The Village Girl

Chapter Ten - [Aaryan]

When I reached my mother's room, I sighed before entering, knowing very well that our conversation was going to end off in a fight.

My mother had thoroughly avoided meeting Seetha's family to the point that it had become disrespectful, and though Seetha herself had not brought it up, I knew it bothered her.

I knew I would have to bring this up with my mother, and that would surely lead to a fight.

When I walked in, however, I was survived by the presence of an unfamiliar woman who was my mother. Actually, I would not even call her a woman. Though she was remarkably beautiful, wearing a rich, deep red sari and an extreme amount of jewelry, she looked young... maybe sixteen? Seventeen at most.

I nodded my head at the fair skin, round eyed girl. I saw her blush before looking away.

"Mother," I said, looking at her. "You wanted to see me?"

"You are late," she said, walking over to me and pushing her long braid over her shoulder.

I bent down and touched her feet in respect, though I was a little annoyed. "I was preoccupied."

"With something that is more important than your mother?" She asked as I rose to face her.

"With something important," I simply responded.

She frowned, but then I let out a breath. "I have something extremely important to discuss with you."

I walked over to the small settee she had in her room and sat down. "Well?" I pushed, putting a leg over another.

It seemed that every move of mine was frustrating to my mother. So she frowned, before clasping her hands together. "I'm beginning to understand now that you are adamant about marrying the village girl–"

"Her name is Seetha."

"So I have a compromise," she continued, ignoring me.

I raised a brow. "A compromise?" I had to admit, I was surprised that she would even consider such a thing.

"It is the best offer I have for you, so it would be wise to accept it."

"Well, tell me what this offer this."

She stayed silent and stared at me for a moment. It wasn't exactly a hesitation. It was a planned pause, possibly an attempt to make me nervous.

I waited.

When she was ready to speak she smiled. She held her hand out, gesturing the younger girl to come to her, which she did. "It's understandable that you don't remember this young lady... I think she was only three years old when she last came to the palace," she put a hand on the back of the girl. "This is Janani, the daughter of Lord Mayuran, an extremely wealthy noble from the Northern Province and a good friend of the family."

I blinked, leaning my elbow against the armrest and stroking my beard with my hand. Though I did not remember this girl at all, I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

"This is my compromise," my mother started. "Marry Janani, and keep the village girl as a concubine."

My eyes moved towards the girl, who was blushing. She seemed to have already known about what my mother was planning. "Leave," I said to her.

She looked a little surprised, as if she had expected me to be accepting of this 'compromise.'

"You do not need to leave," my mother said to her. "He–"

"Leave," I repeated. "Now."

The girl was at least smart, she chose to listen to me. She bowed before leaving my mother's room and as soon as she left, my mother looked at me with anger and disapproval. "Do you realize–"