History lesson no :1
( category ancient India )

"In ancient times, the milk used by the queen while having bath was donkey's milk. As donkey's milk has moisturising and anti-oxidant speciality. It's very costly in today's time. "

Tanirika sighed in relief wrapping the paper into a fold, keeping it with the other letters queued to be sent in respective places. She was successful in writing a letter that was supposed to be delivered to her father. Few months passed since she saw her father and met her family. The thought of her family and father always brought tears to her eyes. She smiled sadly staring at the letters, caressing them with her left hand. Some letters were from her maids who were living with her in the palace of Rakshatra as her ladies in waiting. She smiled placing the letters properly into the box and ordering one of the maids to make sure it was delivered to her father.

She glanced at her now well-healed hand who still had a white scar peeking down between her thumb and forefinger. After leaving the corridor and camouflage with Lekha, She made sure no one came to know about her little stunt. She ordered all her maids to keep quiet about her injury which should not fall into the king's ears.

She knew he would be very angry but this was something she needed to figure out. After studying the whole situation she concluded that Lady Manika's survival is very important for the kingdom as that was the reason she was the only post royal who was spared by the Zravasya. Tanirika pointing her finger at her would make some things go wrong. If Manika was kept alive then there should be a reason for it. Her husband was smart and she didn't want to act recklessly like last time.

She was thankful for her monthly cycle which blessed her the same day she was injured. She was thankful as it gave her injured hand to get some time to heal. The King was not allowed to enter her chambers when she was bleeding. The last four days were spent in her chambers alone with some of her maids as that time of the month was considered very auspicious. It was made sure that she had proper rest and was suitably treated by her maids. It was her time away from the rest of the world spent in exclusive space and privacy.

Though she missed her husband, she was glad that he didn't come to know about her injury. She couldn't lie to him.

She picked a fresh paper from the box and scribbled some words on it with the help of the book given by Librarian Samarth to her which was a very useful book for learning the Romanian language. These four days she focused more on learning the language, giving each lesson a time, focusing on the pronunciations and trying to build some sentences she found herself recognizing many words and sentences used in Romanian dialect.

"Deha," She called for one of her maids. Deha, the maid came running inside her chambers. Tanirika smiled at deha who returned her smile.

"Will you deliver this letter to his majesty for me? " She said pushing the paper towards her maid. Deha nodded her head taking the paper in her hand exiting the place to carry out the assigned job.

Tanirika clapped her hands two times making two maids rush insider her chambers. They bowed with respect towards the Queen.

"I want to have a bath, prepare the bath and start the preparation of prayer. I am done with my monthly cycle. " The maids nodded before moving away to carry their jobs.

According to the ritual, the queen was supposed to come out of her ritukal ( Menstruation period ) at the specific time predicted by the royal priest as her monthly cycle was the sign of fertility and motherhood. She was assumed to bathe under the moonlight by washing her hair and praying to the goddess to provide wealth and prosperity to her kingdom.

Tanirika removed the hair accessories followed by the hairpin which added glory to her royal heritage as a Queen. She removed her anklets followed by other minimum jewellery adorning her frame. She smiled contently looking at deha who was entering her chambers with a paper in her hands.

"My queen, " Deha bowed her head with respect, placing the paper into Tanirika's hand. She smiled opening the paper which had her words in front and other new words at the back.

She smirked reading the words written in Romanian and walked towards the table where pen and paper lounged. She picked a fresh paper and scribbled the new words. Deha smiled taking the paper from Tanirika's hand, not waiting for the order she knew where the letter was supposed to be delivered.

Tanirika walked towards the bathing chamber with a beautiful smile on her face. The pool was filled with white water mixed with milk and various herbs while rose petals floated on the surface. She stepped inside the water allowing the water to hug her skin and rose petals stick against her skin. One of her maids crouched behind her near the pool while she sat inside the pool on one of the stairs. The maid compiled her hairs on her wrist and began scrubbing Tanirika's hair.

Tanirika nearly spent half an hour inside the pool getting ready for the night. Her maid's helped her in getting ready, she wore a dark red blouse and skirt followed by the veil which was wrapped properly near her neck and waist. One of her maids started working on her hair, designing the hair suitably with the royal hairpin they combed the hair stimulating them to dance freely. She wore two heavy beads bracelets of gold in either of her hands, a nose ring followed by a plain maangtika. She turned towards deha who was standing near the entrance waiting for Tanirika to get free. Tanirika signalled her to come forward as one of her maids clasped the anklets around her feet.

She opened the paper which had a secret message scribbled at the back. Tanirika smiled tucking the paper near her waist and starting the prayer required for the welfare of the kingdom. She walked inside her prayer chambers and prayed to the deity placed in their holy glory in the small temple built for them inside her chambers. The maids put the curtains on either side of the praying chambers secluding the Queen to focus on her dharma and karma.

After praying to the goddess and offering her gratitude to the goddess she moved out of her chambers. All her maids were standing in a queue waiting for the food offering to be granted. The offering offered by the Queen who just came out of the ritukal was used to be one of the most sacred parts of their culture. Every unmarried woman wanted to have one part of it to get directly blessed by the goddess with fertility and motherhood.

"Deha and lekha stay, others out! " Tanirika ordered keeping the plate of offering back in its place.

"Tani is everything ok " Her friend inquired looking at her Queen. Tanirika smiled assuringly at Lekha keeping the previous letter and one near her waist properly inside a box.

"The king wants me to meet him near the stable, the one which is situated on either side of apple orchards. " Lekha glanced at deha who was smiling looking at Tanirika.

"Does she know something which I don't? " Lekha whispered looking at Tanirika.

Tanirika nodded her head walking past Lekha towards the end of the chambers.

"This whole meeting will be a secret, no one should come to know about this. Everyone thinks I will be coming out of my rest tomorrow so it will be like that. I want one of you to take my place and rest on my bed till I meet my husband. "

Deha nodded at Tanirika while lekha eyed her suspiciously.

"What! I am just going to have some fun with my husband. He ordered me to do this. "

"Tani, I just don't want you to fall under any kind of trap"

"Oh Lekha Ask deha, I wrote some letter to the king to which he replied. I told him to come into my chambers tonight as I was clean from my rest but he said he wants to take me away from the palace. Somewhere where it's just him and I. "

Lekha nodded at her making her smile widely in anticipation.

"So who is going to take my place? " Tanirika chipped looking at deha and lekha.

After making sure everything was fine and darkness layered around the palace. Tanirika peeped outside her chambers making foolproof that no one should see her. She walked towards the garden attached to her chambers which had an open passage towards the other garden connecting to the apple orchards.

Lekha followed Tanirika out of the chambers as they both walked towards the stable. A smile appeared on her beautiful face when she spotted a silhouette hear the stable. From the back, she could see he was wearing a plain dark green kurta with matching loincloth talking with the horse who was tucked inside one of the partitions of the stable.

He turned to his left as soon as the voice of her anklets rang in his ears. His dark black orbs twinkled in apprehension staring at the woman who always made his heart skip a beat. Tanirika gave away her every manner and restriction running towards him, she jumped in his arms the moment she got close to him. He laughed catching her securely in his arms twirling her frame in the air. Her giggles ricocheted with his laugh as they both stared at each other.

"Why are you looking so beautiful tonight? " he said looking at her smiling face. She pursed her lips humming in thought, her eyes rolled in thoughts.

"I guess your eyes add acne to my face " He narrowed her eyes at her.

"Is that so? "

She giggled in response.

"Then we have to make sure it doesn't happen. " He cupped her face with his hands, he leaned a little bringing her lips to hers. Before he could smash her lips with her, his eyes fell on the woman standing behind, Tanirika followed his gaze which landed on Lekha who was standing at a few feet distance. Her head down and position uncomfortable, the king's presence was uneasy for her.

"She is my maid, I trust her. " She said looking at Zravasya. His eyes were still cast at lekha, examining the woman. He tore his eyes away and looked at Tanirika.

"Go. " He ordered with no emotion. Lekha bowed in respect staring down at the ground. She turned back and started walking when she again turned back to make sure Her friend was fine. Tanirika smiled at Lekha waving assuringly at her. Lekha smiled nodding at her.

Once lekha was out of her sight, Tanirika turned back concentrating her attention on her husband. Zravasya was fastening the yarn on the horse, checking that reign on the horse was strong enough. After being satisfied with the arrangements he caressed the neck of the horse who mewled in response.

"Where is my horse? " Tanirika asked him staring at the black horse who had very gorgeous blue eyes.

"Here," He said pointing towards the black horse. Tanirika furrowed her eyebrows in confusion looking for another horse.

"Then where is your horse "

"Here," He replied caressing the same horse he said belonged to her.

"My queen, we are going to ride on the same horse. I can't rectify a little more distance from you. " He said pulling Tanirika towards him by her waist. she gasped due to his sudden action holding his arms for support. A faint blush adored her cheek when his thirsty eyes met her.

"You have a very FALSE assumption. You think I can't understand when you blush because of your brown complexion but my love, your pupils and eyebrows are very open to me. " He whispered sucking and teasing her earlobe between his teeth.

She pushed him away, tossing her eyes away from him. He was so stupid because he always made her felt emotions that were very foreign to her.

Tanirika stared at a random tree in a distance when she felt a warm woollen cloth hitting her arms. She whirled around looking at her husband who had a black cloth in his hands.

"What is this? "

"It's a cloak. It makes sure we are in proper disguise. The black cloak will help us to stay hidden from the eyes of others while we enjoy sometimes far away from where it's only me and you. " he said helping her with the cloak. She slides her hands into the cloak while zravasya slid the hood of the cloak on her head. He affixed the string holding the hood of the cloak around her neck saving her from cold and making her invisible in the night.

Tanirika waited until he wore his cloak which was very similar to hers. She got an idea that the clothing fashion belonged to one of the regions her husband visited. One of the things which always intrigued her little mind was the diversity of places her husband travelled. He would have met different people with different cultures and multiplicity. Making a note of it, she decided that she would one day ask him to recite the stories of various lands his eyes were blessed to witness.

Zravasya helped tanirika to sit on the horse while he positioned himself behind her on the horse. He patted the horse's neck slowly, buckling his knees and thighs slowly he yanked the horse to move. Tanirika fell on his chest as her back hit his chest while their rode outside the palace from a secret path. Tanirika mounted herself firmly on the horse as her husband drove the horse. Her eyes dilated between various trees path passing away as the horse ran. The apple orchards seemed a little plantation but when travelled inside it was a mini jungle in its glory. Various other trees were planted near the apple trees constituting in the glory of the orchard.

Zravasya ran the horse out of the palace, crossing the palace boundary he took tanirika towards the planned destination. Their cloaks flew in the night with the air making the wind dance in bliss. The moonlight was the only source of light in the night helping them to travel towards the destination. Tanirika smiled looking at the various villages situated at a far distance with the help of the lantern light which looked like a dot of light from far away. Mountains passed away, insects and animals growled and chatted as the scent of her husband filled her nostrils. This was the second time she drove away from the palace without any security.

The last time she ran away in a disguise of a maid thinking evil about the king. But today she was escaping the royal life with her husband, the same king she once ran away from. Zravasya galloped near the sea, taking the route of the bridge which divided the villages and forest into two parts. He gripped his thighs and slowed the horse holding tanirika in a steady motion by her waist.

Tanirika held herself properly as the horse calmed down. She gazed at the water running down the bridge in peace and soft manner.

"Do you see that? " Zravasya whispered against her ear, she tilted her head a little looking at his eyes and following his gaze.

A surge of surprise and shock ranged in her heart as the marvellous gigantic architecture of stones appeared in front of her eyes. She didn't know when the horse started running again. They grew closer and closer to the enormous miracle of gravel which appeared very fascinating to her honey brown eyes.

"What is this? " She whispered in the thin air, staring at the huge wall constructed in between the sea, diving the sea into two parts while two sculptures of elephant stood on either side of the wall adjacent to the seashore.

"It's a dam. Our people will never have water scarcity Tanirika, the dam will help in the proper supply of water in various parts of the kingdom." As they moved closer to the dam, her eyes fell on the other side where a proper distribution of channels and canals stood with water flowing inside them. The whole area was very beautifully and competently architectured.

"The canals and passages are designed in a detailed and scientific pattern, this passages will help the water to travel in places where it was impossible to get a drop of water. People don't need to travel miles to get a pot of water for drinking. 56 more passages will be developed by the end of winter and after that, the production and development of Rakshatra will rise enormously. " he explained making her smile proudly. She tilted her head towards him smiling, he returned his smile kissing softly on her cheek.

She was very proud of her husband, the view in front of her eyes was something very well designed and favourable to the people who lived in the kingdom of Rakshatra. The once barbaric evil man was turning into living folklore which she had started to fall in love with without any regret.

Hey lemons 🍋,

Another update! I had a competition and studies which had me tangled last few days. I was so busy. I am sorry for taking this long to update. I hope y'all are not mad.

The next update will be very very jusious. Hell is that even a word?

No

Nope

Nadaa!!!

The chapter would have been too long if I continued to write the 'other' part. I couldn't write a chapter of 10,000 words. So I split it up.

Hope y'all liked this chapter. I googled few things and placed them here. I tried to educate myself with some ancient believes I hope y'all know them too now.

Vedas have scripted that a woman during her periods is equal to a goddess. As she is blessed with fertility. You can goggle it.

Tanirika and Zravasya are so adorable.

Lekha is in a mood.

Deha well! That girl I don't know.

I hope y'all liked this chapter.

If you are 18+ then please register for vaccination. Hope y'all have done that.

Wear a mask. Stay safe. Stay home. I care for y'all. ❤❤

Vote. Share and comment for the next update.

It's going to be fun. A lot of fun.

You know 🤫

Love aditi ❤

Okiee byeeeee