Seconds Of Serenity

01

The fragrance of the delicate blooms brought immense delight to the youngest Princess of Suranchal, her nimble fingers trailing along the velvety petals of rare blossoms. The gaze of the young woman saw only the beautiful herbs and failed to notice the sharp thorns on the petiole, a drop of blood rising from the skin. She hissed, promptly capturing her finger with her full lips as her tongue flicked away the wine hued bead of blood. 

Glaring at the unique variety of vines as if they had offended her, she let her hands fall to her sides as she inhaled the soothing aromas. For a second, the youngest daughter of Narang and Padmavati escaped reality and instead entered a realm of fantasy where it was only her and easing scents of the gentle saplings and the musky odor of the soil they grew in. The chiming of anklets jostled her from her dreams and she sighed, brushing away tendrils of hair that had managed to escape the intricate style her hair was done in.

"Aarunya," the voice of her elder sister Tamasi echoed throughout the hall. It took quite some time for the eldest princess of Suranchal to reach her sister who was yet again lost in the labyrinth of her mind while tucking away her rogue tresses.

Under the ethereal light of full moon, the eyes of Aarunya gleamed while she held a distant look on her visage. Her finely sculpted face was enough to enamor the heart of any being and Tamasi was no exception.

Halting on her steps, it took a few seconds for Tamasi to drink at the sight of ambrosia granted by Gods. Despite being her older sister and spending almost her entire life with this girl, Tamasi was hardly able to resist the charm her sister held.

Indeed, she was a beauty that was second to none. 'Much like our mother,' mused the eldest princess.

Aarunya whirled around, the end of her faded lilac uttariya fluttering in the gentle breeze. Her lips that were curved in a soft smile now drooped slightly at the edges, gazing at her elder sister. The dark complexion of Tamasi shone in a silvery hue as the rays of the moon fell upon her, her silky ebony hair that was dark as the midnight sky cascading to her thighs.

She seemed like a goddess in the dusk, no mortal equal to her stature or beauty. Aarunya merely lifted an eyebrow in response to the call of her sister, taking slow steps near the future Queen of Suranchal. As she drew closer to Tamasi, the youngest princess could trace faint scents of perfume that were certainly not her sister's.

"Had a late night, my beloved sister?" Aarunya questioned innocently, her irises twinkling in barely concealed amusement. 

Tamasi froze, her eyes wide in discomfort. It was one thing for her to tangle herself in nightly pleasures but by no means she wanted her younger sister to know about it. She frowned and looked away, not wanting to talk further about the topic.

"Just came to check on you but seems like it was the wrong hour as my sister's curiosity is reaching no bounds today," Tamasi smoothly deflected.

A sigh escaped her lips, she didn't like to be questioned, and if it was someone else except her family, they would have faced her poisonous tongue. Being answerable to someone was annoying but she would bear with that.

"I was just worried..." The voice of Aarunya trailed. Though she was not involved with the royal court, it never obstructed her pondering of how things worked there, it was just she felt uncomfortable in the restrictive atmosphere those men and women exude.

Tamasi's stony glare softened slightly at the sight of her younger sister's bereaved posture, looking towards the heavens in a heavy sigh. "And you have every right." Taking a stride towards Aarunya, she placed a slender hand on her sister's shoulder as the other fingers lifted her crestfallen face.

"But it is not wise to meddle in matters that are not your own Aaru." Tamasi murmured, her orbs boring into her sister's, gazing deep into Aarunya's eyes and searching as if she could find her soul.