It's finally night. The second night in a chera prince's palace. And, I'm wondering if he would check me out. It's not like I want to impress him. But, I was feeling sorry for him.

I want to know if he's still mad at me. In the corner of my mind, I was silently praying that he should come to my room.

Atleast please check out if I'm alive!

It was 1:00 a.m. and I'm still waiting. I am guilty of making his life like this. If it's not me, he would've been with his love, his Aarthi.

I don't care if Aarthi's character is how cheap. But, they still love each other and I'm the traitor of their love.

I assume he's with one of the concubines. chilling.

I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. The picture of our marriage and him scolding me and slapping me came infront of my eye. My eyes shot open.

The thought of these were revolving around my mind. I rolled on my bed couldn't sleep.

There are no one for me now. I feel very lonely in here. As an introvert, it's hard for me to make friends here.

The clock was ticking and ticking. Time is 4:00 a.m. right now yet I couldn't sleep. If I don't sleep now, I would have headache tomorrow whole day.

I closed my eyelids and tried to sleep. The words Arjun said about me and the words Aarthi and the main consort cursed me were heard.

I haven't been cursed like this worse. Even my father would curse a little less than them. I feel this place is worse than my own timeline.

I finally closed my eyes and sleep consumed me. I felt someone patting my cheeks where I opened my eyes with a sharp headache.

Here we go!

"The empress is here. She wants to see you.", A pretty girl said and looked at the time which was just 5:00 a.m.

"I'm sleepy. Ask her if I can meet her today evening.", I said in half sleep.

"But, the empress is very angry at you. She was cursing you.. you have to go now. Please change soon and be downstairs.", She said scared and hesitating to tell each word.

My eyes were shot open at the second she said that the empress is angry at me. What's waiting for me today?

I nodded and dismissed her. I changed myself into a sandal coloured dress. I didn't dress properly and couldn't adjust it properly because there was no one helping me in changing into this.

Moreover, my headache was literally killing me alive. It was worst. Even I wasn't this exhausted in my timeline. I started hating this place.

I went downstairs and saw the image of many people serving an old lady whom I saw in our wedding.

My steps became slow and I skipped opposite to her. Arjun was standing behind her talking something that wasn't audible for me.

I don't want this right now. My headache is already torturing me. I have to handle another headache infront of me too?

"Mother, maybe we can talk later-", Arjun started but she cut him off.

"Don't Arjun! You are not needed here. You can go back.", She said and Arjun left reluctantly.

Don't leave me alone with this woman who actually accepted to marry me off to an old man, Arjun!

"So.. why did you do this?", She asked with her angry gaze fixed on me.

"Umm... Why I have to answer you? You literally tried to sell me off to an old man.", I said with all my guts.

She got up from her seat and slapped right on my cheek. The stinging pain I felt was embarrassing. Most importantly, there were many workers here. Everyone's gaze was at me.

"You dare to talk back?", She yelled at the top of her lungs. I stayed quiet. Because it's not wise to talk back anymore and end up in an high security cell or worse than that.

Arjun came towards us hearing the empress shout at me. It's more embarassing now. Why should it be only me?

"What's happening here?", Arjun asked as the empress settled back on her seat.

"The pretty wife of yours is disrespecting me. Ask her why is she so late? She should've been here the next second I told her. She's late one hour! Ask her!", The empress said.

Arjun looked at me and I remembered waking up at 1:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon. How would she react when I woke up afternoon yesterday?

"She was doing some... House chores.", Arjun lied. I never knew how to do house chores.

"House chores? I don't think so.. when did you wake up?", She asked.

"Five", I said and Arjun kept his palm on his head like getting up at 5'O clock is a sin. I could see more anger on her face now.

"Aren't you supposed to get up at 3 in the morning and do each and every house chores?", She yelled.

"I'm..... Sorry.", I said and she shook her head in disbelief.

"When did you get yo yesterday?", She asked which made me nervous.

"One"

"One? At night?", She asked not expecting me to say afternoon. On the other hand, Arjun was shook his head in disbelief.

"A-Afternoon", I stammered as I can't assume what she'll do next.

I felt another sting on my other cheek and I lowered my gaze.

"She's no match for you, Arjun! You heard what she said? She got up at one in the afternoon! Is she even a woman?", She yelled at Arjun.

On the other hand, the headache was worsening. I was getting angry because of that ready to burst anytime.

"She was tired after our wedding night-"

"Don't make excuses, Arjun!", The empress warned him.

"She should get her punishment! She should take care of the whole palace's households. No workers should work! Everyone are dismissed for today!", The empress said and every workers left from the palace looking at me strangely.

I can't even handle this! The palace is huge. It takes more than 3 hours to walk around the while palace. How am I going to do households of the whole palace?

"This won't happen again. Please-"

"No! Start doing all the work. Or I'll just chase you out of the house.", She warned me. But I don't even have any idea how to do these.

"I have headache.", I said which she totally ignored.

I can't be chasen out if I don't do these households. I don't have anywhere else to go. I don't even know how to go to my palace if I'm chasen out.

"Tell her to start Arjun. I will watch her.", She said Arjun and he nodded to start doing it.

But, I can't. I'm hella tired, man!

"I can't.", I said and Arjun's eyes widened and looked at empress who was fuming.

What should I do now? Pretend like fainting? That would be a bad idea.

"Well! Well! I will do it!", I said angrily and went to the kitchen. I'm thinking of cooking. I took a pan and started making few dosa and a chutney.

I never tried making it. But, I've seen how it looks like and I can mix some ingredients and make it look like chutney.

I was done and took the plate to the dining hall. My headache was worsening. I kept the plate of three Dosas and a chutney in the plate for the empress. I kept Arjun two Dosas as I don't have much energy left.

"Only one side dish?", Her eyes widened.

"It's because you're already old. So, you should eat healthy and simple.", I gave valid excuse to escape my mistakes.

She was fuming on anger. Both Arjun and empress started eating. Both started coughing and spat their food back on the plate.

You made something wrong, Thea!

"What the hell is this?", The empress got up while Arjun drank water and had a disgusting look at his face eating my food.

I was scared now. What if they put me in the cell for this?

She threw the food on the floor shattering the plate into pieces. I wish I knew how to cook..

"You're trying to kill me?", She yelled at me badly. Arjun had a disappointed look plastered on his face.

"But, you said you want me to cook. This is how I cook. You can eat or leave if you wish..", I said and her eyes widened seeing my guts.

I can't sell my self-respect to stay in this palace.

"What the hell are you thinking in your mind? Remember that you're eating here without giving any dowry. You're a chola princess. But, you came here without anything. You came here like a begger!"

How dare she tell this?

"Let it be. You can consider me as anything in your perspective. A princess or begger or anything you want. I don't really care."

She was gritting her teeth and clenching her fists in anger. She couldn't control her anger.

"Chase her away from this palace! You shouldn't be feeding ungrateful dogs anymore. Are you clear, Arjun?", She yelled like a maniac.

Did she just call me an ungrateful dog?

"You have no right to chase me away. It's in my husband's hand whether to keep me or throw me. The con you have on throwing me out will be worse. Arjun's image will be damaged all over the kingdom. You want that?"

"I don't care anymore! Throw her out of this house!", She yelled at the top of her lung.

"But, mother-", Arjun was cut off by her angry glare.

"You are doing what I said, Arjun. Just chase her out with your own hands.", She ordered Arjun and he looked between me and empress.

"I don't care. Chase me out if you don't want your mother dead on my hands, Arjun."

"Mind your words, Thara. She's my mother and your mother-in-law.", He said and I waved my hand in disbelief.

"Why are reminding her when she doesn't even treat me as a human, Arjun?", She said with a scoff.

"That's my dialogue, mother-in-law! You are the one who's trying to treat me like a shit.. you're trying to make me your son's personal slave!", I yelled.

It's really hard to argue with a headache.

"Maintain your tone. Don't make my patience as your advantage. No one have ever talked to my mother like this.", He warned me.

"I won't. What will you do? What can I do when she behaves like this?", I said. I don't care anymore if they put me in a cell or chase me out of the palace.

With this I left to my room and closed the door behind slamming it ignoring the fact that my mother-in-law was shouting and calline me with names.

I laid on my bed tucking with my quilt. I ignored the soldier and empress who was banging the door to open. She was a lot angry. But, sorry mom-in-law.. save that anger later.

I went off to sleep. Closing my eyes was heaven. I felt my headache was fading. And sleep consumed me.

I opened my eyes slowly and felt the noon sunlight hit my face. The time was 1:00 p.m. and my headache was completely gone.

I yawned and got off the bed. I was hungry. I hadn't eaten morning also because the empress was barking at me.

Is the empress still in here? How to get my food if she's still here. I slowly opened my door and the workers back everywhere.

I peeked at the dining table which was just 10 to 15 feet away from my room. The empress was complaining about me to Arjun and he was listening it without any choice.

How am I going to get my food now?

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