The Strange Street to the Wrinkled Memories

Evergreen warrior

Shravya just stepped out, dressed up in a blue and red kurta set with shawl pulled up on her. She looked around and repeatedly called out, "Adwait! Scholar!" As there came no reply, she was sure he had went out. So she just secured herself with a capped coat over the shawl and walked out.

She called out, "Adwait."
Suddenly someone shadowed behind her. Her hands were grabbed and with no more wastage of time she was dragged into somewhere. She couldn't even look back at who was taking her to where.

She was pulled into her suite and she saw the man close the door. She screamed at the lowest of her voice, "Adwait! You? Why did you grab me into the suite? Where did you go?"
Adwait turned to her from the door, "I just went to enquire about the royal members. Within that time, where were you going to the northern side?"
Shravya marked, "To the northern side? No! I was searching for you."
Suddenly they heard a knock on the door. Shravya and Adwait stared at the door as if they had seen the lost pair of Shakti. Adwait opened it and their dinner was served by the same maiden whom Adwait met before. Shravya and Adwait sat on the dining table and the maiden left. There was steamed bun with grilled vegetables and boiled egg with hot soup. Shravya mixed the soup while Adwait munched on his bun. Shravya asked, "What is on the northern side?"
Adwait answered, "Nothing but there used to be the old locked room of Queen Vridhi before she had been the queen of Ahaan Mitrapura. She had never come back here as she knew it would lead to a big conflict within the royal family because the king Veera's sister's mannerism was so. Therefore she never looked back to her sister."

The maiden was called in to clear the table as their dinner got over. Shravya was staring at the night sky through the window as she saw the moon was ticking over its outline to get it completed.
Suddenly she heard Adwait, "May I know your name?"
The maiden looked at him, "Sir! I am Lakshya." It was the maiden who had delivered them the dinner. Shravya smiled at her.
Adwait asked, "Is your prison free of prisoners? I can't see any light in the entry den."
Maiden gave a funny look, "It seems so but I estimate there is some."
"Is Jeeta Kisa there?"
Shravya stared at Adwait who ignored her eyes, "Jeeta Kisa!"
The maiden came on, "How do you know her, sir?"
"I have read about her."
"Then you must have also read that she was sentenced for life imprisonment and one day when the commander was paying a visit she backfired at his questions and so it was declared to behead her but thank God, it wasn't done."
"Does she still cover her in the glittered shield and wear the grassy cap as always described?"
"Yes sir!"
Shravya put in, "Who is she? Why was she taken to the jail?
"Jeeta Kisa, the front warrior of the army batch once was found peeping into the northern part of the palace, for that she was warned. She helped the princess run away but it was her responsibility to atleast go with the princess, for that she was suspended. The next day after the princess left, she was suspiciously seen walking and roaming infront of the princess' chamber so she was sentenced to life imprisonment."
Shravya asked, "Just for roaming?"
"Just for rummaging," Lakshya cleared it off as Adwait laughed.
Lakshya smiled and took the dishes away, "Have a tight sleep, good night!"

Shravya turned to Adwait, "Really?"
Adwait was blanked out, "What?"
"You only know about Jeeta Kisa through books?"
"Any doubts?" He rolled his eyes at her.
"No... I mean yes."
"Few days back, I saw her in Natya Rajya. I guess that was the next day after the princess of Ahaan Mitrapura ran away. But why did she come there is what I don't get."
"She is an evergreen warrior."
"What! A compliment for a prisoner."
"Yes, I believe she is trying to find the princess."
"Then she should have done it when she did allow the princess to run away."
Suddenly Shravya shot, "Count me in!"
Adwait asked puzzled, "For what?"
"To help you."
"Why?"
"To find the ran away pair of Shakti."
"How?"
"In all possible ways."
"When? There's just a shorter time span for your days with me."
"Within that days."
"From where?"
"We will collect information about the princess from this palace."
"You mean peeping into her room?"
"No!"
"Robbing her room."
"No! I never meant that."
"Raiding her room?"
"Oh man!". She hit her head with her fist, "No, nope! I mean yes."
"You know what! Do you think I am fool?"
"Yes, I mean no. But why?"
"Because your stupid plan would end us up in the prison with your evergreen warrior."
Shravya stopped, "Fine!"
Adwait concluded, "Nevertheless! It's none of our business, neither the princess nor the prince. We are here for you and once it's completed I will get back home."
"Home? That stand-alone mansion at the end of the forbidden Medusa street where no neighbours argue, no women gossip, no men walk to work, no families mingle, no crowds and no kids play and crack your window with balls, is that what you call home? Certainly no! You can stay in my house if we find it."
"That's too much of extra honey!"
"Seriously!"
"I have a home and I would only stay there whatever it be. Thanks for your offer, but I amn't interested in it."
"Okay! Calm and cool."
"Fine!"
"So..."
"Good night!" Adwait ended his night as he layed on his bed and pulled up his blanket and turned towards the wall where his eyes caught sight of the moon. What else not, as time ran, he fall on heavy thoughts.

Shravya sighed, "Good night!" She then fell on to her bed and tried to gather up any recollections.

As midnight came over, she got up to have some water. But there on the window she saw a shadow. She covered herself and got up to the table. After having a sip of water from the jug, she opened the door. There was a woman smiling at her. Shravya for a moment was shocked and fell on the ground, fainting.

"What had just happened? Who are you?" Shravya asked as she rubbed her bruised head and got up. She opened her eyes to see Adwait sitting beside her in the bed with applying some medicinal paste on her head. Adwait answered, "Who are you? To me? It's what you fall and hit your head each time to forget people who stand by you."
"No man! I remember you, Adwait. And only one time I have forgot so and that's because of your street grass. From where did you get me?"
He smiled, "I got up early morning to drink water and there was the door open and as I didn't see you on bed, I thought you had went to team up some new problems but I saw you laying on the ground infront of our door. I took you in and called the royal nurse."
"I see!"
"Why did you go out?"
"I saw a shadow and followed it. I saw her, it was she."
"Who?"
"She was a young aged tall and fit lady with an unclear coloured dress with full sleeves. Her hair was pulled up into a green grassy cap and... And she wore a shining armour."
"Don't tell me you really saw her!"
"It isn't my thoughts either. I saw the evergreen warrior. She smiled at me."
"But how did she escape?"
"Why did she escape?"

Suddenly they heard a door knock. Shravya had felt her goosebumps, Adwait patted her and walked to the door and unlocked it. The door was opened.

***
Surya_SK