The Warrior Princess
“…and Cinderella lived happily ever after.” Gauri read the story to her 6- year daughter Ravee, who loved fairytales.
“Now, go to sleep. Tomorrow, we shall read a new one.” Gauri said to Ravee.
Ravee asked, “Mumma, why does papa hit you every night? I saw him beating you with his belt yesterday. I am scared of him.”
“Ravee, why were you not sleeping then? Mumma is fine. You need not be scared at all. Papa won’t hurt you, ok?” Gauri was now worried.
“Mumma, when I grow up, I don’t want to be Cinderella, doing all the housework and then getting beaten.”
“Don’t worry, your prince will never let that happen to you.”
“NO, Mumma. I DON’T NEED ANY PRINCE to save me if at all something bad happens to me. Instead, I will be a WARRIOR PRINCESS and save myself from the bad people. I will live a happy life far, far away from such people.”
Listening to her little girl’s sensible talks at such a young age, she realized her mistake. She knew her daughter was right and something struck her.
Soon, Ravee slept. Gauri cleaned her face and applied ointment on the purple bruises that her husband Gautam gave her in the morning.
Gauri was married off to Gautam immediately after her studies. She became a typical housewife who took good care of her husband and in-laws. As time passed, one leaf after the other opened up, she realized her in-laws were awful. Gauri was harassed, tortured, beaten, abused, and forced to work as a housemaid. However, this morning, she realized her daughter might be ill-treated as Gautam raised his hands on little Ravee. She noticed how his sinful eyes roamed over Ravee with lust.
“Enough is enough. I silently endured everything. I thought at least he loved our daughter, but he seems to be up to no good. I will not let him harm my daughter.” Gauri cried to herself.
Every night he would come home drunk, thrashed her, and sexually assaulted her. Now, she was worried that he might lay his filthy hands on her daughter.
She picked up all the toys lying on the floor and placed them in the toy box. Then, she arranged all the storybooks neatly on the bookshelf.
She took out a family photo and reminisced her childhood, her happy life with her parents who pampered her and treated her like a princess. She was lost in her own thoughts but looked resolute, for this night wasn’t an ordinary one.
She rummaged the drawer and took few valuables, packed some food and their stuff in a jiffy. She woke up Ravee and both sneaked out of the house.
“Mumma, are you my warrior queen?” asked an excited Ravee as they boarded the train.
Gauri hugged Ravee as her eyes were filled with tears of joy. Although she didn’t know the destination, she knew they will lead a happy, peaceful life ever after.
***
Moral: At any given moment, only you have the power to say this is not how the story is going to end.
Author’s Note:
Let’s educate and teach our daughters to be strong enough to tackle and oppose all kinds of wrongdoings. Why wait for a prince to be a saviour when your princess is equally strong and efficient.
Also, this is to shed light on such beautiful women who have moved out of toxic life bravely.
To all the women/moms who undergo different types of abuse and maintain silence on it; know that every situation in life is temporary. Take a stand for yourself. You deserve a better life; your children deserve a happy life.
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