Prisioner: Chapter 5

  The smell of flowers filled her senses. She was overcome by the irresistible urge to just hold one in her hand and feel the softness of its petals. She ran as swiftly as her bare feet could carry her, in the direction of the enticing aroma. The sun blinded her momentarily as she came into a clearing. She shielded her eyes with her hands. Once her vision adjusted to the bright brilliance, she beheld an enormous tree, larger than life, covered in tiny white flowers. Her heart lept with a childish joy, as she pelted forward. The grassy floor was strewn with flowers; white with a pink center, the colour slowly fading towards the rim of the petals. She picked one up and gently strokes it. Happiness surged through her veins as she touched it to her cheek. She began to pick up large handfuls of the blossoms and collecting them in the 'anchal' of her white sari. All her pains and worries were gone and she skipped along like a young girl. 
  Suddenly, she tripped on a root and fell face forward. She opened her eyes and gasped in horror, all the flowers had disappeared and she was covered in dust and dirt from head to toe. Tears welled in her eyes as every insecurity she ever had came flooding back to her. She sobbed loudly.
  Someone came and stood before her. He lifted her chin towards him. His bright orange dhoti magnified his flawless fair skin. Black curls encircled his face. His soft brown eyes were calm and composed. He smiled gently. The tears rolled away at his touch and she looked at him helplessly. He slowly bent down towards her, she closed her eyes...

  Payal woke up. A deep hollow feeling crept over her. She closed her eyes again and open them, just to make sure she was awake but she was hoping against hope that she would see Prithvijit again. She pushed herself off the bed and dragged herself to the mirror. In the light of the lamp, she saw her own reflection. How ruined she looked. Her eyes had sunk in, her skin looked dull, her lips had lost colour, her hair was rough. She sighed. Prithvijit's beautiful faced flashed before her eyes. How perfect he looked, like a painting. His angelic eyes, his soft hair, his sculpted straight nose and his full red lips. She recalled the exquisite curve of his back and the lovely contours of his legs. 'How ugly I am', she thought. 'He will never look at me'.
  "Didi", Damini's voice broke her trance. "A letter from the King".
  She walked in and handed her a roll of parchment. Payal took the letter and stared at the glistening royal seal. A sudden pang of guilt passed through her but died out quickly. She carefully kept it away. 'I'll read it another time', she thought, 'when I'm feeling different'.