The courtyard of the inner palace was a mist of hums of a lullaby Shefali had learned in her childhood.
Dev, she called her son lovingly, would play in her arms not ready to be asleep so quickly.
His favorite playmate was Ekta.
He would start giggling and laughing whenever his eyes would find Ekta around. Ekta had turned a bit too accustomed to him and for the first time in her life, she craved a child of her own.
"Is he any less to you than he is to me?"
Shefali would say handing her son to his aunt.
The stone walls of the Palace had turned lively to Shefali. Now, the distressing happenings of the outer world seemed a little less concerning to her. She did not, although, know if it was for good or the latter.
Shefali sat on the high pavement, tying her hair into a long braid when Tara walked out with cups of newly made tea.
Shefali was not a die-hard tea drinker but since the weather had started turning chillier with each passing night, she did not mind having one.
"Here"
Tara bowed and handed Shefali her share.
Shefali took it with an approving smile.
Tara's eyes wavered at the child Ekta played with.
Shefali saw Tara's hesitancy to approach them.
"Hand it to her, Tara"
Shefali demanded.
Tara looked back at Shefali, swallowing.
Shefali frowned at the oblivion Tara had dragged herself into.
What could possibly happen if she was close to her son? Nothing at all.
"Just do it"
Shefali repeated.
This time Tara did as the queen asked her to.
"Did he eat you up?"
Shefali asked, sipping the beverage unattentively.
Tara pressed her lips together, in shame - in a bit of angst.
She walked away slowly after standing there watching the ground for a long while.
Because Shefali was never the type to counter their actions earlier, it greatly angered them if she did now but there was no way out. Since the day she lost her firstborn, Shefali had grown greatly protective of Dev. He was not just the child her mother goddess had gifted her with, he also represented her own son she couldn't even touch for once.
He was her whole world, protected from the evil stares of the society they lived in.
Ekta sat beside Shefali, with the child on her lap.
"When will they ever grow out of the shell?"
Ekta asked, concerned.
"I've wondered about it for two years and perhaps more. Now I don't wonder anymore. As long as it doesn't get in my way to what I need to establish, it doesn't matter anymore"
Shefali said with another sip.
Ekta listened to her in surprise.
"Dadu used to say sometimes when there were riots on the streets harming the common men of all, that revolt to the extent that protects is alright but there is no point in saving the man who is sure that 'dying would bring his bloodline glory': He emphasized on dying for the glory of the bloodline and not for a more glorious reason to be accomplished. It was a maze for me back then but with each day that ticks by, the meaning gets clearer and further clearer the next"
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𝟏𝟓𝟐𝟗: 𝐀 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐣𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐚| Indian Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 Ⅰ 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐉𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐈-𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 Shefali Roy had lost her parents in a pandemic when she was just one year old. That was the first time she was orphaned. The next time she was orphaned was when she was seventeen. The army of...
