He was not there by choice, but was sent by his uncle as an apprentice to their kinsman Samsher Singh Shekhawat who was a mercenary warrior entrusted by the ruler of Bundelkhand to protect the merchant caravans that passed through the territories. These caravans were an important means of moving goods across the kingdoms,  keeping their economies greased. Warriors were assigned to guard the caravans because they were a substantial source of tax revenue for the kingdoms, in proportion to the value of the goods that they carried. The territories that the trains passed through not only involved difficult terrain but were treacherous due to the proliferation of brigands, dacoits and thugs who posed a constant threat to goods and lives of the travellers.

This particular caravan had begun its journey in Bengal and was travelling all the way to Marwar, consisting of a cartel of Baniyas moving eclectic cargoes like raw gemstones such as diamonds from the mines of Golconda and Panna, pigeon blood Burma rubies, Malwa opium, fine muslin, aromatic roots and herbs and more. To Randhir Singh Shekhawat's chagrin the charge assigned to him consisted of the most unlikely human cargo, a cartload of women accompanied by male members of their family, who for some reason had chosen to travel the tedious route with goods and personal treasures of enormous value. 

At the centre of the women's group was a unique occupant, a young adolescent girl who was meant to be protected at all cost, making Randhir wonder about the wisdom of moving her across the subcontinent. He assumed she was probably a bride being sent to her marital home with her wedding dowry, but he was surprised to know that this was not the case, the maiden was yet to be married off. He was not told more about the nature of their business but was given the task of the family's personal security and guarding their goods of tangible value. 

Samsher's coterie made jokes about him being the lead bodyguard to the chick-wagon as the women's carriage came to be known among them privately, with Samsher goading him about how he was the sole custodian of the virtue of the virgin girl at its nucleus, since he was often required to ride alongside this particular carriage while the other warriors secured the perimeter and rode forward and aft. Randhir found the task annoying, even if he knew how important it was to be given this responsibility. Indeed the road was unsafe for even men, and a young nubile untouched maiden was completely vulnerable, he could only begin to imagine what her fate would be if a band of brigands ever laid their hands on her.  

He had joined the train a couple of days ago when they entered Bundelkhand and was due to accompany them all the way to Marwad since the route was quite familiar to him and led to his home turf in Shekhawati. He estimated that they had about a month and a half more to finish their journey after which he would be assigned to another job. He made himself familiar with their daily routine, they stopped for the day and pitched camp for the night if there were no serai to retire in, woke up before dawn when a hasty meal would be prepared to last them the day and they would set off on the way as early as possible, stopping again at mid day to rest the animals and to eat lunch, then continuing to march on until sunset, covering around ten to twelve miles a day.

Like the other women she too was heavily veiled, often remaining at the core of the group for modesty's sake. He noticed that she walked with the grace of a swan, sending her anklets tinkling. He became familiar with the rhythm of her heavy silver jhaanjhar and the swish of her voluminous ghagra, wondering how her delicate body managed to bear the weight of her clothes and accessories. When they were within earshot he could easily follow their conversation as they spoke the Shekhawati dialect that he grew up speaking. He got to know that her name was Sanyukta, and she was the only daughter of the Agarwal Baniya who had left his wife and son behind to manage their trade in Bengal. He was curious about why the girl had joined her father on his journey but chose not to probe further, he would find out soon enough.

She must have noticed the strange new warrior join the caravan's guard, he could see her react to his presence. She found out that he was their new bodyguard and her curiosity was piqued, she took any opportunity to eye him through the translucent fabric of her ghoonghat, not realising he could sense her checking him out. Soon it became a game between them, she would move onto the side of the carriage near which he rode, sliding the curtain slightly so she had an eyeful of him, he would let her indulge herself for a while and then would swiftly change sides or ride forward to her disappointment. She knew he did that on purpose and that he was trying to maintain a professional distance. 

That evening as they pitched camp, she slipped away unnoticed near the ancient water tank, knowing fully well a pair of well-trained eyes were watching her. Taking care to see that no one else was watching she let her odhni slide off as she splashed the cool water over her face and neck, giving him a clear, uninterrupted view of  her backless choli, and the silver kardhani which seductively hugged her slender waist. Her mission accomplished she drew the odhni over herself once more as the cadence of her feet led her back to her side of the camp. The young man's eyes feasted on the sight he was exclusively offered, wondering what the little vixen was up to. Nevertheless he smiled, suddenly the job did not seem so trivial after all, he liked what he saw and was willing to go as far as she would permit him, it would be a secret bonus that he had not counted on but was happy to earn.