The Sixteenth Birth

21. Planning

Wow! I am quicker and you guys are the greatest support.

Happy reading!!

Dedicated to tiyardise for the mention of my book. Read her book as well. It's awesome!

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*Ritz's POV*

I stand in front of Mr. Khanna's staff table and greet him with a good morning. He smiles and greets me back.

"What happened Miss Dobrial? Rita, I presume?"

"It's Ritu, sir." I correct him.

He nods and pushes some of the books aside on his table, picks up a pen and pushes his horn rimmed spectacles.

"I wanted to ask some doubts I have, it's not from my syllabus though." My voice trembles.

He seems to be a scary man, with a frown on his head and buttoned up shirt, with the exception of the collar button, he isn't the best person. Everyone in the college knows so. "Yes, what is it?" he asks with still creases crossing his forehead.

"Sir, I got this book." I fish the book out of my bag and show it to him. It has no cover, in a very bad condition so I introduce the book to him. "It's about the history of Dehradun. I found it in the palace that's in the forest."

He narrows his eyes. "Is it about the Chitra dynasty?" His question leaves me stunned for a moment but then the reality check comes. It's not that surprising, he is a history teacher.

"Yeah! Do you know more about it?" Curiosity rubs my nerves.

"Yes, do you want to know? You are so different, nobody ever comes to me with such random questions." he sounds happier than earlier.

"Yes! I really want to know about the history of the place."

"Okay, then I can tell you the story behind this book in short. It's like-"

I cut him off. "No, I know the story. Actually I am here to ask about the birth taking princess. The story's end explains it, but I can sense the incomplete part of it. It feels like the last piece of the puzzle is still missing."

"Well, I can tell you about the princess." He mutters with more command in his voice. "Mujhe kabhi nahi laga tha ki aaj kal ke bache bhi isme interest rakhte hai. [I never thought, children nowadays can have interest in such things.]" He whispers something to himself, which I don't understand.

I need to get more lessons of Hindi with Cady.

"Yes, then Ritu. It has been said that the princess takes birth sixteen times. After that her soul will rest in peace. And I can say that till now her sixteenth birth is not yet over.

"Her soul is reducing her curse of killing her sister with every birth and purifying it. In her sixteenth birth, her character, her soul will lose the strands which are still stringing her with the curse. Her soul will find peace."

He is a much better at explaining than Miss Tulsi.

"Sir, then how do people come to know that she is the princess?"

"Yes, I am coming to that. But this princess was given a boon to get loosened from the curse. She was a good one but unfortunately-" I know he is trying to get back to the track of the whole story.

Moving my hands to stop him I say, "Sir I know that, please tell me how is she recognised? When will her sixteenth birth take place? Please sir, I am running out of time. Five minutes are left until the bell rings." It sounds rude but being so near to know the secret is making unjust.