Lekha is an orphan who has quite a fascination for all things connected with Rajasthan(India). The fascination comes to life as she is pulled into the century when the Mughals and Rajputs are in a tussle over Rajwara (Rajasthan of today). The story...
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A Great Big Thanks to @abditive for making this cover page for me. It brings out the true colours of Rajasthan :)
I woke up feeling quite refreshed and with a feel that I had had a beautiful dream at night. Didn't remember much but I was sure it involved Rudra. I thought it but natural since Rudra was there beside me. I quickly turned to see if he was anywhere around but there was no sign of him and surprisingly neither of the chain. If the disturbed sand near me, hadn't been signaling me towards the proof I might have thought it to be a figment of my imagination that I had been lying so close to him.
My mind shifted to the scene in front of me as I saw Anil curse and fall. He had forgotten all about the chain it seemed and then there was another shriek as it was on Vaishali's leg that he fell.
I just couldn't help myself as I laughed hard till tears rolled out of my eyes as both of them tried to untangle the chain. I felt someone staring at me from my periphery so turned slightly to find Rudra standing nearby. I wondered where he had popped up from. A blush graced my cheeks as I remembered that I had actually dreamed of him.
It had been a weird dream of Rudra sitting near me holding on to the chain keeping a watch over me. I kicked my brain for not conjuring up something more romantic. This caused me to blush even more and I moved sideways so that he could not see my reddened cheeks or what effect his presence had on me.
I totally decided to concentrate on my friends and stick by Vaishali's side more. I had realized that the moment I was anywhere near Anil, Rudra would try to stick to me at even more closer proximity. I wondered if they were still fighting over the 'responsibility' factor. Men and their big egos never changed I supposed. They had to mark their territories even if it didn't belong to them.
After a small breakfast in which everyone concentrated on the meal rather than talking we again boarded the cart. Complete silence seemed to have become the anthem of the moment. Anil seemed to avoid others and had chosen the seat near the driver. He observed his driving skills with great concentration with a small question here and there. Maybe he could become a cart driver I thought if he was stuck here. This brought a smile to my face, which was quickly wiped off as I saw Rudra watching me in concentration from across the place I sat.
As Anil had vacated the place our very own growling lion didn't seem to guard his territory so closely and had given me a breathing space I thought, but I was wrong. He guarded me with his eyes and all my actions were watched, making me wonder if I could scratch an itch without him noticing. This thought made a giggle burst from my lips making everyone who was not looking at me, look back at me startled. Rudra looked at me with suspicion and that made the giggles burst out with even more fits and starts.
Before anyone else could ask anything, the drive notified that we were approaching Chand Baori.
"I want to see it?" said Vaishali forgetting everything else.
