Challenging Fate

Chapter 4

Today was Adhira's birthday, she had a blast yesterday why wouldn't she her best friends her best friends arrived yesterday and they spent their time talking and teasing each other about anything and everything. From Shakti showing off his sword skills , to Phool showing them her new jewellery ,to Adhira demanding to know everything about Kunvar Pratap from Shakti afterall Kunvar Pratap was Kunvar Shakti's elder brother they did everything.

As of today, everyone was busy with preparations, you must be thinking birthday preparations , well you are wrong people are preparing for Varun Japan . Varun Japam is a hindu puja (ritual) people perform where there is high shortage of water and rainfall is needed. The kingdom of Jaisalmer is facing high shortage of water so king Maldev announced that the Royal Family along with all the Pandits (Sages) will perform this ritual requesting God for a downpour. In the Varun Japam ritual people stand in a choosen water body for continous 3 days chanting holy mantras without taking breaks. While the men in Royal Family will stand in water and chant for 3 days, the women will first take 3 dupkis ( full baths) in the river and then perform aarti continuously for 3 days in the Royal temple. This was also one of the reasons king Maldev invited his friend king Uday Sing, king Maldev wanted Uday singh to protect the kingdom boundries and the palace while he was performing the ritual, because this was the easiest time for the enemy to strike his kingdom. Raja Uday Singh was more than happy to help him.

The ritual is supposed to start at 5 am. While all 3 Royal Queens are going to the river to take 3 dupkis in water , Adhira is not allowed to do so. " God doesn't need to test kids, plus the river is very wild right now you could drown, so no you are not going with us " Her mother's words not hers. But she is also a Rajput woman ,well Rajput girl technically so she is also going to perform the ritual either with her mother's permission or without it, and she very well knows who to ask for help . She ofcourse went to her best friends Phool and Shakti, while Shakti was reluctant thinking about Adhira's safety, Phool was more than ready she knew those 3 dupkis ment a lot to her sister and so she was going to help, and anyways all they had to do was help her sneak out from the back door, go to ther river, wait for her to take 3 dupkis and when she's done come back and join the puja as simple as that.

The plan was put in motion. Shakti was distracting the guards on the backdoor and Phool was distracting the daasis, now all Adhira had to do was sneak out without being noticed which she did but what she failed to notice was a shadow in the dark watching her every move including this one.

According to the plan Adhira had to go to the river bank and wait for Phool and Shakti to come, so that they could keep an eye around for any possible danger, but when has Adhira ever listen to anyone but herself. So without thinking about consequences she made her way inside the river body slowly chanting necessary mantras.

Unknown Pov

I was on my way to my daily bath to the river when I saw a little girl no older than 7 walk down in the river gracefully , I would've mistaken her for a princess if not the lack of security around her and negligible amount of jewellery on her body. I saw her take 2 dupkis in the harsh flowing water with ease. I was waiting for her to finish her bath so that I could continue with mine , when I noticed water bubbles coming from the water and suddenly she shot out from the water gasping for air , and then she was back in as if she was being pulled in! That's when I realised she was drowning , without wasting time I jumped in to save her life. Inside the water I saw a woman trying to pull the little girl in! She was attempting to kill the girl, she was an assassin without delay I swam towards them and attacked the assassin with my dagger multiple times, attempting to save herself the assassin swam away while I rescued the girl and brought her back to the coast that's when I noticed, she had a hugh dagger gash on her right leg and she was bleeding heavily. I tore my pagri from my head and tied its cloth around her leg to stop the bleeding, I was about to question her about her identity when she stood up on her feet and started dragging herself towards a particular direction, I followed her with intentions of stopping her from pressuring her wound by walking when she said..........

Heya people who do you think is the guy? Who do you think was drowning? Who do you think was the assassin?

And do google about tirupati Varun Japam of 1979 you'll be shocked to know what happened!