Ephedrine and Alexandrite

Chapter 2- Timelapse pt 1

I laid under the leafy banyan tree, relaxing on the cool wet grass, as small dewdrops trickled down onto my face, my tattered chuni strewn across the grass as a pillow. "Khushi! Andar aa jow!* A familiar voice called from inside the small wonky house, along with the clanging of pots and pans and a great number of voices all calling to each other to finish preparing the dishes for the event tonight. I rolled my eyes before heaving myself up, and pushing stray strands of hair away from my face and smoothing my sari as I slowly skipped towards the wooden door that led to the great palace kitchens. As soon as I entered, the immediate smell of daal chawal** and meat hit me, my stomach grumbling as if on cue, before Aditi one of the many kitchen maids approached me, a frown crossed upon her face seeing my empty hands. "Kya tumane kapade sukhaane ke lie rakhana samaapt kar diya hai?" ***She looked at me, putting her head to one side, as I stammered my best excuse as to why I had not put the clothes to dry. I huffed as I walked back out to hurriedly put the clothes to dry, longing to have a taste of some of the mouth-watering dishes being prepared inside. If you didn't already guess, I'm a servant maid. I work inside the great palace kitchens of the breathtaking city of Zatrela! Or at least, that's what I'm told. It's a city full of culture, power, wealth, but most of all secrets...secrets, which I intend to uncover.

~ Time skip~

It's around late afternoon, as I begin to tediously fold the various items of clothing of the staff has so kindly let me do, when I hear a knock on the door of my shared room. "Khushi? You in?" I peer cautiously at the door and frown at the voice...Jia. I sigh, before mumbling, "The door's open, you can come in". A tall slender woman strolls in, her bangles gently jangling as she traipsed along the bare floorboards. She stares around the room before settling her eyes upon me, possibly the plainest thing in the bare room, and frowns. "Shouldn't you be downstairs? Helping with the cutlery or something?" She ushers mockingly. As if they actually trust me to handle delicate, hand-painted, one of a kind cutlery for one of the most extravagant balls in the city. "You know why, and stop sauntering around, you're scuffing up the floorboards, which I just cleaned by the way" I mumble, irately as she wanders around the room looking at the occasional items placed on the desolate shelves. "Alright, no need to be grouchy!" She snaps, as she picks up a small wooden box and began fiddling with the clasp, " I only came up, to tell you that Didi is asking for you down at the kitchens. She needs your help with arranging the spices or whatever" she said lamely, looking outside the small window with a bored expression. I raised my eyes at such an odd request.

Third POV:
Arrange the spices? What did Aunt Aditi think she was, some sort of high class chef with actual opinions? She was but a simple servant maid nothing more!

Or was she..

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Hi! Sorry it took me so long to post another chapter, this ones really short and I'm been having a bit of trouble with writers block 😅. Anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter! Comment any ideas of what you think happens next..

Hindi Translations!

* = Khushi! Come inside! (Informal)
**= Dal chawal, is a meal prepared of lentil curry with rice ('chawal' is rice in Hindi)
***= "did you put the clothes to dry?"