Lekha is an orphan who has quite a fascination for all things connected with Rajasthan(India). The fascination comes to life as she is pulled into the century when the Mughals and Rajputs are in a tussle over Rajwara (Rajasthan of today). The story...
I woke up in a dark room with only a lamp lit in the alcove. The first thing I remembered was the last rule of my resolution and felt a pang of pain in my heart. I had to keep reminding myself to be strong especially when I meet Rudra again.
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An example of the layout (its an actual haveli)
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Couldn't resist sharing another one I found :)
As I peeped outside the door I saw that the rooms on the first floor were built around an opening created by a huge veranda which was on the ground floor. There was a two foot pathway with railing all around connecting all rooms. I had missed observing all this in the afternoon. I saw a girl younger than me right across near the rooms on the other side.
"Listen... can you guide me to where Vasundhara is right now" I asked.
"Are you Lekha jiji (elder sister)?" she asked. I nodded and smiled back in acknowledgement.
"Oh! You are even more beautiful then what mamisa (maternal uncle's wife) told us" she said with awe in her voice. This made me blush and then my face lost all color. Rudra came outside from the room next to the one where the girl stood. I guessed that he must have heard what the girl had said.
"Bhaisa ... good you came. Jiji here wants to go to Vasundhara jiji. You can take her. I still have to light the lamp in this room" chirped the girl.
"No... No... Don't bother I will wait in my room for her. She said she would come for me" I said before Rudra could reject the girl's proposal and embarrass me once more.
I turned back towards my room and was about to cross the threshold when Rudra called out.
"Wait! ... I will take you to her"
I was taken aback by this but I didn't want to go anywhere with him. It would fail all the rules I had made for my survival.
"No need I can wait here. You go wherever you are going" I said turning back.
"You just wait there. I will come for you" he ordered, as he moved on the pathway towards me.
I stood still at that, as I didn't want to get into an argument with him in front of the girl.
