||The Punishment|| Chapter 3/Note : Page 19 - Page 8

The sun rose higher and higher into the sky while the birds clucked in delight. The maids rushed about as they sensed their princess wakening. Radha, a childhood friend cum maid of Manyata rushed forward to remove the curtains. Everyone worked hastily avoiding mistakes and working towards perfection.

Manyata slowly woke up, rubbing her eyes. She hadn't slept well for she had been haunted by those strange pair of eyes. Where has she seen them ? She wondered as she walked towards her bath.

She lay in her bath which was full of rose petals swimming. Roses were her favorite. Even during off - season the king made sure to have ample supply of roses for his beloved daughter and such rose dealers were swimming in gold coins. She lightly closed her eyes only to open them back in shock as she saw those pair of eyes again. She fidgeted in irritation. Not knowing something irritated her a lot.

Radha worked on pleating out on the newly stitched dress for Manyata, adjusting it for her comfort and elegance. Today was a special day, Radha thought, Yuvraanisa was going to see her suitor. The word suitor didn't suited well for the marriage had been agreed upon quite long back and this was the only thing King Brijraj had ever hidden from his lovable daughter. She fixed her emerald necklace. She was the only person after King Brijraj with whom Manyata would talk properly and she was even fond of her. She was the only maid who had the guts to ask the princess and advice her from time to time. Maybe this was because Manyata respected her.

"Manyata, did you again go to the forest ... to that grave last night ?" Radha shuddered as she asked her. She couldn't even imagine Manyata standing at a selecuded grave which was not even built in a graveyard but in the thick forest.

Manyata looked at her in amusement and awe at her straight forward questions but then nodded in a positive reply. Radha's face paled and she looked at her with a ghastly look.

Manyata got up and started making her way down the stairs to the temple. After her daily routine of praying and having a delicious meal, she sat down leisurely in the lawns, waiting for the call when she would be called upon to meet Udayveer. She couldn't help the shiver of excitement run up her spine at the thought of what she had in store for her so called groom.

And sure enough, soon Radha came by claiming that there was a messenger who had come with a message but refused to tell them and insisted on her hearing the message alone. Manyata laughed at Radha's exasperated look as she beckoned her to leave her alone with veiled messenger. The messenger bowed and paid his respects, as he looked on to see the signal to begin with his message. Manyata waved her hand and motioned for the scroll. The messenger hesitated but then moved forward and gave the scroll to her. Manyata opened the scroll and started to read.

Princess Manyata,

My urge to meet you hasn't ceased but special meetings have special timings and shouldn't the moment when we lay our eyes on each other for the first time be special ?

Meet me at the border of the forest at the stroke of 12 at night !

Yours to - be - husband,

Yuvraaj Udayveer Singh

Manyata scrunched up the scroll in irritation and threw it away. Firstly, no respects in the letter, Manyata wondered, and secondly how dare he order me around. Manyata got up in anger as she decided to not go to the forest. The messenger scurried away in fear.

She spent the whole day lazing about. But her mind was preoccupied by the letter and she kept on questioning herself about any possible reasons or motives that would have driven his composed self to call her to the forest at midnight. And finally her curiosity got the better of her when she heard the clock strike 11 at night.

She checked her appearance and then draped a black cloak over her and smiled evilly as she snuck a dragger inside her skirt. She walked down till the forest and as she reached the border she saw a figure lurking around. She grasped the dragger tighter. But as she neared she found that it was a veiled woman and her hand relaxed but her forehead creased with confusion. A woman ? What was she doing here ?

As she approached her the woman stepped forward and thrust a scroll in her hand and ran away before she could react. Manyata opened the scroll and saw the same handwriting as the one in the morning.

Princess Manyata,

Walk straight ahead and then turn around the tall banyan tree. You will find me soon !

Yours to - be - husband,

Yuvraaj Udayveer Singh

Her frustration was piling up higher now. She walked ahead and as she turned from the tall banyan tree a feeling of dread started to rise in her heart for she started to recognize the path. And she was right the path did led to the ... grave ! Manyata's eyes widened in shock as she looked at the grave and noticed a tall figure leaning on the tombstone with his back towards her.

"Welcome princess Manyata !" A sharp baritone voice welcomed her and the man turned to look towards her. Manyata gasped in shock and her hand flew to her mouth. His eyes ... they were the same that had been haunting her all this while ... and she suddenly remembered where she had seen them ... they were the same deep and intoxicating pair of eyes in which she had lost herself on the day when her to - be - groom i.e. Udayveer was being welcomed. So he was Udayveer, she decided.

But then it struck her. He had planned all this because he had wanted to meet her on this grave ... did that mean, that he knew everything ? Manyata fervently wished that she was wrong but his next set of words shocked her to the core.

"You must be wondering why I called you here, right ?" He asked smirking while Manyata was too shocked to reply.

Chapter 2.2 below !