She fell under the spell of the devil.

Just lekha tainting herself in Meglos's love.

"We need to do this for Babasa, Lekha"

Tanirika muttered, her beautiful honey brown eyes were moist with hues of tears in them. She had just walked out of the Asaka's royal meeting room after discussing the circumstances arising from the northern side. Lekha was standing outside the room waiting for the meeting to be finished.  She was out of the palace to get some medicines for the elder woman who lived in one of the lady's quarters. The elder woman was unable to travel down the palace to the doctor to get her medicine so she asked lekha to get it for her.

Since childhood lekha was pampered and treated the same way as Tanirika by everyone. She was always grateful for the life king Tanya provided her. The early days were hard for her as she found it difficult to accommodate the rich atmosphere of the Palace. But Tanirika always shared everything with her. To be more precise, Her friend gave everything away for her. For every gift, For every choice Tanirika always asked lekha before taking it. She was always first for Tanirika. As she was for her. They were not blood-related but God had paired her with Tanirika till eternity and she was grateful for it.

That day when King Tanya walked inside her hut, she believed in the God residing in the sky. He was the angel, God sent to rescue her.

Lekha picked the things essential for the evening prayer and decorated her plate. Silently, praying for the betterment of the people of Asaka. Moreover, for her sister Tanirika. When Tanirika's elder sister was getting married which was 2 years ago she cried that whole night, not because Princess Timaya was close to her but all she could think was Tanirika leaving her.

Her eyes were so red the next day that it made the king worry for his daughter. He visited her and spent the whole day trying to ease her tension by talking things away. But all she could think was Tanirika leaving her. She knew she was no princess, though she was treated no less than that. She knew boundaries. She knew what position she held. Though her position in Tanirika's and king Tanya's hearts was at the top. She cried that day holding her guardian's hand telling that she doesn't care if she gets married or not but she will go everywhere with Tanirika. King Tanya chuckled over her demand but right now she knew she had to accompany her friend. She could not leave her friend alone in this dark times.

If Tanirika can sacrifice herself for the insurance of the kingdom then she can abandon things too. She can make a sacrifice too by accompanying her friend to the devil's den. Since childhood Tanirika hugged her every night when the lightning struck too hard in the sky. She held her when she was scared of dark Now it was her turn.

"You look stressed Lekha, my child," The priest asked lekha. She smiled shaking her head in denial Putting forward the container of offerings towards him.

"I am arranging this prayer for the princess, purohitji"

"She needs it. After all, she is the incarnation of the goddess herself. May Goddess Bhavani provide her with strength and patience. Believe in the almighty my child, they will make everything ok. " lekha smiled at the priest. She joined her hands for prayer as the priest started chanting holy words to the goddess.

"Do what your heart conveys! And rest leave it on the one who sits above all of us. " He murmured as she bowed her head in respect moving out of the temple. She would ask his majesty today itself to allow her to accompany Tanirika to the kingdom of Rakshatra. They both needed no one when they had each other.

It was that night and this night, Today Tanirika was married to the king , she had started her own court and Lekha had met with the devil.

PRESENT

It was just a normal day in the Palace of Rakshatra. Tanirika was going to start her own court. Lekha had entered the chambers of the Queen to help her in getting ready for the evening prayer when she found her friend talking to Master meglos.

He was one of the high ranked official general's in the Rakshatra army. The only time lekha had seen him was when he was with Tanirika. Apparently they spent many occasions together talking about things. Tanirika and meglos were good friends and lekha had noticed that the man with green eyes cared for her friend.

Lekha had never admired men for her it was a sin. She had always been a woman who concentrated on her work and people around her. The people she cared. She knew her limits and also was aware that she was adopted by the king but still she was just a village girl who was special in the royal palace. She had limits.

Lekha had came across the green orificed man many times since she accomadated in the palace. But today was little different.

The devil had caught the scent of an angel. And he just wanted to taint every inch of purity she possessed.

When lekha moved around the chamber preparing the flowers for prayer, a pair of eyes stopped on her. It was the first time meglos had laid his eyes on Lekha. And he would be lying if he didn't find her amusing to his very liking.

Her pale white skin glowed as the sun rays fell on them. Her long and thick hair were styled in an elegant braid, and adorned witha maang Tikka. The one accessory which caught his breathe away was the golden nose ring adorning her face. She was wearing a royal blue less embroidered blouse which displayed very less of her white skin, while her waist peaking slightly under the dupatta was naughty enough to drive him crazy.

She was a walking angel but he was not saint.

She was like a sacred place he wanted wanted devour. A flower so beautiful that could hypnotize any man staring at it. He had no sane thoughts regarding her. And being the blunt man he was, he addressed his obsession openly making her crawl her toes in nervousness.

Meglos adjusted his body weight on one side staring shamelessly at her back. Lekha gulped inaudibly crouching down on the ground, picking the thread and needle material lying on the ground. She concentrated on her work, placing the material properly in the box. After placing everything properly, She got up satisfied with her work only to collide with someone standing so close to her.

Her eyes widened in realisation having meglos so closed to her petite form.

She frantically moved her eyes  around the chambers only to find it empty. Was she lost in her thoughts?

Lekha had never witnessed a man looking at her with this intensity. It was scary yet she found it attractive. Meglos was a well built Romanian lad, with a strong and muscular physique that exudes confidence and strength. His broad shoulders,  toned chest, and defined arms, gave him a powerful presence. He looked more alluring and tempting with so close.

The most alluring thing about his presence was his eyes. The green orificed barbarian man was one of the most attractive man lekha had ever seen. She had heard the maids talking about every sinful thing they desired to do with him. Lekha didn't blame them after all meglos was the man who could make any lady sin.

And she wanted to stay away from him. Men did no good to women. And men like meglos would only taint her for life.

"Your majesty" She hurriedly cast her eyes down moving away from him. Meglos stood firmly in front of her staring at her scared form.

"What is your name? " Lekha fiddled with her fingers staring at the ground. Meglos snapped his hand in front of her gaze, making her step a little back again in fear.

"Le__Lekha " She whispered.

"Lekha, hmm" She stood like a little mouse caught in the cat's hold as he rounded himself around her examining her every heavenly detail.

"Your majesty, I need to go. The queen expects me in the temple " She whispered in fear. Meglos smirked standing behind her, he moved a little close to her, a comfortable yet heart-racing distance between them. Lekha inhaled in panic finding him so close to her.

"And what will you do in the temple? " He whispered in her ear. Lekha closed her eyes in fear, gripping her dupatta end tightly.

"I need to pray " she was barely audible when she replied to him out of respect. Meglos laughed pushing himself away from lekha, controlling his actions.

He walked closer to her, gripping her chin in his rough hands, he tilted her head higher making her face him. Well, her eyes were still focused down, her face void of any expressions.

Only she knew how hard it was to control her racing heart who was betraying her due to the proximity of a man. This was the first time her feminine frame was in contact with the opposite sex.

"Pray to God, that I dont remember you tomorrow. Or else you will forget that he exists " He whispered almost brushing his lips with hers. She stood frozen devoid of any emotion as he walked out of the hall.

Lekha fell on the floor once he left. She kept a hand on her racing heart calming her nerves down. She didn't understand what was he implying on but whatever it was she needed to stay away from him. He was a  higher rank commander and she was just a maid. He could use her easily and throw her away but she couldn't risk her virtue no! That was a sin!

Poor girl, she didn't know that the devil was already unleashed.

Lekha had been in denial since she first meglos that he messed with her. All she wanted was to stay away. The devil had started to invade her dreams and thoughts. All she could think was his body brushing against hers. Why was she becoming like this? Maybe it was just a phase.

Everytime she was in his presence he controlled all her senses and she hated how his presence affected her. She knew meglos would accompany Tanirika today in the meeting for the Queen's court. And she had decided that she would not attend that meeting. Hence she had lied to her friend about having an important work and switching her place with another maid.

That was the reason she was now following the duties of the maid she had switched her position with.

To avoid him today she had successfully conquered her senses and distracted herself from him.

Lekha fidgeted with her dupatta staring at the group of men standing at a distance. She loathed working for someone else other than Tanirika but right now this was best of her. She knew she caught the eye of one of the most popular heartbreaker and she wanted to stay away from him.

Tanirika was close to Meglos. If she complained to Tanirika about it then their relations will turn sour. Lekha knew how close Tanirika was with meglos, they were best friends. And what would she complain about he didn't do anything wrong the only advances he portrayed were stopping her in the hall and staring shamelessly at her wherever she walked.

Shaking her thoughts away, she walked inside the meeting hall filled with various men who came back from one of the fights in different areas of the hind. The men were laughing and messing around as they enjoyed their meals and win. Her maroon plain lehenga hugged her curves perfectly highly her white skin. She heaved her eyes down as she served the food to the men. Men were men there were different types of men sitting in the room. Many of them raked their eyes down to her every curve while others threw evil glances.

As a lower post-human, she had no right to reply and throw a tantrum. Since childhood, she was taught to be a good lady-in-waiting for the heir princess. She was trained to help and yield to the royal in every possible circumstance. One of them was leaving her home and travelling with the princess.

She picked the empty wine jar which was supposed to restore, walking towards the exit of the gate she threw a glance at other ladies who were working around somewhere busy in their own business while some were trying to catch the eyes of some men. Everyone wished to wear jewels of gold and silk.

She walked slowly toward the storage corner which had wine and other snacks stocked in. The number of categories in wine always made her wonder what was so special about this but she was no one to comment on it. Women were not allowed alcohol. And lower-ranked women like her, it was a sin for them.

One of the maids was filling her jar when she saw lekha getting in, smiling at her lekha filled her own.

"I never saw you in this wing of the palace, are you new? "
The lady asked.

Lekha smiled softly nodding at her. She was not in a mood to hold a conversation, it was better to lie and act nice. She walked back quietly towards the hall filled with men with a jar full of wine, a man yelled from one of the corner ushering her to move fast.

She adjusted her veil properly covering her face walking towards the group of four men sitting on one of the tables. It was difficult to distinguish between their races, one looked like a Romanian warrior, while the other three were difficult to figure out. The one with the longest beard snatched the jar from her making her yelp in fear. The men laughed looking at her frightened state, her breathing escalated when they all eyed her strangely. She quickly moved past them saving her from their holds.

Lekha stared at the table filled with food fighting with her self to leave this damn room. She wasn't comfortable here. Was she so scared of a certain man that she stepped inside a room filled with wolves? She closed her eyes sighing soundly moving out of the room. She was the Queen's lady in waiting, no one would dare touch her not even Master meglos, to save herself she would complain to Tanirika. 

But she was just a common girl living in the palace, the encounter she had with Satan would be a coincidence just a one-time thing. Maybe she was exaggerating. She moved her veil out of her face exiting the room.

She walked past the royal garden entering the king's area which had barely a few men surrounding the region. She smiled staring at the pigeons flying in random directions eating the grains of good splattered on the ground. She yelped in fear when someone grabbed her hand and slammed her on one of the corridor walls. 

Her pupils dilated in fear as the man pressed his rough hand on her mouth. His other hand snaked around her waist making her squirm in fear. She hated his touch. He was the same man who snatched the jar from her hands. He laughed showing his broken and degraded teeth as the alcohol stunk from his whole body. She started pushing him back using her whole strength to get away from his nasty clutches. He buried his face in her neck biting and pinching her body making her feel disgusted in his hold. She screamed and cried pushing him away only to get failed in the attempt.

"Look at you, so white and Preety with the veil of " He muttered licking her neck disgustingly. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears split silently. She felt so helpless in his hold.  With a swift moment, he grabbed her veil and Yanked it off from her frame. She gasped in fear staring at the viel which was lying on the ground. Her breasts and waist were exposed in broad daylight making the man in front of her go insane. She begged to live her covering her exposed skin with her hands. His eyes lingered on her skin from head to toe, he licked his lips. 

She closed her eyes helplessly when he stepped closer to her frame, her hands were still wrapped around her chest as he pressed kisses around her neck, his one hand travelled down her waist making her stick deeper into the wall.

A loud splash of liquid made her open her eyes in the alert. She gasped as the red liquid spread on her waist and few drops on her face as the man molesting her fell on the ground with a knife stuck on his back.

Fresh tears leaked from her eyes making her go weak on her knees, she held the wall adjacent to her for support. The man struggled for a breath of oxygen as blood oozed down the fresh wound. Lekha tore her eyes away from the dead man towards the person who killed him. There was no one in her sight, she was about to turn back when the touch of a cold cloth scared her to death. She gasped in fear turning back her eyes slowly lifting to see the person standing behind.

More tears oozed out of her eyes as meglos wrapped the dupatta around her arms. She closed her eyes crying silently over her fate and the disgusting touch which was still lingering on her body.

"Tani is in the private courtroom shouldn't you be with her? What are you doing here? " His rough voice sacred her further, she looked down holding her shoulders keeping the cloth closer to her frame.  She didn't spare him a single glance moving back  running away from him and the dead man.

Lekha was traumatized by the scene which had undergone few minutes ago. She hurriedly walked towards her room which was connected to Tanirika's. It was smaller compared to Tanirika's but it was spacious and luxurious enough for her. Lekha had witnessed dead bodies but today the touch of another man burnt her skin.

She thanked the goddess for sending Master meglos on right time. What would have happened if that man had been successful in his advancements. Distracting herself from Meglos and walking into that certain area was one of the biggest mistake of her life and she was in no mood to repeat it.

She rubbed the blood of her body and cleaned herself. She tried to control her racing thoughts and heart which only pointed how reckless she was today. Though she was a maid she was pampered and caged in Care of the king himself. Her babasa had never differentiated between tanirika and her.

I wish you were here Babasa.

She whispered closing her eyes as tears fell from her face.

Lekha lost her time and fell asleep staring at the random object lying beside her. She slept regretting her every move and dreamed of the man who had saved her today. Somewhere in her heart she had already started liking him. And that was the reason maybe she wanted to avoid him. Whatever she felt around him was strong and that scared her.

Thank you for giving this book a chance. This book is based on side couples of the original book "Ranisa".

This was basically a filler chapter to line up the events of this book. From next chapter you can expect fresh and new scenes on Meglos and Lekha.

I need to design aesthetics for this book. Anyways hope you guys liked this chapter.

Hope yall have a good day.

Love Aditi 💜