𝑰𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 (previously Vaidehi) ✎

[3]

This chapter is dedicated to cherry--fia__ and IshuK14 ❤️

__________

Two days later

"It's her!" A loud feminine scream rings across the walls of the Palace of Saanchi. My father's Palace. Still feels weird to say it.

But weird or not, I'm here and that's all that matters. We only reached two minutes ago and since then we've been standing at the entrance waiting for the middle aged woman who didn't bother to introduce herself to finish doing my welcome aarti. The woman is dressed in clothes that suggest she is a handmaiden but i can't be sure, however her face is twisted in a frown and there is a hesistance in her actions telling me one thing for sure that she is not happy to see me. But I can't say I can blame her or the few other servants who are looking at me with amusement. It is not everyday a king brings his illegitimate child into his royal palace. The excited scream that had come from upstairs though suggests that this strange girl is happy to see me. I have no idea why.

I steal a glance at my father who is standing beside me smiling kindly at the girl who is now descending the stairs at an ungodly speed. She reaches us just as the scornful woman wraps up the aarti.
"Vaidehi!" The jumping girl exclaims before wrapping me in a tight hug. Out of reflex I hug her back.
"I can't believe I am finally meeting you." She says into my shoulder and that snaps me out of my trance.

With confusion swirling in my head, I squirm under her embrace and luckily she takes the hint and let's me go. But not completely,
with a hand still firmly placed on my arm she swats her forehead and tsks.
"I am so sorry I forgot to introduce myself." She smiles warmly, "I am Radhika. Your sister."

The words ring in my ears like a loud obnoxious drum and I still. The girl is tiny I realise as I take her in. She has a sweet face which makes her look younger than her nineteen years and the fact that she isn't very tall just emphasizes the fact.

"Radhika." I repeat like a moron.

"It's okay. You don't have to warm up to me in a minute. We have a lot of time together. Ofcourse only until your wedding day. But even after that I'll come down to meet you like every month, so don't worry we'll never loose touch." Her boisterous voice makes the awkwardness of the situation almost vanish but there is still something holding me back.

"Uhh...I am sorry but I am really tired. Can we talk later?" I ask her praying that she doesn't find me rude. In all honesty, I do know I sound like a brat.

In response to me, my half sister's eyes widen and she nods. "No no I am sorry. You had such a long journey and I started bombarding you with all my chattering. Please go ahead and rest." She then looks to my side where our father is standing and bows down to touch his feet. Pitaji gives her a standard blessing of "Derghaayu bhava" and then she smoothly stands upright.

"Can I show her to her quaters?" Radhika asks him smiling sweetly. Pitaji nods and touches the back of both our heads before mumbling something under his breath that I don't manage to catch and Radhika doesn't give me a chance to dwell on it because in no time she has gripped my palm in hers and is pulling me in the direction of the grand stairway.

"Your quarters are right next to mine. We are going to have so much fun." She announces excitedly. Without responding to her I instead just look around the Palace, drinking in all the walls, paintings and the gorgeous grandeur of it. It's all so unbelievable.

We come to a halt in front of a mahogany door which Radhika let's me know is the door to my quaters. She offers to help me settle but I really don't want any company right now.
"I'll manage. Thank you."