अन्तः अस्ति प्रारंभः।
The end is the beginning.
A caterpillar dies, to birth a butterfly. Water evaporates to rain down. Dead carcasses fill the stomachs of vultures.Life gives way to death and death to life. In a vicious circle of different karmas...
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Mihira stifled the urge to bare her teeth in an animalistic fashion as Saini continued to chatter about the murder.
The body had been taken to a royalty verified and vetted vaidhya, who was supposed to check it for further evidence and details of the death as well as it's circumstances. Mihira had slept for all of an hour the previous night, the itch in her shoulder scar had become too troublesome to ignore and thoughts of Durukti made sure to keep her eyes open. Dealing with numbers after an ordeal such as that was unpleasant enough without constant, useless chatter.
"I mean, I heard that they found the body with a punctured throat. How do you not throw up after a sight as atrocious as that?"
Mihira forced a placating smile on her face (quiet, indulging). "That is untrue. And, you learn to hold in your disgust when you are the daughter of a vaidhya."
Saini snorted scooting eagerly, lunch forgotten in order to gain new information,"What did the body look like?"
Mihira shrugged delicately with one shoulder, trying to buy time for the thought. Should she say the truth, Saini would probably circulate it to multiple people just out of mostly innocent fascination. The case was a sensitive one and therefore indulgence of knowledge was dangerous. And Mihira was tired of such pointless questions.
"Nothing a lady of noble station should even dream of." She said finally, her breath soft and eyes lowering demurely,"Grotesque." Mihira looked up to Saini again, pointedly not lifting the hand that still had a morsel. Guilt flashed in Saini's eyes, and just for a moment, Mihira pressed more, seeking relief from her on tension. "I would never wish it upon you."
Saini forwarded Mihira's glass of water to her hastily. Her chin dipped an inch, eyes quickly following the suit as she ran a finger behind her ear. A tell; Mihira noted to herself for later use. "I am so sorry to have upset you, my friend. I did not intend to do so, my most sincere apology."
"Do not fret over it," Mihira said, a sparkle burning in her feet, urging her to run. The last person who called her a friend had slit her uncle's throat. The one before that had gone missing into the darkness, to never be found wholly again. "Curiosity is a virtue of the great."
She swallowed some water, feeling it all the way in her choked throat. Wordless questions formed in her mind, the instinct that something was amiss niggled at at her, like a feather light tickle on the back of her neck.
Mihira stood up with her plate as soon as she saw that Saini had finished eating, hands semi cleaned and feet stiff. "I apologise, Saini, but I am required to meet the Law Maintenance Minister this afternoon due to the case." She informed, finding renewed satisfaction in the polite letter that was delivered to her while entering the palace. No more rude summons. "I cannot walk back to the office with you."
Saini nodded, no questions coming from her guilt ridden mind. Mihira breathed deeply, showing off her tense shoulders while she rejoiced in her mind. Guilt, she noted, made the resident storm of the Accounts office quiet as a mouse.
