At The Dining Hall
THE two siblings stood facing each other in total awe. They seemed to be loss.
“Hold on…”, Raghav was the first to speak up, he chuckled.
“Are you really trying to tell me that you found the lady who saved you from the woods? How have you seen her? From where?” He asked.
Prisha laughed.
“Well big brother yes, I found her, in this palace. She is the new maid, few minutes ago she just left here”.
“Huh? Do you mean to tell me that… oh my goodness?” He paused, running his hand through his face.
“Hold on, you found the lady from the tourist site? At where?” Prisha asked.
Raghav sighed.
“Well yes, she is also the new maid”.
“What! Do you mean to tell me we are talking about the same person?”
“I really don’t know”.
“But you just said she is the new maid, so I think she is the one. Are you really sure the person you saw was her?”
“Damn sure”, he nodded.
“This is strange… very strange”, he walked over to her bed and sat.
“What did she say is her name?”, She asked.
“Rina”, he shortly replied.
The two were really at a loss, how could it possibly be that they were both searching for the same person without knowing?
“Maharana”, Prisha called, Raghav slowly turned to her.
She chuckled, looking into his eyes.
“Is that love I see written on your face? My gee, it’s boldly written”, she chuckled again.
Raghav stiffened a smile and sighed.
“I really don’t know little princess”, he said.
He was confused, the lady who had showed kindness to him at the tourist site was also the same lady who had saved his little sister from her abductor, gosh!
What a mix up of luck, he thought.
“Thinking about her?” Prisha asked, jolting him back to reality. He turned to her, she was walking over to the dining.
He got up and joined her. Before she could uncover the plates, he rushed forward, stretched out his hand and uncovered it.
“Hmm”, he licked his lips as the aroma hit his nostrils. He picked up the fork.
“Maharana, ooooh jeez”, Prisha exclaimed, “yours is waiting for you, please let me have mine in peace”, she pleaded chuckling.
He laughed and plunged the fork into the plate of the veggie stew, picking up a piece of meat.
“Big bro, jeez”, she shouted as she watched him transfer the meat into his mouth, then dropped the fork in the plate.
“You have a long throat”, she said as she picked up the fork, pouting.
Raghav laughed as he chewed on the meat in his mouth.
“Hmm, svadista… delicious”, he said, smiling.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Prisha laughed.
“Just go, your Rina is waiting”, she said, putting a spoonful of rice into her mouth.
Raghav stiffened a laugh.
“You are taking this too serious now, come on. Stop it”.
“See who pretends. Tell me you don’t like it”.
He laughed.
“Please Prisha, I don’t have your time yet”, he said and began walking out.
“Sure, you now have someone else’s time, I know”.
“I’m gonna spank your ass little head”, he opened the door and walked out, Prisha laughing.
*
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*
Rina’s head was in turmoil as she walked back to the kitchen. My gee! What just happened?
She had just bumped into the Prince, she had just fell into his arms, she had just seen him, she had just had an encounter with the almighty Prince.
And jeez, he touched her, yes he touched her hair. Infact, she had fallen on him.
She hadn’t finished talking about her encounter with the Princess, now this. She was damn sure she hadn’t met the Princess in anyway, so trash that.
Right now, there was only one thing which occupied her mind, the Prince, and the divine encounter.
She got to the kitchen and entered, she looked around, there wasn’t any maid left, just Tanu, the girl who had led her to the chamber of the Princess.
“You are back”, she said, she was cleaning the counter with a napkin.
“Yeah, where are the others?” Rina asked.
“They are at the dining hall, I was actually waiting for you”, she was now folding up the napkin.
Huh? Dining hall? What in the hell is that?
“Did you just say dining hall?” She asked.
“Yeah, it’s the dining room for the maids, but you see, it’s called dining hall because it’s more of a hall than a room”, she kept the folded napkin and walked towards her.
“Oh!” She mouthed.
“Follow me”, she said and walked out of the kitchen, Rina followed.
Tanu got out first and waited for Rina, so she could lock up the kitchen.
“You said you were actually waiting for me?” Rina reminded her.
“Oh yeah, Prag asked me to, so I could direct you to the dining hall, or aren’t you hungry?” They began walking away.
“Oh damn, of course I am”, she chuckled.
“So tell me, how was the encounter with the Princess?” Tanu asked.
“Huh?”
“Yeah, how was it?” She smiled.
Rina sighed.
“Well, nothing much”, the sudden pain instantly came again, hitting more hard this time.
“Ouch!” She said placing her right hand on her forehead, her eyes were closed.
“What is that?” Tanu asked, looking tensed.
“Oh it’s just a migraine I guess”, she opened her eyes. “I thought it’s already gone, gosh”, she added.
“You have to take medication if it’s that serious”.
“Oh it’s not, thank you”, she said.
“So, the Princess, how was it?” She asked again, smiling sheepishly.
Rina looked at her and sighed, what was wrong with this girl?
“Anyways, like I said it was nothing serious, nothing much. I only just met her for the first time and that is all”, she said.
“Wow, so you have seen the Princess, like so close?” She asked, demonstrating with her hands.
Rina looked at her and stiffened a laugh, shaking her head. They continued walking along the hallway, till they began hearing people’s chattering.
Tanu walked to the front of a large open hall and entered, Rina followed.
Jeez, she froze. Right now, just before her eyes, she was seeing the whole of the palace maids.
If the ones she had seen in the kitchen were like a hundred, then this was a thousand.
Holy moly! They were as much as sand and they scattered round the hall, moving from one place to another, and chattering.
“This is the dining hall, just for the royal maids, this is where we have breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are specific times for each”, Tanu explained as soon as they entered.
Rina looked around again and for the first time, noticed that the hall was intercepted in four rows, and in these rows were long dining tables, four in number, and dining chairs with the tables as well.
The hall was well lit, ventilated and beautiful. The interiors and everything in it, was a five star.
She swallowed hard, these people are really enjoying, look what pleasure maids enjoy.
“Follow me”, Tanu said and she followed.
They walked passed the first row, second and third, until they got to the fourth.
“You are in Maids’ Lodge 4, and this table row 4 is specifically for the maids in your lodge. So you just have to get a seat”, she said and looked around.
She sighted Prag sitting at one far end of the table and asked Rina to follow her.
“Hey”, Tanu called on getting to them.
“Oh Tanu, you guys are here”, Prag said and she nodded.
“Welcome Rina, you can have a seat”, she motioned to an empty seat close by.
“Thanks Miss”, Rina nodded and shoved the seat back, then sat.
“Alright Rina, I will catch you later. I’m on table row 2, let me get along”, she said smiling.
“Oh! Alright”, Rina said in disappointment, wishing her new found friend was in her row.
Rina looked around her, noticing for the first time the girl she had first met, what’s her name again?… Alina.
Yes, Alina, still dressed in her casuals. She was sitting two seats away from Prag.
She turned away from her and looked at the table, wow, large glaze earthenware scattered around, coupled with large jugs filled with water and juice.
Empty plates neatly placed on a table napkin and cutleries beside were in front of everyone. Cups and glass tumblers weren’t left out.
Then she looked up, some maids were dishing out the food into everyone’s plate.
“This gonna be one of your jobs Rina, taking effect from tomorrow”, Prag said pointing at the maids dishing out food.
“Just watch and learn”, she added and Rina gave a nod.
She really was gonna learn, wasn’t she there to work?
Minutes later they were done, and another set of maids got up, then began filling in everyone’s glass tumblers and cups with juice and water respectively.
Wow, the way with which everyone carried out their job was looking perfect. No little time wasted at all, they all know the jobs allotted to them and the time they needed to carry it out.
When they were done, about four medium sized enamel bowls filled with water were passed round, everyone washed their hands. Then someone said a little prayer, and everyone began eating.
Rina glanced back and noticed two of the other rows yet to begin eating, and so they were noisy.
“You need salt?… Pepper?” Prag asked halfway into the meal.
“Huh? Oh no, I’m okay”, she replied.
“Alright”, she shrugged.
“Was only asking. You know, there are people who like these things raw in their food, if by chance you need it, just call, ‘salt please’, or ‘pepper please’, and it will be passed to you”, she explained.
“Oh, thank you”, she said, nodding.
Wow, was this how things were done here? Everything followed rules.
“There is samosa, puffs and some fruits if you do care for”, Prag said.
“Oh, okay. Maybe when I’m done with this”, she said.
Just then, a hefty looking young man walked up to them, Rina turned to look at him, noticing him at once as the guy who had come down the stairs when she initially entered the palace.
He was holding a white packet, more looking like a packet of drugs.
“Hey Prag”, the young man said and Prag looked up from her food.
“Oh! Zoya, hi”, she greeted smiling, cleaning her mouth with her table napkin.
“Sorry for bugging at this moment, I mean during dinner, it’s something urgent”, he pleaded.
“No qualms”, she smiled. “What is the matter?”
“It is His Grace, the Prince”, he said.
Huh? The Prince? All the maids around earshot instantly turned to him, including Alina who sat two seats away.
“Yeah, anything?” Prag asked, looking as calm as ever. Rina wondered if she ever panicked.
“Well he sent me to give you this”, he handed the white packet to her.
Prag looked down at the packet, taking it. Then she inspected it, it was a pain relieving drug.
“For?” She asked.
“The new maid, Rina”.
“What!” Rina exclaimed, all eyes instantly turned to her and she looked away, shutting her mouth with her left hand.
Prag turned to her.
“Are you alright?” She asked.
She opened her mouth to reply but Zoya spoke up, interrupting.
“Prince Raghav said she isn’t, that I should make sure she takes them before I take my leave”.
“Huh?” Rina gasped.
What the hell is wrong with this Prince? Why is he showing so much concern for her?
“You heard that”, Prag said, giving her the packet of drug.
She slowly dropped her cutleries then accepted the packet with shaky hands.
She then opened it, bringing out the sachet of drugs inside, she inspected it.
“The nurse at the sick bay says you should take two capsules”, Zoya said.
She took out two capsules, and using the water in her cup, she drank the drugs.
“Thank you”, Zoya said and walked away.
Rina still filled with confusion looked around, her gaze met with the privy eyes of the maids close by staring, one glared, it was Alina.
“You didn’t tell me you were having a headache”, Prag said, “you didn’t also tell me you told the Prince”, she added, winking.
Rina pouted and looked away, back to her food.
Seconds later, Alina got up and walked out of the dining, leaving her meal unfinished.
Soon they were done with their meals and some maids began clearing up the table.
“You can go and have a good night rest Rina, tomorrow your full job commences”, Prag said.
“Thanks Miss, you have really made me felt at home”, she smiled.
Prag nodded, smiling knowingly.
Tanu came up seconds later, they were done with theirs as well, and together, they both left the dining hall.
*
*
*
Alina stood beside her window looking out. She had been down for like an hour ago.
Why not? What just transpired at the dining hall was something she never was expecting… never.
How can the Prince show such concern for a maid who was just employed today? She wasn’t his personal maid either, so what exactly was amiss?
She sighed, turning from the window. Something must have really happened before then, yes, but how? When?
Gosh! She alone remains a favourite maid to the Prince, yes, she is his favourite and no other maid whatsoever, dares crosses her path.
She walked out of the room.
***
Rina turned off the shower in the bathroom, covered herself with her towel then walked out.
Jeez, an evening bath was damn refreshing and rejuvenating. She cleaned up herself properly with her towel, then walked over to her dressing table.
Then she began applying her lotions and creams. Her mind drifted back to what happened at the dining hall.
Like seriously, why had the Prince done that? Why had he sent someone to bring her drugs and made sure she takes them in his presence? Why?
And Alina… she had given her a cranky glare before suddenly walking out of the hall, leaving her meal unfinished.
Hmm, this was strange. Anyways, the drugs even helped to salvage the situation, the headache or migraine or whatever it was, had now vanished for real.
Just then, a knock came on her door, startling her. Gosh! Who was it by this time of the evening?
She instantly took off the towel then put on the cloth she had worn to the palace, then walked to the door.
The knock came again.
“Hold on”, she said, turning the door knob, cranking the door open, she froze.
Huh? It was Alina.