𝑰𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 ✎

[26]

We reached Talya. We reached!
It was barely a journey of two hours but to me it felt like a lifetime.

I breathed a very long sigh the second the royal palace came into view.
My happiness currently knew no bounds. We would have been some 200 meters away from the Palace when the cart stopped.

"You will have to walk from here." Injured kidnapper tells me. His friend looking at us with a bored expression. I nod happily and jump down. The place they stopped in is a secluded area away from the bustling market. Its obvious why the kidnappers wouldn't want to go near the public eye.

"Thank you." I throw behind my back as I set off running in the direction on the palace.

The market is quite busy despite the ongoing war situation, so people don't notice me as I run through them. I hear people bragaining in the Talya dialect and honestly I could cry. I never thought  I would be so happy to hear this dialect.

I finally heave to a stop in front of the palace gates. My knees give out and I kneel down. A lone tear falling from my eye.

"Rajkumari Maneka?" Some guard asks me, squinting his eyes against the sun trying to see my properly. I don't blame him. It would be tough to recognise me in this state, without any proper head gear and hairdo, kneeling in sweaty dirt caked clothes.

The jewellery I was wearing last night, I had removed and tied it into a knot in my dupatta anticipating the kidnappers to try to steal it. I consciously touch the knot, relieved that it is still secure.

"Yes...." I sigh, "Its me." Hearing my answer, two of the four guards, immediately help me up. I let them support me inside the royal palace, where guards and maids start whispering to themselves looking at my condition.

Two maids are assigned the job to take me upto my quarters who oblige obediently trying thir hardest to not give me any pitiful glances.

I wonder how bad I look that everyone is pitying me so much. As the thought crosses my mind, I self consciously wipe my cheek.

When I reach my quarters, the familiar smell of roses that I always took for granted is a very welcome solace. My quarters. I am safe.

"Shall we prepare you a bath, Rajkumari?" One of the maidservant asks. I nod taking a seat on my bed.
The maids go into the bath quarters to do their work leaving me alone when I hear quick footsteps.

Its my lady-in-waiting. Neelam. "Rajkumari." She whispers, running to me. I let her take me in a tight embrace and sigh into her shoulder. 

Its almost like she suddenly remembers properiety and realisesshe overstepped her bound as she quickly lets me go and takes a seat on the floor next to my feet. Neelam is always very big on boundaries, so it was very out of character for her to even hug me.

She starts massaging my feet, "How did you get back?" She asks.

I shrug. "The kidnappers dropped me back."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "That is very odd." That makes two of us, Neelam.

I don't say anything in respose and she doesn't ask me anymore questions. In a few minutes, the other maids emerge out stating that my bath is ready and I gladly go into tbe bath quarters.

Neelam follows me in and helps me into the perfectly warm water, adorned with rose petals. Settling into the water, I rest my head on the headrest of the tub while Neelam starts applying sandalwood paste on my arm. Usually there are two other maids helping me take a bath but today I am glad to be alone. Well, as alone as I can be with Neelam.