The dry land beneath was unexpectedly showered by the merry rain from the dark clouds.
The heat of the land had started to release itself slowly after a prolonged session of rain for two days consecutively.
Shefali could smell the smell mud and it made her nostalgic but it was not that hard for her anymore. In this corner of the huge palace, she had formed a sweet alliance, a sweet little connection she called family: Shakti and Aai.
After pleading with Drucilla with all of Aai's efforts, she managed to let Shakti work for the royal family.
Shefali was elated at the news.
The Royal family members made sure to not cross this part of the inner palace. Shefali was sure it was because she stayed here.
She never mentioned it to Eshant though.
He already must have so much to look after, she reminded herself.
Shefali had turned a bit reckless these days especially after Eshant had started to not visit her often.
She feared losing something she never possessed in the first place.
She feared she was slowly turning old for the prince's interest.
"Shefali? Why don't you answer?"
Aai's voice echoed in the corridor and Shefali was caught off guard.
"Yes?"
Shefali walked out of her room.
"Can you please help me with chopping the spice here?"
Aai shouted from the courtyard under the sun where the masalas were kept to soak under the sun that appeared after so long.
"Sure!"
She shouted before walking through the corridor smiling at the sweet glances at her from the maids who had slowly started getting used to her.
It's all thanks to Shakti who was a sweet kid and everyone's hearts melted all at once and they were glad Shefali stood up out of all to not let her be sacrificed.
Shefali felt this sudden difference in their behavior as a blessing from her god who must have been pleased by her decision that day in the field.
She was determined to not let it all be taken for granted from her side.
All the misleadings and taunts she has had to listen to since the very first day she stepped inside the brothel gates were the main reason she never stepped back from acknowledging their sudden kindness.
Shefali sat beside Aai and started using the stone grinder (ammi kallu or sil batta) as gracefully as she could manage under her everlasting haste to do things as quickly as she could.
"These are the new season red chillies better cover your nose with the odhna"
Tara, a fellow maid, advised.
Shefali took the wise advice graciously.
They all were greatly invested in their works until they heard storming footsteps from the inner palace door.
Their hands stopped, all at once in order to know what happened.
Ekta ran out, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"What are you all looking at?"
She shouted as soon as she landed on the pavement.
The maids quickly went back to their respective jobs but Shefali's hands were still motionless.
YOU ARE READING
𝟏𝟓𝟐𝟗: 𝐀 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐣𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚| Indian Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 Ⅰ 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐉𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐈-𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 Shefali Roy had lost her parents in a pandemic when she was just one year old. That was the first time she was orphaned. The next time she was orphaned was when she was seventeen. The army of...
