'your highness' in private, and perhaps I would believe that you are my friend," I said and walked away.
A part of me hoped he would stop me by calling my name but he did not and just continued to walk along.
*** Sruthi ***
"Should I pretend to be asleep," the queen talked to herself as she walked back and forth to calm herself down, "Adi never woke me up when I was sleeping....but this time he will know that I am pretending and might wake me up.....should I lie....but I do not want to lie....how can I...."
"Your highness," Naina interrupted, "We would only be able to advice you if we know what the problem is."
The queen did not answer that question and simply continued to walk.
"Offo you are all so dumb," Pallu stated, "There is obviously some conversation that the queen does not intend to have with the king." "Your highness, I have a solution," she added.
"No need Pallu, I will figure it out," the queen said but Pallu being Pallu did not stop talking.
"All you have to do is fight with the king," she suggested, "and then walk away without talking to him."
The queen did not respond and kept on walking but Pallu continued ayway.
"And then come back after two days...and if he still remembers the conversation...fight again...keep repeating it until he forgets..."
"Pallu this makes no sen-" the queen paused and stopped in her feet. Her expression went from anxious to genuinely terrified. We all turned back to find.....the king....angrily staring at us.
We were caught red-handed trying to instigate a fight between him and his wife....or atleast that is what he would think.....
"BA-" Pallu was about to scream.
"Do not yell right now," the king said seriously, "I am not in the mindset to find it funny."
*** Nanda ***
"I am not in the mindset to find it funny," the king said.
Alright! This is that version of him that needs to be handled with caution.
"Adi, Pallu was just...." the queen tried to explain.
"I will come to you, Vaishu," the king said angrily still focussing his attention on Pallavi, Sruthi, and Naina, "Let me speak your friends first."
He seems to be angry at the queen too....
The queen immediately shifted her eyes towards me as if asking for help.
"Your highness, I will handle them," I suggested to the king. He remained silent, still angry.
I placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention and signalled him to look at the queen. He looked at her and immediately seemed to have calmed down a little.
I need to act before he comes out of the queen's charms.
I looked at the women and signalled them to get out of the room.
Naina and Pallavi immediately left but stupid Ms. Gati decided to stay.
She is not even looking at me and instead just switching her attention between the king and the queen.
This girl has a death wish!
Although risky I walked towards her.
"You have seen enough, get out!" I whisper yelled.
"But..."
"We do not have time for this, Sruthi," I interrupted, "Out!"
Sruthi looked at me angrily and walked outside.
She is angry at me for saving her life!? What sort of women do I have in my life.....
I followed her but stopped for one last time before exiting the room.
"We are all leaving, your highness," I told the king, "which means it is time to stop being a king and start being a husband."
The king breaked eye contact with the queen and looked at me.
From his eyes, he seems to have appreciated the advice.
"Be patient," I reminded once again before walking out of the library.
How is the chapter?
Who do you think hurt Vaishu in the past?