The Strange Street to the Wrinkled Memories

So different

There stood a guard with a letter in his hand infront of the main door. Shravya opened the front door while Adwait cane out behind her, wearing his cloak. Seeing Adwait, the guard greeted, "Morning scholar! Here's a letter from the royal palace. It was asked to be delivered to the scholars."
He greeted back and the guard handed him the letter while Shravya was smiling. The guard said, "I will take a leave." Adwait mentioned, "I heard that a maiden peeped in to the royal room and the commander took her to the prison." The guard cleared, "I heard it, I wasn't there. The royal member said, that maiden was just joining the group for cleaning the royal room but they don't know why she ran. The maidens screamed because they suddenly saw another maiden appear behind the window, that too at the dark. The commander said he don't remember anything, he says maybe the maiden got  back to work. Now it's all fine, the queen was entering the room as usual at that time to make sure the book was there because she will have to read it in the ninth day from today," the guard paused, "May I leave?"
Adwait nodded, "Sure! You can leave."
The guard stopped and turned back from the way, "Scholar, who is this young lady? Haven't seen her before in this village?"
Shravya's words flew out, "His friend, we are family. I came from Aahan Mitrapura. From few days back, I am staying with him."
The guard nodded, smiled, "Morning miss! I am taking a leave." The guard left as she smiled. Adwait looked at her, she turned to him. He asked, "For the last few days you are staying with me? No, you have just began staying with me from yesterday. And what! You are my friend? Family?"
Shravya blinked her eyes, "Accidentally came out... But it helped us without being caught."
He asked, "Seriously! Even if you didn't say all those we wouldn't be caught. And those words, it accidentally came out? Now after I help you, you will go home, then if this guard comes to deliver something else and he asks about you, what will I say?"
Shravya said in a cool manner, "Simple! Say she went back to her parents."
He sighed, "Now if anyone asks anything, I will answer."
She clarified, "Now if you say to another person that I am not your friend nor family and if the guard comes to know it, then it will become a problem."
He took in a deep breath and released it, "Oh God!"
She commanded, "Read the letter!"
He opened it and read aloud, "The scholars dinner meeting selection is arranged by today, after lunch time. Apologizes for changing the day all of a sudden but we do wish you to join with the other scholars in the court hall for the process of voting. Hope to have you in the meet, with respect the royal palace."
Shravya mentioned, "Why is it changed to today?"
He said, "We will have the lunch, then we will go. While preparing the lunch, we can think of the answers. Come!"
She sighed, "It's going to be so different for me?"
He looked back, "What?"
"You will win the scholars dinner meet."
"Obviously! But that's not too different."
"It's so different for me. I will get to join the royal dinner with you." She hummed and pranced being overjoyed. He sighed and walked past her into his house and removed the cloak and came out to the back yard with some utensils and spices. He held the fishing rod into the river stream, thinking. Just as Shravya went in and came back, taking a glass of water; he caught the two fishes. Shravya sat in a stone opposite him. He cleaned the fishes with a knife, dunked them in oil, dredged them in spices and laid them on the grill while Shravya cleaned the vegetables. He then chopped the vegetables and dipped it in spices sauces and placed it in a pan for frying.

He suddenly answered, "The seventh prison! The seventh prison is near the tomb and as mad prince had informed the commander, maybe he was going to free the royal sister. I guess that the guard standing over the tomb moved to somewhere for some reason, you know maybe to the restroom or to get some water, like that... and that time we jumped out and sprayed on the commander who was going that way to the prison but we didn't understand that it was the commander because it was dark in there. Still I am thinking why did mad prince inform the commander about the prison."
Shravya nodded as she went in and dressed up to accompany Adwait to the palace. She was wearing a rose coloured kurta and pale blue ankle pant, above the top she wore a pale denim net coat and tied the lace of the sneakers. She came out placing a hat and sat for lunch. He brought in the dishes and served the lunch and sat with her.

They had the grilled fish with some fried vegetables and after the lunch, Shravya moved to the river boat while Adwait went into the house. Shravya sat in the boat, subsequently Adwait came out in his cloak. He had his dagger and he covered it with the cloak. Shravya saw him walking to her. He too got in the boat and rowed it to the other side. Shravya stepped on the land with Adwait. She looked around while Adwait tied the boat to a pole. Adwait then walked infront of her and Shravya followed him. They walked through the small paths in the small forest.

Shravya began, "Isn't there a plan for the second mission."
He whispered, "Didn't you take the duplicate book with you?"
She answered, "I took it, that's why I asked you. What's the plan?"
He marked, "Not yet decided."
She blinked, "Huh?"
"I will guide you with the instructions and you should follow it at that moment."
"Fine. Then you will help me."
"Yes!"
"I guess the scholars already started arriving. I hope the librarian will be there."
"Oh! I see."
"Do Sandhya aunt know you?"
"Yes! Maybe because of my writings."
"Which means..."
"Yes! That means she don't know anything about me my name nor anything rather than the fact that I am scholar living at the end of the forbidden Medusa street. They have not seen me, my face."
"Oh yes! You always wear the cloak and that cap and do you wear that mask hanging from you wardrobe."
"Sometimes. Wait! How did you see that mask? You peeped in?"
"No! I was going by that way to the back door that time your door was open and I just saw that mask hanging out from your locked wardrobe."
He gasped, "My! I had never helped someone like you before. You are so very different in all ways."
"That's funny! So different!"
"What is funny? What is so different?"
"I feel you are different and you feel I am different. I wish we get to know who is different."
He looked down as the path ended infront of the window. Shravya was about to open the window with all her strength when Adwait stopped her.

***
Surya_SK