The Lost Dynasty

Chapter 4

Kyda was following the tails of the Empress and her loyal entourage, not daring to speak.

It was probably for the best.

Her converse high-tops caused a loud eerie squeaky sound on the marble floor. The troop of high-status women halted in their tracks and faced the odd one out, including the Empress herself.
Kyda froze on the spot.

They were just as judgemental as the non-biological aunties back home in her time. Kyda didn't know how to defuse the tension, so she did what she thought a person would do.

She laughed
She laughed awkwardly
Their faces were like statues; their expressions hadn't changed.

"These shoes, huh?... comfy but.... yeah" She didn't know how to finish the sentence, and her face was so red that it could be mistaken for sunburn. The Empress scanned her appearance from top to bottom. "Bring her something suitable to wear", she asked one of the ladies, and they gave her the novelty head bow.

Kyda began to follow them, yet again feeling outcasted, not much different from back home.

Even though they look the same and follow the same beliefs.
They were completely different.
It's definitely not just a time or age gap.

She wasn't at their level.

They entered a breathtaking room that felt like something out of a forgotten dream. At the centre, a grand, circular bed stood, its frame gleaming with intricate gold filigree that caught the fading light of the sunset. The bed was crowned by a dome-shaped ceiling, where mosaics of vibrant, swirling patterns covered every inch, reflecting the golden hues of the setting sun as it bathed the room in a warm, ethereal glow.

On one side of the room, a massive mirror stretched across nearly half the wall, its surface gleaming with polished opulence, reflecting the room's beauty in an endless repetition. Across from it, an enormous aviary took up the opposite corner, a living masterpiece filled with exotic birds—brilliant golden pheasants, iridescent hummingbirds, and vibrant parrots in an array of colours that almost seemed to sparkle in the soft light. The cage, vast enough to house the birds comfortably, was surrounded by lush tropical plants, their green fronds cascading down like the fringes of a rainforest. The air was thick with the scent of rich earth and blooming flowers as if the very room itself had been plucked from a faraway, secret garden.

The room was a sanctuary of colour, texture, and life, unlike anything Kyda had ever seen—an opulent blend of nature and luxury, where every detail seemed carefully crafted to evoke both awe and serenity.

The gentle breeze played with the sheer curtains, bringing the room together.

"This is your room", the Empress gave her a light smile at her "Amita, come forward", a female around her age came forward and removed her dupatta from her face and faced Kyda, it was the women from earlier with Dr Adil.
When they faced each other, Kyda couldn't stop admiring her.
She was pretty.
Especially with her Bambi-like eyes.

"Hi, I'm Kyda" She was quite envious of her appearance, first Insta and TikTok influencers, and now her. The Empress continued, "She will be your handmaiden; anything you need or anything that needs to be done, please allow her to perform her duties".
Kyda nodded to the Empress and gave her a nodded bow, "Shukriya".
(Translation: thank you)

The Empress and the royal entourage left, and Kyda sighed in relief as she intended, her body dropped from its tension. Amita giggles softly at Kyda's behaviour as she uses her hand to cover her mouth.

Jeez, she is so cute. 

"I understand the difficulty. I, too, struggle with the posture myself," Amita reinsured.
She came forward with a Traditional green and yellow lehenga with golden embroidery, a modestly designed blouse covering the waist, a matching dupatta, and a layered pearl necklace, adding an elegant touch. "I thought pearls would suit you", Amita commented.
Kyda stared at the clothes.
They were beautiful, just gorgeous but it was different to what the others were wearing.

Bright
Bold
Vibrant

Kyda wanted to fit it, but she was the abnormal piece to their puzzle. It was the same problem back at home,
She couldn't fit in with anyone. She was either too Westernised for her Desi community or too Desi for the Westerns. However, Amita put a lot of thought into this. It didn't seem much, but the way Amita smiled was like another source of light.  "Shukriya (Translation: thank you)
, I appreciate it" She unfolded the clothes and laid them on her new luxurious bed.

Amita kept her distance and placed her hands together in front of her, watching her admire the clothing piece. "I was trying to find some jhumka earrings and necklace for you to wear, but I wasn't-" Kyda laughed. "Don't worry about that... they seem to be heavy to carry anyway; I don't know how you ladies do it" She sat on the bed and patted a seat next to her. "Don't be scared. I don't bite", she joked. However, Amita didn't get the message and was shocked by her words. Kyda noticed and waved her hands as a gesture to stop her in whatever she was thinking. "It's a joke, it's a joke", she laughed awkwardly.

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The sun began to rise, and the sky was clear blue.
The rare birds in Kyda's room were her new alarm clock, the downside... there was no office switch.

Unless...

No, no, bad idea

Kyda dressed into the garara that was given yesterday.
As she dressed herself, she went to the mirror to inspect herself.
"Amita would have looked better in this", she told herself as if she committed a ghastly fashion crime.

Kyda could see Amita entering from the mirror reflection with a silver tray with tiffins with heavenly aromas coming out of them. "You look amazing " she placed the tray on the bed. She went into the handcrafted bedside drawers and pulled out a stunning detailed hairbrush with embellished emerald and pearl jewels with natural bristle. Amita stood behind her and began to brush her hair. "You look gorgeous" Kyda smiled weakly, knowing she was just being nice. "The food looks gorgeous". Kyda sat on the bed and looked at what the tray contained. Amita came forwarded "There Anda Paratha, Aloo Matar and-"

"Dosa" Kyda smiled weakly as she stared at this particular cuisine. The last morning, she had with her Nani, Kyda hoped she was healthy and well, not stressing out about her disappearance.

She missed her Dosa
She missed her grandmother
Her mother
Even her grandfather

"What's wrong? You haven't touched your breakfast," Amita grew concerned. "Do you not like it? I can take it back". Kyda took a deep breath and exhaled to prevent tears from falling out of her eyes. "No, it's fine... the food reminds me of home, but it's ok, I'm probably going home today" She took a bite of the Dosa.

Amita gulped and turned away as if she was guilty. Kyda noticed "What's wrong? Is there a problem? Have some?" she pushed the tray towards her. Amita had some "Ummm, the Emperor appointed Dr Adil to get you home since he's the most knowledgeable and wisest person in the nation".
Kyda almost choked, "Ok... so, when am I going home?".

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T TAKE ME HOME!?"  Kyda's brain was malfunctioning.  She was in Dr Adil place of work, the first place she was in when she came here. "I haven't found a way", the Dr groaned. "Well, obviously your medicine trunk... chest?... WHATEVER! But it's some kind of portal, but instead of taking me to Narnia, it took me back in time" She was obviously frustrated, "I gotta charge my phone it's dead".

"What's a Narnia?" the Dr was befuddled.

Kyda didn't pay attention to his words. Instead, all her focus was on his large medicine chest/ trunk. "How about I go back the way I came?" she asked the Dr without taking her eyes off the object. "There is no harm in trying, but my things-" he didn't know what to do as Kyda made her route to his chest and began to carelessly and franticly pull out his thing. Dr Adil only watched with oration as Kyda got in. The Dr closed the door of the furniture as she got in. "Try to re-enact what you did to get here". Kyda dives into her memories to think about what she had done. "So, I was pushed in and locked inside" the Dr nodded and grabbed his brass key and locked her inside. "Then I began to hit the wood of the door" she started to bang on the door, creating a thunderous sound while the furniture was shaking as if it was becoming alive.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK MY CHEST!" The Dr was horrified, frightened that she would leave more than just a dent in his beloved chest.
"This is what I did", Kyda bites back, then stops as her hands become sore. "Then I took a nap".

The Dr stared at the chest in complete utter silence by the nonsense he just heard. "Fine, take a nap in MY chest" the Dr sat at his desk, needing a break already.
There was silence for a moment, and Dr Adil assumed the "Jahil larki" (Translation: Crazy Girl). had fallen asleep or, even better, made her way home.

"I'm not tired"

He groans and places his head and elbows on the desk. If this was a challenge that was sent from the heavens, then it had him in its grip.

"Am I home yet?"

"No"

This continued for 10 minutes.

Kyda banged against the inner side of the trunk/chest again. "Am I home now?" she repeated for the sixth time. The Dr was at his desk as he was preoccupied with reading his book as he had lost interest in her method a long time ago.

"There you are"

The lid of the trunk flew open with a sudden jolt, and Kyda, caught off guard by the unexpected motion, stumbled forward. Her reflexes kicked in, but the speed of her movement sent her crashing toward the floor. Before her face could meet the ground, a strong hand gripped her arms, steadying her in the nick of time.

As Kyda scrambled to her feet, flustered and embarrassed, the doctor quickly bowed. "I'm sorry for her insolence, Khagan," he stammered, a slight tremor in his voice. But Kyda barely heard him. Her eyes met Saif's, and at that moment, her body froze. She was acutely aware of the heat rising in her cheeks—was it from embarrassment? Or from something else, something unexplainable? She couldn't tell. Her clumsy fall must have been all too obvious, and she felt the flush of her awkwardness creep across her skin.
But Saif didn't look away. His gaze lingered on her, his topaz brown eyes softening to a deep, molten gold under the warm sunlight streaming through the room. The connection between them, so sudden and unexpected, made everything else fade. The room, the noise, even the embarrassment—none of it mattered. For a brief moment, it was just them, standing there, silently caught in the glow of his gaze, as if the world had paused, leaving only the lingering warmth of their unspoken understanding.

Seconds later, they were snapped back into reality when they heard the jiggling sound of Choora's (set of bangles) coming towards them.
Kyda created distance between them.

The source was coming from Amita. She ran through the door and was out of breath. She faced up, expecting to see only Kyda to wish her farewell before she went back home. However, she gasped when she witnessed the royal Khagan (Prince) present in the room. She resulted in herself being in a frenzy before placing her dupatta on her head and covering her face from the males. "My apologies, I did not know you were here, Khagan (Prince)".

Saif cleared his throat, trying to compose himself, he easily recovered.

Before facing her with a straight face, trying to act natural.
"It's okay".

However, it was obviously not his character for some reason; he was struggling to hold in his laughter, and his face showed it. Kyda couldn't help but smirk a little by his expression before diverting the topic.
"So, it looks like I'm gonna be here longer than intended", Kyda sighed as she faced Amita.

The Dr sighed. "I am not going to lie. I have never seen anything like this before. I am a wise man-" Saif took a step closer to him, sensing he was already giving up. "Dr, there has to be something about this. I mean, isn't there anything in the books? Can you talk to one of your astrology friends or maybe send letters abroad to other experts?". The Dr stood up as if he was just insulted. "I never said I was giving up, and I doubt the stars will have the answer. I think for now the best we can all do is pray", he faced Kyda. "This is not the work of a human being but by someone almighty".

Saif glanced back at Kyda, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary. Her face was a mix of frustration and determination, but there was something else beneath it—something he couldn't quite place. She clenched her fists tightly as though trying to hold her composure together, but her shoulders slumped slightly, betraying her unease. His curiosity lingered, unsure if it was his place to ask.

"Okay, that's fine as long as we keep trying..." Kyda's voice faltered for a moment, then she pushed on, forcing her words to sound more confident. "I mean, we can't expect this to be right on the first try. We have to make sure I get back to the right time." She lifted her chin slightly as if trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

She still believes there was hope she just needs to work harder.

Saif gave her a soft, knowing smile, his gaze steady and confident. "I need to head out for Jumu'ah (Friday Prayers)", he said, his voice smooth and easy. "But I'll check on you later." He turned toward the doors, but something in Kyda's tone made him pause.
She faced him, her words cutting through the quiet room. "You know, you don't have to check up on me, right?".
He turned back to her, the intensity of his gaze unwavering. For a moment, their eyes locked—his deep, unreadable, but sincere. "I know," he replied, his smile warm and reassuring, "but I want to." With that, he nodded slightly before turning and leaving the room, his presence lingering just a moment longer.

Amita ran towards her and held her hand as she began to squeal. "Oh my, it looks like he takes interest in you", she giggled. Kyda's cheeks flared up in a pinkish colour.
The Dr tutted them, "He's only showing interest and nothing more. Don't let it go to your head; it's inappropriate. Have your children had no shame?". Kyda rolled her eyes. "I'm not interested, so don't worry about it; I'm gonna be home in a week or so".
She then faced Amita with a smile. "But until then, we may as well go sightseeing since I'm in the 1700s; let's check it out". Amita was excited at this point and nodded yes "Oh yes, I must show you the bazaar. It's filled with goods and treats that you must try". Unfortunately, the girl's talk was interrupted yet again by the doctor as he slammed his large hollow book onto the table.

"NO!"

Amita was silent and kept her head down.

But Kyda did the exact opposite "Why not?". She was getting annoyed at this point. "If I'm not going home, I may as well make the most out of the situation, and I might as well learn about you guys". Dr Adil began to massage his head " The Emperor himself has told us you cannot leave the palace whatsoever".  As soon as he spoke, there was a pit in her stomach. Why would the Emperor say that without her knowledge or even notify her? "He knows I mean no harm... then why is he keeping me in the palace? Am I a prisoner or something?". The wise man slouched in his chair as he clearly thought about his difference of opinion before speaking to them, "Your words, your demeanour, your morals are dramatically different to ours, and anyone outside these walls will notice, and the outcome may be severe".

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"Kyda, are you sure this is a good idea? We could be in huge trouble for this" Amita was panic-stricken as the two ladies changed their outfits into something unadorned as if they didn't belong in the palace and covered their faces and heads with their dupattas so no one would recognise them.

They didn't want to attract any attention.

Kyda faced her, their conversation muffled by the stone fence that rose to their waists, its rough surface blending with the natural surroundings. "Don't worry," she said, her voice calm yet firm, offering Kyda a gentle smile. "I'll take the blame for this. Nothing will happen to you." Her words were comforting, but there was an unspoken weight behind them, something that lingered in the air, almost too heavy to name.
The rhythmic sound of marching footsteps cut through the tension, growing louder with every passing second. Without thinking, both women lowered their heads, holding their breath as the guards passed by, unaware of their presence. The air felt thick and charged as if the brief moment of safety might unravel at any moment.

Kyda and Amita saw their chances.

To climb up the steps and jump over the wall, if Amita was right about the haystack placement, they would jump into the haystack to break their fall and go to the bazaar to explore and have fun like any female their age would.

Kyda gripped Amita's hand tightly as they sprinted toward the steps, her breath coming in quick bursts. Without missing a beat, they both climbed onto the wall, eyes scanning the ground below. That's when they spotted the haystack.

Kyda froze, her heart leaping into her throat. "Wow... okay, I know it's not high enough to kill us, but... it looks really high," she blurted out; her legs suddenly felt like jelly. She could swear her heart was trying to make a break for it. Amita, on the other hand, was standing there looking like a carefree angel, her innocent smile enough to make Kyda slightly jealous.
"Don't worry," Amita said with complete nonchalance. "I promise I won't let go of your hand. We'll jump on the count of three."

Kyda blinked at her, utterly flabbergasted "Wait, Wha?". First, she'd been terrified of leaving the palace, and now? Now, she was all in for a jump that might send her flying into the haystack.

1...

This is a good idea maybe she can learn new things, and when she gets back, she can help with the museum exhibition.

2...

But that's only if she can get home.
Wait if she dies here does this mean she wouldn't be able to get home?

3!

Kyda screamed from the top of her lungs, "NO WAIT!". But it was too late; Amita had already leapt forward and was holding onto her hand tightly, causing Kyda to be dragged down with her like some domino effect. They both accurately landed on the haystack and miraculously escaped unscathed. The two ladies sat up in the haystack and stared into space for a moment to process what just happened, then suddenly...
Kyda began to laugh with Amita following. "We survived", Kyda laughed out, and Amita laughed as she helped her out, and they both cleaned each other from the hay.
"Ok, stay very close to me. The Bazaar is very crowded, and many people do not play games; their main goal is to get money", Amita explained, and it did make sense. Kyda remembers her mother explaining how the bazaar in this Dynasty was one of the main pillars of sources for economy. Many people across the world would come to the bazaar to trade and earn a living.

It was no playground.