Author's POV
Neeti slowly opened her eyes, groggily taking in her surroundings. She was lying on a plush couch in the palace library, surrounded by towering shelves of ancient manuscripts and the soft glow of morning light streaming through the intricately carved windows.Neeti's features were delicate yet striking, with high cheekbones and a small, straight nose. Her lips were full and pink, curved into a gentle smile that suggested a kind and compassionate heart. She had a quiet elegance about her, a sense of refinement and poise that was both captivating and inspiring.
She had fallen asleep while reading , as she often did.
Just as she was starting to sit up, she heard a gentle giggle and the soft rustling of silk. Leela, her maid cum best friend, was standing over her, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Leela said, trying to stifle her laughter.
Neeti rubbed her eyes, feeling a bit disoriented. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice husky from sleep.
Leela glanced out the window, where the sun was rising over the palace gardens. "The sun is rising, my princess. It's time to prepare for the day."
Neeti nodded, swinging her legs over the side of the couch. Leela helped her stand up, and Neeti stretched her arms over her head, feeling a bit stiff from sleeping on the couch.
Just then, Ashwini, Neeti's stepsister, burst into the library, a look of mock horror on her face. "jiji, what have you done now?" she exclaimed, surveying the scattered books and papers around Neeti. "You've made a mess of the library... again!"
Neeti playfully rolled her eyes. "I was just doing a bit of reading and drawing, Ashwi. I didn't mean to make a mess."
Ashwini chuckled, plopping down beside Neeti on the couch. "You never mean to make a mess, but somehow it always happens. You're like a whirlwind of creativity and chaos."
Leela giggled, nodding in agreement. "That's our princess. Always getting lost in her own little world."
Neeti smiled, feeling grateful for her friends' teasing. "Hey, someone has to keep things interesting around here."
The three girls chatted and laughed together, discussing everything from the latest court gossip to their favorite stories from the ancient epics. As they talked, Neeti took her bath with help of maids and joined the duo again.
After a while, Ashwini stood up, smoothing out her lehenga. "We should get going, jiji. The queen will be expecting us for breakfast." Neeti knows that Ashwini hated how her mother treats her so she always cheer her up whenever the queen taunts and mock Neeti.
Neeti nodded, reluctantly standing up and smoothing out her own lehenga . Leela helped her tie her hair back into a neat braid, and the three girls headed out to the royal dinning hall, ready to face whatever the day might bring.
.
.
As they entered the breakfast hall, the queen, Rani Chandrakala, looked up from her seat at the head of the table.
"Ah, Neeti, I see you're as punctual as ever," the queen said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And, of course, you've managed to drag my daughter down with you, making her late for breakfast as well."
Ashwini looked down, embarrassed, but Neeti stood tall, meeting the queen's gaze calmly.
"I apologize, Your Majesty," Neeti said, her voice respectful. "I lost track of time in the library."
The queen snorted. "The library, indeed. I'm sure you were too busy daydreaming to bother with something as mundane as time."
Yuvaraj Atharv, Neeti's stepbrother, spoke up, his voice smooth and diplomatic. "Mother, perhaps we should focus on breakfast rather than lecturing Neeti jiji. After all, she's here now, and we don't want to start the day on a sour note."
The queen turned her attention to Ashwini, her expression stern. "And as for you, Ashwini, I'm disappointed in you. You know better than to associate with Neeti and get into trouble. You're a princess, not some commoner who can afford to be late and sloppy."
Ashwini looked up, her eyes flashing with defiance, but Atharv intervened before she could speak.
"Mother, Ashwini is a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. And Neeti is our sister, not some corrupting influence. Perhaps we should trust Ashwini's judgment and not be so quick to criticize."
The queen's expression softened slightly, and she nodded at Atharv. "Very well, son. I suppose you're right. Let us focus on breakfast and start the day anew."
Neeti smiled gratefully at Atharv, who winked at her in response. Ashwini, too, looked relieved, and the tension in the room began to dissipate as they all sat down waiting for the king to have breakfast together.
As they sat down to breakfast, the queen's expression still held a hint of disapproval, but Atharv's intervention had helped to ease the tension. Ashwini, still a bit emotional, leaned over to Neeti and whispered, "Sorry, jiji, I feel so bad when Mother scolds you."
Neeti smiled and patted Ashwini's hand. "Don't worry, Ashwi, I'm used to it. And besides, Atharv always has my back."
Just then, the king, Neeti's father, walked into the breakfast hall, his presence commanding attention. He was a tall, imposing figure with a strong jaw and piercing eyes. Despite his regal demeanor, his eyes softened as he looked at Ashwini and Atharv, but his expression remained neutral as he glanced at Neeti.
Ashwini, still a bit emotional, jumped up from her seat and ran to her father, throwing her arms around him. "Papa, I'm so glad you're here! Mother was scolding Neeti again."
The king's expression turned serious, and he looked at the queen, who shrugged. "I was just trying to teach Neeti some discipline, my lord," she said.
The king nodded curtly, his eyes still on the queen, and then turned his attention to Atharv. "Atharv, I need to speak with you about some matters of state. Please join me in my chambers after breakfast."
Atharv nodded, his eyes meeting Neeti's for a brief moment before he turned back to the king. "Yes, Father. I'll be there."
As they sat down to eat, Neeti felt a pang of sadness that her father hadn't even acknowledged her, but she pushed it aside and focused on her breakfast, trying to blend into the background as the conversation continued around her.
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