𝑰𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 (previously Vaidehi) ✎

[19]

UNEDITED

"I like these bangles." The young girl, who introduced herself as Padma, sighs beside me admiring a set of pink bangles I am holding in my hand. I smile at her.

"Do you want it?"

She nods. "But I don't have money." Her face falls.

I tsk. "It'll be my gift to you. Okay?" I tell her. She beams at me, her face lighting up immediately. 
"Really, Rajkumari ji?" She asks excitedly. 

"Really. " I promise. She catches the end of my dupatta in her hand and nestles herself close to me. A warm feeling takes over me as I tell the stall keeper to give me the same bangles in a children size. He immediately obliges, producing an identical set from inside a jute bag.

I offer it to the girl to hold who jumps up and down with it happily as I pay. But the ten ruppee coin I offer is smoothly rejected.
"Rajkumari ji, sharminda na kare, aapse paise nahi lunga."
The stallkeeper has folded his hands and his face dons a hesitant smile.

I shake my head firmly. "bhaiya, aise mat boliye. Mere kushi ke liye hi sahi, le lijiye."
He shakes his head.
"Rajkumari ji-"

"Dekhiye bhaiya, baat yeh hai ki, agar aap nahi lenge na, toh aap sirf apni Rajkumari ko hi nahi par aap mujhe bhi bahut dukh paunchayenge." Raghavendra interrupts, emerging beside me.

"arre arre yuvraj, aap aisa mat kahiye."
The stallkeeper now looks alarmed more than anything. But he finally relents, accepting the money from me.
"Next time, I won't accept it, Yuvraj." He mutters softly, pocketing the coin.

Raghavendra just smiles in return. He then faces me,
"Alright, now are you ready to leave?"

I raise an eyebrow in question,
"Leave? Leave to where?"

"Its time for the evening aarti." He answers matter of factly.

"Oh." It had atleast been two three hours since we've been touring the temple town and the market was our last stop.
A soft orangeish hue covered the sky above us. A sight to behold truly, which indicated almost sunset.

"Lets go." I nod, taking his arm and moving briskly.

But suddenly Raghavendra moves my hand away from his elbow, letting it drop to my side. I realise witn a start what I had done ans immediately look up to find a good amount of audience gawking at us. My cheeks heat up but before I can get embarrassed, people start offering me slow reassuring smiles followed by
Raghavendra's low chuckle.

Get a grip, Vaidehi. I chastise myself.
"I know it's hard to resist me, but you need to control yourself, meri jaan."
Raghavendra whispers in my ear. I clench my jaw, glaring at him but that only fuels his laughter.
krishna bhagwan, please help me.

__________

"Alright then, good night, your highnesses. I'll see you tommorrow." The assistant priest tells us. He folds his hands in a namaste amd we do the same.

"After you." Raghavendra says, urging me inside the cottage doorway. I oblige. A soothing scent of camphor and chandam invades my senses the second I enter inside. The cottage is a small structure made of bamboo, strong enought to withstand a thunderstorm but not a flood. It is more than sufficient for a night's stay, although now that I've gotten used to the big spaces of the palace it does look small. It has two makeshift bedding arrangements made on the ground. The assistant priest told us that usualy guests sleep on the floor itself but they wanted to go the extra mile for thr royals, hence they came up with the arrangement. Raghavendra and I thanked him and made sure to tell him we didn't mind sleeping on the floor either, but we didn't want to disrespect the arrangements so rejecting the offer was out of the table.
There is a straw mat also on the floor and a claypot of water sits in the corner.