chapter 20 part-2
Double update
Don't forget to read the previous chapter for better understanding.
Enjoy your chapter!! ??
?"The prince never found it."
?
?Ummag's eyes widened slightly.
?
?"The princess."
?
?Abhimaan nodded once.
?
?"She travelled alone inside the palan -quin."
?
?"She reached the camp before anyone unpacked her belongings."
?
?"If she discovered the container..."
?
?"She would naturally keep it aside,
Not because she understands its value..."
?
?"But because she does not."
?
?The tent fell silent.
?
?Suraj slowly smiled.
?
?"So..."
?
?"The scroll has been with Princess all this time."
?
?Abhimaan remained expressionless.
?
?"Most likely."
?
?He turned toward another spy.
?
?"What have you learned about the princess herself?"
?
?The man immediately bowed
?"Princess name Noor priya shekhawat "
?
?"Twenty-two years of age."
?
?"The youngest child of the Amber royal family."
?
?"Known for her kindness and beauty."
?
?"Rarely leaves the palace."
?
?
?"She was believed dead for several years after a palace fire, but was hidden by the prince karandev and just recently returned."
?
?Abhimaan's eyes remained fixed upon the map.
?
?Noor priya....
?
?He repeated it only once.
?
?Silently.
?
?Almost absent-mindedly.
?
?Then his attention returned to the mission.
?
?"If the scroll is with her..."
?
?"She must never learn what it contains."
?
?Suraj asked,
?
?"What are your orders brother?"
?
?Abhimaan's gaze shifted toward the magnificent Amber Palace visible in the distance.
?
?"We do nothing."
?
?The others looked surprised.
?
?"For now."
?
?"If we move too quickly..."
?
?"We reveal the scroll's importance."
?
?"If the princess believes it to be an ordinary ornament..."
?
?"She will keep it hidden."
?
?"That gives us time."
?
?Ummag folded his arms.
?
?"So..."
?
?"We watch."
?
?Abhimaan nodded.
?
?"We watch and wait."
?
?"And when the opportunity presents itself..."
?
?"We take back what belongs to Rajgarh."
?
?As everyone began discussing the next phase of the mission, Ummag noticed something curious.
?
?His elder brother's gaze drifted, for only the briefest instant, toward the distant palace balconies.
?
?
?A moment passed.
?
?Abhimaan turned away.
?
?His voice was once again cold.
?
?"Double the watch tonight."
?
?"No mistakes."
?
?No one questioned the order.
?
?Yet Ummag exchanged a thoughtful glance with Suraj.
?
?Neither spoke.
?
?But both had noticed the something very strange in his eyes .
?
On the other side
Her Garden
Ashnoors new look?
few days had passed since Ashnoor had returned to Amber.
?The palace had slowly slipped back into its usual rhythm-morning prayers, royal meetings, endless discussions among the elders, and the quiet routines of the princesses.
?That afternoon, however, the atmosphere in the palace garden was far from quiet.
?The weather had turned unusually pleasant.
?Dark clouds had begun gathering across the sky, hiding the harsh afternoon sun.
A cool breeze moved gently through the enormous trees surrounding the marble pavilion, carrying with it the earthy fragrance of the soil.
?It felt as though rain was only moments away.
?Beneath the beautifully carved marble chhatri, Ashnoor sat comfortably on a low cushioned seat, an old, slightly worn storybook resting open in her hands.
?Beside her sat her sister, Gauri, while Shyama and a few other maids occupied the nearby space.
?Ashnoor was supposedly reading.
?Supposedly.
?Because every few moments, she would lift her eyes from the book to join whatever ridiculous conversation was happening around her.
?"Main keh rahi hoon," one of the maids announced dramatically, "agar Agra ki rajkumariyon ke gehne itne bhaari hain, toh woh chalti kaise hongi?"
?Gauri immediately laughed.
?"Do chaar daasiyaan peeche chalti hongi. Rajkumari khud nahi, gehne chalte honge."
?The girls burst into laughter.
?Even Ashnoor couldn't stop herself.
?She lowered the book slightly, shaking her head.
?"Tum dono ko bas kisi na kisi ki burai karni hoti hai."
?"Burai nahi, Rajkumari," Shyama quickly defended herself. "Hum toh fashion ka adhyayan kar rahe hain."
?Ashnoor raised an eyebrow.
?"Achha? Aur ye adhyayan kab se shuru hua?"
?"Jab se humein pata chala ki Mewar mein ab motiyon ko baalon mein bunne ka naya tareeka aaya hai."
?Gauri leaned closer.
?"Achha? Woh batao toh."
?Soon, the conversation moved from jewellery to hairstyles.
?Then clothes.
?Then the latest fashions from neighbouring kingdoms.
?And eventually, as always happened whenever several palace girls gathered together...
?Rumours.
?One maid lowered her voice dramatically.
?"Waise... aaj bazaar mein ek aur baat chal rahi thi."
?Ashnoor continued pretending to read.
?"Kya?"
?Everyone suddenly looked at her.
?The maid smiled mischievously.
?"humari Rajkumari kitni khoobsurat hai."
?Ashnoor's eyes immediately lifted from the book.
?"Gauri..."
?Gauri was already laughing.
?"Main kuch nahi bol rahi!"
?Another maid giggled.
?"Kehte hain padosi rajya se aaye kuch vyapariyon ne bhi aapko dekha tha. Sab keh rahe the ki Amber ki rajkumari jaisi sundarta unhone kahin nahi dekhi."
?Ashnoor frowned.
?"Logon ke paas aur koi kaam nahi hai kya?"
?Shyama smiled knowingly.
?"Rajkumari, khubsurti bhi kabhi-kabhi rajya ki khabar ban jaati hai."
?Ashnoor rolled her eyes.
?"Bas karo tum sab."
?But despite her words, a small smile had appeared on her lips.
?She returned to her book.
?Yet she couldn't concentrate anymore.
?The cool wind had become stronger.
?The leaves above them began rustling loudly.
?Gauri suddenly looked toward the sky.
?"Lagta hai baarish hone wali hai."
?Ashnoor looked up.
?A drop of water landed directly on the page of her book.
?She blinked.
?Another drop landed on her hand.
?Then another.
?Shyama looked toward the sky.
?"Rajkumari..."
?Before she could finish-
?WHOOSH!
?The sky opened.
?Rain began pouring over the garden.
?For a second, everyone froze.
?Then one of the younger maids screamed happily.
?"Baarish!"
?Another immediately grabbed her hand.
?"Chalo!"
?Within moments, the carefully seated royal girls abandoned every ounce of their dignity.
?They ran out from beneath the marble shelter, laughing and screaming as the rain drenched them.
?Gauri grabbed Ashnoor's wrist.
?"Jiji Chalo na !"
?Ashnoor resisted.
?"Gauri! Meri kitaab!"
?"Kitab baad mein!"
?"Gauri-!"
?But it was too late.
?Gauri pulled her into the rain.
?Ashnoor let out a surprised laugh.
?The book was hurriedly handed to Shyama, and within seconds, Ashnoor was standing beneath the pouring rain.
?The first few drops had landed softy against her face.
?Then the rain became heavier.
?Her long hair, which had been neatly arranged only moments ago, began loosening as the water soaked through it. Strands of her dark hair clung naturally to the sides of her face and neck.
?Her attire gradually became drenched, the fabric falling more naturally against her silhouette, while the delicate jewellery at her ears and wrists glistened beneath the grey afternoon sky.
?Rainwater gathered on her eyelashes.
?She blinked rapidly before laughing again.
?A completely different Ashnoor.
?Not the princess who stand in hesitation during gatherings.
?Not the girl everyone whispered about.
?Just a young woman enjoying the rain with her sister and friends.
?She stretched her hands toward the sky and closed her eyes.
?A soft laugh escaped her lips as the cool rain ran down her face.
?Gauri splashed water toward her.
?"Gauri!"
?Ashnoor immediately retaliated.
?Soon the garden was filled with laughter.
?Girls ran between the trees, splashing water at one another, while the maids tried unsuccessfully to protect their hairstyles.
?And Ashnoor-
?She simply laughed.
?Completely unaware that someone was watching.
?Somewhere deeper inside the garden...
Abhiman's look
?Behind a massive, ancient tree stood a man who had no reason to be there for anything except his mission.
?Prince Abhimaan Singh Rathore had secretly entered Amber.
?His purpose was simple.
?The Royal secret scroll.
?Nothing else.
?He had been searching for a way to retrieve it without alerting anyone in the palace.
?He had been sitting beneath the dense branches of the enormous tree, partially hidden from the palace paths, when the sudden rain had interrupted his thoughts.
?He was about to move when he heard laughter.
?Female laughter.
?His eyes instinctively shifted toward the garden.
?And then-
?He saw her.
?His entire body went still.
?For a moment, Abhimaan forgot to breathe.
The veiled girl
?The same girl he had seen at the temple fair.
?The girl whose face had remained somewhere in the back of his mind ever since that day.
?The girl he had searched for without admitting to himself that he had been searching.
?He had thought he had lost her.
?Yet there she was.
?Standing in the rain.
?He stared silently.
?His expression remained composed, but something inside him had changed.
?The rain had completely transformed her.
?Her usually arranged hair had come loose, dark strands framing her face. Her cheeks carried a natural flush from the cold. Rainwater shimmered along her eyelashes and slipped down her skin.
?And that smile...
?That carefree, unguarded smile was something Abhimaan had never seen before.
?His jaw tightened slightly.
?His heartbeat suddenly became disturbingly loud.
?Dhak.
?Dhak.
?Dhak.
?He frowned.
?Why was his heart behaving like this?
?His gaze remained fixed on her.
?Then he heard some one call out-
?"priya jiji/ Rajkumari!"
?Abhimaan's eyes sharpened.
?
?So that was her .
?The realization struck him with strange force.
?" princess Noor priya...."
?He repeated the name silently.
?For the first time, the mysterious girl from the temple fair had a name.