Dhanurana

Chapter 7: The Maharaj

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The city welcomed dawn with the sizzle of extinguishing fires and squeak of mirrors being cleaned behind them. Dhanur rubbed her head, her hangover somehow worse even though she stopped drinking earlier than usual. Once begun, she quickly decided against continuing her morning stretches as her eyes felt as though they would throb out of her skull.

"No, no, not today," she groaned.

With a discontented sigh, Dhanur descended to the kitchen area, sitting at the small table without a word, ignoring the roti already there. She struggled to peel open her eyes as her ungloved hand carded through her thick hair, free from its hood.

Dhanur blinked, brought her naked hand to her face, and stared at it. She didn't remember fighting with her armor through the night and just then noticed she hadn't taken it off before she left her bedroom.

She opened her mouth as if to speak but she only pointed at her hand.

"You came back, and, well, I helped you get undressed so you could sleep." Janurana shrugged, pressing her tongue to her canines behind her closed lips. It was painless as her fangs were retracted.

Dhanur looked at her hand again, confused, trying to piece together when that may have happened. She blushed at the thought of Janurana helping her undress, but the destitute looking Kumari's sprightly disposition forced Dhanur from her sleepy haze.

"Why're you so, ya know, again?" Dhanur groaned.

Janurana quickly spun around and raised an eyebrow in confusion before she understood. "Oh!" Lowering her tone but grinning all the same, she said, "I slept really well!" She spun back around as quickly to stir another pot of soup, garnished then with cabbage and lemon grass.

"Alright." Dhanur rolled her eyes, swallowing a repeat of the sharp request she'd made yesterday. Janurana's accent took time to register yet again. As she waited for another soup breakfast, Dhanur fidgeted, rubbing her head as she remembered last night with her thoughts at the inn and the kindness Janurana showed in helping lift off her scaled armor when she got home. Her hand had trailed to her chest. Feeling the softness of her undershirt and how easily Janurana could have slipped one of her own arrows through it.

"So, your family," Dhanur started.

Janurana stopped stirring.

"Wait, did I ask about that yesterday?" Dhanur scratched her head.

"Yes," Janurana said, her expression frozen in a blank smile.

"Were they noble?"

Janurana lowered her head. "Yes. We discussed this yesterday."

"Oh. Right. Yeah. Just, thinking of where you could go after this."

"Have I worn out my welcome already? I do apologize, Madam warrior." Janurana bowed.

"No, that's not what I—Ugh." Dhanur sighed and rubbed her temple. "It's not that, I promise. Sorry."

"Okay. I'll finish this soup for you and get out of your way." Janurana turned back to the pot and Dhanur rolled her eyes and dug the heel of her hand into her forehead.

Her inner voice was quick to speak up. 'Two fish with one net.'

'What?' Dhanur thought back.

'If you go to the Keep and ask to see the records, you can look up her family. That'll help Janurana and you can see Aarushi again. You'll know then if all this is a sign.'

'You told me it was.' Dhanur rolled her eyes.

Janurana focused on cooking, happy the conversation had ended.