Rising Mist(#1 Haze Series)Completed

1. The Choice He Made

Pampan and Ratni had been waiting since dawn for her. Their network had never failed on vital information. It had to be today when they leave for that forbidden place. She had to see with her sharp eyes to confirm the truth of the matter and here Pampan was driving her crazy with her non stop questions on the chosen one. It was not like she had never seen that strange girl of Astra.

The pompous Ratni with her long neck and deft hands had always managed to fish out the hidden details even if she did get her hands dirty in the process or extended her long neck further. After all she would never delegate her position as chief gossiper to anyone, especially Pampan who always stole her gathered her words and spread it as her own. The bulged woman was quite fast in her course that she had wondered about her swiftness despite the huge belly she held onto.

"Is she the one?" Pampan pointing her wide fingers at the petite black haired girl walking to their lord's place.

"Yes, yes." It would be disastrous if anyone saw them peeping at her today. Ratni pulled the plump woman who was more interested in the beauty infront than protecting herself from being seen.

"Isn't she lucky to be chosen by him."

"Nah, only if she can come out alive." How dogged was this woman that even her strong pull could not budge her. She only hoped the girl had not seen them hiding in the alley. The lord had gotten much strict on gossipers in the past few days.

"Tut! Tut! Poor girl. Her sister was the same right?"

"..........."

Pitying at her current plight while hiding in such plain sight that even a person who was running in such haste could spot on. She wondered what was the curiosity that bound them to leave comfort of their home to stare at her. Gossips had always eluded her path. Bright pink, Pampan and glaring yellow, Ratni were not dettered by warnings issued on them. Such tenacity was something even she did not possess who was currently lauded for the sacrifice she agreed on.

The walk to her new home was never an easier one. The whispers around had increased way lot than she had imagined and the eyes were the worst, it looked at her as if wanting to peel her skin away. Thankgoodness, she saw him standing outside waiting for her. She was sweating and her tunic stuck to her back as it had become too wet. She had walked fast in her rush to reach there in hope of avoiding Astrarians who were craning their neck from their houses as if they had never seen her. She had become the talk of every person residing in Astra. The one thing she had always tried to hide away from which she had now come to realise that it was a futile endeavor of hers.

Lord's mansion in front was attached to the great hall of Slatr had never been this bare of people. Kaheri festival had not passed for long and the grand banquet in Slatr was cancelled for the first time in the history of Astra. Masheer Mahant, the lord of the place no longer showed his face to fellow Astrarians, except sending his minions to regulate order around Astra.

Rishi saw Sana rushing to him in the altered attire of his. Men's attire brought much ease in long distance travel especially when they could not use their bull carriages. His attire on her had not diminished her charm even by a cent. He had always knew her beauty was the most dazzling one in all of Astra. The mud coloured brownish tunic and pants were quite different than her usual gowns which she always donned and allured everyone around in her gentleness. The same attire on him seemed too dull in her presence.

Parting with his family had been the most difficult choice, but somethings had to be endured with the duties placed on him as the next lord of Astra. He placed the bag of supplies containing dried fish meat, water, dagger, ropes and two shift houses over his back. He had done all the necessary preparations that were needed to get them back. But Raksharan was not something that anyone could ever envision. His cousin was the best warrior of their Astra, but hadn't he lost to that place. He just hoped the unthinkable had not yet occurred to him.