Chapter 22 The Reluctant Rescue #3
“Don’t play coy, Sameera. You know what I mean,” said Chandra seriously.
“All right.” Sameera gave up her pretense. “If you must know, everyone was worried about you after what we heard happened in those caves. And when we came to know you were headed toward the Temple City of Brihadeeshwar, I volunteered to come see you.”
“Not that I am happy to see you, but what was so urgent you had to come meet me? In the middle of a quest? Disguise is paramount and it could get dangerous.” Chandra frowned, realizing something else. “And how’d you know we were heading here?”
Sameera was the daughter of a merchant and a self-confessed biggest gossip in the kingdom.
She somehow knew all the juiciest tidbits.
Until Guruji recruited her into his schemes, Chandra thought that was all she had to offer.
But under his guidance, she had become an important part of their group.
Sameera often joked she couldn’t keep a secret, but that was patently untrue.
It was others who had difficulty keeping secrets from her.
“I have my sources,” she said enigmatically. “So, Kalpana tells me your husband is very handsome. I haven’t seen him yet, so I reserve judgment, but I was hoping you could rectify that.”
“I am actually hoping we wouldn’t run into him as I just gave his tail a slip,” admitted Chandra a little sheepishly.
“A tail? He’s having you followed?” Sameera turned an incredulous face toward her.
“Oh yes,” said Chandra, nodding emphatically. “Believe me, the man has trust issues as deep as the ocean. Bet he didn’t think I’d realize his pet kite has been following me around. His Highness would surely be pissed to know I figured it out. Serves him right.”
“Wait, his kite has been following you around? As in a pet kite?” Sameera’s large eyes widened so much, Chandra felt an irrational desire to laugh.
“He has a freakish connection with his cantankerous bird, more so than any other animals he controls—” She broke off seeing the worry on her friend’s face. “Don’t worry. His power extends only to the animals. I haven’t seen any signs that he can control human minds.”
“That’s a relief.” Sameera placed a hand on her chest as she let out a breath and launched into a story about a mutual acquaintance back home.
Chandra glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye as she chattered away. What exactly were these “sources” Sameera had mentioned earlier. It wasn’t the first time she had puzzled over the way her friend seemed to know stuff before everyone else.
She used to think that Sameera used her large circle of contacts to gather information, but that explanation had been falling flat these days. The type of news she knew wasn’t something one discussed over refreshments or social visits. Or obtained by conventional means.
Chandra felt vaguely ashamed for doubting her friend, who had been a staunch support to her. Besides, Guruji trusted her. That ought to be enough for her.
They moved to a bangle seller’s shop and marveled at the colorful array of bangles, but while Sameera brought several pairs, Chandra declined, saying she needed to maintain appearances of being tight on money.
“Anyway, his bird is a piece of work,” said Chandra, resuming their earlier conversation, giving the blue-and-red set of bangles a longing look.
They would’ve matched the saree she had been planning to wear for the festival, but they were far too expensive for an impoverished couple who came to the temple city in search of work.
“Nearly bit off my finger when I tried to give it a sweetmeat,” she continued, holding up her finger, which had a cloth bandage tied at the end. “I wonder what birds have against my fingers?”
The deep rich fabric of Sameera’s red saree caught her eye as they left the shop. As befitting her social status, Sameera was always attired properly, reflecting her family’s well-to-do status. She also traveled freely, more so than any unmarried woman Chandra had met, in her limited experience.
Sameera’s family appeared to give her a lot of leeway. Chandra had no idea what kind of people they were, having never met any of them, except for Sameera’s brother, who was entirely forgettable beside his more gregarious sibling.
But they certainly didn’t seem to stint their daughter any comforts. The jewelry Sameera wore was custom-made and suited her round face. Chandra had often made use of the same jeweler, but the results she got from her commissions were a hit or miss.
But then, her requests, where jewelry was concerned were…unusual to say the least.
“So how did you escape being followed?” Sameera asked with interest as they made their way toward an elephant enclosure.
“I set loose a rat before I took off and exchanged my dress with Matangi and instructed her to proceed in the opposite direction,” said Chandra with a smug smile. “If he tracks by sight, that should confuse him. If by scent, the clothes I lent should be enough to befuddle him.”
They passed a stall where elephants were being readied for a display.
A decorative golden harness inlaid with precious stones was being tied around one.
The harness was connected to a palanquin on the top, where the idol of Brihadeeshwar would be placed tomorrow for its transport up to the confluence of rivers.
Several handlers with long, sharp-tipped spears herded the elephants so they would stand still.
Chandra and Sameera bought sugarcane and spent a while feeding the elephants.
“You’ve gone to some lengths to avoid his companion. Maybe he just wants to keep an eye on you for your own protection?” Sameera stroked an elephant down its long leathery trunk.
“I can take care of myself. If he plans to keep things secret from me, then he needs to understand that I won’t take it lying down,” said Chandra, a frown pulling her mouth. “A taste of his own medicine should be just the thing. Look, a puppet show. Let’s go watch.”
“So, things are the same between you two?” asked Sameera, her eyes downcast with disappointment. “Your mother and Kalpana were hoping you could reconcile your differences.”
“He should want to compromise too. It can’t just come from me,” argued Chandra.
Both went silent for a while, watching the lively puppet show play a scene from a popular fable. A gaggle of children vied for front-seat position.
“Have you told him yet?” Sameera whispered.
Chandra stiffened as if caught by a giant vise.
“Chandra?” prompted Sameera.
“No, no, I haven’t.”
“Why not?” asked Sameera, cocking her head in a confused look. “He gave you his word that he wouldn’t harm Kalpana or Sarun. So, what’s holding you up?”
Chandra couldn’t answer it herself. After so many years of guarding the secret closely, she was loathe to give it up. Even if by revealing it she would’ve cleared her name to a certain degree, she was just as guilty of playing loose with the truth.
When it came to choosing between the lives of two people close to her and the peace between kingdoms, she had made her choice.
And what if he didn’t believe her? That would be even worse.
She didn’t fear his anger as much as his…disappointment?
Her breath caught. Was this at the root of her reluctance? Because she cared what he thought? He saw her as a misguided patriot now. What if he believed her to be a liar after hearing everything?
To rip away his shades and reveal herself for what she was—mistakes and all—no. She wasn’t ready yet. And besides, what urgency was there anyway?
Chandra shook herself out of her reverie. “Never mind that. How are things back home? Any news about the whereabouts of my brother?” she asked, changing the subject.
Sameera looked like she wanted to say more but gave her an inscrutable look before following her lead and dropping the matter. “They have tracked his journey to as far as the borders of the Kingdom Manipura, after that, all his trace disappears.”
“If they haven’t found anything concrete, we can still hold out that he is alive somewhere. I hope he is safe and returns to us soon,” remarked Chandra, paying the puppet master.
“King Chandraketu’s condition is stable, though, so that is some good news,” said Sameera, buying soan papdi from a nearby street vendor. Kids flocked to her once she began distributing the flaky sweet set in a cone-like receptacle.
“That is good news, indeed. If he gets better soon, things may stabilize in the kingdom,” remarked Chandra, having a taste of the sweetmeat herself.
“We feel your loss, but things are holding,” said Sameera, dusting her hands.
“At least the arrival of Prince Veer scared most of the council into behaving. And Thianvelli also seems to have gone quiet. We hardly had any attacks on the borders since the last one, when they burned villages to the ground.”
“I’m glad.”
“Chandra—”
“Oh, look, there are acrobat performers. Let’s go watch,” said Chandra, turning away, eager to avoid hearing what her friend was trying to say.
“Chandra, stop.” Sameera grabbed her arm. “You can’t run away forever. The prince deserves to know the truth.”
Chandra watched as the acrobats soared high, bouncing off a stretched net over a metal frame, turning somersaults into the air to the wide cheers of people.
Another was nimbly traversing a rope stretched between two poles, carrying a heavy horizontal shaft for balance. She had loved such shows as a child.
But the realization that things invariably changed and to move forward was to invite the possibility of pain was such a hard concept for her.
“Why!” she said plaintively, turning away from the spectacle to face her friend. “Why can’t things stay the way they are? Everyone goes home safe and happy.”
“It’s not the same, Princess. Imagine if you were in his shoes.” Sameera’s large doe eyes widened with a sort of understanding that made Chandra feel itchy on the inside, knowing she was right.
“I thought you would be on my side even if Kalpana isn’t,” she said defensively, to hide the hurt.