The Mughal Princess (Completed)

12.

They had reached the same old shiv temple. The crowd had parted to let the kings and Prince and the princesses pass by for the rituals.

"I hate this." Maheen hissed placing the end of her dupatta on her head as the entered the temple premises.
"Why do they have to give us special treatment ? Shouldn't everyone be equal before him ? Aren't we all his children, then why -."

"Apart from being his child you are also your father's child who happens to be the former king." Dev said walking a few steps behind Maheen along with Aditya.

"Still hate it." Maheen whined making Mrunal laugh.

Maheen walked beside Gehna , the two were sandwiched between Aditya and Dev from behind and Prithvi and Mrunal ahead.

Gehna looked at her friend and smiled.

"Well I for once am glad, thank you Prithvi Bhaiya for being considerate and making sure there were proper arrangements, all this crowd." She said looking at the bystanders who had made way for them. "It makes me claustrophobic, and Maheen, she loves to come with the crowd, I feel she comes here to be a part of this crowd."

"Now stop complaining you two." Mrunal said reaching the steps to the temple. "We can discuss this on our way home." She said before bending down to touch her head to the floor.

Mrunal and Prithvi moved ahead with the priest to perform the pooja while the other four stayed a few steps behind, partaking from a distance.

After a long and exhausting hawan (praying in front of fire) and elaborate abhishek (bath given to the idol) they had finished all they had to had it was finally time to return back home.

"Can we take a detour ? If we have stepped out of the palace, can't we spend some time by the river bank ?" Maheen asked looking wishfully at the others.

She had often accompanied her mother and aunt to this very temple. Both Gehna and her had spent hours running around the well cordoned bank of the river running next to the temple. The sound of the cold flowing water often made her calm and get in touch with herself.

"Well." Prithvi said looking at the group. "A couple of minutes at the most Maheen, it's going to be lunch time soon and we have a meeting scheduled with your brother and uncle."

"Very well then." Maheen grin and held Gehna's hand and pulled her along towards the bank.

"Mahi, slow down." Gehna said trying hard to move her legs at the pace Maheen was dragging her with.

"We don't have time." Maheen said pulling her friend. "Didn't you here Prithvi Ji ?"

The two stopped at the bottom step, the last step which ended at the bank of the river.

Maheen shut her eyes and let in a deep breath.

"I love this place."

"I do too." Gehna agreed. "Our moms love it too."

"And our daughters will too."

"And their daughters."

"And theirs."

The two best friends burst out laughing.

"Ah.. basking in the last carefree moments ?" The voice made the two girls turn around. Nobody was supposed to be here except them.

"Laugh all you can." Said the old woman looking sideways at them sitting by the river with her feet dipped in the cold running water. "Laugh as these moments are a few."

"Aren't you the same person we met a few day's back ? Savita maa ?" Gehna asked looking at the lady sitting a few paces away from them.

"I am my lady, the same old hag." She said giving the girls a toothless smile.