The Poet, The Princess, and The Promise: A Short Story

Darshini

"Llavarasi," a voice whispered from somewhere around me. I turned to find nothing but guests minding their business. Well, other than a group of women in the hall's corner I was currently in.

"Llavarasi." There it was again. I clutched at my veil. Who was calling me? A group of guests moved aside as they went elsewhere, revealing Aadhira. I am pretty sure that my eyes widened at that point, not that anyone would notice.

Why was she following me? And how, just how, did she recognize me? I realized I couldn't move, but by the time that my mind had registered this, it was too late. Aadhira was now in front of me.

I would have thought that with the fact I had hidden my face and the height difference between us - me being taller than Aadhira, I would seem intimidating. But it was the opposite. I began begging in my mind, planning to use it on her if she went and told amma. But she didn't move a muscle; staying as still as a needle, she repeated, "llavarasi?"

There was no time. Karthik was waiting for me. I would just have to go with this for now and hope for the best. "How did you know?"

Almost as if this whole thing were a joke to her, she chuckled, her body moving up and down as she did so. "I have been your handmaiden for the longest time. How could you think I forgot?" she pointed to my left ankle, which was uncovered by the fabric but hidden by a light anklet. "You earned yourself a bruise when you were twelve years of age. Do you remember?"

I had forgotten to cover that thing up. It was so small, I never would have known it was even there. "You fell down the stairs when you-" I held up a hand, and she snapped her mouth shut. "Not a word about that incident," I whisper-yelled.

I was about to speak, to ask Aadhira not to tell amma about this, but she cut me off. "Llavarasi, there are too many people here. Please, follow me." She said, and I followed, despite my wariness of her. Aadhira led me to a remote hall of the palace, and even though we were alone, we continued to whisper. After all, the walls have ears.

"For that night, llavarasi, believe me, it wasn't out of choice," she started, and I felt an impulse to hold my cheek out of memory. "The Rani. She had suspected something and ordered me to monitor you. I wasn't planning on doing anything of the sort, but she threatened me. She said that if I didn't, she would take Ajay and give him away to another family. I cannot handle the thought of losing my boy, so I..." She didn't finish. She didn't have to. Aadhira was a widow, her husband having passed only three years ago. Ajay was their son, and Aadhira's pride and joy.

"I do not blame you." Those five words brought her to tears, and she got down, her hands grazing my feet. "What are you doing! Get up," I told her. She did but didn't look at me. Her head was dipped downwards, eyes cast to the ground.

"Again, I sincerely apologize and I ask for your forgiveness. I wish things didn't turn out this way. But now that they have, I can't help but feel as if it were my fault." It felt strange. At this moment I realized something.

"We both have someone that we love and want to protect, this is no secret," I said, taking her hands in mine. Although her love was for a boy, her own blood, mine's was no less. It was for a man worth giving my love to. That much I knew. "Even if you hadn't told amma, I doubt she would have permitted our marriage anyway."

Aadhira nodded. "It's best this way. Rather than being unhappy and your parents proud, do what you want, so long as you know it's right." She squeezed my hands, and I felt more of a mother's love from this woman than I had felt from my own mother. Ajay was blessed indeed.

"Come with me. I know a way out of here."