The Cinderella Of Rewa

29. Vedika

"I'm telling you mister, there is no other girl in this house. I only have two daughters", Daju Ma said irritably.

"Alright then madam..and careful miss, do not sabotage the sandal", the butler advised Madhuri who was unsuccessfully twisting her large foot from side to side, trying to fit it into the golden sandal which dangled at the end of her toes. Sonakshi had already tried the same and failed miserably.

"Even if if gets sabotaged, what now?!", Daju Ma exploded at the butler "Some job you are doing, trying to find a girl using a stupid sandal. This is the last elite house in Rewa and you haven't found the girl so far. Don't tell me you'll go and look in the slums for her now. Better go and tell your mistress that there is no girl in Rewa like the one you're looking for. I really respect the house of Mittals, that's why I'm letting you do all this. Don't take undue advantage".

The butler stared at Daju Ma with his mouth open. He couldn't understand why the woman was getting so vexed.

All the other houses had welcomed him with drinks and refreshments. They had all hoped that the sandal, by some miracle, would fit one of their daughters. After all who wouldn't want an alliance with the Mittals? This lady on the other hand hadn't even given him a glass of water and was already asking him to leave.

Daju Ma on the other hand was in her own state of  tension. She had locked up Vedika in the attic and brought her daughters down to try on the sandal. The key off the attic was safely harnessed to her hip, attached to her hem skirt along with all the other important keys in the keys. She hoped to be rid off the butler before he grew suspicious. She crossed her fingers and stared at the grandfather clock in the hall, hoping the seconds would tick by fast. 

•••

Vedika had been hearing every word of the conversation between the Mittals' butler and Daju Ma from the attic. She was in turmoil. The doorway to her freedom had literally opened right infront of her. If she was going to miss this shot, she would never get it back again. If the butler left, that would be the end of it. Daju Ma would come back up and kill her.

How could she be so close, yet so far away from her luck?

There was nothing she could do. She was tied up and gagged. She could neither move nor make any noise.

Where were the spirits of her dead parents? Had they abandoned her? Where was the God her parents always praised? Had he turned a blind eye to her unfortunate fate? Where was the karma she had lived her life out, believing in? Had it decided that her fate was supposed to be brutal even though she had done no wrong?

Down in the hall she heard Daju Ma hurrying up the butler and asking him to leave.

"Very well then madam", the butler said "If there are really no other young ladies in the house, I will take your leave".

There it was going! Her last chance was walking out to never back!

In a fit of panic and rage, Vedika began shaking and tried to twist and turn as much as possible, she tried to make some sound that could be heard downstairs but she wasn't even audible enough to hear herself.

"Will you stop shaking around like a drunk woman?"

The voice came from beneath the door of the attic.

And it was a voice that Vedika would never forget.

"Ganga!", she cried out in joy.

"Yes", came Ganga's chirpy voice "I'm going to get you out now".

"What..h..how..but how did you get the key? How come you are here?! Sister, what is happening?"

"Calm down, I'm coming up", Ganga said.

A few seconds later, Vedika heard the key turning in the hole and the door opened.

In the darkness, she could barely make out Ganga but one thing she could completely make out was the zest in her best friend. It was still
intact. Enough to fuel Vedika.

"Sister, hurry down fast", Ganga said urgently as she came and untied Vedika, "put on that sandal and go marry the prince. Amma Kali is there with you. Have faith!"

"But how do you know all of this? And how did you get here? The guards have been told not to allow you in. How did you get the key?"

"Vedika, stupid girl, the Mittals' butler is leaving. Will you stop reasoning and run downstairs before he is gone? My explanations can wait".

The girls looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Alright, I'm going. You stay here", Vedika said finally.

"Good girl. Go!", Ganga said.

Vedika hurried out of the attic.

•••

"It is most unfortunate that you could not find the girl", Daju Ma said in a softer tone as she stood at the threshold with the butler who was about to leave.

"Perhaps, you should consider the possibility that she is from a different city of Madhya Pradesh".

"I will", the butler said "But my mistress will be so disappointed. Pity, every single girl in Rewa has tried on the sandal and we still couldn't find her".

"No, all the girls in Rewa have not tried the sandal yet", said a female voice behind them.

Vedika had arrived.