Adhyalekha:The Throne of Flames

04|Under the Veil of Night

Hello to everyone who is reading this. Thanks for giving your time to my work.

Hriday

The thunder rumbled in the sky as I rode on my horse through the thick jungle. This was the only way of getting to the Palace without being noticed.

Today,the weather was acting out. It was suddenly raining in the month of Falgun(march), which was not very common. The soil was wet, and the smell of it was blooming throughout the forest. Maybe even the nature knew I was up to no good.

The harsh drops of rain fell on me,completely soaking me and Shakti,my beloved horse. Due to the rain,I couldn't see much of the path ahead of me, but thanks to Shakti, we made it to the Palace outdoors.

I climbed down the horse and caressed his wet hair,thanking him for being my only supporter in this mission. I asked him to hide himself in the bushes and tall trees and wait for me. He followed my word like a loyal friend.

I smiled and hugged him a bit. Shakti was my constant partner in my mission. I always brought him with me, and he has saved me countless times. He was a black stallion who was excellent in his work and took immense pride in it.

I stepped away from him towards a cave like structure, which was hidden behind bushes and creepers. This was one of the 28 secret passage ways to the kingdom.

I moved the creepers aside with my hand,only to find the cave covered with the stone. I sighed and started pushing the stone aside with all strength. The veins in my hand and neck popped a bit due to the force as I slowly slid the stone aside.

I moved inside and found an unlit torch hanging on the stone wall. I rubbed two sticks lying on the ground and lit the torch.

I walked ahead with the dimly lit torch in my hand, slowly trying to see the path in front of me. The Palace was approximately 5km away from here, and I had to make it before the celebrations started.

As I moved forward,I found a few snakes and scorpions on the stone walls. I was a bit nervous as this could literally be the last day of my lit but somehow managed to pass through the tunnel. By the time I reached,the sky was dark, and the rain had stopped.

I covered my face properly, only leaving my eyes on display. I blew off the torch and pushed off the stone kept at the entrance of the tunnel.

This tunnel opened in one of the rooms of the RaniMahal. In fact, most of the tunnels were connected to the RaniMahal, taking into consideration that during times of war,the ladies of the Palace were usually the only ones inside the Palace along with a few servants. So that,if time comes, the women and children can escape through the forest route.

All the rest of the passage ways were not directly connected to a room, which means that there would be tight security around them. This was my safest option.

As I kept the stone aside,I entered into what looked like a bathing area of one of the rooms. Thankfully, no one was around. I silently placed the stone back in its place and looked around for the exit of the room.

I entered a door which led me to a dressing room followed by a bedroom. Again,the room looked empty, much to my convenience. As I was about to move towards the window,I heard the clinking of payal, which meant somebody was heading towards the room.

I quickly ran towards the bed, hiding behind it. There was a small space between the wall and the bed, which allowed me to be hidden behind it.

My heartbeat increased, and sweat formed on my face. I can't get caught like this! As I was trying to gain my composure,the door of the chamber flung open, and a girl came inside, followed by two attendees.