A Heart of Gold

Chapter 10: Nightfall Part - I

Almost the entire Suta and Kshatriya communities had turned up to see the Junior Chariot Race, which was held every year to find the best young charioteer. Held in two halves, one would be for the Kshatriyas, who would try to earn it as another accolade to flaunt, and the other for the Sutas, who would try to impress their future employers. For over a decade, all Sutas who had won the race had been employed in the Imperial army. Some, like Satyasena bhaiyya and his father, tried again for the Senior Race and ended up becoming the personal charioteer of either the Royal family or some high nobility. Radheya had never participated in it, even though he had been eligible since a year ago. His brother, younger by a year, also debuted this time. People from his colony, crowding to the right and segregated from the Kshatriyas by a rope barrier, looked with avid interest to see what Adhirath's sons would do. Radheya knew that he would be watched more closely than Shon, not only because he was the eldest and his father a past champion, but also because everyone knew of his clandestine desire to learn archery.

On the high podium sat the Grand Regent, magnificent and unearthly in his gravity, sublimity and magnanimity. His glance swept over them all, heavy as lead. Cornets flourished from all sides, and Radheya watched as a servant came up with an unnaturally big, white conch, ceremoniously bowing before him. The announcer, a dark, short, stout, and mustachioed man impatiently waved at the drummer beside him. Immediately, the booming sound of the instrument rolled over the field. The crowd fell silent. In his hand, the whip weighed a ton. Radheya looked around, detached and daunted. Not scared, just daunted, as if he had decided to go to the Himalayas for pilgrimage and realised halfway how difficult the journey was. He did not even hear the announcer call his name, or any of the others. It was only when the constant drumming and cheers stopped that he belatedly looked up to realise that the Grand Regent had lifted up the conch and was moments away from blowing it. He picked up the reins and gripped his whip at the very moment the conch sounded, signifying the start of the contest.

Radheya pulled the reins and the horses shot forward, intent upon the finish line.

Like arrows. Radheya immediately banished the thought.

Seconds into the race, Radheya regretted ever agreeing to drive Soumya, who was now jumping up and down on the chariot like a monkey, nearly turning it over in his excitement. Radheya tugged the reins, veering the vehicle to the right, and overtaking someone he barely recognized. Soumya let out an earsplitting shriek and spewed several uncharitable words in the direction of the overtaken lads. The crowd howled. In front of him, Parul kaki's son kept moving his chariot in front of Radheya's, more interested in keeping him behind than overtaking the one in front of him. Racing at the third spot, Radheya counted his options. In that split second of distraction, the chariot they had left behind surged forward, overtaking them, and rushing ahead. Unable to see what was happening, Parul kaki's son swept to the right, thinking that it was Radheya trying to overtake them. The two chariots crashed and rolled forward, taking the one at the second position down with them in a heap of horses and boys. Radheya pulled the reins. His horses leapt over the remnants. The crowd, baying for blood, cheered. He could hear Soumya turn around let out another stream of distinctly filthy words, perhaps accompanied by a crude gesture, at the fallen boys. Having only one opponent before him, Radheya jerked his chariot towards the right in a feint, the one in front of him veered right to block him, and drawing out a wide circle to the left, Radheya overtook him. Inches away from the finishing line, Radheya flicked the horses on their rumps, using the whip for the first time. The horses reared on their hind legs, and in a final burst of speed, broke through the finishing line, tearing the ribbon that demarcated it. Moments later, another chariot followed, and Radheya was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Shon.

"I was first, you feinted," he shouted over the noise of the crowd, the smile on his face betraying his apparent annoyance, even as the boy atop the chariot gestured a congratulations to him. Before Radheya could reply, he stood up on his seat and waved wildly, and Radheya turned to see their parents standing among the mass of people, Adhirath baba and Satyasena's family with a proud smiles and Radha maa with happy tears in her eyes. The moment was broken by Soumya, who leant forward, poked his shoulder, and urged, "A victory lap, suta."