Loving You Through Lifetimes

A Shortcut to the Crown Prince

I woke up from the bed with a start and looked around me. What an odd dream!

It was a strange dream where I was a Yaksha woman. I was in so much distress in my dream. I had apparently witnessed the death of my Rakshasa lover!

"LADIES! WAKE UP NOW!" came a shout from across the hallway. I got up reluctantly and within moments, the elderly Matron walked in. She ordered the maids to help me get dressed and decked in jewels. 

When she saw that I was still zoning out, she smacked my cheek, "Focus!" she screamed into my face, "Tonight, you will be serving the Crown Prince in bed. Is this how you will serve him? You must make him feel the heavenly bliss that Indra would experience in the arms of an Apsara!" 

I nodded and listened to her boring strictures for a while. 

Evening arrived and the Matron appeared again before me, "Poor dear! Today, the Crown Prince was held back by an Emergency War Council! The King commanded him to attend at once!" 

I cursed fate inwardly but there was little I could do to change it now. I decided to not waste a beautiful moonlit evening. I went out for a stroll and felt the mild chill of early winter in the air. 

While I was walking, suddenly, I heard the whoosh of arrows. My instincts kicked in but I remembered that I was supposed to be a harmless princess. I allowed the arrows to graze my arm and pretended to collapse to the ground.

"Prince!" came a shout and someone rushed over to me. He checked my pulse and helped me sit up. 

I saw a remarkably handsome man with golden skin, amber eyes and a strapping build.  

"Prince, please apologize to her" my rescuer said, sternly. I saw a little prince who offered his deepest apologies, his small wings trembling from remorse.

"This is the Crown Prince's legitimate firstborn" said my rescuer, "I am Devasakha, the Royal Physician..." 

 The prince interrupted, "You are not just a physician! You are my father's best friend! You have been family friends with him since childhood! Why don't you let others ever know how important you are!?"

Thank you gods for this opportunity, I thought, "Sir Physician, my arm hurts a lot! Could you please relieve my pain?" 

"Of course!" he said, concernedly, "Allow me..." Saying so, he lifted me up with ease in his arms. He fluttered his wings rapidly and we began to fly in the air. I thought a physician would be thin but I could feel the sturdy muscles against my body. 

We landed in front of his clinic which was a luxurious marble mansion. He led me inside and laid me down on a cot. After checking my pulse, he applied some medicine to my wound. I pretended as if the medicine stung. He patted my back gently and held my hand reassuringly. 

If you behave like a gentleman, I will end up thinking there are decent Suparnas!  I moved away and profusely thanked him. 

"You are welcome, please let me escort you outside" he offered a hand, I leaned on it as we began walking out. 

Get his attention! He can give you the most information on the Crown Prince,  I pretended to trip and he caught me with an arm. 

I gazed up at him with adoration in my eyes, "You saved me yet again, how can I repay your kindness?" 

My mistake was in assuming that he had no experience in women because he seemed so uptight. I could see that his eyes turned cold and he softly pushed me away, "I merely did my duty, thank you for your kind words" Saying so in a frosty voice, he turned on his heel and left me behind. 

I heard feminine giggling and turned around to see other concubines of the Crown Prince. They must have seen Devasakha and they were gossiping about him. 

"He is so handsome!" one tittered, "No woman can resist his looks" simpered another.

I went up to them, "A man so good-looking must already have someone waiting for him at home!" I smiled. 

They recognized me because all the Crown Prince's concubines wear a special emerald brooch. 

"No" they laughed, "He is not the marrying kind of man. He broke several women's hearts after he ended his numerous love affairs" 

"Then, can you let me know what kind of women caught his fancy?" I whispered.

"Oh, I see that you are as smitten with him as we are!" they giggled, "He is fond of feisty women who speak their mind. He cannot stand flatterers and desperate women" 

I smiled and pretended to join in the gossip with a few juicy topics of my own. After we bonded rather well, we headed back to our quarters in Rasa Bhavana. 

After digging for more information, I found our that he was attracted to women who shared his passion for medical sciences. I came to know that though he was the Suparna Commander-in-Chief's eldest son. Devasakha was a master of the martial arts but he voluntarily chose to take up medicine. 

When I heard that he was a physician, I did not have any hatred towards him. When I learnt that he was the son of the Suparna Commander who massacred the Nagas, my hatred grew tenfold. 

Next Day

I held the palm-leaf manuscript on medicinal plants in my hands. I pretended to try to identify each plant in the Crown Prince's garden. 

Most men were forbidden from entering the harem quarters but the Crown Prince's only best friend was permitted as the exception. With my Naga superior hearing, I knew he was approaching. 

"Is that Charaka Samhita?"[1] 

"Yes" I smiled, "I was curious if the plants mentioned here can be found in this garden" 

"You will find all kinds of medicinal plants here. However, plants with toxins or poisons are banned" He knelt down beside me, "This is Ashvagandha[2] which boosts immunity. This is Brahmi[3] which calms the mind" 

"Can you suggest herbs that improve fertility?" I asked. 

"Certainly" he said, "This is Shatavari[4] which improves the activities of the female reproductive system."

GLOSSARY:

[1] Charaka Samhita: The Charaka Samhita is a Sanskrit text on Ayurveda. Along with the Sushruta Samhita, it is one of the two foundational texts of this field that have survived from ancient India.

[2] Ashvagandha: Indian Winter Cherry

[3] Brahmi: Indian Pennywort

[4] Shatavari: Asparagus racemosus