Blood and Crown

Chapter-14

Rajyashri.

Serving the youngest prince of Aryanka was anything but easy. He was way too punctual, way too disciplined, way too organized almost like a soulless machine. But thankfully for me, he barely stayed in his mansion or even if he came he would spent that time in his room that was prohibited for me.

I was told to help the other maids in their work as well since in a few days world's most eminent skill exhibition ceremony was going to take place. It was immensely popular, I had heard about it in Visala as well, princes and princesses from different Kingdoms participated in it and the winner were usually gifted with marriage proposal from Aryanka royal family or given hell lot of treasure. Even though invited none of my brothers had ever participated in it.

"Shri!"

A familiar trebled voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up to see Sudha rushing toward me like a whirlwind.

"Stop right there!" I panicked, rising on my feet. With my heart caught in my throat I dared looking down, a breath of relief escaped my mouth when I found my alpana untouched.

I along with hundred of other girls were currently decorating the Nrityashala. Since Mayi liked my designs, she asked me to do all the alpanas.

"For heaven's sake Sudha" Mayi hissed "It took her hours to make the alpana"

The other girls let out small giggles taking joy in Sudha's misery while she just flashed Mayi a sheepish smile before demanding "Tell me how do I look?" She swirled around.

The coral coloured pearl stitched lehenga complimented her brown complexion, making Sudha appear absolutely gorgeous. She wore a big silver choker which went perfectly well with her blouse deep round neck, her waist length straight hair cascaded down her back while a small rose golden pin pulled back all her curls.

"You look lovely Sudha" I complimented genuinely, my eyes still admiring her outfit "Are you going somewhere?"

She gave me a look that told me I was being absolute dense "Where will I be going when the whole world is arriving in Aryanka?"

"Sudha didi where did you get this from?" Mallika, a younger maid asked taking a sit beside me.

"I went home for two days, my aunt made it for me" Sudha answered while smoothing her lehenga.

"Can she make one for me" Mallika asked hopefully "The celebration is good to start from tomorrow and I still don't have anything to wear"

"I don't think she can make a dress within a day but you can see if she already has anything suitable for you"

"Mallika, I and Charudeshna will come along" Another maid who was making the garlands said, I thought her name might be Brishti

"Shri"

I looked up as Mayi called "Yes Mayi?"

"Don't you want a new dress?" She appeared quite surprise.

A faint smile lifted the corner of my lips "No, I'll wear one of the dresses you've given me"

"They're hardly wearable" She frowned "I gave them so you can work with ease"

"I wish I could give one of my clothes to you but... " Sudha faltered. She was much smaller than I was and a bit chubbier.

"It's fine Sudha" I waved my hand "As I said I will wear my usual clothes"

"You sure?" Mayi raised a brow in suspicion, as if not quite believing what I just said "If you want—"

"I don't" I cut her off.

I was barely alive and couldn't bother less about my appearance. In a way, it was a celebration of my family's death, of my Mani's death and of my freedom's death.

A month ago if someone had asked me if I could breath in the same air as the murderer of family, I would have laughed at their face before beheading their head off of their body and take rejoice in the act.

But life taught me there was absolutely nothing as powerful as time. It changed me and broke me so much that not only was I breathing in the same air as the murderer of my family but serving him as his slave.

"Okay then" Mayi breathed before rising on her feet but instantly she fell back on the couch while a painful whimper escaped her mouth

"Mayi" I gasped and rushed toward her so did the other girls.

"I'm alright kids" Her eyes was still shut closed

"You do not look so" I enunciated "What happened?"

"It's nothing" She paused clearly struggling to fight the pain back "Just my back pain has increased from the past few weeks"

"Shri dear" She placed a affectionate hand on my head "Can you please bring these attar to Jay's room and clean it, he is supposed to be back from the border today, I wanted to do it myself but I don't think I can get up"

"Of course. But... " I faltered, remembering how prince Jay never let me enter his personal room.

To heck with his tantrums

"Okay" I breathed,
.
.
.
.
.
Tiny balls of ice formed at the pit of my stomach while my grip on the basket of flowers and attar tightened as I stood right before his chamber. The big wooden door shut closed.

Gathering all the courage I had, I raised my hand and knocked on it and waited for respond and waited and waited before knocking again.

I breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't home yet. Wth my now much tamer heart I pushed the door open and instantly was greeted by the maddening spicy scent of the youngest prince of Aryanka that evoked outlawed emotions in my heart.

As I stepped in I was taken a back by its elegant beauty. The white and golden themed room was decorated with taste and elegance. Unlike usual chambers of princes or Kings, it didn't have hell lot of things, in fact except the King sized bed, couch there was hardly anything else. I also noticed the room was filled with various kinds of plants.

The room provided me a sense of serenity and calmness as I let my eyes ramble over the room. There were maps and scrolls scattered all over the bed and couch and even on the floor.

As I was about to put the basket on the couch my eyes landed on the full length mirror and I felt my breath sucked right out of my body while my blood ran to ice.

"Oh Kanha" The basket fell on the ground with a thud as I stared at the bloody message on the mirror.

Watch your back
Death is coming

__________________________________________________

Guys can I expect a little more votes on this book, at least 15? 🥲

Because even though I really love writing this book where I can explore a lot of things as a writer that I don't get to while writing on Mahabharat, I do get demotivated by the response.

When I first started I used to get SO GOOD response like I remember getting almost 50 votes on the very third chapter (within a week of publishing the book) but I had to take it down after a month because I got so addicted to a show called Supernatural 😛 (drools at Dean and Sam) which I eventually stopped watching due to the extreme nightmare it caused me 😂

Anyways enough of rant, hope you liked it, please vote and comment if you do 😊 cause the plot is gonna get 'steamy' 😉