Main taa tere naal hi rehna ji
Har gham sang tere sehna ji
Jo jag se kaha na jaaye woh
Mujhko bas tujhse kehna ji

Sohna sohna itna bhi kaise tu sohna
Sohna sohna itna bhi kaise tu sohna
Tere ishq mein jogi hona
Mainu jogi hona

Thank you for voting and commenting on the previous chapter. Make sure this chapter crosses 100 likes.

"Queen Mother, the queen has asked you for a tea meeting in the aausbaug garden tomorrow  evening "

A maid bowed conveying the demand of the Queen to Palasha. Palasha nodded her head in consent, smiling to herself. She knew this day would arrive sooner or later.

It's been a week since her son departed for the war.  Things have been going smoothly in his absence but the emptiness around the palace walls was lingering. Tanirika was busy with her royal responsibilities being the Queen and having a separate court for the ladies she was balancing extra work on her shoulders. 

Palasha sighed in relief thinking of the days when she never thought a Queen, A woman will be ruling the walls of the men led mindset of Rakshatra. There were still a few people who had problems while taking orders from a Woman. But her daughter-in-law was capable of handling the sharp tongue. She got a tongue like a blaze always ready to counter all the wrongs thrown at her. 

Her mind drifted to her son, meglos she was very much familiar with his little act of play going on with the head maid. Years of hard work and dedication taught her how to keep an eye on everything going on around her, right from her children to the palace.  She had her own set of detectives and trusted people who provided her with knowledge about everything.

"What is the commotion about Garima?" she asked one of her maids.

Garima walked towards the window taking the scene in front of her into consideration and then asking the guards about the situation.

"Your majesty, The new candidates for the employment in different sectors for royal work have arrived. Master meglos is making sure that every person entering the royal soil is trustworthy or not. "

Palasha nodded resuming her knitting job. She was not interested in the new people entering the palace. It was not new. She knew the Queen wanted to make some changes to the rules and regulations. She was not someone who interfered in the royal matters she was better off it. She only cared about her family.

Tanirika stared at the mob of people standing in a queue waiting for their number to enter the royal premises. Her eyes stopped at her friend who was trying his best to concentrate. Poor meglos, she smiled.

"Lekha, did meglos have his lunch? "

A joyous lekha who was playing with jugnu stood alerted as tanirika took the devil's name. Flashes of her past encounter with the devil replayed in front of her eyes. Since the king left she was tormented by the man who was a devil in human's skin. He visited her every night and like the stupid woman she was, she waited for him every night. She was familiar with his presence but every time she was asked to go near him she felt thousands of insects crawling on her back and her stomach making strange expressions.

"I do not know Tani"

"Make sure he has his lunch," Tanirika ordered.

"And don't disturb me I would like to be left alone for some time," she said picking jugnu up and walking towards the King's chambers.

Lekha knew very well where her friend was going on. Her friend missed her husband and every free moment she got she loved to spend it in the king's chambers. Between his memories and scent.

Tanirika walked toward her destination with jugnu in her hand. She carefully laid jugnu on the bed before laying down near him. Jugnu being a woman lover snuggled himself in her stomach, making himself comfortable around her. Just like her, he missed his owner too.

"I miss him, Jugnu.  I know you do too "

She sighed freeing her hair from the braid.

"I don't understand how I fell in love with him. All I think is about him. And I m sure he doesn't think about me. He will be busy making sure how many limbs he has to break in a day. Not that I blame him but I miss him. " she caressed jugnu's head who yawned in delight.

"This will be your room. Your mother will stay with you in the same room. For food, you need to visit the royal worker dining room at a respective time according to the timetable. If you're late then there will be no food. For bath and other activities visit the underground floor.  The left side is for the females. No woman is allowed on the right side of the floor. That is for men. "

The maid assigned to the attendant informed kaya and saya who nodded in appreciation.

Kaya smiled entering her room, a new wave of happiness and freshness allured in her body Looking at the small compartment. There were two cots placed at ample distance with luxurious handloom mattresses on them. A pot of water near the window was placed with a few utensils to make it comfortable. There were two wooden cupboards embarked on the wall for accommodation purposes. Kaya twirled happily taking the luxury of the small room in her eyes.

Saya stared at her daughter in sadness. Her daughter was happy looking at the worker's compartment where she deserved a chamber of a Princess. And a Queen. She was of Royal blood but unknown to the fact that she belonged to one.

"I will talk to the head maid and get the job in the kitchen. You make sure you work properly under the head seamstress "

Kaya nodded at her mother laying on one of the mattresses. Saya smiled softly at her daughter, she made herself comfortable on the same mattress where kaya lay. Kaya placed her head on her mother's lap enjoying the feeling of her mother's presence.

"Imagine if the Queen liked my design and she appointed me as her head seamstress. I will be so happy mother. " She exclaimed. Saya laughed shaking her head and glancing at her daughter in excitement.

"Kaya make sure you remember what I taught you. I support your dreams and aspirations child but the royals are not someone to be trusted. Their status and habits are very different from ours. You will understand that as time passes. But always remember to bow your head down and cast your eyes on the floor when you come across one of the royals. They can sentence you to death for just breathing in the same room as them. "

"OffO!  Maa, you worry a lot. I am here to just stitch and be happy. I don't want to be associated with any of the royals. I just want to make sure that we both wear clothes with no spots and dirt on them. We get good food and a good life. You are enough for me mother. Just how I am enough for you. " she smiled hugging her mother's waist still laying on saya's lap.

You are enough for me mother. Just how I am enough for you.

Made saya restless the whole night.  She couldn't sleep as the whole sentence kept replaying in her mind. How will the daughter react when she will know about her status and her family. What if she gets her son back and kaya doesn't take the news happily.

Kaya will face problems.  Her whole life would turn upside down. The truth she hid from her daughter could create havoc in her life. And to think the worst what-if someone recognised her and connected the dots that kaya was the heir to the throne.

Kaya's royal princess status was a curse to her if the hope raised in her heart turned into ashes.

......

The next day, Kaya woke up with a pleasant smile on her face. She was content to be somewhere where her future had wings. Like an idol daughter, she did all her chores on time before bidding her mother goodbye. Her mother being the emotional thinker recited all the rules kaya grew up listening to 10 times before she allowed her to go to work.

Kaya made sure she paid attention to all the instructions the royal head seamstress recited.

"You are professional, Goddess Saraswati has blessed you. " A short brown skin woman giggled as she looked at kaya's cloth for work.  Kaya smiled gratefully, not once her fingers halting in between the small talks she was making with the girl sitting beside her.

"Good morning aspirants, I Satayami, The royal head of the Arts department welcomes you to the Mightiest and most prosperous kingdom of Hind, Rakshatra's Royal field of Artistry. Here we have skilled artists who are trained to serve the affluent people of Rakshatra.  I am assuming that you all are inquisitive of the work you will be doing here. Always remember we serve the Royals but we also live like royals.  The Queen is generous to everyone here despite your rank and family. She has rewarded you all with the finest silks and thread imported lavishly from various Foreign countries. You all are required to complete the given cloth allotted to you in the coming three days. You are free to design your cloth in any form. After three days we will supervise your work and according to that your salary and designations will be allocated to you. Remember your relations, money or anything else won't work in the designation your handwork and art will. "

The old lady wrapped in a rich silk pink saree thundered under the curved close walls of one of the royal halls of Rakshatra.

"You don't have to worry about this. I can write this on paper and stamp it with the royal seal that you are going to make it. " The same girl who praised kaya before muttered with a beautiful smile lingering on her face.

"Thank you, I am kaya. " She whispered to the lady who was potentially starting to get into her friend zone.

"I am Neera. It's nice to meet you. Is this not the first time visiting the royal palace? "

Neera initiated a conversation as they both walked around the huge verandas of the royal sewing sector.

"Yes, I lived in Kamyani village far away from the royal grounds before I came here. You?"

"My father is one of the king's courtiers, He mainly looks after the foreign affairs. My mother wanted me to be skilled in sewing because according to her a woman should be perfect in everything so I am here. "

Kaya smiled softly as she noted that everyone around her was related to someone important. Anamika, her friend from the village had her uncle in the royal army. Her new friend neera was the daughter of one of the royal courtiers.

"That means you are a lady of high status " Kaya exclaimed as realisation dawned upon her.

Neera giggled nodding her head and playing with her yellow veil that was wrapped around her short frame.

"You don't behave like one. "

"That is why my mother will soon abandon me."

"I am not a royal. Well, I have no connections to a royal since my ancestors survived. But still, my mother scolds me every time. " kaya giggled following the path neera was heading into.

"Don't worry. I will make sure you take a tour of this magnificent puzzle. But not today. I am hungry! Let's eat something. "

Neera giggled dragging her new friend kaya along with her.

Zravasaya stared the nature's essence present in front of his eyes. He was standing on one of the mountains on his horse. He had travelled half of his journey and was heading to his destination. A week has passed since he left the royal palace of Rakshatra. Right now he had crossed the two kingdoms that shared boundaries with Rakshatra and were heading towards the north of hind.

"Your majesty, there is a river around here and the land is suitable for the army to spend a few nights. After this, we have a long journey climbing the mountains and a zig-zag route. "

His best man Dorian bowed suggesting the geographical location of the area they were rooted in.

"Camp the scouts and make sure everything is habitable for the army. I will join you all in a few hours.  I plan to visit the local market of the nearby village. "

"Should I accompany you, his highness"

"No, Dorian. You are in charge of the army till I come back. "

Dorian bowed in respect before proceeding away with the work assigned to him.

HEY, MUSHROOMS!!!!!

I am back earlier than y'all expected. Guess what? Got an internship my whole life is set lmao. Sorry but this doesn't mean I will take a break. We are going to get frequent updates ok.

This time I will finish this book before I take a break!!!!

Anyways let's start with the chapter.

If you have any doubt about the book ask me.

Do you like kaya?

Missing zravasaya and tanirika?

How's neera?

And Dorian is not a new character he was introduced earlier check the starting chapters!

Things are going to be messy!!!!!!

I love you guys. Keep voting and commenting.

Love Aditi 💜