Chapter 183
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Chapter 263: When the Unsung Ode Becomes a Dirge
It was the early hours of morning and the sky was still a hazy blue.
The men, including the Elder Lord, had gone for a horse ride.
When he had been in his room, getting into his riding suit, Lord Akash had reminded his wife lovingly, "Today, when we breakfast..." and he caressed her midriff to manifest that it was important to him that she let the exciting secret be announced to the family.
"Yes, we will," assured a blushing Payal, who kissed him goodbye and watched him stroll out, as her mind drowned in the ecstasy of possibilities that were to unveil the moment the news of her childbearing was let known.
Now that the ceremony was over, the ladies in the house sought to retrieve all the 'newborn excitement' that they had missed out on for the past week. While Lady Anjali was offered time to relax and return happily back to the Castle affairs, Lady Manorama, Kushi and Payal were practically dueling over whose turn it was to mollycoddle Anarkali.
The present morning, however, while the men had gone on their riding, Lady Manorama left for the town to bid goodbye to one of her old friends who was leaving Arhasia that morning. The Raizada Mami had left with the assurance that she would be back in time for breakfast.
Looking exquisite in her gentle blue gown, Payal was monitoring the cooks in the kitchens, wanting to set forth a festive breakfast before she broke the hushed news of her carrying.
Just then, her attention caught Kushi walking towards the backdoor.
"What are you doing, Kushi?
"Going to pluck some flowers for the table, Jiji."
"Going to pluck some flowers for the table, Jiji."
All of a sudden, Payal found herself stepping towards the door and pulling Kushi back into the kitchen by her hand.
"Jiji?" Kushi looked at her sister in amazement.
Payal opened her mouth to explain and decided it would sound extremely silly if she said she had given in to her mother's superstitious worry that some harm would come upon Kushi on account of a dream the mother had had.
She lied to cover her ill-placed panic, "I've already sent one of the maids to do it." And then, before Kushi could inquire into it, Payal hastily suggested with a smile, "But you can help me by seeing if the table has all been set and ready for the morning meal."
Kushi's eyes twinkled merrily and then she nodded, "Most willingly, though I fear the sight of plates and forks would only make me more hungry."
Payal laughed at her sister's remark and then watched her walk away in the direction of the dinning room.
Sighing, the Second Lady returned her attention to the dishes, knowing well that even if her fear was unfounded, she was left with no choice but to feel unconsciously wary and vigilant about her sister's safety.
There was still an hour to breakfast and the sunlight was still gentle upon the land, when Lady Anjali walked into the kitchen with her baby after her morning feeding.
"Surabhi? Have you seen the General around?" asked Lady Anjali.
The cook looked up and shook her head, "No, m'lady, but I suppose he's gone with the rest of the Lords for the riding."
"No, he hasn't," Lady Anjali admitted absentmindedly, "I wonder where he's gone."
She looked down at her baby who was glancing around the kitchen ceiling with dark, wonder-struck eyes.
Payal stepped in from the storeroom and paused on seeing Lady Anjali in the kitchen. Delighted by the sight of the little child, she asked to hold her, volunteering before Kushi could sneak a chance.
Lady Anjali happily complied.
The one who got the babe, got the boy too. So, with little Ram tagging with her, Payal took the child for a stroll in the garden.
A minute later, Kushi returned to the kitchen, feeling remorsefully hungry with the wait and, on seeing Lady Anjali there, asked why the Lords were taking so long in returning.
"I don't think I can bear it anymore," said Kushi, one hand patting at her scanty middle.
Lady Anjali smiled, "I was going to get myself a cup of tea. Maybe you can have one with me."
Kushi nodded, "I'd welcome anything to keep my mind off food."
When one of the maids handed the requested two cups of tea to Lady Anjali, the latter turned to find Kushi sitting by the window of the kitchen, watching something with rapt attention. When she joined Kushi, Lady Anjali found that she had been gazing at her sister, seated on a distant bench, overlooking the muddle of bushes in the garden corner.
Even from far, they could make out that Payal was cooing the child and marveling at her soundless giggle, while Ram tried to catch a butterfly that was fluttering over the violet flowers.
"Isn't it a pretty sight..." mumbled Kushi, sensing Lady Anjali's gaze was also on the person, "Jiji with the baby... she cares so much for others. She is like a mother to me."
Lady Anjali smiled and, after taking a sip of her tea, asked, "Would you tell me again, Kushi, the story of how your Jiji saved you from getting caned by the school headmaster?"
It may have been quite a very happy day what with all that was happening and all that was expected to happen a little later. Only what did happen was quite contrary.
In the proximity, a heart that blazed with fire was tormented by its sorrows and the moment in sensed the appearance of its enemy in the vicinity, it raged and turned wild with revengeful wrath.
Payal lay the child on the bed of soft grass , under the shade of a happy tree and asked Ram to watch over her while she went to pick some gentle flowers with which to make a crown for Anarkali.
Ram, amused at the object of being alone with his newborn companion, crouched on his knees and amused her with his fingers and face, while guarding her from every thing that chanced to make its course to her presence, be it a crawling insect or merely a falling leaf of the tree that shaded them.
Payal proceeded on her search for the best flowers, humming happily and occasionally blushing at the recurring thought of the exciting revelation that was to be made at the breakfast table that day.
Taking care to chose only white flowers for the wreath, she was walking about among the bushes in the garden when she thought she heard something from the darker bushes that lined the periphery of the Castle wall.
She paused, holding the flowers in the cup of her hands, and scanned the territory. Nothing seemed to be disturbed and there was no sign of any movement. She was about to return her thoughts back to the flowers when, from the corner of her eye, she thought she had seen a shadow flit from a bush to another.
She hadn't quite seen what it was but she had sensed its dangerous presence, making a terrified shiver run down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stand.
Almost at once, not waiting to know if it was real or imagined, she rushed out of the flower garden, yelling, "Ram!"
Sensing the panic in her voice, Ram looked up and saw her running towards them.
Feeling something was untoward, he didn't wait for her to reach them, but picked up little Anarkali in his careful little hands and, turning around, dashed in the direction of the Castle backdoor.
Payal rushed after them, keeping herself as a barrier that hindered whatever it was from reaching the racing children.
A huge shadow insinuated above her, darkening the grass under her running feet, but she kept her gaze away from the fearful thing, while letting her fear feel slightly relieved that the children were running over grass lit by the sun and not dismayed by the shadow.
Gripping the sides of her gown, she rushed for the Castle as fast as her legs could take her, the gathered white flowers crushed in her frantic fists and strewing behind her as she tried to evade the shadow behind her.
All at once, as she heard the sound of women at the distant doorway receiving Ram and Anarkali, the relief of their being safe and the panic of her being not, grappled at her momentum and she stumbled on her feet and fell face first into the grass.
The horrific darkness of the shadow was on her, enveloping her in blinding fear as she gripped her pale fingers at the grass beneath her.
And then a strong hand gripped on her shoulder and screaming, she looked up only to find herself staring into the face of her worried husband.
"Payal!" his voice was wrought with anxiety, "Payal, what-"
She didn't wait for him to complete. Putting her arms around his neck in a gripping hug, she pulled him to his knees beside her, letting her racing heartbeats be calmed against the loving warmth of his saving presence.
She could feel Kushi and Nani beside her but she cared only about the man whose arms were protectively around her.
As relief washed over her, she whispered, "Oh, Akashji...I was so scared..."
"What scared you?" the worried Akash was dying to know, as he helped her slowly to her feet, "Why were you running? Don't you know you're-"
"Akashji..." Payal murmured weakly, one hand pressed against her dizzying head, at the very moment that Mamaji, who was standing before them, cautioned his son, "Akashbitwa!"
Holding his wife standing against him, Lord Akash looked at his father.
Lord Manohar's face was contorted with a mixture of emotions. A tinge of realized joy that was now marked with horrified sorrow. His eyes were on Payal's gown as she stood dizzily against her husband. Akash realized in one paralyzing moment that all the others, family and servants, mirrored his father's expression. Torn expressions that were all looking brokenly at the ominous red spreading its vulture wings across the beautiful blue of her gown.
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