“Who is she to you, woman, that you speak so strongly for?” The elderly woman’s voice was strong, despite a slight lisp caused by the loss of her front teeth.
“She is my companion and friend,” said Chandra, holding onto Matangi’s hand. “We have traveled together so far, and I’m not going to abandon her because it suits me. If you require my help, then she comes along too.”
Silence reigned as everyone seemed to be waiting with bated breath for the elderly woman to tear into her. From the whispers that reached Chandra, she appeared to be a stickler for propriety, who didn’t care much about couching her words. Several people stopped in their tasks to watch and a small crowd grew steadily. Matangi tugged, embarrassed at the attention they were drawing, but Chandra resolutely held on.
To Chandra’s surprise, instead of reprimanding her, the elderly lady smiled widely, revealing betel-stained teeth. “A fine spirit you have. All right, the girl can come with us, but there are going to be rules.”
She fixed Matangi with a stern glare. “You will have to bathe before entering the temple, same as all the other devotees, and make sure you adhere to strict vegetarian practices when you are here. And keep the chatter to a minimum. I can’t stand all that inanity. Do you understand?”
Matangi nodded, looking stunned that she was being allowed in after all.
“Good.” The elderly woman appeared satisfied. “Don’t make me regret allowing you in here.”
Matangi nodded again.
“Radha will show you around to the baths,” she continued, referring to her granddaughter.
Matangi shot Chandra a look of mild panic, but Chandra, inclined her head slightly, indicating it would be all right.
That Matangi even looked to Chandra for permission was a significant change in their relationship.
There was no love lost between her and Matangi. From the moment she was introduced to her, the young woman seemed to take offense at everything Chandra said. It took Chandra a while to realize that all that animosity came because Matangi was massively infatuated with Veer and, quite logically, considered her a rival.
But even so, there was something raw and honest about the young woman, and despite her borderline rude behavior to Chandra, she couldn’t work up a grudge against her.
“Now you.” The elderly lady turned to Chandra, reminding her she wasn’t let off the hook completely. “Where did you say you were from?”
“Amaravathi,” said Chandra, nervousness creeping into her with the realization of what Veer would say if he got wind of this matter. She remembered him telling them all to keep a low profile, sound advice she had neglected to follow.
“Where, in Amaravathi?” persisted the elderly lady.
“Er…Devarakonda.”
“Ah… a temple city like ours. My name is Agrani. What’s yours?”
“Chandrasena. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” said Chandra looking desperately into the crowd, hoping for an escape without offending her.
“You look like you are educated. You had knowledge of the plant that I’d forgotten. But your clothes don’t indicate that. And the way you stood up for your fellow traveler. Who are you exactly…what kind of work did you do in Amaravathi?”
Chandra gulped. Of all the people she could’ve picked to have an argument, she had to run across one who was in charge.
“I have worked as a maid to the royal family since my childhood. I picked up a few things along the way,” she said, hoping that would mollify her.
“Hmmm… I could believe you, if you were a little more submissive like your position would suggest.” Agrani tilted her head to peer closely at Chandra, raising a hand to shade her eyes against the sun. “Show me your hands,” she barked suddenly.
Feeling apprehensive, Chandra put them forward, palms up. The old lady ran her palms over them, leaving her bewildered. “They are rough. You are no royalty,” she said with a disappointed breath.
Chandra let out a breath, thanking her stars. Her regular practice ensured she didn’t have the soft hands befitting a woman pampered from birth.
Radha rolled her eyes, hoisting up the palm-leafed manuscripts and parchments in her hands. “You are always doing that. As if you can identify royalty.”
“Quiet, child. What would you know? During my time, the royalty would disguise themselves as normal people to see how those of their kingdoms were doing.”
“Anyway, what is your business here, child?” asked the elderly lady, addressing Chandra. Some of the starch in her voice had melted. “Was this a pilgrimage for you?”
* * *
Veer didn’t need prodding from Billadev to know it was way past time for him to interfere. Chandra, with her carelessness, had already brought matters dangerously close.
