QUEEN

Amrita was born amidst much fanfare. Yes fanfare....she was conceived after seven years of marriage of her parents Amar and Rita. She was a boon of the mother goddess to her, her mother often said. She came into the world at the most famous maternity wing of a famous hospital in the city. Sweets and gifts were distributed to each and every staff there. All inmates at the hospital too received small gifts. It appeared as if a queen had come into this world.

Queen! Yes a queen she was. Celebrations went on for fifteen days. The entire family was a part of the celebrations. All her uncles and aunts came, some happy and some not so happy. There were lavish feasts. All her aunts received jewellery and costly silks as gifts. No body at home was left out of the celebrations  . It was a royal and regal affair.

One by one the guests left. All the focus of her parents were on the little girl. The moment she cried she was picked up. All efforts were undertaken to make the girl smile. The best of nannies and helps were hired. She looked like a princess in the costly outfits that were ordered for her from various parts of the country and the world.

As days passed, baby Amrita changed into a beautiful girl. All that she asked for was at her feet. All the helps at home were at her beck and call. She just had to wish for something and it was hers within any time. She was made to feel like a queen.

At school too because of her parents, who gave huge donations to the school, she was treated in a special way. She was never punished, no teacher scolded her and all her friends were in awe of her.

Once she had broken the handcraft items of one of her classmates. When the poor girl complained to the teacher about that; Amrita was not punished instead the poor girl whose things wwre broken, she was punished. Although Amar and Rita dlid get the child another handcraft item from the market but they also instilled in their own daughter the feeling that she could do anything and get away with that.

Her parents' money and the attitude of others towards her made Amrita very high headed. Although she was generous and kind at times, she was jealous, demanding and possessive too. Anything that was around her was hers and no one else's; that included friends, pets, toys and everything else.

Days passed by and Amrita slowly started feeling like a queen, who had everything at her command. The love of her parents fuelled her ego and she was developing into a beautiful looking girl but not a beautiful person. 

Amrita broke friendships if she was opposed. She always remained the favourite of her teachers. If someone else was praised in her presence, she never took kindly to it and would see to it to demean that person somehow. She would never settle for anything less than the best.

Once out of school, Amrita stepped into college. Her lavish lifestyle and beautiful looks caught the attention of many but the queen, never took a fancy to them. She continued with her whimsical ways. She had managed to get a trail of friends who continued to boost her ego.

Here too she committed many follies but got away with them; until she met Nikhil. Nikhil her senior- a studious boy who was good at everything. His manners were pleasing and he always stood up against anything wrong. 

Nikhil once or twice had reprimanded her on her wrongs and that's how he came into her world. She knew he was the best boy around and she wanted him for herself. 

Amrita started coming across Nikhil more often. She would deliberately cross paths with him. She even went to the extent of saying sorry to him and Nikhil was taken. The both started seeing each other. Amrita was trying her best to change herself, to be the good girl that Nikhil saw in her. But as she always wanted the best for herself, she could never let go off him. 

After Nikhil finished his college he had to get into the University for his further studies. Amrita was not willing to let him go. She was scared to lose her prized possession. So she somehow threw a huge tantrum and managed to get herself engaged to Nikhil. Amar and Rita were more than willing to get him ushered into the family.

Nikhil got busy with studies and his projects. It was not always possible for him to meet Amrita and this angered her. She would call him at any hour of the day and expected him to always answer the call. Her coterie of friends fired her feelings by saying that Nikhil was now busy with new friends or that he was busy with some other girl. All this added fuel to fire.

Then one day Amrita went to see Nikhil.  She found him at the library with two girls discussing something. Seeing her, Nikhil came out and introduced the girls as Srinita and Rakhi, his batchmates. Amrita forcefully smiled but she did not take it too well. She asked Nikhil to come with her. Although Nikhil was not free still he came with her to her parents' place. Amar and Rita were happy to see him. They had lunch together. After a hot cup of tea, Amrita took Nikhil to the terrace.

"Who are you seeing nowadays? Srinita or Rakhi?" 

Nikhil was taken aback by this. "What is wrong with you Amu? Is everything fine," he asked. "Just answer me Nik," she said. "But it's just you Amu, no one else. We are engaged. They are my batchmates, good students themselves and we usually study together," said Nikhil.

"Oh! Is it! You really want me to believe this,"  possessiveness and jealousy had taken over Amrita completely.

"Of course dear Amu! Why are you having any doubts at all?"asked Nikhil. 

"Okay then prove your love for me", said Amrita to an already suffering Nikhil.

 "And what do I do to prove so Amu! How will you know that I love you," Nikhil asked.

"Jump for me" , said Amrita.

"What!" Asked an exasperated Nikhil.

"Yes jump down for me", said Amrita with fire in her eyes. 

There was a loud sound near the living room. Amar and Rita came running out. So did the watchman. They saw Nikhil lying in a pool of blood his face down. Amar looked up. The queen, his daughter looked down, the winner's look writ all over her face.

©®Madhumita