No one really remembers exactly when Professor Dhiren Verma had first arrived in the neighborhood. Nobody asked who he was, and nobody bothered with the greetings. The house he had occupied was always quiet and punctually dark after seven in the evening. He was a ghostly figure who had nothing to talk about. Those who saw him were the early birds. He would step out of the house before sunrise, lock the door and walk away to the city's college.
It was not very surprising when the more than half of the students didn't know the old man either. He always stayed in his research lab, occasionally finding solace in the library reading ancient books about early kingdoms. A very little was deciphered from his actions.
On one particular night of mid-summer, he was startled when a knock interrupted his calculations. He put down his pencil, and walked out into the living room to open the front door. A man stood there, looking at him with grave eyes.
"Professor Verma?" He asked with clear urgency. Professor Verma nodded, a frown never leaving his forehead. The man pulled out a packet from his shirt and handed it to the bewildered professor. The stranger then turned around and walked away into the darkness with acute steps. Professor Verma closed the door and looked down at the packet in the fluorescent light. His face turned grave as he recognized the symbol embarked on the manila cover. He quickly broke the traditional seal and slid out a single piece of paper.
Professor Dhiren Verma,
His majesty will be sent under your guardianship on the second Saturday of May. Keep him safe.
The Royal Palace
(Written: 17th April 2013)
Professor's eyes read over the words again and again, until the comprehension was completely settled. He took a deep breath and put the letter back in its place. Then with tentative steps, he returned back to his calculations.
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