His queen

Intro

Roop's Pov:

"Siya, Siya get over here."
It's Holi and there is so much to do. Clean up, decoration, rangoli...the list it never ending and yet you see this girl, barely able to get up in the morning.

We have to do extra work because that's how we pay off half the rent. We live in a small two story apartment. Our house contains a living room, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. The apartments are built in a square format. In the middle of them is a huge open space, where we would celebrate festivals like Holi, Diwali, Durga puja etc. On normal basis, Tai ji (the lady who owns the apartments) would sit around, eat and yell at others (especially me and Siya)in the open space. At the end of each day it came down to me and Siya to clean up her mess but we never complained, after all we only pay half the rent.

Ma works at a store from 6am to 11pm. She gets paid less than others because she is a woman. She only pays half the rent because we need the rest of the money to feed ourselves. Me and Siya always wanted to help her out by working, but Ma always tells us that it's not safe considering that work hours are always past 10pm.

Today is Holi, which means double the work- all of it is on us. Yay! Note the sarcasm. At the moment I'm sweeping the floor so that we can start with the rangolis and Siya- oh right, she is supposed to be here with me.
" Siya, you better get down here-" Tai ji cuts me off.

" Hay Bhagavan! (O God) Roop! Why are you screaming your lungs out so early in the morning?"

I'm screaming now, look who's talking...

" Did you say something?" She asks out of the blue. Did I say that out loud?

" N-no Tai ji, um I was saying sorry, I didn't mean to irritate you." I stammered. Can't help it, she is one scary lady.

" Ya, ya whatever now get back to work and get your so called sister to do some work too." She said while walking towards the stairs. Ugh, she just has to rub in the fact that I'm adopted. Like, ok I get it, now let me be. I wipe away the lone tear that escaped my eye.

" Yes Tai ji." That's all I can say right now. That one day, that one beautiful day that we leave this place, I'll make sure to dump all the garbage that she made me clean up till this day on her head.

Suddenly, I hear a loud piercing scream. I turn around to find Tai ji with Green coloured power all over her and Siya holding an empty bronze plate. Oh no...

"Bura na maano Holi hai." Siya says while smirking down at Tai ji. What has this girl gotten us into?

Siya's Pov:

"Siya, you better get down here-"
Roop called for me just as I was about to go down the stairs but Tai ji cut her off.

" Hay Bhagavan! (O God) Roop! Why are you screaming your lungs out so early in the morning?"

Roop mummers something to herself, that's when Tai ji asks," Did you say something?" 

" N-no Tai ji, um I was saying sorry, I didn't mean to irritate you."

" Ya, ya whatever, now get back to work and get your so called sister to do some work too." I saw a lone tear escape Roop's eye but she quickly wipes it away. That's it I had enough, she has no right to make my sister cry, that too on Holi.

I take a plate of green Holi colour, walk up to Tai ji and dump the entire thing on her head.

" Bura na maano Holi hai!" I tell her while smirking.

Roop looks at me with a scared expression. That reminds me, I should really start to think before I act.

"Aggh!! You stupid child! What have you done! Do you even know how much this saree costs?! More than what you, your useless mother and that adopted sister of yours can put together in a year!!" She spat. Oh she shouldn't have said that.

But before I give her a piece of my mind, Ma cuts me off.

" Enough!!! You have no right to say anything about my family Radha bain." Woah. Is this lady really my mother? Me and Roop look at each other all shocked and confused. Ma never talked back or even raised her voice at Tai ji before. It was always me who did that, but Ma would always apologize to her on my behalf.

" How can you be calling me useless when I work hard to feed my family and you yourself sit around all day and make others do your work? And about my kids, they are both beautiful, intelligent and hard-working unlike yours." Yes that's very true, both her sons are spoilt. All they do is eat, sleep, go out with friends and get drunk. Not to mention they look like pigs. Tai ji has been trying to convince Ma to get us married to her sons- but Ma knows better.

"Roop may be adopted but I have always given both my kids an equal amount of love and got the same love, care and support in return. Never in my life have I thought of her as an adopted child. But you know what? It's impossible to explain these things to such narrow minded people like you. Living with you isn't any better so I have decided to leave. Roop, Siya, go pack everything." With that she finishes words.

Wait. Did she just say we are leaving? Yes!!!! I've been waiting for this day ever since I met Tai ji. But where are we going to stay?

Roop scenes my confusion and asks.
"But ma, where are-" Ma cuts her off.

" Roop, Siya, I know you guys are confused, but just trust me on this. Now go."

We silently walk up the stairs to our house and begin packing. There was barely any packing to do. Me and Roop share most of our clothes and there are some sarees and lehengas of Ma's. In about 20 minutes we were done. 

" Do you have any idea of what Ma has in mind?" Roop asked me as we walk down the stairs.

" If I knew, you would have been the first person I'd tell. All we can do right now is hope for the best." I answered.

As soon as we get to Ma, she leads us outside. And- O MY GOD!!! There stood a carriage already waiting for us.

Me and Roop looked at each other then at Ma and say "Ma?! How?!?" In unison.

She passed us a victorious smile and said "I'll tell you but first, go and settle down inside."
Aww, inside? But I wanted to ride on one of the horses.

" Ma, can I sit on one of the horses instead?" I ask.

Ma and Roop burst into laughter. Finally Ma replies.
" You can, but not now, especially not when your wearing this." She said while gesturing to my lehenga. I was wearing a white and gold lehenga. The skirt was floor touch, plain white with some golden embroidery. The blouse was also white, with a round neckline- not too deep and it ended a few inches above my waist. It had golden lining around the neckline, bottom and at the end of the sleeves which ended right above my elbows. I had also pinned a simple yellow dupatta on my right shoulder.

" Ma...please..?" I pout my lips and give her my best puppy eyes.

" Ok, fine go, but be careful.'' she said and kissed my forehead.

She was about to step in when I remembered something.

" Wait Ma, you didn't tell us where we're going..."

She paused and looked between and Roop and finally said, " We are heading to the royal palace."

"THE ROYAL PALACE!?!" Roop and I yell in unison.

Ma explained further, " I got a job in the palace, they will be providing us with a room in the east side of the palace. That's why we are going there."

Oh my God!!! This is really happening, we are going to live in the palace. Wow!!! This is too exciting, I feel like I'm about to explode! No more Tai ji, yes!!!!

Roop and I walk up to ma and give her a big bear hug.

" Can you believe it Roop? We are finally getting rid of Tai ji." I say while pulling away.

Roop and I look at each other and burst into laughter. Ma just shakes her head in disbelief but soon joins us.

And here is the first chapter of HIS QUEEN and as you guys know by now, the chapters are pretty long. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, I'll update the next chapter by this week. - A.G