Yatee : Rise of an Empress

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Yatee P.O.V.

The day at the court was very nice. I got to know about who all worked at the court, about some current cases of the Kingdom, about few problems people face, about how tax collection and tax refunding goes on and so on. I knew all of the above tasks, but seeing the joy of Swami's face while explaining me about that was more satisfying to me. But the day wasn't over yet. And so weren't over my fears. Firstly, Sasubai wanted me to prepare something for evening Prasad. I love cooking but cooking for family members and cooking for the people of the palace was a different thing. So many people attended the Puja along with Matoshri. I decided to make Sheera (sweet semolina porridge) with fruits. I'm sure everyone will like it.

I was almost done with preparation when Kanta tai arrived,

"Wow Vahini Saheb ! This Sheera smells so sweet and tempting ! Can I have one morsel of it, please ?" She was asking like a little girl of five years.

" No Tai Saheb, you cannot eat that. Unless and untill Sasubai and Mamanji have the Prasad, no one can eat it, remember ?" I said while stirring it.

"Okay... But atleast, can I sit here with you and have the delicious smell of it?" She started again.

"Okay, but don't eat it ha." I said while giving her a slice of banana to eat. I felt like not Hari, she was only a little baby.

"Rani Saheb, this is done. Can we take it to the temple?" Sudha, the head chef asked me.

"Sure, you can. We will join you soon." I replied and we both got up to leave for the temple.

Everyone loved the Prasad. I was really happy seeing everyone's happy faces. Those faces were my biggest appreciation for the Prasad I had cooked. After the Sandhya Puja, we all went for dinner at the dining room.

Soon after the dinner, Kumud and Kanta tai came upto me.

"Vahini Saheb, now we will show you your room." Kanta tai came upto me and said while holding my hand and taking me to the upper floor of the palace.

"And then, what about my current room?"

"That room is like your temporary bedroom and permanent study room. There your documents and other important and official documents would be kept." Lakshmi explained as she joined us.

"That room is a part of your chamber." Kumud added some information about it.

"What all exactly comes under my chamber ?" I was getting curious.

"Look we reached the chamber. This was your temporary room." Kanta tai points at my current room which looked pretty empty due to shifting of my belongings.

"There is a small, very small passage to actual chamber. Come." Kumud guided me along with Lakshmi while Kanta tai left us as she was called by Sasubai.

"This is the library. Here variety of books are kept. Then on the left side is the huge dressing room where your sarees, jewelry, shawls, Mojadi (studded belle shoes) along with those of Chandrashekhar Bhauji are placed. Here, the next room to that is the Bathroom. It has a secret doorway to the dressing room from left. And there, in the front is your actual bedroom." Kumud and Lakshmi stopped after arriving at the entrance of huge room.

I stepped towards the room. It was almost twice the size of my room at Giripur. It had a huge bed in the circle shape at the centre. The bed had the balcony entrance on its on its left side. On the other side of the room, a huge mirror was placed. It had various short shelves on its either sides to hold various things. Near the mirror, I saw the trunks kept which held various things. Among those, even two of my trunks were there. The bed had side tables to keep water vessels. At the entrance of balcony, a big pot containing fragrant water was kept. The room had a huge chandelier which was containing many oil lamps. The room had been kept clean just like Swami liked it. The entrance of the room had a big door. The bed had beautiful brocaded curtains along it's sides. The room was well lit and had huge window for air to visit there.

"Awesome!" I exclaimed.

"We knew you will like it!" Both Kumud and Lakshmi hugged me from either sides.

"Now you refresh yourself and change into your night wear. We will see you tomorrow. If anything is required, tell Dhara Bai. She will be your personal assistant from today." Saying so, they called a lady and introduced her as Dhara Bai. She was a sweet lady who was along with me since passed two days. Three of them bid me good night and went to their rooms.

Chandrashekhar P.O.V.

It was a very long day today. Many people came to the court today to meet Yatee. It seemed like a meet and greet function was held. She was very happy with love of so many people. Everyone was happy for seeing her as a Queen.

Soon after the dinner I came to my chamber. I was tired today. I changed into my night wear and was about to enter my room when I saw someone was there inside.

She was Yatee, busy observing the room. Her hands were travelling over each and every part of the room. As though she was memorizing the entire structure of the room. She turned back all of the sudden when she sensed someone was behind her.

"Ohh Swami. It's you." She said after giving me a smile.

"Did you expect someone else to visit you when almost everyone is asleep ?" I asked while teasing her.

"No... Umm... I mean... I was surprised to find you awake so late in night."

"Ohh I see..."

Suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"I'll check it." She said and went towards the door.

I heard her talking to someone and she left. I could hear sound of her anklets fading away. She left and Ram entered.

"She was called my Matoshri Bai Saheb." He informed me.

"Okay... You're not asleep yet?" I asked him.

"No. Your little nephew seems to have a sleep problem tonight." Saying so, he sat on the couch present in the room.

"So little Hari doesn't want his Aaba saheb to sleep. Poor you." I said while sitting besides him.

"Don't act too smart. This is all due to Kanta. She has left him with me and is going to be with her mother the whole night. They are preparing something for Yatee." He said while throwing a pillow on me.

"But then where is Hari?"

"With his Mami Saheb."

"Means Yatee?"

"नाही नाही... त्याला तर तीन चार मामी आहेत ना... (No no no ... He has three - four aunts na...) You silly!"

"Relax man. I was joking."

Our talk was interrupted when Dhara Bai came in and said Yatee was arriving. Ram got up and left.

"See you tomorrow. Maybe afternoon. I'm on leave for morning for sleeping. Please adjust." Saying so he left with tons of sleep in his eyes.

Yatee entered the room with baby Hari.

"Can we keep him for tonight Dadasaheb ?" She asked with her most appealing smile to Ram who was clearly happy with her plan.

"Sure. Atleast I will get sleep now. Thanks a lot. I'm coming tomorrow morning then, okay Shekhar?" He asked me to which I simply nodded.

Soon he left and Yatee sat on our bed with baby Hari in her arms. She was already good in putting him to sleep. She was patting his head while singing a lullaby for him.

"He is so cute, isn't it?" She asked me.

"Yes. Indeed he likes to be with his Mami Saheb I guess." I said while sitting besides her.

She had now changed into her night wear now. She placed Hari lightly in the middle of bed and layed besides him, gently patting his head.

I also layed opposite to her. It seemed like she wasn't his aunt but mother. I could see happiness in her eyes when he smiled at her in his sleep. With that beautiful picture of her smile in my mind, I drifted to deep sleep...

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