AADRIKA : The writer of the story

Chapter 11 : Manipulation

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7 days to go-

No-one

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of deep orange and purple. The ancient walls of the royal palace echoed with a stillness that spoke of the weight of tradition and the secrets hidden within its corridors. The soft chiming of temple bells could be heard from the palace's sacred temple, where the Rajkumari Aadrika's Choti Maa, Rani Avantika, knelt in prayer.

Aadrika, her footsteps almost silent on the cold marble floors, approached the temple with purpose. She had been carefully plotting her next move since that fateful day when her Choti Maa had confronted her. Raniji had questioned her identity, suggesting that perhaps Aadrika was not who she claimed to be. The Rajkumari had feigned confusion then, pretending not to understand the implications of her Choti Maa's suspicions. But she knew she couldn't maintain that charade forever. Her position, her very survival, depended on her ability to outmaneuver the shrewd and perceptive Raniji.

She reached the temple's entrance and paused. The soft glow of the oil lamps illuminated the stone idol of the goddess, and the incense swirled in the air, creating an atmosphere of serenity. Aadrika took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to do. She had rehearsed this moment over and over in her mind, crafting every word, every gesture, to evoke the response she needed.

Rani Avantika, clad in a simple yet elegant silk saree, finished her prayers with a final chant. She stood, her eyes still closed in a moment of silent reflection. Aadrika waited until Avantika opened her eyes before stepping forward, her face a mask of vulnerability.

"Choti Maa," she called softly, her voice laced with a mix of hesitation and sorrow.

Avantika turned, her expression guarded. Ever since the confrontation, she had been watching Aadrika closely, looking for any sign that might confirm or dispel her suspicions. But the sight of Aadrika standing there, looking so lost and heartbroken, momentarily softened her resolve. "What are you doing here at this hour?"

Aadrika lowered her eyes, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her dupatta as she stepped closer. "I... I needed to speak with you, Choti Maa. There's something that has been weighing on my heart, and I can no longer bear it alone."

The Rani's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded, indicating that Aadrika should continue. She had seen many manipulative tactics in the royal court, but she wasn't sure yet if this was one of them.

Aadrika's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked up, meeting her Choti Maa's gaze. "Ever since that day, when you... when you questioned who I am... I've been so confused, so lost." She let her voice tremble slightly, allowing the tears to spill over. "Do you really believe that I am not your Aadrika? That I'm some... some imposter?"

Rani Avantika felt a pang in her heart as she watched Aadrika's tears fall. The young woman before her looked so much like the Aadrika she had helped raise, but something had always felt off since her return. Still, seeing her like this, so broken, made Avantika question her own doubts.

"I didn't want to believe it, Aadrika," Avantika said slowly, her voice tinged with regret. "But there were... certain things that didn't add up. Your mannerisms, your memory... they were different."

Aadrika bit her lip, as if trying to hold back a sob. She knew she had to tread carefully now, to strike the perfect balance between vulnerability and strength. "Choti Maa, do you know what it's like to wake up one day and not recognize your own reflection? To feel like you're a stranger in your own life? I've been struggling, trying to remember things that should come naturally to me. But it's like... like there's a fog in my mind, clouding everything."

Avantika looked at her with furrowed brows, her eyes narrowed with visible confusion. "But you said you remember everything". She lied. She damn did. "I lied, I didn't wanted you all to worry about my memory when you have much more things to be concern about." Aadrika looked at her with eyes filled with unshred tears

She took a step closer, reaching out to grasp Avantika's hands. "I'm scared, Choti Maa. I'm scared that I'm losing myself. That I'm losing the Aadrika you all loved. I don't know what's happening to me."

Avantika's heart ached at the sight of Aadrika's distress. The possibility that her doubts had caused this anguish was almost too much to bear. "Aadrika, I didn't mean to hurt you," she whispered, squeezing Aadrika's hands gently. "But you must understand, as a mother, I have to protect this family, this kingdom. If something is wrong, I need to know."

Aadrika's eyes widened with feigned horror, as if the mere suggestion that something was wrong with her was unbearable. "You think I'm ill?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You think that's why I'm... different?"

Avantika hesitated, sensing she was being led into a trap but unsure how to avoid it. "I... I don't know, Aadrika. But if you are unwell, we need to help you. We need to find a way to bring back the Aadrika we know."

Aadrika's grip on Avantika's hands tightened, her expression turning desperate. "But I am Aadrika, Choti Maa! I am! Maybe I've changed, maybe I'm not exactly the same, but I am still me! I'm still the daughter you loved, the princess who grew up under your care."

She let out a small, broken sob, bowing her head. "Please, don't give up on me. Don't push me away. I need you, Choti Maa. I need you to believe in me, to help me find my way back to who I was."

Rani Avantika felt her resolve crumbling. The emotion in Aadrika's voice, the pain in her eyes-it was all so convincing. Could she really be wrong? Could her doubts have been unfounded, driven by paranoia rather than evidence? The woman before her seemed so genuine, so vulnerable, that Avantika's suspicions began to waver.

"I would never push you away, Aadrika," she said softly, pulling Aadrika into a tight embrace. "You are my daughter, and I will do everything in my power to help you. We will figure this out together."

Aadrika buried her face in Avantika's shoulder, allowing herself a small, triumphant smirk. She had managed to plant the seed of doubt in Avantika's mind, redirecting her suspicions toward an illness rather than an identity crisis. But she knew this was only the beginning. She would need to continue to manipulate her Choti Maa's emotions, to keep her off balance until she no longer questioned who Aadrika really was.

As they stood there, locked in an embrace, Aadrika whispered, "Thank you, Choti Maa. I knew I could count on you."

Avantika gently stroked Aadrika's hair, her heart torn between love and lingering doubt. "We will get through this, Aadrika. Together."

But as they pulled apart, Aadrika's eyes, once filled with tears, now gleamed with a cunning that Avantika failed to notice. The game had begun, and Aadrika was determined to win it, no matter what the cost.

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