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A powerful afternoon breeze rustled the pages of her notebook. Khushi struggled to jot down the last of her findings before quickly reaching for her hat. Too late - the wind swept it clean off her head, and it slipped beyond her grasp.
Khushi darted across the courtyard of Amer Palace, her white dupatta billowing behind her, flapping like a restless bird against the dry Rajasthani wind. The sun blazed high, casting a searing white light over the sandstone courtyard, making it shimmer like molten gold. Each stone radiated heat, a fiery touch under her mojris [footwear] that was softened only slightly by her rapid pace. The dry, parched air bit at her skin, an unrelenting reminder of Rajasthan's fierce summer.
With every step, the warm gusts of wind seemed to taunt her, whisking her hat just out of reach. Her cheeks flushed, whether from the heat or the thrill of the chase, and her grumbles rang out, punctuating the stillness of the vast fort. Squinting against the sunlight, Khushi pushed forward, her steps fueled by the spirit of the land - a fierce dance beneath the gaze of the ancient walls and the relentless desert sun.
Bent double, and wobbling on unsteady feet, her futile attempts failed until the hat stopped by a pair of shiny leather shoes. A hand, much larger than hers, shot down and picked it up. Khushi jerked upright, snatching it from the man.
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He was far more graceful about it than her as he straightened. Khushi's breath caught in her throat as he slowly took off his sunglasses.
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