ENCHANTED - BY INNOCENCE (ongoing)

56

This chapter has 3000+ words and ends with a question. Make sure you read till the end ❤️

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*** Shanthi ***

"Wow!" I exclaimed as we stepped into the grand dining hall. "This place is so beautiful."

"You haven't been here before, sweetheart?" Vinod asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"Unfortunately, no, officer," I replied with playful sarcasm. "My husband has been too busy to bring me around."

Vinod chuckled.

"A grave crime, Ms. Shanthi," he said, playing along. "I'll make him list all the places you haven't seen yet and ensure he takes you to every single one of them."

I smiled at his humor, feeling lighter.

"Kesari is the sweet on the menu today," he whispered, leaning in slightly. "Hope that compensates."

"Really?" I asked, my face lighting up with joy. "Where is it?" I scanned the food spots in the distance, but the huge crowd made navigation seem almost impossible.

"The crowd is massive," Vinod said, noticing the same. Then his eyes landed on someone. "Oh, Yashoda bhabhisa!" he exclaimed, pointing toward her. She was sitting alone at a table in the far corner. "Go sit with her, Shanthi," he suggested. "I'll go grab the sweet for you."

I nodded and made my way towards Yashoda bhabhisa.

"Shanthi!!" she greeted me warmly, her smile wide and welcoming. "Come sit," she said, motioning to the chair beside her.

I sat down, and she immediately slid a bowl of kesari toward me.

"This is for you," she said kindly.

"No, no, bhabhisa," I said quickly, feeling a little awkward. "You have it. This is yours... I'll—"

"I was saving this for you, Shanthi," she said lovingly and politely. "I don't like kesari. I had jalebi."

Her thoughtfulness made me smile as I took the bowl.

"Thank you, bhabhisa," I said gratefully, taking a small bite.

As I looked around the room, I couldn't help but notice how many people were present, all in their uniforms.

"Where is General Sir?" I asked curiously.

"Somewhere here," she replied, sounding slightly disheartened. "It's hard to identify him when everyone is wearing the same uniform."

"I know, right?" I nodded in agreement. "I asked Vinnu to wear a nice kurta, but he said no way."

"General Sir said the same thing," she replied, smiling softly. "He said the uniform holds all their weapons. Regular clothes wouldn't."

"What would they do if they have to go undercover, then?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I asked the same question," bhabhisa said, her tone lightening. "He said those clothes are made of a special fabric and would be too heavy for regular wear."

"Actually, bhabhisa," I said thoughtfully, "I think they should consider making regular clothes capable of holding weapons."

"You think that's possible?" she asked, her interest piqued. "Wouldn't the swords pierce through the fabric?"

"Not if we design the fabric to hold the sheath in place," I replied confidently. "Maybe use some strong straps supported by tiny hooks, like the ones in blouses, but reinforced with multiple layers for extra support. Since we're only holding the sheath, it wouldn't make it hard to pull out the weapon either."