"Nandini! You're now 6 and I think you're old enough to know the rules of my house! You're not a daughter of common person! You're the daughter of Krishna Murthy so it's better you learn the rules and regulations to live accordingly!", Her father said that and little Nandini who was listening to him nodded in understanding as it's the first time since she was born that her Baba is talking to her for so long.
"Ba--", before she could complete he stops her showing his hand, "Jab koi kuch bol rha hai ho toh bich mey unhey toktey nhi! Samjhi aap! Aapsey main bas yeh kahunga ki aap jo ghar k helpers k saath samay bita'ati hai unkey saath khelti hai vo na karey! Aap iss baat ka dhyan rakhey ki aapka janam kha hua hai aur apki shadi k baad apko mery ghar ko chor kar jaa'na hai dusrey ghar mey jahan apka yeh behaviour acceptable nhi hoga! Waha k rules and regulations k saath apko yeh rules and regulations bhi follow karney hogey unkey ghar mey! Baki rules apko head helper sey pata chal jayega!"
Blinking her eyes she innocently asked, "Baba! Yeh mery ghar nhi hai?"
Her father glared at her as she questioned back and said gritting his teeth, "Mainey apko pehly bhi bataya hai fir sey bata rha hun never question back! Jo kaha jaa rha hai ussey suney aur chup chap ussey manney! Fir bhi apney puch liya h toh bata dey yeh apka ghar nahi hai! Apki shadi jaha hogi wo hi apka ghar hoga!"
She nodded in understanding while her father left her.
After his departure, the head helper came and told her rules which her father made for her. She nodded at her every word and learnt as much as her small brain can adjust.
Few things she had learnt that she's not allowed to go anywhere without her father's permission for which she has to talk to his manager who'll convey her message. She was not allowed to talk unnecessary and questions back the decision of others whether it's about her or not. She was not allowed to talk to many people so she has to maintain her distance with everyone. Though she was a princess her father made a rule that she can't spend money unnecessarily she needs anything she has to tell that to her head helper and after his father's permission she'll get the things.
Her brain adjusted everything and slowly as she grew up she was the perfect princess of her father's kingdom. She was homeschooled but was perfect in her studies. She learnt everything from cooking to gardening as a part of her studies. Not everyone knows how she looks as she maintained every rule given by her father.
Now that she's 21 she learnt in these years that her father is not a man of words but actions. He never talks with her but fulfils all her wishes which she had asked him. She knows her father has a kingdom to run thus he's always busy but whenever she asked anything it was fulfilled by his manger. It's not like she asks something big just the necessities. Being homeschooled she rarely speaks as she has to maintain the decorum of being a daughter of a king. For her, her father's order is everything.
Like every day they sat at the long dining table, her father at the head chair while she at the second head chair opposite to it. Only the sound of cutlery was audible because they have a rule to not to talk at the dining table. The clock struck at 9 pm and both stood as the dinner timing ended. Her father stood wiping his hand in the tissue while she waited standing till he left. To her surprise, in 20 years of her life, her father said to her first time, "At 9:30 I want you in my room. Second floor, last room towards the left!"
Without waiting for her reply he went. Nandini wipes her hand and left for her room.
Exactly at 9:30, she went to the room where his manager had a small one cubicle office outside the room.
Tucking with her long hair strand behind her ears nervously she said, "Baba had called me at 9:30. May I go inside?"
"Please wait for a minute, ma'am! Let me ask him!"
She nodded as he went to ask. On returning he said, "Please wait here for 5 minutes. He's on a call right now."
Nodding she stood and waited for the manager to allow her. 5 minutes turned to half an hour she was nervously standing there tucking her long hair strand behind her ears again and again.
Finally, the manager got a call and he told her to go inside.
Knocking his door she asked lowly, "Baba! Main andar aa sakti hun?"
"Come in!", His stern tone made her nervous.
Gathering herself she went inside and stood in a corner.
She looked around the room as it was the first time was on the floor and room.
"Mujhey apko kuch batana hai!", Her father took her attention and she waited for him to continue because she knows the rules to not to interrupt in between.
"Apki shadi next week hai and day after tomorrow is your engagement! Ladkey waley bahut force kar rhey the aapsey milney k liye isliye kal wo aa rhe hai!", She looked at her father to continue but looking at him who picked a file she got the cue for her leave.
She came out and went to her. What her father said was too confusing for her. Marriage? She was not aware of the marriage and its responsibility. All she knows from the books she read that the girl has to leave her house and go to another house. But was she ready for it? Of course, she was! Her Baba had prepared her for this day only. All the rules and regulations were for the marriage. She took a deep breath and laid down. She didn't know whom she was marrying and what more rules will be added after her marriage but she remembers what her Baba said when she was 6 years old that after marriage she has to follow the rules of his house and their house. Thinking about the marriage her eyes drooped down.
