The Summer Of Love

I'M A FIGHTER!

We have our dinner in a larger room, which I think is used for parties and other things. There are beautiful murals on the walls. Shekhawati Kings are painted on the ceilings in oval shaped mirror like structures. They are not the simple paintings of a person though, each painting depicts the life story of the King. There are royal ladies wearing their traditional dresses. There's a huge chandelier shining like stars in the middle. I look at each painting, thinking how talented people were back then. How modern in their techniques, yet valued their morals, traditions and cultures above all. Ahh, history. My favourite subject.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Muskaan chirps from beside me. There are large round tables covered in beige satin throughout the room. There's a podium in one corner of the room as well. The four of us girls are sitting with each other.

"It is, indeed. This Palace never fails to surprise me," I reply to her.

We eat in a comfortable silence. I finish my dinner quickly so that I can gaze more at the place. I'm so engrossed in looking at each mural and the paintings on the ceiling, that I don't notice someone standing behind me until I hear them clear their throat. I catch a glimpse of the girls already looking behind me as I turn around. There's silence in the room.

Akshat stands behind, looking down at me. I raise my eyebrows, embarrassed a little. "I need to have a word with you," he speaks quietly his tone commanding me to get up. I don't waste a moment to get up and walk with him, wherever he takes me, trying to get away from everyone's sight as quickly as I can. My anxiety gets the better of me sometimes.

When we reach out of the room, I heave a sigh of relief. It was so awkward inside just a few moments ago. I face him and ask,"What did you wanna talk about?" We are standing in a corridor at the side, away from the door of the room.

"Do you have appropriate clothes to wear tomorrow?" he asks back.

"What do you mean? Are my clothes not appropriate now?" I ask with a frown. There's nothing inappropriate about the ones I was wearing, I thought, looking down at my dress.

"Oh no, what I meant to ask was if you had the kind of dress they wear there. Pali might be a city but people dress in traditional clothing in the local markets. Besides, the main reason we are going there is because we have to get the items blessed at the temple. That requires you to wear certain kind of clothes. You knew that.. didn't you?" he asks, one thick eyebrow raised. How would I know that? Didn't my mother tell him that I've never been there? "You didn't," he confirms with a nod.

"I mean, how am I supposed to know that? And why are we going like some spies?" I ask him puzzled about the thought of wearing something I've never worn once.

"That's what I called you for. I thought you'd have a few questions. Most of the people in the marwar region know who I am. Your mother isn't aware that it's dangerous for us to go there, alone, since you are connected to the Shekhawats, you're not safe as well. There are a few of our.. rivals that only my father and I are aware of. So it's necessary that we mingle with the crowd," he explains, a little uncomfortable.

"Shouldn't we tell my mom about that? She'll be furious if she learns about this through someone else," I say, my voice coming out frightened.

He shakes his head, his hair moving with him. "My father trusts me, I've been there many times. He'll handle the situation, for he knows how important it is. And as for you, you don't have to worry when I'm with you," he says looking at me intensely. "Are you scared?" he asks, amused, as he takes a step forward.

I take a step back. "N- no, of course not. Wh-y -y," I clear my throat to cover the stammering in my voice, half because of the 2 feet distance between us and half because of the thoughts of the rivals he was talking about and what they'd do if they found us. My heartbeat increases every moment. I try to calm down. Consequences of not being socialising enough, I think. "Why do you ask?" my voice comes out breathless.