"Uttara", Maharani Sudeshna continued shaking her daughter harshly. "Wake up."
The sixteen year old woke up, stretched and rubbed her eyes sleepily.
"Yes mata".
"What yes? You were supposed to be up by now. Go have a bath and come and help me in the kitchen", Maharani instructed.

Uttara got up from the bed and selected some comfortable clothes, before heading towards the snangrah.
The sun was barely out but her mother was up and ready as always. After her bath, Uttara reached the palace kitchen where Maharani Sudeshna had already arranged all the ingredients.
Uttara had no interest in cooking but her mother insisted, since she will 'need it when she gets married.'

Uttara sighed. "What should I do mata?", she asked politely. Sudeshna turned to look at her daughter and clicked her tongue in disapproval, fixing Uttara's odhni. Uttara looked down, feeling embarrassed.
"I have kept the vegetables. Chop them and prepare curry.......", Sudeshna gave her a long list of instructions. "Did you understand?", she asked sternly. Uttara nodded like an obedient daughter, which she was.

After an hour or two, Uttara finally finished the elaborate meal which her mata wanted and was exhausted. Maharani Sudeshna came to check on her.
Uttara looked at her mother nervously, fidgeting with her dupta as Maharani examined all the dishes.
Uttara felt relieved when Sudeshna nodded her head in approval and dismissed her.

Uttara left immediately, walking towards the dance room to practice her dance. She passed by her brother, Uttar who had just returned from his training and looked at him in envy.
Her parents didn't allow her to learn warfare, politics or finance, the subjects she was interested in, as they believed it to be inappropriate for women.

Instead her parents insisted that she learn mundane chores like cooking, stitching and embroidery, though she persuaded them to let her learn dance and music.
She liked to think that her parents cared about her interests, but she knew that her mother just hoped that it would make her more graceful.
She was engrossed in her dance, almost as if it was some sort of a meditation. She felt annoyed when she was disturbed.

"Rajkumari", a daasi said as she entered. "Maharaj and Maharani have asked for you".
Uttara nodded, her annoyance fading away.
"Pitashree", she entered the meeting room, fixing her attire. "You called for me?"

"Yes putri", Maharaj Virat said. "We have received an invitation from Indraprasth for the Mahashiv ratri celebrations. We are leaving today itself, so go and prepare for the journey."

Uttara left for her room and started packing with a daasi's help. She was having a tough time choosing the perfect clothes.
She preferred to wear comfortable clothes with minimum jewelry, but her mother instructed her to pack heavy ornaments and color coordinate her clothes, to look more rich and royal.

She was in no mood to leave Virat Nagar, but all prestigious and powerful families of Aryavrat were going to attending and her parents were very keen on forming relations with them.

She had heard stories of Indraprasth from travelers and merchants, who had praised the fascinating, magnificent kingdom.
The had heard poetry describing the beauty of the rajya and it's Samragyi.
The enormous mansions, the prosperity and the magical  royal palace.

The royal family of Indraprasth was very well respected all across Aryavrat. She was suddenly feeling mildly excited about visiting this kingdom.