[Morning , My Room]
I woke up to something wet on my face.
Not rain. Not tears. Not the bathroom ceiling leaking again.
Color.
Bright pink. All over my pillow. All over my cheek. All over my hair.
"What the—"
"Happy Holi, Young Master!"
Angy's voice. From somewhere in the room. Followed by her face appearing above me, grinning like a maniac, holding what looked like a water gun filled with neon orange.
"Angy."
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Why is there pink on my face?"
"That's gulal! Festival of colors! It's HOLI!"
I blinked. Processed.
Holi.
The festival I read about in those books.
The one where people throw colors at each other and no one gets mad about it.
That's today?
"It's 6 AM." My voice was flat. "The sun isn't even fully up."
"Perfect timing! Catch people off guard! Strategic advantage!" She aimed the water gun at my chest. "Shenhe's already outside. She got blue all over her white hair. It's HILARIOUS."
"You woke me up at 6 AM to throw colors at me."
"YES."
Before I could respond, a spray of green hit the back of my head.
I turned.
Shenhe stood in my doorway. Holding another water gun. Blue streaks in her white hair. Face expressionless. But her eyes—her eyes were laughing.
"Young Master." She raised the gun. "Happy Holi."
"You—"
Purple. Right in the face.
Angy cackled.
Shenhe almost smiled.
I sat there, covered in pink, green, and purple, staring at two women who had apparently decided that my peaceful morning was over.
This is my life now.
Covered in color at dawn.
By my own maids.
"Fine." I stood up. Wiped purple from my eye. "You want to play?"
Angy's grin widened. "Yes!"
"Then you should know—" I grabbed the water gun from my nightstand—when had they put that there?! "—I learn fast."
I sprayed Angy directly in the face.
She screamed.
Shenhe snorted.
And the war began.
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