✓ Fearless - Book 1 of The Rajkumari Trilogy

Chapter 3

*Trigger warning - r*pe attempt

Chapter 3

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The princess woke up feeling sleepy.

She hadn't had an adequate amount of sleep and longed for a few more hours before she had to get up. But she got up anyway. After a while, Suruchi entered the room to wake her up, when she saw that Revati had already taken a bath and had gotten dressed.

"Milady, you should've called for me. I would've warmed the water for you."

"I didn't want to disturb you unnecessarily," she replied. "Now, my father will be off hunting?"

"Yes. What would you like to do today? Attend some finance affairs?" her maid suggested.

Revati wrinkled her nose in distaste. "That sounds too dull to waste this morning on. I'll do it some other time. For now, I will just pick out a book to read. You can have the rest of your day off."

Suruchi scoffed. "It seems you're so happy nowadays that you seem to be giving days off for everyone. Next thing I know, you'll be telling the guards to take a break. And not a moment later the castle will be under attack. If I take the day off, and you dismiss other maids too, we won't be able to"-she caught herself in time-"to do other important tasks."

Fortunately, Revati didn't notice anything. And if she did, she did not ask. "I suppose so. You can do whatever you want. But remember not to disturb the princess while she reads. Else the consequences will be quite terrible, I assure you," she mock-warned her.

Suruchi nodded. "Of course. We wouldn't want the volcano to erupt, would we?" she remarked with a grin.

And she was out before Revati could retort back something.

* * *

Post noon, Suruchi arrived with another fellow maid. As she entered, the princess was stretching in her chair. She's finished the book then, Suruchi observed.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness."

This brought her attention to the maids at the doorway. "Good after- it's noon already?"

"Past noon, my lady," Suruchi corrected.

"That must mean my father would be back by now. Right, Sur- Goutami?" Revati had nearly given away Suruchi's identity.

For some blasted reason, her best friend wanted to keep her real name and origin a secret. According to her, if her real name was out, people had the chance of recognizing her. Even though Revati highly doubted it, she kept her secret nevertheless.

Was she such a dangerous person? An assassin perhaps? She could laugh at the mere idea of it. Suruchi had promised to tell the princess when the time was right. And that right time, never seemed to come.

Suruchi's eyes widened slightly at her slip-up. The other maid spoke for her, "Yes, my lady. We are here to get you ready."

Revati sat at her dressing table. She was surprised. Nobody ever came to get her ready, unless it was for special occasions. Nonetheless, she waited patiently as she knew, patience was a virtue. Well, not when she was pissed off.

Suruchi wove intricate designs into her raven black hair and the other picked out jewelry. Revati usually wore only bangles, a simple necklace, her usual earrings, and if she felt like it, anklets. But today a maang tikka, a few rings shining on her fingers, big jhumkas dangling from her ears and a slightly heavy necklace sat in place. Maybe they were having their first royal afternoon meal together with the newly married royal couple?