Ughhh! Where is the scissors? I will cut it off ! Right now!
Yaksha's hair is long. Way too long for my liking. I once had such long hair like her. It ended below my hips. But it was too much for me so I cut them off. What was the point? I have to manage such long hair again!
It's been 30 minutes I am trying to untangle this stupid hair but the more I try the more it keeps getting tangled!
It's been more than a month I am here. I was never really upset about my hair. I know its not just the hair. I am absolutely anxious. About everything. Mostly the upcoming wedding. MY WEDDING!! There's just a week remaining! A WEEK!
I have barely adjusted here in this settings, in this place, with these people now I have to move somewhere else. I think I am taking out my frustration on my hair. I should divert my focus. What is to happen, will happen. Doesn't matter if I worry or not.
I let my hair fall in my back. I take the tangled hair and put them up in a messy bun. I will tell Meena later to help me. This untangling thing is making me more frustrated.
I take the hairpin and put it in my bun to secure it tightly. One thing I have learned about hairpins of this era is that the end carries a sharp edge. I heard that it it for self protection. They are extremely sharp around the edges and stay close to you so you can use it in any situation.
Actually I should learn more. I heard there is a big library with almost all kinds of books of all genres. I have been here for so long yet I didn't check it out.
I used to love reading non-academic books. It gave me a break from reality. Allowed me to live in someone else's life. Experience things I know I could never experience. But then college happened and I could barley manage reading books outside my curriculum.
Maybe the library here has fiction books? I need to distract myself anyways why not just read.
"Meena? Where are you?" I called for her as I reached the end of the chamber.
"Yes Baisa, do you need something?" She came immediately rushing towards me.
"Yes. Can you please take me to the library? I want to spend some time there?"
She looked at me with a slight smile in her face. Her eyes almost glistened. "Are you remembering things baisa?"
"Why?"
"You used to love books! You spent your most of the time in library reading those books you liked so much! You didn't even allow me or Rajeshwari didi to look at those books. I always wondered what did you read with so much attention. Your eyes always shined when reading. You smiled like a little girl looking at those books."
Really? I guess we have something in common Yaksha.
"No. I didn't remember anything. Maybe going to the library can help?" I said with a slight sad smile.
Her face turned a little sad. But she nodded and said to go with her. I feel bad for her, I really do. But it's not like I am in a position to bring back Yaksha.
We reached the library in a few minutes. The wooden door was really tall and big carved in various designs. Inside there were many shelves. Each filled till the top with book in all sizes and I am guessing all genres too.
"Please come here Baisa" Meena called from the back and I couldn't even see her. When did she even reached there? I guess I was too busy ogling.
"Yaha bishram kijiye. Aap hamesha yehi baitha karti thi. Aur kitabo mein ghumshudha si ho jati thi. Ye puri almari aapi ki hain. Aapka ho jaaye toh humein aawaj dijiyega"
( Sit here. You always used to sit here.And got lost in books. This whole shelve is yours. When you are done call for me.)
I just nodded and started looking at the books. The books were so discreet that you couldn't say what genre is it by looking at the covers. What the hell did she use to read?! I swear if they are some kind of maths or educational books I will lose my sanity completely. Guess I will never know until I start reading one.
I just picked up a random book and sat on the couch near the shelf.
Oh it's just a fictional romance book. Like how we have in our time. Thank god, I am not losing my sanity after all.I guess they write them here too. I just turned page after page and kept reading. The story was about forbidden love, a princess falling in love with her bodyguard. The story is so interesting I can't keep the book down.
How beautiful the feeling is when you start reading again and there's paper under your fingers and you feel so good about letting the the words float into you again. It's just you and the characters of the book. You feel like you know them, you keep imagining them as a person, their surroundings everything!
I completed half of the book and turned the next page and oh god. Oh my god! I- this- what in the actual world is this?
It's a love scene and not just a love scene, it's a steamy love making scene,it is the whole description of everything! They used every sensual word they could use. People read these kinds of books in this time too? Who even wrote all this?
I guess we have more in common than I thought Princess Yaksha. I have to devour all the books in here. They are definitely coming with me after my marriage. Now I know why she didn't allow anyone to peek through her books. Smart!
I left the book in the shelf folding the page on the top a bit so I can continue again from where I left. I went out the library to search for Meena. She was there conversing with an attendee.
I called for her and she dismissed the attendee.
"Humein pata tha ek bar aap padhana aaramb karenge toh shaam dhalne se pehle bahir nehi ayengi. Humne aapka bhojan ka intezaam kiya hain. Chaliye aayiye bhoja kar lijiye."
( I knew once you start reading then you won't come out till late evening. I have prepared for your dinner. Come have dinner.)
"Kitna kheyal rakhte hain na aap humara."
( You take care of me so much, don't you?)
She chuckled looking at me and we both entered my chamber. I invited her to have dinner with me but she said she already had her dinner.
"Meena wo kitabe bhi humare saaman ke saath rakh lena. Hum woh humare saath le jaana chahte hai"
(Menna pack those books with rest of the things. I want to bring thosw with me)
"Itni saari kitabe?"
( So many books)
"Please?" I made the famous doe eyed face.
She gulped and nodded and left the chamber.
I dinned alone and went to sleep only to wake up again in the middle of the night.
I heard a loud thump and someone's footsteps. What the hell! I immediately became alerted. I thought the kingdom had high security. Is it a thief or something? I sat up on my bed and grabbed my dupatta immediately.
When I turned to look there was man by the window. His face covered in a black cloth and he was approaching me with long steps.
"Who are you? Stay away from me! Help! Help please" I screamed so loud I feared my voice would be gone. But no one came. That is shock. Aren't there attendees or guards outside? Am I on my own now?
The guy is still approaching me. He is here almost, at the edge of my bed. Oh no what do I do! I-I...
"Calm down birdy. I swear I won't hurt you. Maybe just have a little fun. When I was paid for this I didn't know I have such beautiful bird waiting for me." He chuckled.
Even his voice was giving me creeps. But wait a minute?
Paid? He was paid for doing this? A shiver ran down my spine as I started feeling hot and sweaty.Okay no time thinking about this right now. I have to do something and do right now!
And suddenly the thought came to me! The bun! The pin! The hairpin!! I took it out of my hair and soon as he was close I pierced it in the side of his neck before he could register anything. Blood kept gushing out and he fell down with his hand into the pin.
I fell down on my bed starring at the man. I killed someone. I freaking killed someone. I just sat there trying to register everything. I went down from the bed to get out of the chamber. I saw the mirror on my way and I was scared of myself. Blood scattered in my face and a little on my chest and neck.
Yes, I definitely look like I killed someone. I opened the door and saw Meena rushing towards me. She was worried and asked me what happened and I pointed towards the man on the floor. Before I could say anything more everything blacked out.
-
When I woke up I was in a new set of clothes. I almost thought it was all a dream. Everything was a dream.,right?Unfortunately it wasn't. I woke up and saw everyone surrounding me. They looked at me with worried eyes.
I sighed. Even though no one asked me I started explaining everything from the start. They didn't ask me anything further and told me to rest the day. I think they understood how traumatising it was for me.
The king tightened the security around my chamber and told Meena to stay with me all the time. Meena looked at me with sympathetic eyes and sat on the couch near the bed. But she didn't said anything, nor did I. I needed complete silent and I think she knew that.She brought food for me to eat and I could only eat a little. The blood gushing out was blinding my eyes again and again. I lost my appetite.
I didn't have any strength left anymore. I laid again with duvet covering my face.
And then the thought hit me. It was all planned. And the stair accident is not an accident. It was all someone else's plan. Someone wants Yaksha ruined. Even worse they also want her dead. And I am Yaksha now. So they want me dead. I have to keep my eyes open and show them I am not weak.
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