Chapter 107

Chapter 181: First Day of the First Lady

Because Lady Anjali had commanded her to not step out of the room until she had been provided her own wardrobe, Kushi had to remain alone in Lord Arnav's bedroom for nearly two hours after he had left for the Industry.

A maid had come in after Lady Anjali left. The maid opened the windows, changed the sheets on the bed, picked up Lord Arnav's last day clothes from the basket by the table and without a word, bowed and left, which Kushi found uncanny because she had conversed once with this maid and was surprised presently to be treated detachedly.

Nevertheless, Kushi had plenty of time to kill and she busied herself in the next hour with bathing in the bath chamber, scrubbing her body well with steaming water to get rid of his scent that was on her after last night's uncertainties. When her hands brushed against her neck, she could feel the unusual heat that reminded her of the burn marks she'd borne on the ball night, owing to the man who was now her husband. She was certain they were on her neck again and mentally made a note to do something about concealing them.

She had been offered an old spare gown of Lady Anjali's to wait in, while the servants fetched an array of attires from the richest market shops. However, though Kushi had spent nearly an hour in the bath, it was brutal to while away time in the bedroom, having practically nothing to do but stare at the detestable cage, lie down on his massive bed and stare at the curtains of the bed, and then again, sit up and stare at the cage.

"I'm never going to sleep in that thing again!" she muttered a fourth time.

Just then there was a knock on the door and before she could answer, OmPrakash barged in with a huge stack of clothes piled upon his either arms, "Pardon me lady for the intrusion but my arms ache from carrying them all the way. Where shall I put these, my lady?" his muffled voice asked from somewhere behind the pile of dresses he held before him.

"There, by the wardrobe," directed Kushi, "And please don't call me 'my lady.' I am still the same Kushi."

OmPrakash emphatically placed the stack of clothes on the table near the wardrobe and turned to face her, "But you are now Master's wife and hence rightfully the Lady of the Castle."

"Yes," supported HariPrakash who had just entered through the open door with yet another set of cloth-piles in his arms, "The wife of the First Lord is the First Lady and must be given as much respect as the First Lord is given."

Kushi was finding the notion of being 'First Lady' quite uncomfortable and unfitting and she hastily stepped forth to help them arrange her attire into the wardrobe as how they did during the time Lady Lavanya had come to stay.

"No, my lady," said OmPrakash when Kushi reached out for the first gown, "We'll do it all. We are the Prakash brothers and we'll get this done in well and in a jiffy!"

He snapped his fingers to denote the 'jiffy' of the Prakash brothers when suddenly a loud crashing sound was heard at the doorway and all three turned in astonishment to find Jay Prakash lying sprawled at the door, clothes strewn all around him and on top of him, most evidently being the ones he had been carrying upstairs after his brothers.

"Jay-jan, are you alright?" HariPrakash asked, but none moved to help JayPrakash up.

JayPrakash slowly lifted himself up and began picking up the clothes he'd dropped, a jumbled mess in his hands instead of the folded neatness in which his brothers had brought in the other apparels.

"I'm always tipsy when I walk into Master's room," JayPrakash apologized to Kushi who was giggling cheerily because JayPrakash had forgotten to take down the night gown that had landed on his head in his fall.

HariPrakash took the night gown off his brother's head, threw it into the pile that JayPrkash was holding and OmPrakash addressed the latter, "You better fold that pile perfectly yourself, Jay-jan."

"What else did you think I'd do, Om-jan?" JayPrakash pointed out, "Make you right the pile I messed up? What sort of a Prakash policy would that be!"

He chuckled to himself for a reason only he knew and then, placing the mess of garments in his arms onto the table, he began picking one dress after another and folding them up neat and square.

Kushi stood watching them ready her clothes and often, when they found a worthy one, they would hold it before her and talk among themselves how the gown would look elegant on their 'First Lady.' However, their 'First Lady' was not appreciative of the label at all, and in refute to it, she stepped in and helped in the arranging, despite their protests. So in the end, there were four involved in the folding and organizing and by the time it was lunchtime, Lord Arnav's wardrobe had an excess of female gowns, nights gowns, sandals, shoes, scarves and all sorts of accessories that were the finest that could be found in Arhasia. When asked, OmPrakash told her that everything for Payal and Kushi were brought at a place from where Lady Anjali's and Lady Manorama's dresses and articles were purchased from.

Explicably, Kushi had helped in the arranging as though she was arranging Lady Anjali's attires and not outfits that she herself would be made to wear. She couldn't imagine herself wearing all the beaded, jeweled, silk, glittery rich fabric gowns and nor even the satin night gowns, for she had never slept in anything except for the light white petticoat-things her mother had made for her.

After the Prakash brothers bowed to her in contradiction of her protests that they not, she closed the door behind them and quickly dressed into the simplest and less elegant of the gowns that had been brought for her. Not that there was anything less elegant in the wardrobe now.

The gown she chose was a gentle shade of violet and she chose it because it had a fancy collar with which she sought to conceal the marks on her neck.

Kushi found herself inspecting a box that HariPrakash had bought in with the pile of dresses. The box was made of wood but it had a sort of padding at its edges so that it made no noise when the lid was opened or shut. The inside of the box was divided into little sections, a dozen in all, and in each section was a diverse set of fancy pins with flowers, stars, beads and bright stones at the end.

"Tie it up in a bun, like how all the ladies in the Castle wear it, and make sure you put flowers or beads or jewels in it," Lady Anjali had advised her about her hairdo before she had left the room in the morning.

Kushi did just that and then cheerfully stepped out of the room. Closing the door behind her, she paused for a moment.

Everything seemed so altered. She was not waking up in Buaji's cottage. And though she had woken up plenty of times in the Castle, she had stepped out of the First Lord's room and not out of the guest room in which Lady Lavanya had slept. Her attire was different and her hairdo too. And then there was the weight of last night's memories……

Kushi looked across the corridor, the room at the end in which Nani would be. She knew she had to find some answers and she was certain to find them there. Turning on her heels that had been initially headed for the stairs, she moved along the hallway instead, making way for Nani's room.

On reaching the door, she knocked and when there was no response, she pushed the handle and found the door open. She had barely stepped into the room than the familiar greeting of the white parrot rose in the air, "Green Heart!"

He was perched up on the top of an armchair on which Nani sat.

Nani looked up from her armchair. "Who is this before me? Lady Kushi Singh Raizada? The wife of my grandson?"

Closing the door behind her, Kushi moved towards Nani's armchair, "No, Nani, I am still your Kushi."

"Yes I know," said Nani smiling, "You will always be my Kushibitya. Come sit next to me," she pointed to the armchair beside her.

However, Kushi proceeded to sit on the floor and Nani obstructed her progress but Kushi succeeded, and sitting at Nani's foot, the skirt of her new gown tucked neatly underneath her legs, she looked up and pleaded, "Please do not force me to take up ladyship against my heart's content. I prefer being me. If I must sit in the armchair, I will, according to protocol. But not here before you where formality needs no place and where you are more a mother to me."

Nani sighed, her eyes filling with happy tears, "Can I love you more, my beloved child?"

Kushi grinned and Fortune flapped his wings in annoyance that he was being ignored. Together, Nani and Kushi fed him biscuits and he felt quite satisfied with the adoration.

"Nani there is something that is pressing upon my mind and I must ask you," Kushi braved the topic when they had finished feeding Fortune for the moment, "I didn't ask Lady Anjali for I didn't want her to worry with her carrying and all," Kushi hesitated for a moment and then looked at Nani, "Is something…… wrong with the First Lord? I presumed his anger was born out of his character but it seems there is a shade of him I am not aware of."

Nani looked at Kushi for a long minute and the only movement Kushi noticed was how the elderly woman moved her hand over her other hand that was wrapped in a cloth.

Then Nani spoke very seriously, her tone slightly sad, "Some things are hard to accept, and those we accept, we need not understand. Those we cannot understand is never in our control. And such things must not be tampered with. Do you understand, bitiya?"

Kushi blinked, "Em……I think not."

"Good," Nani leaned back in her armchair, "There are many things I don't know about him myself. The only person who can offer you a truthful glimpse of what your husband really is him alone. But what you must know about your husband is something you are not yet ready to learn. You need to be stronger at heart if you are to know all there is to know about him."

"But Nani," Kushi tried to reason, "I am his wife, I should know something about him lest its ignorance affect me. He is not the kind of man I can voluntarily converse with."

Nani was suspicious, "Did he hurt you, bitiya?"

"No," Kushi replied hastily, "It's nothing of being hurt. I just….want to know."

"Well then," Nani looked at Kushi, a clever light in her eyes, "I will tell you what I know about my grandson if you will tell me why you were forced to marry him."

Kushi looked at Nani, wanting to tell her but knowing that the truth will create a havoc in the household.

Just then Fortune shrieked, "Intruder in the forest!"

Kushi and Nani stared at Fortune.

Nani pondered aloud, "Intruder in the forest? Interesting……this is the second time he is using that notion……there must be something to it. Don't you think, Kushibitiya?"

Kushi was fearful. Who was Fortune referring to? The General? How could Fortune know the General had met with Lord Arnav and her when they were returning from the North Village? Or did Fortune mean someone else entirely?

Fortunately, Fortune said nothing further, wisely keeping quiet, and Nani forgot all about her blackmailing to get Kushi confess about her marriage.

And gratefully, before Nani summoned it up again, Om Prakash came to tell the 'First Lady' that Lady Payal had asked after her. Nani was surprised to know that Kushi had come straight to her room instead of visiting her dear sister first and she insisted that Kushi leave at once. Excusing herself, Kushi left Nani's room, excited to meet her sister.

When Kushi strode downstairs, she found Payal in the living room arranging the flowers on the side table.

"Jiji!" Kushi greeted her, suddenly not feeling lonely anymore like how she'd felt last night.

Payal turned around and her face lit up on seeing her young sister's delight, "Kushi!"

But Kushi stopped on seeing her sister's face.

"Jiji, you are all…..Radiant!" Kushi gaped at her sister, "Your face is practically glowing……"

Payal blushed, "Yes, Lady Anjali was the first who told me I glowed. She seemed happy to see me this way. I think it indicates something. But I don't see much difference in me when I look in the mirror. Why, you don't look any different too, Kushi. I suppose it's just the family's excitement in seeing us here."

Kushi nodded dubiously and then the sisters excitedly inspected each other's new gowns and the way they'd tied up their hair and Payal was righting a few beads that were on Kushi's bun when Lady Anjali walked in from the kitchen.

With a hand on her precious midriff, Lady Anjali beamed at the two sisters as she came to them, "Now, aren't you two a sight! We should have you painted on the walls so future Raizadas can admire their ancestral First Lady and Second Lady!"

Payal and Kushi giggled and Kushi exclaimed, "Why! You've made us old and ancestral on our very first day here, my la-" Lady Anjali suddenly frowned and Kushi corrected, "Di."

Lady Anjali smiled warmly. Just then, their attention was diverted to someone singing in the dining hall, a song that was sung all in the wrong notes and rhythms.

Lady Anjali chuckled, "Now, there's the youngest among us who will never let herself be tagged ancestral."

Sure enough, when they headed to the dining hall, they found Lady Manorama there, inspecting the napkins on the immense table that had been laid for lunch. She was dressed in a bright blue gown and had even stuck a pink feather in her bun.

Hearing their approach, she halted her off-key singing and looked up, instinctively frowning on seeing the two girls who accompanied Lady Anjali. Payal and Kushi were respectfully straight-faced.

"Just the two I was looking for," mumbled Lady Manorama and then, lifting her proud head, she ambled up to them.

"Listen carefully, you two, for as ladies of this Castle, however unfitting you may be to the title, there are some responsibilities you ought to shoulder," Lady Manorama looked at each of them pointedly, "Bruised Beauty will be in charge of the servants in the kitchen now that Anjalibitiya needs to take care of herself and cannot do much monitoring in the Castle. See that everything is made perfect and that everything is done in time." She turned to Kushi, "And you, Rags," Kushi blinked innocently, "You will be in charge of all the clothes, curtains and rugs of the Castle. Make sure they are always clean and fresh and if they are not, ensure that the servants have put them to wash instantly."

Lady Manorama looked at Lady Anjali, her frown turning to a warm smile, "Anjalibitya, you be in charge of the dining room from tomorrow, dear. It is less work here. I will see to the maids who do the beds and clean the rooms."

"But what about the garden, Mami?" Lady Anjali said, "I was hoping you would let one of the new brides be in charge of the garden instead of the household work. The servants in the garden need to be always motivated if every corner of the lawn is to be perfectly leveled, the herbs watered and the bushes trimmed daily."

"Ah, the garden I forgot," Lady Manorama was in deep thought and then she looked at Kushi, "Bruised Beauty has to monitor the breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner to be served daily in the Castle and also the extra meals that will rise in case we have visitors and unexpected guests. But Rags only has to keep an eye on the rags, so we will give the garden duty to her." She frowned at the girls, and warned them, "Don't be too bossy with the servants. Remember, a village-dirt is always a village-dirt even if it marries into a Castle."

"Mami-" Lady Anjali began in defense, but Lady Manorama lifted a hand, "Don't side them, Anjalibitiya. It won't do good being kind to lots like these for they will snake their way into our privileges."

And then in a huff, she was off to the kitchen to confirm if lunch was ready to be served.

"Don't mind her words," Lady Anjali whispered kindly to the sisters, "She is just adapting to the new addition into the family."

"I know, Di," replied Payal, smiling, "He told me his mother always was hard at accepting new changes but that in time, she will come to embrace it. It may take time, but I am hopeful that one day Mother will find a worthy daughter in me."

"Your hope shall come true enough," said Lady Anjali, "Until then be patient and try not to do anything that will add to her spite."

As she was speaking to them, the butler came in, "My lady, is there a reason the lunch is being delayed?"

"Yes, we are waiting for the men to come," Lady Anjali looked at Kushi and Payal, "Being their first day as husbands, I have asked them to make time to have lunch at the Castle itself instead of having a servant bring it to them to the Industry," She looked at the window and estimated, "They should be here any minute now!"

Excusing herself so she could get her grandmother, Lady Anjali left Kushi and Payal with Rahim Chacha, who looked at them with fatherly pride in his eyes, "I must confess, you two look quite regal in those gowns! Indeed, there is an added enchantment to the Castle as though it had turned younger in one night, and as its butler I can easily sense it." He winked at them.

Kushi and Payal playfully accused him for his too-sweet words and Kushi eagerly diverted the topic from them, "Rahim Chacha, I've always meaning to ask you, how long have you been butler to the Raizadas?"

The butler's face softened, "A long time. Very long time."

"You were their butler when Lord Arnav was a child?" Kushi was curious, mentally finding the impossible image of Lord Arnav as a child outrageous and amusing. For her, he was born rude and tall.

"Longer than that," Rahim Chacha whispered as though he was telling a secret, and there was a twinkle in his eye, "Though the title of 'butler' was given to me when we arrived in Arhasia, I have been the servant to the Raizadas from Lady Deviyani's marriage."

Payal and Kushi gasped.

"You must be like family then," Payal assumed, "No wonder I see respect in Nani's eyes when she looks at you."

"Not just Lady Mother but everyone has been kind enough to accept me as family," said the humble Rahim Chacha.

Kushi was silent for she was reminded just then of how the haughty Lord Arnav himself addressed the servant. Like he was addressing an uncle or father……. Warmth coursed in her heart at the thought that it was possible for an arrogant man like himself to see a servant of his with revered eyes.

"They are here!" announced the butler, his experienced hearing easily catching the sound of the carriage at the gates even at his old age.

He ambled to the living room to receive his Masters and Payal followed after him while Kushi went to announce to the servants in the kitchen that lunch could be served.

When she was returning back from the kitchen, and heading for the dining hall, she passed by the living room and almost collided with Lord Arnav who had been aiming for the stairs to his room. They paused and stared at each other, Lord Arnav taking in the new form of Kushi, her gown and her beaded hair bun, a twirled strand of hair framing one side of her face. His eyes swept to her neck instantly, knowing well that behind the fancy collar of the gown were marks of his tongue. He closed his eyes and without a word, turned and headed for his room, and Kushi stood there watching him ascend the stairs.

It was only when Payal pulled at her elbow, beckoning her to the dining hall, that she tore her gaze from her confusing husband who had entered his room and shut the door.

When Lord Arnav came down to the dining hall, he sat at the head of the table, which was where he usually sat while Lord Akash sat the other end of the table.

To Lord Akash's right sat his wife Payal and to his left sat his father, Lord Manohar who had returned from an errand a few minutes back. Beside Lord Manohar sat his wife, Lady Manorama.

To the left of Lord Arnav sat his grandmother, Lady Deviyani and to his right, where his sister usually sat, now sat his wife Kushi. To Kushi's right, Lady Anjali happily seated herself and she looked around at the table, proud of the seating arrangements she had devised.

Lord Arnav lifted his glass of water and sipped from it before placing it back on the table, the signal for the dining hall servants that they could begin serving the family.

It was almost like dancing, Kushi realized, how the servants moved from the walls to the table in the center, helped drape the napkins on each family member's lap. Kushi smiled up at the servant who had draped a napkin on her lap but the servant remained expressionless as he busied himself in serving. Kushi presumed this was the protocol of the dining hall servants: never to exhibit yourself as a human being with emotions when serving the Raizadas.

And then, all she saw was white-gloved hands dancing on the many plates but these white-gloved hands never once touched the plates and when they danced, they delicately dropped a little of the food in the dishes onto each plate being served. Kushi stared at the sight on her plate. There were assorted dishes of exquisite look and aroma, arranged in little neat portions on her plates. She couldn't believe those fast white-gloved hands could arrange food so meticulously and within seconds, no drop of gravy spilled and no peas rolling out of the plate and onto the floor, which was what would have happened if Kushi was the one serving.

She looked up and realized embarrassingly that everyone had started lunching while she was still admiring the art on the plate before her. Hastily picking up her fork and knife, she began working her way through the meal. It tasted rich and heavenly in her mouth and though Kushi had eaten at the Castle before, something was very different about the food when one ate it as a member of the family than as a handmaid or a guest.

Thoroughly enjoying her lunch, she began smiling as she ate when suddenly she looked up and saw Lord Arnav frowning at her, annoyed by her exhibition of expressions while eating. She ignored him and focused on feeding herself to her heart's content, though she refused a second helping, for the dishes were quite gratifying in the first serving itself.

When the main courses of the lunch were over, the servants replaced the first plates with a tiny plate of dessert, a sweet pudding that Kushi spooned with the tiny silver spoon.

Little did she know that after the first frown offered by her husband, he had frequently stolen a few glances.

He admired the way she was enjoying the meal and not eating it out of custom like he did. He found sitting and eating unproductive, especially if one was not hungry and would rather work at the Industry, but protocol of the Castle demanded that he have his meals with his family whenever they were being served. However, here was Kushi, unburdened of the norms of etiquette at the table, yet managing to keep her manners while relishing her meal.

He frowned. Not because of the disparity but because he was greatly irked by the fact that he was too conscious of her. Though his gaze was on his plate and on his glass, his mind was only on her. Every move she made, every sound…….he was too tuned to it. The way her spoon clinked on her plate when she spooned her lunch, her fingers reaching for the glass of water beside her plate, her gentle gulp as the water slowly skipped down her throat, her sandaled feet very close to his boots……

Dropping his silver spoon onto the plate of his half-finished pudding, he wiped his mouth on the napkin, stood up and left without a word. The family stared in silence as he left the room but gradually resumed with their lunch. Few moments later, Lord Arnav walked into the dining hall again, his eyes on Lord Akash, "I'm leaving for the Industry, but you can take your time."

Lord Akash nodded, his expression confused as to his brother's unexplainable urgency to leave.

"Is something wrong with, Arnav bitwa?" Lady Manorama cogitated aloud, when Lord Arnav had left.

"What is not wrong with him, Manorama," mumbled Lady Deviyani as she picked up her glass of water, "I will never understand what that boy intends for his recklessness far surpasses his dignity."

"Brother's actions are often appalling, Dadi, but he is scrupulous and quick to act," defended Lord Akash.

"Those who love him will always defend him," Nani said sadly, and stood up to leave, "But mark my words, everyone, that boy will not stay this way for long. As his grandmother, I will not let it happen. This is my word."

She left for her room and everyone returned to their dessert. Only Lady Anjali smiled, for she knew that sitting right beside her, enjoying her pudding, was the tender flame that would melt her brother's cold heart.