The Cinderella Of Rewa

13. Vedika

After the guests left, Daju Ma came and pulled Vedika's ear fiercely.

"How dare you dance infront of the guests!", she aimed a slap on her cheek but Vedika leaned back in fright and she hit her jaw, instead.

The pain was sharp and searing. Devoleena had pincers for fingers. Vedika debated whether or not to cry. She decided against it. Either way she would get more slaps. Why did she have to waste her energy, crying?

"They asked me to dance. I couldn't say no", Vedika replied.

"Insolent bitch", Daju Ma slapped her face again "See the way you answer!And now don't you dare stay in those clothes for one more minute. Go change into your rags".

"These are my mother's clothes", Vedika protested.

Another slap.

"I said get out of the dress you bitch", Daju Ma said in a dangerous voice. Her eyes looked red as she lunged forward and snapped off the strap of the dress. There was a huge gasp from the servants who were watching. The men averted their eyes. But surprisingly, even as the strap came off, the garment clung to Vedika, though feebly so. It was like Vedika's mother was channeling the spirit of her garment and refusing to let go off her daughter.

To avoid any further violation to her modesty, Vedika quickly grabbed the ends of her garments and retreated into the servant quarters as Daju Ma stood there fuming.

The quarters were luckily empty. All the servants were outside gossiping about her.

Vedika got back into her rags and then carefully folded the dress she had been wearing and placed it inside a trunk she found in the attic of the servant quarters. She was sure Daju Ma would come back for it but until then, she would hold that one memory of her mother with her.

•••

"She was seen with the second son of the Mittals", the young bastard priest who had conducted Yash Thakur's funeral, blabbered to Daju Ma.

Daju Ma's eyes turned into slits. She banged on her hands on the table and stood up.

"This is it. You can get out of this house, young lady. I should've done this long ago. Out!" she pointed to the exit.

Vedika stood there silently.

"Oh no, you can't do that. The girl has to stay sahiba", the young priest, Damodar said.

Vedika couldn't believe it. She had thought at least this one secret of hers would be protected. And for some reason, this bothered her more than the fact that her dignity had almost been violated earlier that day.

Daju Ma looked Vedika up and down. Vedika refused to lower her gaze. Stepmother and stepdaughter had reached the stage of open hostility.

Finally Daju Ma said, "Look here girl. Go to that room of yours and don't come out at all unless you're instructed to. And don't even think of meeting up with even any of the servants, let alone men from other aristocratic families. If I ever hear another thing like this, you will meet the same end as Sahil. Got it?"

Vedika nodded. Though inside her head she said, "In your dreams".

•••

Vedika walked back from the dimly lit corridor outside the kitchen with her dinner plate in her hand. She hadn't eaten all day. She had managed to sneak into the kitchen and get a few stale rotis and some gravy.

As she approached the servant quarters, she tore a piece of the roti and put it into her mouth. The mansion was silent except for two voices at the threshold. Vedika intended to turn back and walk straight to the quarters but her curiosity got the better of her as she switched directions and started walking towards the entrance.

Vedika could see two silhouettes and even fron the distance she knew one was Daju Ma's. The other was that of a short, plump man and she got closer, Vedika realised it was Damodar. Vedika hid in the crevice behind the stairs as she chewed her rotis. She could hear the two speaking clearly.

"I don't see why you had to stop me", Daju Ma was telling the priest, "I don't see any reason why the girl has to stay here anymore".

"Be wise saheba", the priest said "Rewa is already talking. You might not care about it but I do. I care about your ladyship more than.."

"Save your breath Damodar", Daju Ma snapped "I'm not going to pay you anything extra for syrupy words".

"Apologies, sahiba", Damodar simpered "But what I'm trying to say is,you cannot lose your reputation. If people find out you killed your own husband, they are not going to invite you for their children's betrothal ceremonies are they?".

"I don't care about that", came Daju Ma's curt voice "I'm not interested in attending anybody's family functions. What do I have to lose if I don't get to see some bastard agreeing to marry some chit of a girl? I don't even believe in the institution of marriage. But heck, I had to do it twice. Both times for wealth. First time, luckily, the man died on his own. Second time, I had to make that happen as well. But man, did I do it!", Daju Ma threw her head back and laughed.

"There is no doubt that you are extraordinarily capable sahiba", Damodar said "But all I'm saying is.."

"I know what you're trying to say Damodar", Daju Ma clapped him on the back, "But you know what, you are right too. I have to think about my reputation. Can't have people thinking I murdered the great Yash Thakur. And that bastard was so sickeningly intelligent. Not more intelligent than me though", Daju Ma added immediately "I was half way through the plan before the fool realised I was upto something. But how could he tell anyone that the woman he had fallen in love with was planning to kill him? Nobody would believe him and even if anyone did, they would berate him and not me for choosing to marry me".

"But I still can't believe you managed it sahiba", Damodar said with awe in his voice "And nobody even suspected you except Thakurji himself".

"Oh it was not easy at all", Daju Ma said modestly, "The number of times I had to grind the poison and make him believe that it was the basil that his fool of a first wife had planted in their garden when she was alive. And I had to give it to him when nobody was around. Couldn't have anyone suspecting me even remotely. Because me? I'm Sati Savitri who will fight even with death for her husband's sake", Daju Ma finished proudly.

"You are a genius sahiba", Damodar bowed.

"I know Damodar", Daju Ma laughed "Come on, now let this genius get you a ride to Komolika's inn. Go and have some fun there".

"Of course Sahiba", there was delight in Damodar's voice.

The house became completely silent as the duo moved out.

But Vedika standing inside couldn't move. She felt like someone had poured scalding oil all over her. The food had turned to clay in her mouth.

A/N : Do let me know what you guys think of this chapter.

Until the next update ❤️

Much love!
Nivetha