The king's first wife

Doubt

She didn't know what he was up to. Why he had come into her life or why he was helping her. She had no clue about anything. Neither did she know who he actually was. All she knew was what he told her and somehow, her gut told her to not believe him. Because even the women around her spoke great English. How could a man then, who was born there itself not know the language spoken by everyone around him? Why was he so damn different than what she knew of and what outside was he talking about? Outside Raniganj? Or outside the area? Or maybe outside the forest? Possibly, outside the kingdom. But she didn't know. 

Didn't know much about what lied behind those lush green lands filled with trees and wild animals. Never had she broken the rule of going out of htat forest because it was said that outside their kingdom, there was nothing. The only place to live in and the only place to survive in was inside the border of a very big forest for each and every villager because it was said that outside those borders, all that lied was dry, waste land and nothingness. And leave her, not even Rani ma had ever even thought of going out of those borders. 

But the way that man spoke... It so clearly gave her the vibes that she was hoping she wouldn't be getting. Like, he had gone outside and he had more knowledge than her about something. Like he was hiding something. 

Vijay... 

She didn't know if he was there to help her out or just to backstab her later in life but as days passed, all she knew was that he had helped her relentlessly. 

Even managed to get Badi ma to come and hear her plan of reforms. 
Yes. He had managed to convince his mother to just hear her plan for once and the old woman, for his sake had let down her ego. 

Besides, after hearing it, she was convinced. If there was someone who could bring change in the world, it was Pari. Listening to all the things going on in her mind, she could guess why the Mahapandit once had declared Pari to be the reason for a change in that world. She could just feel everything gradually falling into place. Could feel that something was about to happen that would switch her life completely. For better or worse; she was only waiting to find out now... 

" Book, princess," but as the young pregnant woman kept seeing him go out and bring the exact things that she ordered and doing exactly everything according to her orders, she started doubting him. Her gut feeling told her to stay away from that man. But then again, she hadn't even once gotten a single sign, token, letter, or even trace of being sought out by her husband or anyone in the palace in a very long time. She wasn't in a place to doubt anyone. Although she didn't want to take his help either, it was her only option out. 

But people there could not be trusted and she had understood that one fine day when she overheard a particular part of a conversation. One that the strange man had with his mother and a few older prostitutes. 
" I don't understand why we have to listen to everything she tells us to do!"  
" It's like, we are dolls!"
" Just because she came up and shouted something in front of everyone?!"
" I say, we shut her up and get her on the bed with someone! Already our sales are going down because she isn't letting anyone work and our regular customers are getting annoyed now!" 
" How will our Dhandhaa go on like this badi ma?!"
" We'll get on the streets if we can't earn!" she hadn't meant to overhear anything. Just had gone ahead to meet the old woman to discuss something when she heard everyone important in that place talk about her behind her back 
" Besides! It's not like her plan is even going to do anything!" 
" Why do we have to listen to her!? We are all asking you this Badi ma!" 

" Because! She's the only way out for all of you," shocked she was when she heard that man speak so well English behind her back because for weeks now, he had been speaking broken sentences that did not make much sense and the shock made her gasp. But, she held it back by putting a hand over her mouth and not letting the sound travel anywhere else 
" Kaki. I went out of the forest to find a place to live for us and you know what I found there?! I found a different world! A completely different world from ours! Right outside that forest! It's true! There is life outside the forest too!" her shock meter just kept rising that day because what she overheard, she couldn't put it in words. At all... 
" People are living out there, without any stupid king to rule over them. Real people! Like us. And I just want to get you all out of here for good. Those Royals and this Kingdom! They've tortured us enough. Now, it's time the tables turn. And who cares about her!? Let her do whatever she wants. Let the Dhandaa go to waste. I don't want any of you doing that anymore just for money..." 
" Vijay-"
" No. Amma! I promised you! I will overthrow this dynasty. And she is my ace's card in this play. Besides, isn't she pregnant? It would be so much easier..." use her? 

Over the months, she had even tried to trust everyone in that place but now, her doubts were just confirmed. She could not trust anyone no matter what because even if they showed that they were accepting her help and believing in her, the story was completely different, every single time. 

Didn't understand why her life had to be so complicated. Didn't get why she had to go through all that. Didn't want to either. She had lost the love she had and that day, she also lost the ability she had to trust anyone. Be it that man or the small girl that she decided to adopt. 

No one. 

There seemed to be no one in the world whom she could trust and share her insecurities with now. Not a single soul came to her mind as she cried to herself. Not one.