FF Hearts in the ....dark chp 1 pg 1 15/1

~~To and fro Wilderness~~

Smiling chirpily the birds swirled around the lady's arms, dressed in red and black she caressed one of the sparrows. Running behind the birds, holding them, caressing and nursing them. She spent her time in the open much to her maid's distress.

Sitting on the warm grass, she turned around only to find chirping swans near the calm waters of Bhagirathi. Jodha suddenly started running towards the beautiful swans. When suddenly an arrow as fierce as lightning hit her right leg. "Aahh" cried the young princess. Jodha looked in the direction of the arrow, displeasure clearly visible on her face. The soldiers ran in the direction of the lone arrow to find none, not a single soul was seen in the dark brihangas. The lady servants carried Jodha in, where the royal vaidya Ayurvati dressed her right leg and left the frazzled princess to rest.

Jodha stared at the glass chandelier, thinking about the just failed assassin attempt. The medicine showed its effect quiet slowly, as the princess drowned into slumber.

"Aahh" came a shrill voice. The princess felt burning sensation. She was burning inside out.

The flames of fire were everywhere around, about to touch Jodha's skin. A strong lass like her was breaking down in the fire blazes. Taking deep breathes she was running here and there .The hot fires were burning her mind and soul. Looking down from the heights she feared not to have been safe. The emperor was watching everything from a safe distance. An urge developed in him to save her, but her dark orbs her dark hair made him stop. The princess's angavastram was on fire, the lower chiffon was about to catch fire, she wanted him to stop, to turn back. But he did none of that. "Oh! Not again" the princess woke up alarmed, fear written on her face. The remembrance left her baffled, the sour memories hit her hard, yet what conspired that day left her somewhat relieved. The continuing dreams of him left the princess in fear. The more she thought, the darker it got.

Two young ladies came running towards the princess's bed.

"Reva, Veerni" said Jodha in a monotonous voice.

"Yes, your highness" said Reva shivering.

"My lady, Acharya Gargideva is here" added Veerni.

"Pitratulya" Jodha repeated shocked.

"Yes My lady" Veerni blurted out.

With the announcement of the royal Prime minister's arrival the two maids left shivering.

"Pitratulya" Jodha said limping towards the royal prime minister of Nantes.

"Ayushman Bhav" Gargideva blessed Jodha as she bowed down to take her God father's blessings.

Even before the two conversed, a lady not more than 5 feet entered.

"Krittika" Gargideva drew out his sword at the breach of royal protocol.

The Chief Secretary of Amer stood there composed. "Yes, Gargideva" the lady whimpered bowing with an attempt to show respect.

"Don't do what you don't mean" ordered Gargideva angrily.

In a jiffy he asked her to leave the room. But the headstrong lady didn't budge. Studying her Pitratulya's expression Jodha stepped forward to stop the heated argument that had followed between the two royalties.

"Your highness, the king of Amer demands your arrival".

Gargideva glared at Krittika for a few seconds and then asked her to leave. But the yet again the lady was adamant on her decision of staying. Ignoring Krittika's comments Jodha spoke up, "Pitratulya", getting the cue he narrated the long story of her father's ill health and at last said, "He needs you, Jodha"

"Yes Pitratulya".

"I will have the arrangements made" said Gargideva still glaring at Krittika.

"But My lady" Krittika attempted to change the princess's mind.

"Ekaant" shouted the lady.

The long journey towards Nantes began; the princesses travelled in the middle with two empty palanquins at the extremes a standard Swadeshi measure. Gargideva took up charge at the centre with Aristenami and Mysrenik, the two Ameri royal brigades at the end.

The palanquin carrying Jodha was quiet steady. The princess looked outside with gloomy smile, all energy sucked out of her. Things revolved in her head, first about the assassin, then the dream and her father, it revolved in a circle, she was going back. But then suddenly something unusual struck her. "Fire" she shouted looking at the small one nearby. "Where are we?" she asked the royal guard. "In Kaavi your highness" said the soldier dressed in red and orange the traditional Swadeshi colours. "That's not possible" Jodha thought to herself.

"Sati" she called out to her best friend.

"Yes Jodha" the lady whispered from the other side of the palanquin.

"Isn't Fire unusual in Kaavi" said Jodha.

"But Why?" asked, Sati not paying much attention to her friend's words.

"Don't act foolish, Sati the people of Kaavi consider fire to be inauspicious, even at night they sleep in the dark for their poor kingdomnly laws" said Jodha.

"Ask Gargideva no, he surely must be knowing a thing or two".

Thinking deeply Jodha waited, sighing deeply, considering it inappropriate, she was back to her thoughts. But suddenly something odder stuck her. There was blood on the leaves, as if that wasn't enough swords made place between the side checks. She knew she ought to talk now.

The palanquin halted, as Jodha moved swiftly towards the front, others stood nonchalant for the arrival of their princess, while guards bowed their head in respect, Gargideva stood stern.

"Jodha, What is it my daughter"? said Gargideva.

"Pitratulya" looking at the crowds twice Jodha said again, "This place seems quite unusual".

"There is nothing unusual Jodha, it just their customary rights are changed, more of it, there's only danger here. Nodding Jodha left the place immediately, yet the strangeness filled her heart.

Sitting in the palanquin she couldn't stop thinking of the unusual occurrences. The warming breeze was the only comfort, the soldier nearby brought something unusual again.

"Rajkumarisa, here this I found it near the Kaavi temple". Said Drapaku one of the captains of the royal caravan.

Looking at the strange piece of cloth made of costly pelt, Jodha felt sudden unease, and touching it again she examined it careful enough to not let it fall. Then she realized it just wasn't a piece of cloth it was a letter, she opened it carefully, the upper portion was burnt, the lower portion read

Pawan chalat weh dehe badhavay

Jal peevat weh jeev ganvavay

Hai weh piyari sundar naar,

Naar nahin par hai weh naar.

[With the blow of wind she flares up,

And dies as soon as she drinks water;

Even though she is a pretty woman,

She's not a woman, though she's feminine.]

She couldn't understand a word, it seemed to be a riddle. But what surprised her was the place it was found. "Kaavi isn't so fond of riddles" she thought for a moment, when her eyes fell on the stamp, fear engripped her heart, it wasn't from Kaavi, it was from Moghuls. A sudden displeasure took over the calm smile on her face. She hid it under her angavastram.

The road turned and as night dawned it became more risky to leave the city. The royal palanquin halted, as different Tents were setup, the royal ladies in the middle surrounded by the royal brigades followed by the soldiers and the horses.

The couch was soothing for the lady; winds blew heavily, her long hairs moved to and fro. The atmosphere was chilly; the tranquil place was filled with activity, the princess was deep in thoughts, the intriguing letter she just found was cause of the unusual Kaavi, she felt, but Moghuls and Kaavi made no sense to young lass. It was going nowhere. Her return to Nantes just conveyed her helplessness. Her mind flooded with questions, "Was it him, and was it him"? But she silenced all of them, rubbed her nose a bit and then left the place. As the sun rose, the morning brought unpleasant cold, the weather reflected remorse, it was all gloomy as if conveying the change of winds, the royal palanquin moved faster as the princess rested her head, and the bolted up misery of returning was finally thawing.

As days passed and the distance to Nantes reduced, the atmosphere seemed gloomier than ever, the usually calm winds were blowing ferociously. The winds were blowing heavily signalling the change of weather. Her life had taken a turn a very strange and sharp turn, life was getting unexpected for the young princess. As the royal palace of Nantes arrived a torch was lit and the flag hoisted high conveying the arrival of their princess. When suddenly she heard cries all around ,they started ringing in her ears ,the already gloomy atmosphere suddenly filled with grief, the once calm palace was filled with noise , noise so loud that the caravan outside could hear it. Jodha's heart sank she hadn't expected this, fear clearly written on her face. She prayed to the almighty asking him to prove her wrong for the very first time. The doors of the royal palace flung open. Jodha could see her Dadisa waiting with a thal of aarti. Her gloomy face held painful calmness.

"Welcome back Jodha" said old lady with discomfort.

Jodha touched her granny's feet, but the old lady was unmoved, when suddenly touched Jodha's head blessing her and holding her close began sobbing.

"Jodha, king of Nantes, your father is no more". She heard her Dadisa say. A heavy pang of grief hit the young princess.

"Jalal" she declared, "You will now on live in fear, fear of me, I promise"

*****

The sky above dark, even the morning sun couldn't erase the darkness of the place. The wilderness were great hindrance in his path, he ran as far as he could, till he reached his army, the strong and sneaky one. His face shone again in the moonlight the sight was pretty calm irrespective of the dark dangers, the winds were calmer. The moonlight lit the place a bit. Yet, nothing was visible in those dark brihangas. He coaxed at the failed attempt. And smiled at his fate, as the sky's stirred with uncountable stars, he snubbed his sore life. The war was yet to begin and he had the feeling of winning it. A myriad of emotions ran through him grief, betrayal, happiness, disbelief and anxiety. But he seemed to be happier than the rest.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Happy makar sankranti all