The Haunted Fortress of Bhangarh: Book 1

37. Shifting dynamics

Sudha glimpsed at the branding on her wrist and beamed. "Yes. It's a familial thing."

Rudra could feel his heart drop and his head spin. "Fam-familial?"

She hummed. "It's an age-old tradition. All the women in our clan get this branding done when they turn fourteen. It's a reminder that our ancestors were worshippers of the mighty multi-hooded serpents revered in Hindu mythology."

"Old?" A ragged breath escaped his lips, and he found it difficult to respire. "How o-old?"

She waved her hands as her eyes shone with jubilance. "Has been in practice for so many centuries that none of us can trace the origins. My great-grandmother opined that this was a common practice in our tribe."

He bowed his head and gaped at his feet, deliberating over the dream he had in the afternoon. He had known for a long time now that the root cause of all his woes was the haunted fortress of Bhangarh, but another mystery was thrown into the mix with the introduction of the serpent branding being a tradition of Sudha's family. His lineage. His ancestors.

"According to folklore," Sudha resumed, "the village that housed our tribe went completely arid nearly seven hundred years ago. It was hit by repetitive droughts because of which the people had to move to another village southward. It eventually became the capital city of a tiny kingdom, and the tribe assimilated with the populace the royal family brought along. It was nestled between the hills and had enticing gardens of roses."

Sweatbeads trickled down his temples. "Pink... roses?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps."

He bit his lips and shook his head to get rid of the confusion clouding his brain. "Where was this village?"

"Rajasthan." She grinned. "I wouldn't know the exact location but not too far from Jaipur as far as I know."

He swallowed hard and rubbed his palms over his face.

"In fact, there is a very famous anecdote associated with the most popular warrior of our tribe. Most of the men in the clan were adept warriors recruited into the royal army of the kingdom. The best of the tribe became the royal commander of one of the most imperative posts in the army. An able and ruthless soldier but a calm and composed human. Fable says that he was a man who was fiercely loyal to the throne and protected his loved ones with fervor and valor few exhibit." A sad smile came up her lips. "I wanted to name you after the greatest warrior our lineage has seen. But then," she batted her eyelids to get rid of the moisture pooling in her orbs, "I had to give you up for adoption." She sniffled and dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the end of her immaculately worn saree. "Otherwise, I would've surely named you after him. Raghuveer..."

He had to dig his fingers into the cover of the sofa as he received another shock that left him gasping for air. "Raghuveer..." he murmured under his breath as his eyes furiously darted between Avinash and Sudha.

Avinash didn't notice the angst his son was in as he posed his question to the lachrymose woman. "If you don't mind me asking, Sudha ji, why did you give up Rudra for adoption?"

Sudha's lips parted, and she stared at Avinash for a prolonged second. "I was a single teenage mother. The ignominy and shame I brought to my family were immense. I yearned to keep him with me, but I was abandoned by my family and... and..." She shut her eyes, and Rudra could tell the woman was in acute pain. "I..." She sniveled. "I was all alone, supported by an orphanage where Rudra was born. I had no money and no place to go. Had I not given him up for adoption, I wouldn't have been able to provide him with even the basic necessities. I half hoped that a wonderful family would come along and take him home, provide him with love and care." She let out a watery giggle. "And my prayers were answered, weren't they? He got the best family I could've asked for."