The Cinderella Of Rewa

1. Vedika

Twelve Years Later :

The city of Rewa was just the same. Prosperous and flourishing. Nobody could've guessed that more than a decade had passed. India's independence was now on the horizon. People were eagerly anticipating a new beginning.

Meanwhile, a much different new beginning was happening in the house of the Thakurs. For the first time in twelve years, the mansion was lit up with a thousand diyas. Rangolis decorated the entrance. The servants of the house, all of whom had just received a bonus of hundred gold coins lined up enthusiastically, as a silver carriage pulled by four magnificent black chestnut mares drove to a halt infront of the mansion.

Eighteen year old Vedika stood with her arms crossed, leaning against one of the many stone pillars holding the mansion in it's place as the servants of the house rushed to surround her father's carriage.

There was so much fuss taking place to welcome her father and his new wife.

It had been twelve years since Anjali Thakur had accidentally drowned in the river Bischya.

After all these years, Yashvant had finally decided to marry again. His new wife was a widow with two daughters both of whom were around Vedika's age.

Vedika was not at all happy. She had grown used to being alone with her father. It would be tormenting to accept a new mother and two sisters. But all the same, she decided she would treat this new woman with the best of respect. Her own mother would've wanted just that.

Vedika tried to welcome the idea of having more people in the house. The only companions she had had so far were the animals and the servants in the house. Furthermore, her father had promised her that nothing in the house would never change. And Vedika trusted him.

In the last twelve years, she had seen her father stand infront of her mother's life sized potrait that hung in his bedroom and stare at it sadly. He had been lonely. Vedika wanted him to be happy. Maybe this new lady would ensure that.

But as much she tried to cheer herself up with these thoughts, Vedika felt a horrible ache in her chest as she watched her new stepmother and step sisters enter the house.

There was something feline about the woman who walked into the house alongside her father. Her name was Devoleena and Vedika had been told that she could call her Daju Ma. Vedika felt that it would be very difficult to call this woman as Ma.

Devoleena was tall, voluptuous, had long curly hair and looked like a sorceress. There was no motherly air about her.

Vedika turned her attention to the two girls tagging behind Daju Ma. She knew their names were Sonakshi and Madhuri. They had met only once before but had spoken nothing. Vedika didn't want to judge them but they were no beauties. They wore expensive silks and jewellery but had horribly mismatched them.

Vedika recalled how her mother had been an expert at jewellery. All the other rich ladies of Rewa came to her for her opinion when they bought silks and jewellery. Had she been around, she would've pulled aside the two girls and helped them without an ounce of hesitation. Anjali Thakur used to love every child like her own.

Vedika felt like she didn't even recognise herself anymore. It was like the exuberant, charming young girl in her had died along with her mother. Vedika felt a terrible urge to run into the garden, collapse infront of her mother's favourite Tulsi plant and burst into tears.

Instead she turned around and followed the wedding party into the house, hoping against hope that her father must have seen something right in this woman to marry her.