||The Punishment|| Chapter 3/Note : Page 19 - Page 5

Chapter 1

Manyata delicately glided her hand across the grave stone, removing the dust and twigs that lay upon it. Tears shimmered in her eyes at the remembrance of the loving soul that now rested with the earthly mother and the only proof of the non - existence was the marble stone erected on the place. It had small intricate carvings which displayed the name of the deceased and the date of the fateful day of death. She bent down on her knees, her ghaghara made a trickling sound as it creased.

Manyata hugged the stone tight as she felt her life cling to it. The tears that she held back were flowing freely now, her sobs echoing in the dark hours of the night and fading away with the loud shrieks of the owls. She started hiccupping with the effect of the emotions clutching her heart. Bringing herself together she freed the stone from her embrace and moved away but not before caressing it with love.

"I miss you!" She whispered to no one in the anonymous silence of the night. She quietly got up and started to walk away but then her steps halted and she turned back to cast one last glance.

"It wasn't your fault; it was our destiny. We were helpless then and I couldn't do anything but now I promise that all those who played with our lives will pay and that will be their punishment for their deeds. I will avenge your death and the fate that I had to face. I will punish them."

She walked back from the forest to her palace. Her payal tinkled, the only sound to be heard in the silent night hours. As she neared the palace area, she covered her face with the veil though no one would imagine in their wildest dreams to see their revered princess in a common maid's clothes. Manyata chuckled at the thought, the dark moments of the forest left behind.

She climbed the stairs to her palatial building. She had the whole building to herself with her own maids, cooks and any other amenities that she needed. A large fountain lay in the vast sprawl of her lawns with fruits trees. She had the world at her feet.

She sighed as she lay down on the bed and a maid came forward to relax her tired feet with her skillful hands. No one knew where she went and none dared to question for each valued his head and wanted it at the right place in between her shoulders. Manyata smiled at the train of her thoughts. She had everyone wrapped around her baby finger ... except one. At that thought her mood shifted to irritation.

"Udayveer ..." She breathed out not out of pleasure but anger.

What was she to do about that problem ? Her hands curled up in fists just like every time when she was angry. Before she could process something in her brain, a lively figure ran in.

"Jiji ... Jiji" Jainandini called out as she neared her sister's room. Manyata wanted to hide somewhere.

"Please, not now." She thought as she quickly lay down on the bed, dismissing the maid, and pretending to sleep. Jainandini was a headache when she was excited and by the sound of her voice at the moment she was highly excited. Another thing, Manyata reminded herself, she wasn't fond of Jainandini. Rather she didn't like her an ounce, she was her step sister after all, Manyata decided.

Jainandini entered the room and then sighed looking at her sister's sleeping form. She knew very well that she was pretending but she kept quiet and acted sly. She stamped her foot in fake frustration and clapped her hands.

"Oh jiji, you are asleep, I had thought the same but then the news was highly important. Hmm ... maybe it might not be very important to you but I just wanted to tell you that your prospective groom and my to be jijusa has wished to meet you ... Oh ! I am so sorry, I forgot you are sleeping and look I am disturbing you ... I will tell you the details tomorrow ..." She started walking away and couldn't help the victory smile to spread over her lips as her sister stopped her by catching hold of her hand.

"Udayveer wants to meet me?" Manyata asked shocked amusement. Jainandini wanted to ask her about her pretence but thought the better of it when she saw her look.

"Aha .. jiji you are so eager to meet jijusa ! If I would have known him I would have suggested father to arrange the meeting tonight itself." She said smirking.

Manyata felt like strangling her neck and she lunged at her while Jainandini felt to the floor laughing.

"Easy sister. I didn't suggest anything and do you think father would have listened to me ?" A twinge of hurt entered her voice but she shrugged it off "Actually jijusa asked father to meet you and I heard them talking."

Manyata's anger was rising by the moment. The nerve of the guy ! She would ... she would. She couldn't find the exact words as she seethed in anger. And as usual her anger was vented out on Jainandini.

"Jainandini ! It doesn't suit your status to eavesdrop and secondly it would be better for you if you don't meddle in my affairs. And one more thing, please think twice the next time before you try to disturb Yuvraani Manyata Kumari at such an hour for you are not someone very important in my life other than being a step sister." Manyata breathed out the last word's like fire.

It took Jainandini some time to accept the words and when she did her eyes filled with tears at the humiliation. She ran out of the room and down the stairs and didn't stop until she had reached her room and fallen onto the bed. Her tears not ceasing to stop.

She cursed her fate harshly. What had she done to deserve this ? Was it her fault that she was not as beautiful or intelligent as her elder step sister ? Her mother, the second wife of King Brijraj, had died when she was 6 years old, leaving her alone in this world for neither did her father pay her nay attention and as for her step sister, she just considered her as an unwanted furniture lying in her palace. All that Jainandini had ever asked for in her life was her sister's love for she adored like no one would but every time she got on her wrong side. Jainandini cried herself to sleep.

On the other hand, Manyata lay awake on her bed cursing Udayveer. Finally she controlled her rising veins and laid her head on the pillow promising herself to make this meeting the worst day of Udayveer's life ever. She drifted to sleep smirking and awaiting the next day.

So who is waiting for the first meeting of ManVeer ? 😉

I know everyone must be waiting ...

And i am sorry if you missed Udayveer here but it was necessary to show you the emotions of Manyata and Jainandini !

Also, who was the dead person for whom Manyata was mourning ?

Lot's of questions ...

And i will be back with a nice long update like this again very soon ...

But till then please like and leave behind your reviews !

Vidhi