Night passed on to welcome a new day which was to be hard for Damini. With hand and feet burnt and bleeding she was found unconscious at West wing corridor connecting to servant quarters. She was brought to her room by few maids who passed by the dawn. Madhura trembled in worry seeing her dark brown burnt feet waiting for the skin to be peeled off. They made her lay on the mattress and Madhura started treating her wounds with sobs in between suddenly stopped hearing Damini whisper.

"Who is Devika? Oh God did she lose her sense as she got hurt? What will I do now? To whom I could say this that Bai sa has lost her mind!" Madhura exclaimed in astonishingly in her imagination. Damini's whimper brought her back.

"Bai sa.. Damini Bai..." She shook Damini to bring her out of her trance. Damini finally struggled to open her eyes adjusting the light while madhura thanked the gods.b

"By mercy of Durga Ma .. finally you opened your eyes.. Bai sa. No One could ever be in such a worry that I was. God knows how I held my breath on my hands when they brought you like..." Madhura stated her rant

"Like?" Damini whispered

"How can I say that. It was scary.. you being unconscious and Blood dripping from your feet and hand. Do you know how afraid I was!" Madhura looked at her in surprise with her mouth wide agape.

'How can she joke when she's hurt like hell!' she thought

"You thought I died?" Damini joked while trying to sit alright.

"God forbid, please. Why do you say such things!"

"Well How is it always you who goes for and fine in morning and comes wounded at night. Wait... Sometimes doesn't return at all. How did you get these injuries? I must say that you were purposely injured?"

"Leave all that. Tell me what time of the day it is."

"Middle of madyanha prahar(9 am-12 pm). You still didn't answer me Bai sa."

"I must go. Princess Pariha must be waiting and I can't be so irresponsible resting here." Damini muttered herself and stood up by support of bed rest.

"What are you- "

"Madhura, help me for a wash." She said in a hurry

"You can't be this serious Bai sa-"

"Please...I am in a hurry." Damini pleaded her.

Rolling her eyes Madhura gave her a hand in scrubbing the dirt and cleaning up the bandage while Damini fixed herself in modest attire to cover all her marks and bruises, applying sandalwood paste with aloevera on her wounds. Within wasting another minute she walked out towards Royal Residency to Princess'chamber. She heard commotion at the entrance of apartment. Without taking permission to be at presence she went in to find the whole chamber turned into a mess.

"I want DAMWINI" a meek voice shrieked while Pariha sighed out of exertion. Aadrika was on her bed with hands folded and with a irritated pout face which could make anyone melt.

"Greetings my Princesses." Damini chirped cheerfully catching the ladies' attention. Within a second Aadrika sprawled out and ran towards her new favourite person streching her little arms. Aadrika hugged her stomach tightly while Damini hugged back and chuckled by this sweet act of hers.

" Did you find the right time to come here for your duty or should I say you had to?" Princess Pariha made a taunt remark as Aadrika was out of sight while she kept her hands busy with messy clothes.

" I apologise for my behaviour Princess. It won't happen again." Damini pleaded in low voice instantly not wanting much more drama at the start of the day itself.

Pariha didn't mind her apology.

"I thought to give you increment on your salary. Seems like it is out of the box now. Anyways don't keep Aadrika waiting. Make her ready and take her to the temple. You will have a word with me later." Commanded Princess Pariha without sparing her a glance and dismissed her. Her authority in her voice never left her though she is a silent member in the palace.

"As you wish Princess." Damini nodded and walked towards bathing room. She halted on her steps by Pariha 's words.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you limping?" Princess Pariha asked scrutinizing her moves. Finding something fishy she questioned to get atleast a half truth she hid behind her smile.

"I am fine Princess. It's just nothing. " Damini, keeping her hesitation aside gave a tight lipped smile.

"You got into a trouble, didn't you?" Pariha asked amusingly to which Damini turned and chuckled which had so many emotions veiled, questions hidden and answers no where to be found.

Getting a toddler ready was not a piece of cake for Damini. Little Princess Aadrika's constant tantrums for not getting bath and having breakfast made Damini be in her toes which literally pained as walking on thorns. After a lot of persuasion yet sweet talks the little Princess was dolled up. In no time Princess Pariha urged Damini to leave for The temple accompanying Aadrika as they were already out of time while Princesses herself stayed back in her chambers engrossing in books of palace acounts. Being alone in solace of silence and agony eating from inside was more comfortable than trying to socialize even in her maiden house of Rajangarh. Princess Pariha avoided most of the festivities as well as celebrations since the day sadness engulfed this untroubled palace yet she never refused her one and only source of content of her life, Aadrika from mingling around gleefully as she deserved to be. Princess Aadrika, on the other hand was a single bubbling soul in soulless fort of great Rajans as Damini analysed.

For Damini, the palace seemed to be a maze unlike Prathaangarh. After endless crossing corridors aa guided by the little Princess who was excited to reach temple as early as possible. The north wing of the palace located The Royal Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. A magnificent architecture with intricate details of sculptures the monument was on a high raised platform the temple served a great place as a peaceful and serene atmosphere. To the opposite of the temple was a mandap roof erected where a troop of servant ladies stood by indicating a royal was in the temple. Little princess enthusiastically tottered over the steps of temple platform while Damini walked in her place in awestruck of sculptural beauty a shrill voice brought her back to reality.

"Nani sa. Nani sa" Little Princess Aadrika shrieked seeing her grandmother in inner square of temple entrance running towards her. There stood a middle aged woman in glory radiating royal power which was reflected from her long maroon saree, brown hair tied in bun, though a blank forehead eyes spoke supremacy. Such a powerful lady also had blend of elegance in features and a smile that curved her lips that was cause of her one and only grandchild's excitement.

Damini had never seen such a dominating lady carrying her elegance with an ease. She was in her world of analysis that she stumbled on her foot which made all attention on her including the royal highness and little princess who giggled. To avoid more awkward moment a handmaid in service of royal highness moved silently towards her giving her an earful.

"What are you looking at you girl? Just bow down and stand aside. You never look at her highness in her eye." Handmaid scolded holding Damini by elbow while she composed herself having a look at serene dark yet glowing porch.

"Her royal highness Rajmata Avani Devi." the maid introduced, Damini looked surprised.

'Is she for real? She is so similar to what I heard about Rajmata. Unlike, she doesn't seem to be mother of this tyrant king! 'Damini thought to herself before greeting her in namaskar and stood in line beside handmaids.

Rajmata along with her granddaughter carried out their prayers to lord Shiva residing in sanctum Sanctorum whereas Damini wished to the god for only one request: Sought of answers and revenge for injustice. The whole atmosphere changed into spiritual one for the next few hours with few giggles here and there in excitement of learning.

Eldest along with youngest lady of the family exited out while Rajamata waved her hand, dismissing the handmaids to their work. Damini walked few steps accompanying royal ladies when Rajamata stopped and glared back at Damini for her insolence of disobedience.

" I apologise, Your highness. I meant no disobedience. I just wish to do my duty of accompanying Princess Aadrika all the time as instructed by Princess Pariha. If you permit I would like to do so. "

Damini said in humble voice not to upset Rajmata while the other person stared at her as if killing her with looks. Aadrika in between held her hand to come along giving both of them her warming innocent smile to which Damini reciprocated and glanced at Rajmata for approval. Being a woman of few words Rajamata nodded smiling at her granddaughter Princess Aadrika rambled out on her steps through the pathway with no stop for her talks on all the topics she saw she found curious about as they reached till Royal residency wing, Princess Pariha's chamber.

"Pariha, my beautiful daughter. How have you been lately? You seem to be weak by rushing behind Aadrika." Rajmata called grabbing Pariha's attention from her work who saw at her mother with affection.

"I am fine Ma saheb.

"Take Aadrika to tailor room, Damini. My little girl is growing fast each day. Hema go with them." Pariha dismissed them to have a private conversation with her mother sensing her intention by her visit.

"Is there something you want to talk about Ma Saheb?" Pariha asked politely wrapping up books of palace accounts and sat next to Rajmata.

" Looks like you have appointed new caretaker for Aadrika? I haven't seen her so far." Rajmata looked at the direction where Damini left and back again to Pariha.

"Yes she is. Talented, polite and able to handle Aadrika. May I ask your interest towards her?" Pariha sensed her mother's intention as always. Hearing Pariha's rhetoric statment Rajmata raised her eyebrows in question. With no answer to keep it confidential Pariha sighed to answer.

"Apparently Your son Brought her from war in a bad state. I took her under my care. "

Rajmata has an unbelievable look for a second then masked it up with irritation. Never she had thought her children would keep secrets from her though of insignificant one. With no security check nor precautions a maid being brought from war by the King himself was a matter to be looked into was the only concern running in mind of Rajmata.

"Dismiss her. Now. " Rajmata deadpanned leaving no room for Pariha to object and stood to leave.

"Ma saheb, you can't-"

"This is why you and your son are the same." Muttered Pariha in annoyance seeing Rajmata's abrupt departure.

Rajmata bolted past through corridors and curtains, soldiers and maids who bowed on her way straight to her son , Maharaj Suryaveer's apartment. Rajmata majestically waved her hand making the Guards securing Swarna Mahal, The chamber of gold shut as they announced her arrival. As she strode inside the Queen mother found her anger subside for a minute to see a rare sight of her son having a delicious lunch. A part of her heart was delighted and leave him as he would wish whereas the Queen mother in her had a need to have a talk with the King. Suryaveer sensing his mother's hesitation and intense stare he tried to break their silence.

" Virajiye Ma saheb" Suryaveer called her for a seat opposite to his diner as a servant laid out cushions.

" Bring another meal for Ma saheb. " Suryaveer ordered the servant while the Queen mother dismissed for privacyby her signature wave.

" I feel both of my children are accustomed to hide matters from me, which clearly needed my approval ,isn't it Surya?" Rajamata questioned her son who looked up with a morsel in hs mouth as if he was innocent. Glaring at him Rajmata acknowledged of the regulation.

"How could you bring a girl from war grounds of a rival kingdom either as a captive or slave which is against our humanitarian policies?"

Suryaveer in his rare casual demeanour rolled his eyes a little then hinted lordly of his move.

"Ma Saheb, if you had known how much important that brat turned out to be to Prathans you would have rejoiced her captivity here. "

"What do you mean, son?" A confused Rajamata asked him.

Suryaveer leaned forward on his table placing his hands over the edge he professed.

"King Mahendra approached for truce in return for that girl."

Not knowing what to reply for her son's doing which needed to be appreciated for his political view as well as scolding for his contravention of social regulation.

"This should be the last one, Surya. Don't be in an impression that I approved while heartedly. This stays till your politics itself. I won't help you out of you bring her into your personal confronts as you did with that Muslim girl."

Left with no option Rajmata gave a nod of approval in hesitation which was sensed by Suryaveer convinced her with his sweet small smile.

"You be at ease, Ma Saheb. Don't strain yourself by such petty slaves. "

" Mind you, my son. She is under Pariha's care also your niece's caretaker. I don't want any incidents in this palace involving neither you nor anyone regarding this, understand?" Warning him, Rajmata walked out of chamber leaving Maharaj Suryaveer in smirk... Of victory...
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" I don't think they have kept her alive. Every offer has been rejected by them. No signs no traces of her from our spies. She saved us risking her life. But now.... "

. . . .

Heyy guys...

I am back after so long time..

I have been busy with family as well as personal commitments for which I am sorry for that...

Here is an update of Damini...

Hope you like the chapter..

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Also

Happy Diwali to all