My Name is Tamra...

Chapter 11:

Aditi was watching her newly married husband from the portico of her palace. She had always been an ideal princess. Never opened her mouth in front of people. Never objected to anything decided for her by her parents. She was a docile and shy girl. King Jaimal was a pompous man with a lavish lifestyle. Aditi's mother had always been sick, so she was brought up by a governess who taught her how to behave like a princess, but forgot to teach her how to be independent.

As a princess, she had only one friend called Niveda, who was brought to the palace by her governess, to give Aditi company. Niveda was a very shrewd and independent girl. She loved the shy and timid princess Aditi; they became great friends. What to wear for the royal party? Niveda would decide, what to talk to another Prince or Princess, Niveda would teach. In short Princess Aditi's life started revolving around Niveda! When the King announced the wedding of Aditi with Suraj Rathore, Aditi did not even know how to react. But Niveda objected, as Suraj was not a royal descendant. She even told Aditi to discuss with her father about the wedding, but she felt too shy even to think about it.

For the past few months, people had started talking Princess Aditi is inauspicious to the family she went. Because of her ill luck, the queen was always sick. This made Aditi withdraw herself into a shell, which would open only to Niveda! When the King said Aditi would be getting married to Suraj who considered her very lucky. This pleased Aditi immensely, and Suraj repeated the same performance in front of the Princess too saying "I will consider myself lucky even if I die on the wedding day!" Aditi felt happy that he got a husband, who thinks she was lucky. But Niveda could penetrate the outer skin of Suraj and did not want the Princess to marry such a man.

As a hand maid Niveda was not supposed to argue with the King, but for the sake of her friend Aditi who treated her like a sister, she confronted the King. "Aditi is not comfortable about the Wedding Your highness!" she spoke to the King while he was sitting at the dining. "How dare you? You are just a maid. Go away! Talking about royal weddings!" snapped the King. But Niveda did not give up! "Pardon me your highness! Aditi is a very simple and sweet girl. Suraj seems to be a cunning man! Please reconsider your decision!" With those words, she went back to her quarters.

Aditi did not show enough courage when her father asked about the wedding. She simply said, "Whatever you find is suitable for me!" The wedding took place in a very grand manner and many people were invited. Niveda observed that, even though Suraj seemed to be happy, he was tensed too! Continuously his eyes were looking at the grand entrance with fear and anxiety! Niveda decided to keep an eye on him always. Her intelligence told her, he was expecting someone might crash the gate and ruin the wedding. Niveda decided to find out the cause. She befriended the cook's assistant whose husband was the chief security of the palace. By this she got all information about who came to meet Suraj Rathore.

"What are you looking at Aditi?" asked Niveda to the princess. "There is a girl at the gate way! I don't know whom she wanted to meet? Suddenly she fainted and Suraj carried her to the servant's room!" her voice was normal, but Niveda knew a lot of conflict and emotions are going inside her mind. Niveda felt pity for her. "Don't worry Aditi! It means nothing! She might have come asking for a job!" said Niveda in a calm voice. Aditi turned towards her! "You are very brainy Nivi! Look at me! I am a fit for nothing princess, who does not even know how to please her husband!" said Aditi with tears in her eyes. "Be yourself Aditi! He is so lucky to get a wife like you! You are very beautiful and intelligent! Don't underestimate yourself!" assured Niveda with affection.

"Um…But I would like to know more about the girl and the man with her!" saying these Aditi went inside her room. "If the princess wants to know something, then she should know." Thinking on these lines, Niveda went to meet the cook. "Please ask your husband to come and meet me and the Princess after dusk! Remember this should not go out!" said Niveda in a hushed voice. At 6'0 clock when the King Jaimal was away on a visit, Suraj was also with him, the security came to meet Niveda. She made him say everything in the presence of the Princess!

"Your highness! Please don't give me any punishment or expel me from the employment. It's not my fault at all!" begged the security on his knees. "Tell me everything! Then I will decide!" said Aditi in a confident voice, more than she felt. "Your highness! Two people came in search of your husband! The man seemed furious, but the girl was very soft. When I talked about your marriage, the girl immediately fainted. Your husband came at that time, and he carried her inside the servants' room, the man also followed!" the security abruptly stopped. "Then? What happened?" asked Niveda with concern. Her eyes were fixed on Aditi.

"Um….I was close enough to hear your husband's words. Like…um….it looks like…." He swallowed the words. "Tell me frankly!" urged the princess, with full of fear and anxiety. "Like, it looked like, the girl and your husband were having an affair in the village called Dantla! And…and….it looks like, the girl is pregnant!" Aditi sat there as if a thunder had struck her. Without her knowledge, her eyes were pouring tears down her chest. Niveda took control of the situation. "Ok! Ok! It's common among poor people to blackmail the royal with such stories. Don't take it seriously and spread the rumour. Understand? I will give your reward to your wife. Now you can go!" commanded Niveda, the security withdrew himself.

"Do you really think so Niveda?" asked Aditi. Niveda felt pity for the naïve princess. "Please gather yourself Aditi! We have a grave situation; your husband has been accused of a very serious charge. As a woman, and as a princess, it's your duty to probe into this. Don't jump to conclusions. Right? Please collect yourself dear!" said Niveda with affection. Aditi tried to think what should be done next. But was not able to think of any idea! She was feeling betrayed, cheated on, and furious. "I don't know what to do Niveda?" cried the Princess with hands on her forehead. Niveda thought for a while. That was a very delicate matter, neither the King nor Princess's husband should know about the probing. The girl might be a fraud seeking money. Niveda decided. "Princess Aditi! We have to meet and talk to that girl and the man! Then only we can come to a conclusion." Said Niveda wisely.

Aditi looked at her with awe. "You are so wise and level headed Niveda! You should be the princess, and future queen of the palace! How brave you are? Look at me? Timid, afraid to talk to even my father, not brave enough to handle situations. "Said, Aditi. Again, Niveda felt pity for this soft-hearted princess. But she could not afford to pile on. "Aditi! You are brave enough to face any situation. But too emotional for handling them. That's all! Stop brooding over." Said Niveda with a firm voice. "Can I summon them now?" asked Aditi. "No Aditi! Your husband should never know, we are involved! It has to be done with a plan." Saying this, Niveda thought for a while. She had a brilliant idea. Yes! That's it!

She told her plan to the Princess, and went inside the chamber came out after a few minutes dressed as a local girl belonging to a village. Aditi simply nodded her head in approval. "Princess Aditi! It may take a few days for me to return, till then, never show any signs of suspicion to your husband! Behave as if everything is normal! Don't let the King also smell anything! Please Aditi! My life is too at stake! Got my point?" requested Niveda before stepping out of the palace. For everything Aditi nodded, not even trusting herself to speak. "it's better if you don't talk at all" smiling Niveda went near the servant's room. The security informed that, both the boy and girl had been sent to a nearby place for staying.

Niveda hurried towards the gateway, and saw Suraj waving a hand to the girl and boy. He looked at Niveda, and she was waiting for the outburst with bated breath. "Hey! You came with them? What are you doing here? Runaway you ugly beast! Tell Tamra, I will not betray her!" said Suraj in a hushed voice. "Yes! Your highness! I will run along!" said Niveda bowing very low, which pleased Suraj. "Listen! Give this to Tamra, and make her stay here for a weak. There is nothing in the world beyond money! Give her these, if she does not accept, keep it yourself. But, make sure that, she stays in this city till the new moon day!" said Suraj handing over a bundle of currency to Niveda. She felt a chill down her back. Suraj was up to some bad play. An evil one perhaps. Why make a girl stay till new moon? Many nameless doubts crept inside her minds which made Niveda afraid of the consequences.

But playing the role of a village girl, she ran along and found Tamra and the man accompanying her. As Niveda approached them, she realized that, both were tensed up and had an argument. "Why don't you trust Suraj? He says, he did not have any other choice! Learn to trust people Birju!" said Tamra. "Have learnt a lesson of trusting people Tamra! They deceive and go! Love of my life, had hopelessly fallen for a fraud. Again, you want me to trust people?" asked the man in a bitter voice. "Stop saying such things, Birju! I tell you I never had a feeling like that towards you! I can also accuse you! You turned a blind eye on Aru! While all along she was in love with you!" The man stopped as if shot by a bullet. "Tamra! You are saying this for the 4th time! Arunika is a very strong and practical woman. How can she be in love with me? Don't say things to make me feel guilty." Spat the man.

On hearing the description about one Arunika, Niveda decided, she was the person to deal with. She trotted behind those two persons. "You are a fool, Birju! You say you love me, but you are not able to recognize the love Aru has for you!" said Tamra. The man again stopped. "Listen Tamra! We have not come to Jaipur to argue about my life. It's your future at stake. Please let's talk about your plans!" said the man with a little irritation. "There is nothing to talk about! Suraj had explained the situation! We will wait here for somedays, he will come up with a solution. That's all!" replied Tamra. "So, you believe in the story he told? eh?" again the man spat out.

Now Niveda wanted badly to know about the story Suraj offered to these villagers. But suddenly Tamra turned back and addressed Niveda. "Why are you following us? I am watching you, you started stalking us from the palace itself. Who are you?". Niveda did not even had time for thinking. In a trice, Birju was near her threating. "Did that Rascal sent you to stalk us?".

Niveda did not have any other choice but to reveal the truth. "I am Princess Aditi's Hand maid. My name is Niveda Chawla! Please let me explain everything to you in a private place, not in the middle of the road! Trust me Tamra, I am Princess's servant, not the Kings' or his fraud Son-in-law!" Niveda said these looking straight at eyes. Birju grumbled something, but Tamra trusted her. "Oh! Why the princess sent you to follow us?" asked Tamra with curiosity. "I will tell everything Tamra! First let us go to that temple. No one comes there at this time, let's talk there." Saying, Niveda dragged Tamra towards the temple. She knew that was the only way to make Birju follow her!

In two minutes, they reached the temple. Even though the gates to the sanctum sanctorum were closed, the gate to the outer periphery was open. Under a big neem tree, a bench stood, there of them sat on that. "This is a temple, Tamra! I trust none of us would dare to tell lies. I assure you; I am here in the best interest of Princess Aditi and you." Said Niveda earnestly. She told them about Aditi and her soft naïve nature. When she expressed her true feelings towards Suraj Rathore, Birju believed her, but Tamra felt angry. "How dare you talk about your employer like this?" she yelled. "First let me clear one thing! Suraj Rathore can never be my employer. I am in service with the Princess. I will be loyal only to her and her wellbeing. Not to anyone else." Said Niveda fiercely. Tamra felt a respect for Niveda. As they started talking, Niveda felt as if a volcanic eruption had occurred in her brain.