Beast and his Fair Maiden

The Beauty

"My love where were you all these years? I waited soo long for you , you like to torture me so?" said the beautiful man in his deep voice looking at the young  maiden with love.

"No my love , I love you too irrevocably " said the shy maiden by looking at her man

Hearing this the man , leaned down to seal their love with a beautiful kiss

when....

"Owwwwwww!" the girl shrieked as she was again harshly woken by her mother .

"The man of my dreams was about to kiss me ! this is always the time you wake me!" she said in exasperation

"ahh mother, who behaves such , with their very own daughter! " she said glaring at her mother.

"I do my dear" her mother said with a wink in her direction

"now get up , we have lots of work to do today , or have you forgotten?" her mother said walking out of her daughters room .

Jwala got up from the bed drowsily , and made her way to the bath to freshen up .

She got ready in a light blue saree which her mother had made for her, and went outside.

She saw her mother as usual Arranging wood to cook their meals .

She took the broom and started sweeping their little house helping her mother in their daily affairs.

"Jwala dear , will you please fetch water from the village well ." Her mother said.

And Jwala quickly took the pots and went towards the village well on the way she met her childhood friend

"hey Jwala" Neela said linking her arms with her friends as the walked together towards the well

"Jwala do you know it is rumored that the Maharaj of Barhi may come to visit our lands , I am soo excited, you know , who knows may be he will take a fancy towards me and make me his bride" Neela squealed in excitement.

Neela was beautiful no doubt , with her baby blue eyes and her long Brown hair , she was daughter of the richest merchant of the village as well.

"He never visited our village Neela, he finds our village drab , with not a single brothel , and no bar " Jwala said in a matter of fact voice.

"shh!" whispered Neela"we girls should not know of such places ! "

seriously , Jwala did not understand people , the men were allowed to visit such place , but women were not suppose to even talk about them? were they suppose to be blind?

She kept quite while her friend rambled on about how she wished the King to notice her and take her as his wife , and how the King is soo handsome , that she would be the luckiest person on earth

Personally Jwala hoped he never visited their quaint little village , she had heard stories of how cruel the prince was , how he tortured his subjects , how he was a devil incarnate , well with the name like Agni , one ought to be demon , Jwala thought with a smile .

"are you even listening to me Jwala?" Neela said little irked ! 

Jwala had the habit of making her mind wander when someone talks to her

"ofcourse I am listening to you Neela, everyone listens to you" Jwala added with a nod of her head for extra effect !

Neela looked at her suspiciously for a second , but looking at her utmost sincere expression Rambled on , while Jwala's mind wandered on the possibility of arrival of the cruel King.

hopefully the Maharaj  , would consider their village too small and dirty , to grace it with his oh so Condescending presence