Warm hands rested on her shoulders and occasionally kneaded the sore muscles with a gentle pressure that made the already drowsy Aadhira to slip into her dreamland without much effort.
She contently leaned back further until the back of her head found it's purchase against something that felt warm and silk-like. That sensation left her feeling so comfortable that Aadhira couldn't help but hum with pleasure.
The person standing behind her chuckled; the hands moving up to reach the top of her head before gently rubbing it like one would rub their pet. "Little gremlin... had enough of your rest?"
That voice was close enough to the point where the speaker's heated breath brushed against her ear- making them flush.
It was enough to make her abruptly pull away from the warmth; her whole body jerking forward which made her already drowsy brain to spin like a carousel.
Aadhira pried her eyes open despite the dizziness; her heart clamoring in her chest to turn and catch the culprit sitting behind her and-
And what?
"Finally!" Misha muttered under her breath. "Are you okay? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Aadhira blinked - a hint of clarity seeping through her cloudy gaze as she took a whole minute to process the situation she found herself in.
She wasn't leaning back on a soft, warm silk-like material but a stone like bed that made her whole body ache.
Misha had her right knee pressed against the bed - her right hand pressing against Aadhira's forehead before pulling it away while Haranya and Yuga just stood to the side. One with her arms crossed over her chest; her expression unreadable while the other's eyebrows creased together in worry.
Even Veeyan and Naresh stood outside the room - patiently waiting for the girls to come out.
But nobody was on the bed with her; their arms around her shoulders nor their fingers brushing through her hair.
"What's... going on?" Aadhira rasped, only then noticing that her throat had gone dry.
"What's going on? You have the nerve to ask what's going on?!" The sudden spike of anger in Misha's voice made the still dizzy Aadhira to wince; her face scrunching up. "I told you multiple times to drink moderately... that your tolerance is low and that you need to control yourself. Now look... you drank too much and wandered away to the right wing by yourself!"
"Right wing?"
Misha looked like she was about to burst into flames when she saw the innocent face of her best friend laying pitifully before her; as if someone had just abandoned her.
Although a small corner of her heart had indeed softened; Misha couldn't just let go of her friend's carelessness. But before she could do so, Haranya's cold "Enough," forced her to halt her. "Let's go back to our rooms first. Everything else can be discussed tomorrow,"
Yuga, standing beside her who noticed the look of wanting to argue in Misha's demeanor gently tugged at the sleeve of this angry woman; bringing her attention back to her. "Haranya's right. Aadhira's in no condition to be listening to your lecture right now too. It's better to just let her rest for the night and talk to her tomorrow,"
Veeyan, especially nodded very hard after hearing Yuga's comment as he swayed on his feet. If it wasn't for Naresh firmly holding on to his shoulders - Veeyan would have long succumbed to the floor and slept right there and then.
That scene was enough to make Misha's wish to beat senses into Aadhira crumble.
And so, the angry Misha conceded. She bent down once again towards Aadhira - wanting to support the girl out of the bed though surprisingly her actions were met with Haranya's resistance once more.
"You drank too, remember? Let me help carry her,"
Misha frowned - hesitant about Haranya's sudden offer. She scrutinized the apparent reliable adult of the group from head to toe - as if analyzing the person's pros and cons through her vision alone. Because no matter how reliable or rational she is; Haranya is still a stranger to them - never mind the connection she has with both Veeyan's and Aadhira's parents.
Veeyan is Aadhira's childhood friend, and yet she had never once mentioned him through out their time together as best friends until this impromptu trip. If even he was treated like this - where does that leave this cousin of his in Aadhira's life?
Misha wanted to refuse; but one glance from Haranya had froze her from voicing out her thoughts. Yuga mechanically pulled the frozen Misha by her sleeves after nodding once at Haranya as a farewell before disappearing.
Only after making sure everyone left did Haranya let her full attention finally rest on Aadhira who had some point drifted back to dreamland already.
She took in that peaceful face for a bit longer before a quiet sigh was released from lips.
But it didn't stop her from leaning down to scooping the girl into her arms in a princess carry.
Without a glance back, she carried Aadhira out of the room and walked steadily towards their assigned rooms at the left wing.
Gently placing the still sleeping Aadhira on the bed, picking her change of clothes and heading to the washroom, going through her nightly routine even when it's already 3 a.m and finally laying down far from Aadhira even while sharing a same bed - everything was done mechanically like a well-oiled machine used to its routine.
But still it wasn't enough to lift the heaviness that suddenly shrouded Haranya. And so with her back to Aadhira - Haranya could only force her eyes close to sleep willing her brain to shut down despite its noise.
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The next day, the refreshed Aadhira sat at the huge dining table usually reserved for the nobles during the ancient times with a bowl of warm porridge and a full glass of milk in front of her. Although the scent of the food itself was inviting her personally to be devoured; after hearing the shenanigans she had done the night before made her lose her appetite completely.
"Do you know how long it took to find you in this huge ass mansion? We had to go through each floor one by one. From the left wing to the back garden! We looked everywhere but we couldn't find any sign of you at all. Even the dead drunk Veeyan forced himself on his feet to look for you!"
"Hey... I wasn't drunk that much!" Veeyan jumped in to defend himself though onlyb Naresh gave him a side-long glance though he remained silent. There's no way to force a person to wake up if they were pretending to be asleep after all.
Veeyan's defensive interruption didn't disrupt Misha's momentum at all.
"And while we were anxiously pulling out our hair looking for you wondering if you were kidnapped or something.... you had the nerve to be sleeping so sweetly in General Rudrakshi's room itself!"
"That area was restricted! And yet somehow you found yourself inside sleeping...,"
"Okay... okay, enough - I get it" she said as she raised her two palms high in surrender. "First of all, I'm sorry for making you all worry. I promise I'd be more careful next time with my drinks. Second, I have zero idea about how I ended up there too. It was a complete accident - okay?"
"Accident my foot! You only ever obsessed about that General Rudrakshi of yours and somehow among the hundreds of rooms in here... you just stumbled into one that happened to be General Rudrakshi's?" Misha snorted; her arms crossing over her chest as she leaned back on the chair.
And whenever she behaved like this Aadhira knows that no matter what she said - it'll be hard to convince this best friend of hers.
So, Aadhira who suddenly felt like arguing about this with her best friend was a waste of time picked up the spoon again to feed herself.
She needs energy to argue with Misha later if that friend of hers didn't let this go.
"Hi, everyone.... Good morning!" Neela whom had just arrived after speaking with the workers assigned greeted everyone rather cheerly. "I heard about the commotion last night. I'm sorry to have not assisted much last night... didn't expect that wine to be that strong to the point of making me go under in a few minutes,"
"Truly.... the local wine is no joke,"
"Eh... a locally made wine? Is it from the village chief you mentioned last night?"
"You remember!" Neela, feeling delighted nodded at Naresh... confirming his question. "She couldn't personally welcome you last night, so she sent wine as an apology. I should've mentioned it last night but alas, the wine was too strong for me and I was completely drunk after just a few sips... a complete humiliation,"
"Never mind that.... are you feeling okay, Ms. Aadhira? I heard you somehow wandered far enough to the right wing last night?"
Even though Neela's question carried a hint of teasing - Aadhira couldn't help but feel her cheeks beginning to heat up as blood rushed up to her face. She placed the spoon in her hand back into the half finished bowl before bowing her head to Neela. "I'm so sorry for the mess I've caused last night. I know that whole area of right was actually a restricted area and yet...," she said, her expression so remorseful.
"Hey.. hey... it's quite alright. There's really nothing to be anxious about, Ms. Dhira. For your research it's inevitable that we have to visit that room personally at some point. I have long asked the workers under me to prepare those rooms just in case. You just found it a bit earlier last night and believe me when I say that it's no big deal," Neela reassured the group of friends before taking a seat to the left of Yuga which was empty. A servant personally contracted by the agent came forward to place the bowl of porridge and a glass of milk in front of Neela too.
The group of people ate their respective breakfasts; except for Yuga who had already disappeared to wander on her own after her meal while Haranya didn't even bother to come down at all.
Veeyan explained that his cousin has never cared for breakfast even when they were kids, so there's no way to really force her really.
It was only after they were almost done did Aadhira asked Veeyan and Misha to contact Haranya and Yuga respectively.
They gathered at the lobby like living room turned lobby - the heart of the mansion which then branches off to the left wing, right wing, back garden and the likes.
Aadhira didn't properly appreciate the interior design of this palace-like mansion when she first arrived. She opportunistically took this chance to drink in the significance of the carefully chosen decorations of this place.
Vaeryan Empire was known as the Golden age; not only because of its abundant resources and successful trade but also because of the Vaeryans peoples fondness for gold itself.
From daily accessories to the houses or palaces they built - each would have at least bits of the metal melded into the structure; which even made a common household appear like grand and lavish.
Yet this mansion, built and owned by the most formidable general of that time - didn't even have a spec of gold that could be seen clearly.
The lavishness and grand semblance screamed Vaeryan yet there wasn't any gold in sight.
"So, now that everyone's hear... let me lay out the itinerary I planned out for the day," Neela said, her hands behind her back as she stood ramrod straight in front of the group seated comfortably on the couch of an ancient, rustic design she specifically procured for this mansion.
"First, we can head to the Grand Hall at the village center where most of General Rudrakshi's achievements are displayed. From his soul-bound sword to the golden plaque he received from the Emperor when he was bestowed the title of General Rudrakshi, nearly everything could be found there,"
Veeyan, who had been quiet all this while immediately perked up at that - his eyes wide in shock as he looked at Aadhira seated at the other end of the couch. "General Rudrakshi isn't his actual name?!"
His shocked expression in return had shocked Yuga seated in the middle, "Didn't you do your basic research before agreeing to be the art director of this project?"
Feeling sheepish about his own inadequacy, Veeyan grinned -sheepishly scratched his head before falling silent again.
Understanding the young man's plight, Naresh empathetically patted his shoulder as he offered his own books and material to Veeyan.
No matter what he needs at least basic understanding of the history if he wanted to actually be of assistant to Aadhira than being a burden.
"If that's the case, should we make this trip during the afternoon? If any of you wanted to explore on your own, read books or do things of your own... you can take this chance to do so," Neela asked the group. "I'd be around here too if you wanted to ask any questions or you can also ask any of the workers here... their all villagers we've currently hired to look after this place and knows the local history way better than I do... not a complete waste of time. We'll head to the village after lunch, visit the Grand Hall and can have our dinner by the beach before coming back. How does that sound?"
Though her question was for everyone but it was really Aadhira's approval that matters most to her.
After all, it was Aadhira who had actually hired her for this trip and it wouldn't be right for her to plan everything without at least getting approval of her client.
So, only after seeing other's agreement and Aadhira's nod approval did Neela leave the living room to find the steward to make the necessary arrangements.