Ruthless Rulers of Rakshatra (RRR)

Chapter 13 - Embarrassed

King Virendra said, "Since the Queen is not well, the arrangements in the internal palace will be looked after by Yuvrani.  We shouldn't give any reason for them to point out a wrong.  I hope Yuvrani will do the needful".  Kalindi accepted the responsibility and assured the King.  After everyone left, Abhyuday told Kalindi, "Don't over work yourself.  If you need any help, then take it from Gopi".  Kalindi nodded and then he went away. 

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Kalindi started preparing the arrangements for welcoming the Royal family of Khuram.  The guest rooms were decided, maids to serve the guests were also selected and the food menu during their stay was also prepared according to their taste.  The Palace decorations were decided and it will be done one day before their arrival as the flowers will not be fresh otherwise.  After finalising these things, Kalindi retired to her bedroom just in time for her usual sleeping time.  Gopi was dismissed for the day and Kalindi was helped by Lekha and Rekha to remove her jewellery.  They also prepared a hot water bath as it is night time and cold water could be harmful for health.  In the meantime, Kalindi changed into a simple cotton cloth wrapped around her that covers from her chest to her knees.

Once the water was warm, Kalindi entered the bathroom and stepped into the indoor pool of hot water and dipped for some times.  Then she laid back by sitting on a small stool placed inside the pool and keeping her hands on the edge of the pool.  Rekha and Lekha helped her bath by applying different pastes on her hands and body.  Finally to complete the bath, turmeric paste was applied on her when suddenly the door was opened.  Rekha and Lekha stood up on seeing the person who entered the bathroom while Kalindi was startled as she was covered by a single piece of clothing and that too sticking to her body.  When Abhyuday came inside the bathroom, after removing his jewellery which displayed his bare upper body, he didn't expect his wife to be there as well.  And even more embarassing was that she was not in a proper state for him to look at her.  So when Kalindi immersed more into the water, he immediately turned around and proceeded to move without a word.  After he went out, Kalindi immediately finished her bath and went to her own chamber to get dressed as the bathroom was not safe at the moment.  Abhyuday simply sat on his chair with closed eyes, by leaning his head on his right hand, which was propped up on the arm of the chair.  All he could think about was her face which was dripping of water, with her hair sticking on her face and shoulders and that golden skin with the trace of turmeric making it glow and not to mention the white cloth sticking to her breasts.  Opening his eyes, he hissed and tried to erase the picture from his mind.  "Even after getting trained to control my bodily urges on getting drugged with aphrodisiacs, how am I not able to resist her.  She didn't even do anything to attract me in the first place", Abhyuday thought to himself.

After getting dressed, Kalindi dismissed her maids and laid down on her bed, and thought about the incident.  "That was so embarassing. Ahhhh!", Kalindi screamed into the pillow so as to reduce her volume.  But her rising heartbeat and reddened cheeks had another story of their own.  Both the husband and wife slept after a long time that night.  Abhyuday didn't even check upon her at night, as he generally does.  The next morning, Kalindi met with the minister incharge of the function arrangements, that are to be done outside the Palace and discussed some things which could be changed.  At the same time, Oormila was sitting on her bed with both her legs wrapped in cotton cloth which tied up the medicinal paste on the swellings.  And her son Kaushal was sitting near her, in a separate chair.   He asked, "Mother, what are you thinking right now?".  He was fed up of his mother who called him early in the morning and didn't say anything productive till now.  Oormila looked at him and said, "The situation is slowly changing in a different direction right under our nose. We are not able to succeed in killing that Abhyuday and now the issue has gone to another route which we never thought about.  And it will be added burden for us in the future".  Kaushal sighed and said, "Mother, Can you please speak directly?  I didn't understand anything except our failure".  Oormila gritted her teeth at her impatient son and said, "I was talking about Kalindi.  The new Yuvrani.  Till now I didn't think of her as a threat except her father's political power.  But one thing I missed to calculate is the possibility of next heir".  As soon as she mentioned this, Kaushal was jolted awake from his slouched position and sat upright.  Kaushal asked her, "Now the only way to put a stop to all of these problems is finishing of Abhyuday as soon as possible".  Oormila got tensed and shook her head and then said, "No, we should not rush it now.  It's not even a month since the last attempt and the security is too tight.  But there is other ways to relieve our burden".  Kaushal asked, "What?".  Oormila smirked and said, "He is afterall a man and son of that Virendra.  The technique which worked out on his father, will work out on him too".  When Kaushal was waiting for her explanation, she just said, "Wait and see".

After coming out of his mother's chamber, Kaushal looked back at the chamber once and then walked away.  In the afternoon, a maid from the Queen's chamber came to Kalindi's chamber and asked to meet her to rely a message.  Once she got in and greetings were done, the maid said, "Yuvrani! Maharani (Queen) has asked to meet up with you regarding some inputs on the guest room allotment".  After saying the message, that maid was waiting for a reply but after sometime, Kalindi simply said, "Inform the Queen that I have some important work right now.  And I will meet her in the evening".  Then Kalindi went on to continue her work which was reading a book and the maid, who felt afraid due to the cold tone, silently went away.  Gopi looked at Kalindi differently as this was the first time Kalindi has spoken coldly and strict.  But Rekha and Lekha were used to this.   Kalindi didn't worry about Gopi being there in the room because it was simply an answer and nothing more.  Later in the evening, before dinner, Kalindi went to meet the Queen and greeted her.  Oormila looked at the girl up and down and then asked, "I got to know that Yuvrani declined to meet me?".  Kalindi replied with her usual neutral expression, "It is simply because of my work that I was not able to come to you immediately, Maharani (Queen)".  Oormila noticed that neither did she ask for forgiveness nor did she ask about her health and welfare.  Still suppressing her anger, Oormila said, "I saw the arrangements for guest in the palace.  I think there are some changes needed like-".  She was cut off by Kalindi who said, " Maharani, the arrangements are done after proper consideration and even the food menu was designed according to their tastes and culture. So please take care of your legs and rest assured about the arrangements.  Moreover, I have to learn it from now itself so that in the future, I will be able to do my duties as the Queen of Rakshatra properly".

Oormila was tongue-tied by her reply and even the servants present in the chamber could hear the sharp edge in the tone of their Yuvrani.  Then Kalindi went away from there, without waiting for a reply.  After coming back to the chamber, Lekha asked, "Yuvrani, you have expressed your disdain infront of Maharani so openly.  Do you think this will create an issue?".   Kalindi looked at the three maids in front of her, who were all waiting for her reply and then said, "I would have kept her respect, if she didn't cross my path.  She had already crossed the line and even Yuvraj doesn't expect me to entertain her anymore.  The only person who could reprimand me for speaking as such is Maharaj (King) himself.  But now Maharani's ego is bruised so she will try to handle it by herself.  Hence, need not worry about it".  Seeing that it is past dinner time, Gopi went to take the dinner for her. After that Rekha asked, "Yuvrani, when will you start your archery practice and where would you do it?".  Kalindi sighed, "I don't know Rekha, we need to find a good place which will be well hidden from others and easy to reach from the chamber itself".  Suddenly Lekha said, "Yuvrani, I think you should talk to Yuvraj regarding this.  I feel Yuvraj is very caring towards you as he helped you against the Maharani and personally advised you as well".

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Hi guys,

Hope everyone is doing well.  Kalindi and Abhyuday's story has just started and a lot more to come.

Wait for the new entry, next chapter.

Happy Republic day to all.

Do vote and comment if you like the chapter.

Thanks,
SM.