24
Today is a big day. The Queen's gathering!
The biggest gathering of women in the nine kingdoms and while I am very excited for it, I am also concerned for the queen having seen her anxiety upclose.
So, I decided to ask god for help. I woke up early, prepared sweets, took them to the temple, got prayers done and came back with the prashadh, completely confident that nothing could go wrong until. ...I saw him!
"What is that?" the general asked stopping me right at the entrance of the meeting chambers.
"Prashadh, for the queen," I answered.
"Did you get it cleared with the security?" he asked, "Show me the approval."
"I made them in the palace and took them to the temple myself. It never left my eyes," I said calmly.
"That is not an answer to my question," the general said frustrated, "Do you have the clearance or not?"
"You really think I would poison the queen?" I asked frustrated.
"It is not what I think, it is the rules," the general said taking a laddoo from the plate. He broke it into half, ate one half, and gave me the other.
"Have it and I will give the clearance," he said. I took and ate the laddoo. He waited for a couple of awkward seconds before stepping away and I started to think as I walked inside.
Why did he eat the laddoo first? Is it his symbolic way of saying that he trusts me but is oblidged to follow the rules.
Wow! that would be such a sweet gesture!
This is the general we are taking about. He is incapable of doing nice things. He is just hungry, that is all it is!
"Those are for me???" Pallu's voice brought back my attention.
"No Pallu, for the queen...I..."
Pallu did not even let me finish my sentence before grabbing the plate and running towards the queen.
"Your highness, for you," she said quickly placing one laddoo in the queen's hand.
"Pallu where did you...." Pallu ran away with the rest of the laddoos before the queen could even complete her question.
"It is prasad from the temple, your highness," I answered, "I got it for you."
"That is very nice of you, Sruthi," the queen smiled, "thank you so much!"
"My pleasure, your highness," I replied and joined the rest to help the queen get ready.
"Your highness, where is your crown?" Naina asked looking around.
"Must be in my chambers," the queen answered, "I will go..."
"You should stay, your highness" I interrupted, "I will go get it."
"Are you sure, Sruthi?" the queen asked, "The king is in the chambers."
"Not a problem your highness," I assured, "I will get the crown."
KNOCK KNOCK
"Yes, come in," the king said. I nervously stepped in to find him engrossed in some work.
"Sruthi?" he acknowledged turning towards me, "What do you want?"
"Uh...the queen's crown, your highness," I replied.
"The box on her dressing table," the king pointed and got back to his work. I took the box and was about to leave when he called me, "One second, Sruthi."
"Yes, your highness?" I answered.
"Is the general around?" the king asked.
"He is, your highness," I answered.
"Good," the king said and gave me a rolled up note, "Give this to him and only him. It is confidential."
Really? Meeting him again!? Why?
"Any problem, Sruthi?" the king asked.
Probably, I did not do a good job hiding my emotions.
"No, not at all, your highness," I shook my head.
I could see that the king did not believe me
"Do you fear him?" he asked. He looked genuinely curious.
I remained silent.
"Not answering the king is a crime," the king warned.
"The experiences I had with the general are not very assuring, your highness," I hesitantly replied.
"Then make sure that his experiences with you are not very assuring as well," the king suggested.
I looked at him surprised. Does he genuinely want me to fight with the general?
"But....he is the general, your highness," I said.
"And I am the king," the king said, "I took a vow to protect all my people as long as they do not commit any crimes." "You are one of my people, Sruthi," he added, "and standing up for yourself is not a crime. Do not let the general look you down."
It is at this moment that my respect for the king increased tenfold and if I could describe the joy I felt, I would describe it as a bird flying high in the sky.
"Is that understood, Sruthi?" the king asked.
"Yes, your highness, understood," I answered with a smile.
It is payback time, general.
"A note from the king," I said giving general the note.
He took it with a confused look on his face and started reading it.
"Things people do for love," he smiled rolling it back once he completed reading it.
"What does it say?" I asked curious.
"It says to not tell Ms. Sruthi anything because she is clumsy," the general replied. I rolled my eyes.
"What is that?" he asked pointing to the box.
"A talking box that says do not let the general touch me because he is arrogant," I replied.
"Ms.Sruthi, how dare you..."
"Shut up," I interrupted.
The general paused for a second genuinely confused. "Did you just..."
"Ask you shut up, yes, I did that," I interrupted again.
I know I am going too far. If the king shows up now and tells me that what he told me a while ago is just a joke, the only choice I have would be to jump of the window, but atleast I get to tell the general off before I die.......
The general remained silent for a few minutes before speaking up again.
"If you are thinking this is all a dream, it is not," he said calmly, "Your words will have consequences."
"The king said I am allowed to stand up for myself," I replied proudly.
"Of course he would say that," the general rolled his eyes in frustration.
I swear he is the only person who could get away with these acts of disrespect. I am sure even the queen would not do something like this.
"I am free to leave now?" I asked.
"Of course your highness," the general said sarcastically, "Of course!"
The gathering has finally started. It is time for the queen to step onto the stage. She is nervous and so are we. I stood right at the front, Naina a few feet away from the stage, and Pallu hidden somewhere eating laddoos. I felt someone walk up and stand beside me. It is the general.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered.
"The queen needs all the support she can get, shut up," the general whispered back.
Wow! He genuniely cares for her like a sister. This is so sweet!
The queen stepped onto the stage and everyone immediately stood up. The queen took a step back, intimidated by the crowd. She turned to me for help and I had absolutely no idea what to do but the general who was standing beside me signalled that she should ask everyone to sit down.
Awww.....
"Thank you for the respect," the queen said gaining a little confidence, "Everyone sit down please."
The audience sat down but the general and I who did not as we were closer to the stage and have no chairs and for some reason the general kept looking around.
"Why don't we start off with some introductions?" the queen suggested, "I would love to know about all of you."
"This is bad," I said in a low voice, "This is not what she prepared."
"Does it matter?" the general whispered still looking behind, "She is doing great!"
"No it matters," I argued, "She will hate herself if she did not say what she prepared for days!"
"Right," the general said not paying attention.
"Are you even listening?" I said annoyed.
"I..." the general paused, stopped looking, and took a step to his right to get closer to me. "The king is here," he whispered.
"What!?" I said turning around to find the king.
"Don't look back," the general said holding my hand.
He held my hand ??
"Apologies," he immediately let go when I looked down at our hands. "It is the soldier in the middle row with his face covered," he continued, "I need you to convey this information to the queen."
"Got it," I said and was about to leave.
"Do not mess it up," the general warned.
"Shut up, I know what to do," I replied and made my way to the stage.
Now that I have the power, perhaps I should learn a few more swear words. Shut up is getting too repetitive.
Any ideas for Sruthi? My girl is open to any possible ideas to torment the general ??