The king's first wife

Letter II

Dear Pari,

She had a letter in her hands, a small, flickering candle by her side, and another, old letter stationed on the bed. 

Over the course of the past few weeks, she had been reading that one old letter every single night because that was her only way to feel close to what she considered was hers. The letter he had sent with her brother had been successfully hidden and read every day and night by her. Somehow, she managed to keep the other women's eyes off it too... 

Her brother sat in front of her waiting for her to finish reading that letter so that he could get a reply to the letter he brought. Had been going from the palace to that place and back for the past few weeks and hadn't seen his own wife in days. But, he wasn't really bothered by that. He was much more bothered by the condition his sister was in because, every time he came to see her, she seemed to be paler than before. Even though her pregnant belly was growing, all the rest of her body seemed to be getting thinner. The shine that once was in her eyes had been completely lost and all that was left was her saddened face that he didn't wish to see. 

Had brought some good food with him because he didn't know what they fed her and she was grateful for it but, hadn't touched the food. It's like, her hunger for anything and everything had been lost, and although the food there wasn't that bad, she just didn't wish to eat anything. Only ate food for her child's sake nowadays, it wasn't a shocker as to why she was getting paler and thinner by the day. 

Rather, she was much more interested in reading the letter. Was the second letter that she had received in all the time that she had been there and just a ray of hope touched her heart. As she carefully read it, a tinge of happiness touched her depressed soul. A little bit of contentment filled her heart because although this letter was short, that letter was all that her heart had longed for. 

I'm sorry. 

To hear a sorry, was all her heart had wished for. The strong desire to know that the other person knew that he was wrong was fulfilled by that letter. Took him time but, her heart was just very much satisfied as it imagined his voice saying those words to her. And as her ears began ringing with that imaginative voice, tears began filling the eyes that had decided to constantly let out water and be swollen. 

I'm so very sorry. 

Again. Every word that she read in this letter just made her feel so much better. Although the situation hadn't changed and nor had the condition. Still, those words just had that magical touch to them... Somehow, they made her feel like everything would be fine very soon. 

I'm an incapable man and I did you wrong... 
I'm sorry. 

Don't know if you can trust me anymore but, I wish you give me one chance. 
Only one last chance to redeem me. Because, this time, I promise that the next letter you get will be your summon back to the palace. I will write it. I will sign. I will send it and you seal it with my emblem. 

I promise. You'll come back. You will come back to me and you will stay with me. 
And I won't keep you waiting either. It will happen before our child comes into this world. I swear on my blood. You will be back in this palace as my queen and I will see you again soon. 

Yours truly, 
Sohit

Immediately her wandering surprised yet, shocked eyes shifted focus and looked right into her brother's eyes. Asking him questions, trying to get answers to her queries, and just wondered how her husband was planning to get her back. Because nothing ever crossed her mind. With the blame that was put on her, there was hardly any way in which he could get her back. So, just how he was planning this, she didn't know. 

" I don't know how," but her brother didn't know either. He had read the letter, although it was something very personal. And it had confused him too. But, he didn't have the answers to her questions. All he had was the faith that the letter wouldn't lie to her. 
" But he wrote this for a reason. Di... He will get you back," one of his hands, protectively went ahead and touched her shoulders as he whispered to her. All she could do now was nod her head and let the tears fall. 
" He loves you. Really... Why else would he keep sending me here? And why else would he ask me to get you these...? He knows that you love these ladoos. Please. Have some. For the child," never in her life had she thought that she could have a brother. But she had one and when she first met him, she had never thought that he could ever get serious about anything in his life. But he was very serious. And very much supportive. Just the person she needed by her side at that time. Loving, non-assertive, and just, a passive listener. 

Nowadays, more than focusing on teaching women how to read, write and fight, she focused on wishing that he would come to meet her. Because, even if it lasted for a short amount of time, she had that support that she desperately needed in those few moments. Even if it was just about the look that he gave her, she yearned for that very look. 

So, when he offered her one of the ladoos that his mother had made with her own hands, she didn't say no. Instead, she only silently nodded her head and took a bite. It was like, she wanted to eat again. Even if it was just that one, small little laddoo... At least, she had the hope that things would change for sure now.