Chapter 134: Improving Factory’s technology part -1
Rewari Kingdom, Inner palace of bawal, Morning of 13th March 1557
The next morning, Aditya arrived at his royal chamber early, clutching the designs drawn on parchment wrapped in cloth. He was eager to review everything before his scheduled departure to cannon factory, with peace of mind.
However, upon entering the room, he was taken aback to find Meenakshi already there. She was beside her work table, meticulously arranging her belongings. Aditya had anticipated her presence but was surprised by her early arrival, especially given the recent tensions.
His gaze then fell upon a neatly arranged thali on the table, clearly intended for him as breakfast. Meenakshi, dressed in a saree that comfortably exposed her waist, had her back turned to him, which felt very alluring. As he observed her figure, he shook off the distraction and cleared his throat to announce his presence.
Meenakshi turned to face him with a warm, charming smile. "Greetings, Your Highness. I hope you have a pleasant day today."
Aditya returned the greeting, "Greetings, Princess. I hope you have a wonderful day as well." He moved closer to the table to examine the meal. The thali held idli, sambar, and upma which he was familiar with his past life for their popularity as south Indian cuisines. Though he felt a bit of disappointment in absence of dosa but chose to remain polite and not voice his thoughts.
Meenakshi gestured for him to sit and explained, "I arranged this breakfast for you as an apology for my behavior the other day. I realize now that I should have been more understanding."
Aditya was genuinely surprised by her gesture. It was an unexpected but welcome change. To his own surprise, he blurted out, "It’s alright, Princess. It wasn’t a major issue. However, this kind gesture is deeply appreciated."
Confused about whether it was the food or the alluring sight that influenced his reaction, Aditya, who had been deeply frustrated with her initially, noticed that there was only one thali. He inquired, "Why is there only one thali? Aren’t you joining me for breakfast?"
Meenakshi smiled and replied, "Today is Maha Shivratri, Prince. I am fasting and cannot eat until tomorrow."
Aditya’s eyes lit up but feigned pity. "Oh, that’s unfortunate. You should rest, then. I was planning to take you to the factory today, but we can postpone that until tomorrow."
Meenakshi’s expression turned serious. "The fast does not affect my duties," she replied with determination.