Apne gunnah se mukamal nahi hum,
Pr sazaa roz milne aati hai humse.

***

"The Fox is en route," The bodyguard reported.

Yagnya despised her code name, neither she understood the need of it. Didn't her family get the memo that Regency period was over? They weren't the sovereigners of this country anymore, so, what was the need of this show off? This grand security like they were going to be attacked the next second or something? What was the need of all this?

She thought almost resentfully resting her head against the headrest of her seat, closing her eyes as the sparse vegetation ran along with her vehicle. The damn car had come to pick her up after hours of wait and she had almost believed they had forgotten about her.

"Princess, we've arrived" the chauffeur informed her breaking her resentful reverie.

Yagnya opened her eyes to look at the majestic gates of the imposing looking sandstone building seemingly camouflaging with the great sand dunes surrounding it. The Arka palace, made of sandstone with incarnate patterns that looked over the whole city, was as imposing, as majestic as always filling her with trepidation and discomfort.

Years of lessons and protocol, being talked down to and reprimanded for idiotic things playing in her mind as the car took its usual arc around the enamarous fountain in the front courtyard. A gold and marble scene of garud breathing water. She loved the fountain.

She slid out of the car, trying to move quickly so the dearest people of her highness won't catch her. But to her utter bad luck, Gulab Singh, the personal steward of her highness met her inside the doors.

"Princess Yagnya! You're late" He greeted her in his clipped polite mechanical tone, his disdain still strangely apparent to her.

"The car broke down as you may know," she replied flatly, as the old man matched her brisk pace. Their footfalls echoed in the space, a haunting sound.

He sighed disregarding her words and continued, " As you say princess, her Majesty wants to meet you in her study right now,"

The words made her halt midstep. Rajmata wants to meet her now. At this hour of night. Why? Her majesty was more than happy ignoring her presence. What good deeds had she done to receive this privilege? She thought sarcastically turning back to look at Gulab.

"Does she now?" She questioned with arched eyebrows, a familiar sing song tone with blank eyes locked at the steward.

"Yes and I suggest you hurry there." the old man suggested curtly.

Yagnya wanted to howl. She didn't have any choice neither was she in any condition to meet any member of her family. Leave her majesty, the Rajmata.

Her hairs were a mess, loose strands poking out of her bun, falling on her face. There were bags under her eyes from all the overworking. Her skin was pale and dry and her lips were chapped. All thanks to the travel. So, no, she wasn't in any condition to meet anyone. She thought glaring at the decorative armor piece kept in the hall with an intensity to burn the world.

The old man cleared his throat pointedly.

Yagnya rolled her eyes as she took the route to Rajmata's study. The old man following after her in the cavernous hall with portraits of her ancestors hanging and seemingly glaring at her as she passed the hallway and halted in front of the impressive door of Rajmata's study.

She took a deep breath and lifted her chin for good measure as she entered the room closing the door behind her. From the way she didn't look up from the papers on her desk, Yagnya knew she wasn't happy with her presence. It was nothing new. She wasn't ever happy with her presence.

"You're Late!" Rajmata Nirmala Rajvanshi, remarked flatly not looking up from the papers she was consumed in.

"The car broke down." Yagnya answered blankly, taking in the poised Rajmata, with silver perfectly styled shoulder length hair, her crisp white elegant saree with silver border, as she made a noncommittal noise.

"How was Jaipur?" She queried. Her dark orbs glancing at Yagnya from above the halfmoon glasses of her golden specks, resting low on her sharp nose.

"As usual"

"Will you like some water? Dear" Rajmata smiled motherly, her smile never reaching her cold eyes.

"No thank you," Yagnya denied, still trying to figure out the reason behind this summon. What game was going on here? Rajmata sure as hell didn't call her to ask about Jaipur and offer her water.

"Ofcourse, my mistake, after all our princess seem to have developed an exquisite taste. What'll you prefer a glass of scotch or vodka?" Rajmata jabbed with a sweet smile.

"Pardon!!" Yagnya exclaimed startled, looking at the old lady all alert. Warning bells barring in her head with full throttle.

"Pardon!! Yes, you should ask for pardon from all our ancestors you wretched girl, dragging our ancestors name through mud. Oh!!! How they must be rolling in their graves! The folly. What sin did I do to get a grand daughter like you?" Rajmata raged glaring daggers at Yagnya while she glanced back at her blankly.

"What did I do?" She queried flatly, not adding the familiar this time running in her mind.

"What did you do?" Rajmata all but shrieked in anger as she threw the paper on her. The offending object nailing her right on the center of her face. Yagnya ignored the stinging as she skimmed through the paper as her eyes finally came to halt on the inset and headline.

The world stopped turning. Her lips parting in a silent scream. "God. I'm a dead woman." She decided.

It was a picture of her from last night. Virat's arms were wrapped around her seemingly stabilizing her and himself. She was holding her silver stilettos in one hand. AB's arms were wrapped around her shoulder as he smiled with an exasperated look thrown towards them. It was a cute picture with three of them laughing. A super cute candid, a candid, she would have cherished if it wasn't printed on the paper.

"Have you any shame? What kind of dress is that? Parading half dressed like that through out Jaipur. Do you have any shame girl? You're an Rajvanshi. You and your wretched cousin and that foreigner, " Rajmata raged. Letting her displeasure about Yagnya's silver and black party dress know in some very harsh words.

Yagnya just tuned her out. By now, well, aware of the monotonous monologue with some additional words added this time. It was the same, well the gist was same, how she was a wretched being, with even wretched despicable cousin, bringing shame to this ancient house. She had heard it thousand times. Didn't mean it hurt any less.

"You're banished to your room. Don't show your face until you reflect and realize your folly," Rajmata stated coldly, glaring daggers at the unreacting poised being sitting in front of her. The girl's cold unresponsive attitude infuriating the matriarch of the royal family even more.

Yagnya knew she was being dismissed now. Rajmata didn't want to bear her presence for one more second and she nodded, she didn't want to breathe in the same air as the great Rajmata too, she retorted in her mind, her stoic mask not once fading, not even when Rajmata called Gulab and ordered him in a way that her words were clearly audible to the gracefull princess about to leave the imposing study.

"Princess Yagnya won't have dinner and breakfast. She'll reflect in her room make sure, my orders are followed,"

Just like that she was dismissed.

She didn't make any sound, didn't show any emotion as she slowly walked towards the northern wing of the palace where her apartment was situated. She walked with her head held high. No traces of any shame or guilt in her haughty self-assured advance.

Once in the safety of her room. She let the tears finally fall. Cold.Tired. Hungry. Miserable. Scared And Lonely. Just the dream princess life. She thought sardonically. After all, she was princess Yagnya Rajvanshi and this was her life.

-to be continued-

What do ya think?

Till next time.

Nivi and Aku.