Sindoori

chapter 3

_Madhuraye_

It was around half past nine when the the driver stops his taxi infront of the palace.The rain still was still pouring without any mercy.

The taxi driver looked in the rear view mirror which show the reflection of the girl who is sitting in the backseat of the taxi looking outside of the glass tainted window.

The girl was not only smart but mature too. He know it from the way she protects herself from the Jaipal goon. She was completely different from the women he was used to see.

Maybe she's from the other land or the city. But what would she be doing here? And out of all place here. As a guest of the Queen? This thought just didn't sit best with him.

Turning around he say"Madam,we are already here."

Vaidehi come back from her daydream,  mind occupies with thoughts that shouldn't and wouldn't be there.

She turns her head and see that the taxi is stopped infront of an old palace. Even though the drizzling was heavy she can clearly see the outline of a grand mansion and a big iron gate .

She confously turns her head toward the driver and ask "Sir..I think you misheard me. I said Devyan-"

" Devyani Gujjral. I know that miss. And no..you are at the correct place." The driver reassured.

Looking at her surrounding,she thinks that maybe there would be a house where her family lives which she can't see because of the darkness and rain.

"Why would MAA live in a castle? And why she keep it as a secret from me? " Many questions were running in her mind. But then again there is lot of things that she doesn't know about her mother. For start, she still doesn't know why the name "Devyani Gujral" is so famous in Madhuraye and why everyone know her here, is she even at the the correct place?

She had millions of questions but not a single answer. And this time..she was adamant to find her answers. "But you can't just invade someone's taxi to think about your problem" her subconscious mind reminds her.

"Here madam. I will take your luggage." She was about to leave the taxi when the driver give her a spare black umbrella while holding the second one in his own hand.

The door of the taxi closes with a soft thud and both of them left towards the palace's gate. It was so dark and hazy due to the rain that Vaidehi had no idea where's she heading to.

After one minute of the walk the girl and the middle aged man stands infront of the well lighted area. The palace was illuminating with artificial lights. The road for the palace was well maintained and have light polls on the both side.

Standing infront of the iron gate the driver spoke "I know peoples here. They will let us in."

Oh.. so you have to know people to enter in the palace. Again I'm at the disadvantage.

"The visiting time is over.. come tomorrow on time" the gatekeeper announced in his monotone voice when he saw two people outside of his small cabin.

"Visiting time? Is it a hospital or what?"

"But then again it's a castle normal.. people just can't freely roam here." The debate was going on and on in Vaidehi's mind.

" Is this how I thought you to talk Vijay? " the driver said in a mocking tone.

The gatekeeper take a peek from his small cabin window and his face instantly lit up by seeing the other man face "Baba... Why are you here?"

Oh.. they're father and son. That is why he's so confident that the guard will allow us inside. Connection. He have his son as a connection..while here I am.. who doesn't even have a clue if I'm at the correct place or not.