Chronicles of Panchali - The 100th Selection

Chapter 22; A Wild Thing Indeed

"Where am I?"

The guard shook his head, exasperated. "I'm not allowed to tell you."

Aru groaned and continued throwing the ball at the ceiling and catching it when it fell down. "Please?" She tried to do her best puppy eyes, but apparently they didn't do any convincing, and it also managed to make her lose concentration, so she had to fumble to catch the ball again, causing a pause in the rhythmic thump thump that was strangely soothing.

The guard rolled his eyes. "You're doing it all wrong."

Aru copied him, sitting up in her bed from where she had been laying all day. "So? I don't really care."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, seeming to deeply regret being appointed as Aru's personal guard, who, according to the sleeper, was there for her 'protection', but Aru just tried to be flattered that he thought she was sly enough to escape and needed someone to make sure that she didn't. Not that it would stop her.

But it also seemed to be true that when the Sleeper had told her that she would regret not telling him anything, he meant torturing her with boredom.

The assigned guard also happened to be around her age - maybe a few years older. He had bright red hair and chestnut brown eyes, but seemed like a person who ironed his bedsheets every morning.

"You're supposed to flick your wrist." The guard picked up the ball from the ground and demonstrated. At Aru's stare, he raised an eyebrow. "If I have to be stuck here keeping watch on you, I'd rather do it while not getting annoyed."

Aru grumbled, but did as he instructed and it did come a lot easier. "What's your name?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"If I have to be stuck here with you," she imitated him, "I'd rather at least not be bored out of my mind. I mean, have you guys never heard of a thing called books? They're quite nice, and might help fill up that empty head space."

The corners of his lips twitched into a half-smile. "My name's Rowan. Rowan Blight."

"Nice to meet you, Rowan. Now can you please get me some books? Preferably not the really boring ones on a bunch of facts no one needs to know. Maybe something like Harry Potter."

About two hours later, Aru was standing in front of a huge bookshelf that spanned three walls, filled with colorful books, ranging from small to big.

She picked out a random one that her mom read to her when she was younger, one of her favorites called Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. The copy almost looked old enough to be the same one, but that wasn't possible.

The jacket was yellowed and ripped, but still preserved, and there was even a small stain in the corner like the one Aru had made on her coffee after she spilled some milk on it. Trembling, she flipped open the cover. There was a note inscribed on the endpage.

For my Arundhati,

This was the only book they had left in the shop nearby, but I think it's perfect for my little girl, who is bound to be a wild thing indeed.

Love,

Dad

Aru's hands shook as she finished reading the last work and there was an uncomfortable lump in her throat. She was just about to put it back on the shelf as if that would erase what she had just seen. But just as it slipped away between other books, loud footsteps behind her stopped her.

"What're you doing here?" The Sleeper asked smoothly, barely concealed rage flickering in his mismatched eyes. He turned to Rowan angrily. "I thought I said not to let her out of her room without permission."

Rowan looked lost for a second so Aru stepped in. "It wasn't his fault. I asked him to bring me here 'cause I was bored and wanted some books to read." The Sleeper's eyes flashed to the Where the Wild Things Are, and his posture slackened for a second, as if revealing a small vulnerable part of him. But as quick as Aru blinked, it was gone. "It isn't like I can escape either. I have no idea where I even am."

The Sleeper turned to Aru, composed though something like a dare was written on his face as he cocked his head, leaning in. "You want to know where you are, Aru?"

Aru crossed her arms. "Isn't that what I've been saying this whole time?" She let her arms drop to her sides in mock exasperation. "It's like no one here has more than a few brain cells."

The Sleeper let out a small laugh. "Do we need brain cells? My dear Aru, you're in my kingdom."

(A/N: I honestly should've revealed this in Aru's last chapter, but because there are alternating chapters between Aiden and Aru and Aiden's point of view has more plot, all of Aru's chapters are going to be pretty short and slow-paced to keep her entire plot running long enough to sustain how much is going to happen on Aiden's side.

But... How was the plot twist? Ik, not the biggest one ever, but there's more to come.

And do you guys like Rowan's character? I thought it would be better for Aru to have a sort of friend while being trapped in boredom-

Tomorrow, I'll also be publishing an Aru Shah short story in honor of Halloween - the idea inspired by  dystopicbookqueen (It isn't letting me link it for some reason) - in my Special Stories book on my personal account 

And one last thing... 3.2K VIEWS OML THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!)