After 10 hours of ride, we reached Pokhara. The bus stopped at various hotels but I didn't get out not for a once after than vomit I couldn't dare to eat anything. The man next to me was kind to me he asked if I was okay every hour but I pretended to be asleep the whole way. I was too embarrassed to talk to him.
'Okay so I think, that was the end of our journey', said he when we dropped down from the bus
'I guess so', I said
'So, then goodbye'
'Goodbye', I answered and we parted from there. He went toward the east and I went toward the west. there was a micro stand near. My destination was the black palace where Shreyan used to live.
'Will you take me to the black palace?', I asked stopping a taxi
'Yes', he said and I sat inside it looking at the Pokhara the whole way. No wonder it was called the most beautiful place in Nepal. the Himalayan range, the big buildings, the awesome weather, street filled with tourists, and lakes were adding the beauty of it. The driver most had noticed my excitation
'Are you here for the first time lady?'
'No, it's just I am here after so many years that it reminded me of my childhood'
'Most of the people have the same expression as yours when they visit this place for the first time'
'I believe that', I exclaimed. After a while the driver stopped the taxi, 'Here you are lady'
'How much is the fare?'
'I take 800 per person but looking at you reminded me of my daughter so give me 500 Rs'
'Thank you, It seems it isn't just the place which is beautiful the people's heart here is also beautiful', I smiled when he drove back. Back in childhood despite living in Pokhara for 10 years I never saw that palace. It was a huge palace white, unlike its name black.
There was a line of peoples of different ages on the gate, ignoring them I just reached for the gate and when I tried to open it a man in watchman's suit stopped me
'Can I help you?', he asked
'I am here to meet Shreyan'
'Do you mean young master'
'yes'
'You have to fix an appointment to meet him the appointment is long enough for 1 month. Should I apply it for you'
'No, I mean I am a closer person to him more like a relative'
'Then it would had been better if you had called directly. Why are you here?'
'I couldn't contact him. Please just let me go in'
'It doesn't work that way. You can't go inside just like that'
'Believe me, I am not lying. I am a very close person to him'
'More than 20 girls visit here daily telling the same thing to meet him. If I let everyone go inside won't I be thrown out from my job?'
'But I am not lying. Just call him and ask him about Katerina I am sure he will come here to visit me'
'Please try to understand, you seem to belong to a good family.'
'But I am here to meet him from Kathmandu after 15 hours of the ride. I can't return without meeting him'
'Then there is only one way'
'What?'
'fix a appointment. It will take 1 month for your turn still there is no other way'
I was disappointed, 'I can't do that. There is nowhere I could go in this town and the money I have won't even fix me for a day', tears ran out from my eyes. I was in dilemma, I was so excited about meeting him, so desperate to see his face but the only thing I got in there was pain and disappointment.
'Lady, are you crying?', he asked but there was nothing I could say. I didn't want to return and waiting for the appointment wasn't possible.
'I wish I could help', he said again
'I don't know what to do. I was so looking forward to it'
'If you don’t mind there is another way'
'Please tell me', I was desperate enough to deal with anything that comes in the way
'The line you are seeing is for the job as a cleaner inside. I can recommend you to the manager of the servents he is a friend of mine. He was the one who gave me the job'
'But how is that related to my meeting with Shreyan'
'It is the fastest process. You can work from today, and some of the servants are even allowed to clean the young master's room. I am sure you will encounter him within 2 3 days'
'Are you sure? I don’t think I am suited for the job'
'You don't have to do much. There will be a lot like you there to help just try to stay away from Mr. and Misses. Shah'
'I am still confused'
'Trust me if you want to meet young master this is the best way'.
I gave it a thought anyway I had nothing to lose, I decided to give that a try. After coming so far there was no point for me to turn back. The watchman introduced me to the manager on the counter despite the long line of people he recruited me as a cleaner. The manager provided me with a dress and an apron which was compulsory for all servents and gave me a quick tour of the house. there was a huge swimming pool outside with fountains generating rainbows outside the palace. It was no less than a royal one. Everything there was classy, huge and overwhelming. I wondered how I got to be with a man with such a stander.
Mr. Jha the manager gave me a tour of the hallway, meeting room, auction room, museum, library, and kitchen. Those were the area I was supposed to clean. the whole way my eyes were searching around for Shreyan.
'Rule no 1', Mr. Jha started, 'Don't even go around Young master, Misses, and Mr. Shah's room',
'Rule no 2: Never think of cleaning the rooms that I haven't appointed to you',
'Rule no 3: Roof and balcony aren't for servents'
'Rule no 4: Don't try to talk with people who aren't on servent's uniform except me',
'Rule no 5: You aren't allowed to wear any other clothes other than uniform except just before sleeping'
'Last and most important: Don't try to go in the basement.'
'I didn't know there is a basement too. There are no stairs going down'
'You are right, but there is a button on the lift. Never mind it doesn't work anyway'
'Then what about the rule'
'It's just I was also given the same rule while being appointed as a manager but still don't know why'
'I see'.
'So that's it with the tour. your work starts tomorrow. You can rest for today in the servent's section' I was wondering where that was when my eyes reach on a big flyer with 'Servents section', on it. I went inside it was a huge room, huge bigger than my whole house including the compound. With several beds, ladder bed with 3 beds on each. There was a cupboard for each set of them and a toilet at the corner. I wondered how many servants were there, still, it was only a girl's section.
Some girls were sleeping on their respective bed, each bed contained the names of the girl who were owning it. I wondered around the room searching for an empty one and I got one at the corner near the toilet. I knew why it was empty. The bad odor of the toilet was coming there directly and it was going to be hard for me to sleep there. I changed the cloth which was still smelling of vomit, my stomach was growling out of hunger but Mr. Jha had said there was fixed time for servents to have food, I had to wait until the clock hits 9 for dinner and it was 8 already. With the hope of seeing Shreyan soon, I slept on the bed despite that bad smell and the whole new life of mine coming ahead waiting for me.