The early morning was still foggy and dark... Suman got up from sleep...she closed her eyes and prayed for a minute...
She stood up and walked out of the chamber...
"Samrutha"
She called....
samrutha bowed and wished her the good day...
"Samrutha.. where's Malla...? Ask him to meet me after the break fast..."
She didn't want to trouble herself by keeping the secret...she needed clear answers from Malla.
she thought to get ready soon...
Delivering the message, she turned to leave and paused as she heard giggles...
Who is it?
She saw Malla laughing with Kayal... sort of anger bubbled with her...her lips quivered and a lump hardened at her throat...
She drummed her fingers at the side rail nervously...
What am I feeling...? he's an old man and she's a gardener... They work together and laughing is quite normal..
Then, why it hurts me? What am I feeling? Embarrased...? Sad?
She couldn't find answers and she deliberately moved her view across the river...
Early morning mist was rolling from the river and visibility wasn't clear...yet, Suman could view hustle bustle arrangements and a state of rejoice across the river side village...
" Samrutha...what is it..? People are arranging something ... what's going on..?"
Samrutha smiled...
" My Lady... This is a festival we celebrate in fond memories of our forefathers...from morning till night, there will be fun and frolic... The King encourages exhibition of valuable things at affordable costs and people will buy them...we believe that the ancestors wish us today and there will be some plays or shows which would inculcate moral values based on the vedic epics"
"Aren't you going...?"
Suman asked looking at her eyes..
"Yes... but...it wasn't important than you...we can see the evening program from here.."
Suman tapped her head softly and went back to morning chores...
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It was a fact that Malla wasn't available at the palace for the whole day... no one knew where he had gone...
Suman fought with her irresistible mind to be quite...
Anyways, he has to return to the palace by night... I won't sleep today before I know who he is...
Though she was normal outside, her inner turmoil escalated by time to time..
Samrutha happily invited Suman to the balcony... unlike every day, she was wearing a traditional saree ...
" You are looking pretty..."
Suman said and sat in the marble stone....
From the balcony, they could see the huge stage and the people gathered over there to witness the programme..
Initially, some holy bajans were sung followed by the classical dance...
Meanwhile, down at the quadrangle Brihannala was humming a tune... she darkened the kajal and looked into the mirror satisfactorily...
" Hey...stop...."
She witnessed Kayal and Malla crossing the area... They were on their way out to the palace...
Malla could feel kayal's nervousness...
"I am scared..." She whispered after a moment of silence...
Malla gestured her not to worry...
Brihannala was coming towards them... Her colourful bangles jingled with the rhythm of her walk...
"You....out....."
She pointed Kayal....
As Malla signalled her to go , Kayal walked fast to the exit...
Brihannala traced her finger over his shoulder.... Malla remained impassive..
" Hey ugly....where have you been..?I haven't seen you since morning...?!?!"
She asked fluttering her eyelids coyly...
Idiot...you are not even the last person in this world I wanted to see...
Malla mumbled...
" I had work in market..."
He said annoyed...
Brihannala knotted and unknotted her saree pallu...her make-up was a bit more and she was wearing fragrant flowers over her hair...she yanked her braided hair and twisted it...
" If you weren't old, I must say you would be the strongest and handsome man in this palace..."
She said in a husky voice...
Malla was standing like a statue aslike he wasn't seeing Brihannala...
Sighed deeply , she held his arms...
Malla pulled his arms instantly asif he was electrocuted...
" Oyea... The Empress was searching you since morning...meet her and go wherever you want..."
She clucked her tongue audible...
Malla followed Brihannala to the balcony...
After the classical dance...there was a puppet show... Leather puppets came alive as characters of Ramayana.
Beginning from the Golden deer and sitadevi's kidnap the show continued to Hanuman burning Lanka..The sequence ended with a ten headed puppet's defeat representing the demon Ravana...
Samrutha empathetically looked suman.. Her story wasn't much different....
By then.. Brihannala brought Malla...
Malla reverentially bowed and stood aside ...and said
"Devi... This slave is at your service..."
"Where have you been since morning...?"
She shoot the question directly...
" Devi... today there's festival and the shopkeepers promised me the double wages...so..I was working in the market since morning..."
" Oh...I just called you to ask about Neela..."
Disappointment was apparent in her eyes... she couldn't ask anything as samrutha and Brihannala were there...
" She's comfortable... anything else...?"
He asked politely...
But... why his eyes were teasing me..
Ignoring him...She continued to watch the programme...
She sat, clasping the edge of the marble seat nervously...
It was a damp evening and it started to rain...
Malla didnt want to miss the chance...
"Devi...if you allow, I will leave...I have to help the people in the market..."
Suman had no other choice but to say yes...
She could see the rain falling from the roof like a thread... The palace garden dissolved in a haze of mist and drizzle from her view...
As a child , the rain meant endless amusement...but... In young age, it meant romance... if Shravan is here, he would've danced in the rain , I would've fought with him for his childishness...
A sheer layer of tear sprung... she went to her chamber as everyone were diverted to rain...
Amidst the confusions, no one noted the shadows that jumped across the huge rock built compound...
Slowly, those shadows moved at the direction of suman's chamber...
Obscure of the incident, Malla quickened his steps towards the Port...
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Hello...
Next update is here.. hope you will like it..
Suman didn't know who Malla is...and now, who are those shadows that approached her chamber...?
Why Malla is on the way to the Port..?
What he is planning with kayal...?
Your views plz...read and vote if you like it
Thanks for reading
Arulpirai...