"Meenakshi." Her father called her. She turned around to look at him.
Bowing her head, she spoke, "Yes Rajaji?"
Her father took a deep breath at her choice of words. He couldn't help but feel hurt when she didn't call him 'Father'. He spoke again trying to keep his voice neutral. "What do you want for your birthday?" He asked her. In three days, it would be Navami, which marked her fourth birthday.
"Nothing Rajaji." She replied, her voice neutral and respectful.
"You can ask anything my dear, I insist." Her father persisted her.
"Anything?" She asked, her eyes filled with hope. Her father nodded at her. "I want to be trained like them. I want to go to a gurukul." She said, pointing to the soldiers training in the ground, that was visible from her room.
Her father was shocked at her request. He thought she would ask for a toy or even a dress. Worst he thought she would want to be a part of the family she never was, but his four year old never asked for it.
He visibly sighed, his posture defeated as he heard her wish. He couldn't even deny her. It was the first time she was asking and denying her meant destroying his attempts to rekindle their relationship. He nodded and walked out of the room and went to his chambers.
His wife saw him entering with a far away look. She placed her son in his cradle and went towards him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she gestured with her eyes, questioning him about his worry.
"It's nothing serious Anjana, just remind me to talk to Acharya tomorrow. Please don't forget." He said, before he walked to his son and caressed his cheek. He wondered if he could ever win her back.
The next day came early. Their family guru, Acharya Dandapani was called. He was welcomed by the king personally, who washed his feet and bowed down in reverence.
"Pranam Guruji. I hope your journey to Vindhyanagara was pleasant." He asked, as he led Guruji to his chamber. Making him comfortable in his chambers, the king sat down on the floor by him.
"What is it son? You look stressed." The guruji spoke, as he took in the king's defeated posture.
"It's nothing Guruji. You should rest. I shall be at your service if you need anything swami." The king said, as he got up to leave.
"Is this about Meenakshi?" Acharya asked, taking the king by surprise. The king looked at him for a moment before he nodded.
"She wants to be trained like a soldier. SheâShe wants to go to a gurukul." The king said, not being able to meet his guruji's eyes. Girls were neither trained in weaponry nor were educated in gurukuls. If they were very passionate about learning, then they would be homeschooled, by teachers of the kingdom. The only time they would be allowed to go out of the palace was when they would be wedded to their husbands.
"Call her here. I shall talk to her." Guruji said, making the king quickly pass orders to fetch the princess to Guruji's chambers. Within a few minutes, the sound of anklets echoed through the corridors, as tiny feet ran through them and stopped in front of Guruji's chambers.
Meenakshi walked into the chambers where Guruji was staying and she prostrated at his feet. "Ayushman bhava." Guruji blessed her as held her shoulders lifting her up.
"Pranam Guruji." She spoke, as she folded her palms in front of him and bowed. Turning to the king, she wished him. "Pranam Rajaji." Guruji looked at the king in surprise, at her choice of words for addressing him. The king looked away, unable to meet Acharya's questioning gaze.
"Pranam Rajkumari." Guruji addressed her. "I heard you wish to be trained. Why is it so?" He asked her, wondering what stirred the curious mind.
She looked at the king before she answered. "I wish to be useful." When she met the gaze of Acharya Dandapani, she continued. "I wish to help people and for that I need to be strong and educated." She spoke in a meek voice. Though this was the truth, it was not entirely the reason. And she didn't dare tell what it was, afraid of everyone's reaction. The guruji could sense her determination in her voice and knew that stopping her would only be chaos.
"Okay Rajkumari, but the gurukul is only for boys. How can you fit there?" He asked her, wondering what that little mind would have thought of.
"I'll become a boy." she spoke without hesitation, making the King gasp. Guruji broke into fits of chuckles hearing her. Meenakshi frowned at their reactions.
"How will you do that my dear?" Guruji asked, intrigued by her thoughts.
"I'll cut my hair, paint a mustache with kajal and dress up in boy's clothes. Simple." She exclaimed, satisfied with her answer. The king could no longer stand still listening to her stupidity. He turned to her to give her a sound lecture before Guruji cut her.
"Okay dear, I laud your mind. I shall make arrangements for your stay and studies in the gurukul." He said, making her jump in joy.
"Thank you so much Guruji." She exclaimed, and she ran out of his chambers after prostrating at his feet. Laughing at her eagerness, Guruji turned to her father who had a shocked expression on his face.
Calming himself, the guruji spoke. "Why does she call you Rajaji?" The king had no response for that. Lowering his head in shame, the king stood silently. "I see that you have not tried to mend your relationship with her. How long will this persist?" He could see that that life was suffering, no doubt she wanted to go away from here.
"I try Guruji, but I am unable to. My shame gets the better of me whenever I see her. I cannot bring myself to face her. Day after tomorrow is her birthday. For the first time, I asked her what she wanted and she asked for this. I thought you would speak her out of this, but you in turn accepted her demand." The king asked back, feeling helpless.
"All of this is somewhere the karma for your actions, Your Majesty. I advised you to draft her Janam patrika, as soon as she was born. But your hate overpowered everything. Now she doesn't have anything that determines her fate unless she steers her life. And hence the consequences." Guruji spoke, as he recalled the day she was born.
"Can't we do anything now? There must be some way to prevent all these. Can I order for her Janam patrika to be made now?" He asked, desperation getting the best of him.
"No, wait until she turns thirteen. Then you can do this. Until then destiny will steer her life." Guruji said, making the King nod in response, before retiring for the day.
True to his words, Guruji secretly took her to the Gurukul, without informing anyone in the kingdom or the palace. It was announced publicly in the palace that the princess would stay with her aunt's family and send time there with their daughters. She would be back when the time is right. No one in the kingdom except her parents and the head maid Chitra knew the reality.
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Chapter 1 is out. How is it? I need votes and comments. Only then I can proceed writing happily, else how can I fuel my enthusiasm? As of now, I need help with the character aesthetics too.
The updates will be every Monday, but if I get a high response, I shall post twice or thrice a week too.
Luv <3.