The bright orange glow of the evening sun glistened over the huge palace of Ramapur and all the hustle around the palace was settling down with every royal relaxing in their chambers, the palace was stretched around a large area and most of the palace halls were beautifully built with white marbles and were decorated with imported silk materials to magnify the beauty. But somewhere around the corner of the palace where no one ever visited, princess Chitra was given her chambers.

The lonely princess sat on the wall of the balcony with an embroidery frame in her delicate hands. Her long, dark hair kept waving in tune with the cool breeze of the night as her eyebrows knotted together in a faint frown as she fastens her work on the tiny silk cloth. A few white Jasmine petals from her hair fell on the frame making her frown deepen and her thin lips curl up in frustration.

But as she kept working, her brown eyes brightened for the first time in this week as she observed the work she has done. For days, she was trying her best to bring the shape of a flying pigeon and it was finally coming to an end, at least if not her this pigeon should have wings.

She carefully removed the piece of silk cloth from the frame and caught it with her hands raising it up to the sky, as if she could see the pigeon on the cloth fly to beautiful moon she has always admired. A small smile curved up her lips, a smile as beautiful as the heavenly rays of a new moon.

Her only solace in this palace was stitching and listening to the different events which take place outside the palace through her handmaid Meenakshi. The handmaiden was in her late fifties and had travelled around when she was young making her stories unbelievably interesting, her stories always filled Chitra with lots of hope. A hope of finding peace and love outside all this royal chaos.

"Princess!" A palace maid, dressed in all pink hurried through the chambers entrance panting breathless, she had to lean on to a pillar to steady herself, "Queen Sulekha has summoned your presence for the dinner tonight."

Not only the princess, but every maid in the chamber was alarmed hearing her words. It is a known fact that Queen Sulekha hated princess Chitra with all the strength and heart she had and such a person inviting Chitra to have dinner together might be a miracle or a silent alert for a disaster.

Almost in the span of an eye blink, Meenakshi pulled out a bright looking costume from the wardrobe, draping Chitra in a dark green and red coloured half-saree. The thin golden chain she always wore around her neck was now replaced with a skilfully crafted emerald studded golden necklace and a matching set of green glass bangles. The only part which annoyed her in the process of making her look presentable to the Queen would be the removal of those sweet smelling flowing from her hair, as a thick hair pin took the place to hold her soft hair together.

Chitra couldn't help but sigh sadly, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked anything but her.

Shortly, she was standing near the entrance of the huge dining hall with thin, invisible lines of sweat rolling down her forehead and neck. She can hear the soft giggles resonating inside the royal chamber and the simple thought of meeting the queen was creeping her out, her experiences were always bitter with queen Sulekha. Chitra does not remember if it has always been like this or had it turned out to be this after her mother's death, but her step-mother's only agenda was to insult Chitra at every word she spoke and Priyamvada, her step-sister made sure to torment her on those days her mother missed.

As a child, Chitra was excited when she found out about having siblings to play with; however, not all dreams come true. Her step-mother never allowed them to play together and the situation worsened for Chitra after her mother passed away.

All Princesses and royal ladies of the royal family are usually given a complete set of different chambers and those were located at an isolated corner of the palace so that no man can even have a look at the royal women, and most of the security provided were also highly trained women soldiers. Chitra always believed that it was for the security issues that her father never visited, she has always thought it was for that reason her chambers were at the far end, but now she knows why.

Pulling herself away from drowning in an ocean of thoughts, she slowly stepped inside and as if to stagger her already frightened soul, the dining hall was filled with all the royal ladies of the palace. She was never invited to any royal meeting as the queen informally declared that Chitra was not supposed to be treated as a royal, then why were they here now?

"Oh Princess Chitra, is that you?" The royal lady Chandrakala spoke up bubbling with happiness. Her big doe eyes shined brightly as she spoke, and almost immediately she was reminded of the rumor about how her father fell in love with her beautiful eyes, for a third time.

Lady Chandrakala was next in status to a queen as she was the king's second wife, her father's third wife to be specific as it took no time for her father to remarry as soon as her mother was dead. Lady Chandrakala's mood was always rotten but her cheeky smile and sparkling eyes said that something important was taking place at the moment.

Chitra tried smiling to seem friendly but an immediate flip of a few heads told her she was still unwelcomed. The rejection and the denial of her acceptance in the palace were no new to her but why invite her here in the first place if they were not comfortable with her? Her step-mother had always tried her best to keep her in the dark.

"Yes." Queen Sulekha said slowly, raising her eyebrows scrutinising Chitra's every move, "Take a seat."

The grim on the Queen's face is no stranger to every royal. She rarely smiled, but whenever she does, an unavoidable victory follows her. The Queen's voice was dismissing enough to make Priyamvada stifle a laugh seeing Chitra's discomfort.

Chitra's heart weakened a little at this, reminding her of her childhood when they ganged up against her yet she tried her best to maintain a straight face.

Except for the king, every royal would be sitting down on the floor to have their food, at least that was what she was taught. Every single grain comes from the earth, and it will only be respectful to sit down on the ground to consume it, however, a king of the nation is considered equal to a god letting him use a wooden stool or a floor cushion at times.

Nonetheless, the scene in front of her almost shook her, every royal lady sat on a floor cushion enjoying the comfort of it. Ignoring their arrogance towards the country's regulations and the disrespect towards their king Chitra sat down at the end of the circle on the floor crossing her legs in a slanted way. Almost immediately everyone shifted their attention secretly towards her to have a good look, as it was rare to even get a glimpse of this forgotten princess.

Now that royal lady Chandrakala got to see this princess she understands why the queen always tries to hide her. Smirking to herself she continued to glance at the princess, her features looked usual. Dark almond eyes, a small nose and thin lips but even those common features had an unavoidable glow like a new moon.

Chitra shivered invisibly in her place unable to handle this attention at her but she didn't dare let them get her. For she knows the price she would have to pay if they get her weakness.

"How are you doing Chitra?" Asked princess Priyamvada with sweetness dripping down her voice. But Chitra knew better, the sweetness was a coat to the venom in her voice.

"So ladies," The queen interrupted before Chitra could answer, "King Arjuna, has accepted our invitation to visit our kingdom and let me tell you, in no time the handsome king will be convinced to marry our beautiful Princess Priyamvada." Patting the hair of the princess the Queen spoke with pride-filled eyes.

Everyone gave a known smile, quietly congratulating the princess as they know that Sulekha will never let this golden opportunity slip out of her hands.

Chitra didn't feel sad or jealous, as she always knew that she was never meant to be a queen. Rather she felt a little better that another person who torments her would be gone soon.

"Congratulations Princess Priyamvada." Chitra wished with a small smile on her face and Priyamvada scoff in arrogance as if this was something too small for her to be congratulated.

"Of course." Sulekha spoke looking straight in Chitra's eyes, the haughtiness seen clear in her eyes, "A Queen's daughter is meant to be a Queen."

Chitra's eyes almost widened in shock as she now understood why she was invited to this dinner, she was invited to show that her status and rank in this palace was at rock-bottom. She was summoned late at this time to exhibit that she has no one in this huge palace to even feel pity for her, that she was all alone.

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