RAJKUMARI CHANDRIKA
I smiled as I looked into the raging rain outside. The streams of mountains had became rivers of mud and stones as they joined the river. In Hind Kush the rivers only flow for the brief time of few weeks in summer and the hot streams are too hot for use. I had never seen this amount of warm water falling from the sky. "Princess you will get cold in the storm." I heard Princess Amrita said sipping from her steaming glass of tea as she sat leg propelled over the couch playing cards with Malvika. The Princess of Kamboj was not that big with rules and regulations. I came to know it the moment she dived headfirst into the common large pond in the inner courtyards of Aavesharahit Mahal to save a rabbit with unknowingly wandered in. There isn't much light just slight brightness.
Malvika and she bonded instantly over their love for sharp weapons and abusive fathers. She is probably the first person who didn't flinched when Malvika launched into a extremely detailed process of how she killed her abusive father with a knife she found in pantry. She even looked eager as she bite into her red apple not removing her gaze. "Don't worry princess. I am used to more cold than this." I shouted over the thundering voice of river and lightning. The air here is crisp and fresh. I spreaded my arms wide as the refreshing drops pelted against my skin and my face drenching me in their calm embrace. This is heaven I thought. My calm pose was broken as soon as the lightening strucked the mounts and the rain turned into a thunderstorm.
I frowned as I felt sudden shift in the energies surrounding us. The silent and calm energies were went into in a violent turmoil. Like someone thrown a large anchor into a calm sea disturbing it's calm surface. Sending wide and strong ripples across it. Alerting the people. The same way I felt myself alerted to this new yet not so new presence. I felt this presence many times since I came here two days ago. It intensified a bit when Amrita reached here today morning but not at this alarming rate. I frowned. Something is not right with either this place or me. I moved further into the balcony looming over the edge. All brighteness gone from the sky replaced with pitchless darkness.
I moved my eyes back to glance at Malvika and Princess Amrita who are still paying their entire consentration on the game in their hands. I signed and moved my head forward and stumbled back and fallen on the wet floor. A black shadow peered at me. It's head like structure identified by the two red almond like eyes looking at me before speeding in the downwards direction. Towards where the banks are present. It's progress was hidden by heavy and tell trees surrounding. I took in deep breaths. For a moment the air pressure became almost to much to bear. "Are you okay. My Liege." Malvika asked reshuffling the cards. "I am." I said back trying to calm my heavy breaths.
I went inside and dried myself dressing in one of the most comfortable dress I possessed for this weather. Sheathing my knifes I put up my hood. "I am going for a stroll." I said and before anyone can object slipped out of the room closing it my behind. I closed my eyes trying to focus all of my consentration on my surroundings. Trying to comb out even a smallest of small hint of magic present anywhere near. Soon the familiar vibration of the evil magic reached me. I followed the thin thread with gradually became stronger and thicker. My feets stamping over the patches of water. The rain drops fallen over my covered head draining away from the fur. All the energies converged as I came near the bank of river. It all was concentrated on a single spot where a figure was examining the ground.
PRINCE ARIV
My footfalls were muted by the soft carpet spreaded infront of the fireplace hissing in my quarters as if bravely trying to fight against the cold winds from the lands beyond the snow capped mounts of Brahmagiri. The thunderstorm pelted against the glasses, windows and stones of my palace. The voice is also muffled. Since evening the Alaknanda had taken a evil form and showing us her anger to us in the form of huge monstrous waves which are crashing against the banks at present. The large distance between my palace and the river was not enough to totally muffle down the crashes as well as the strange yet powerful lighting taking its reign over the mighty sky.
I wondered for a second that if we have to organise a prayer to calm down the angery deities so they serve mercy to us and give us back our serene Alakananda which fed the prosperous capital of ours since our pioneers decided to settle down on this holy land. I strolled casually infront of fireplace like every night reading one of the many books present in my never ending collection of books accommodating two out of four walls of my luxurious abode for fifteen years. My sword resting on the table along with a glass of wine for later in night. The storm was past its prime now and towards its end. It won't be long when we will have to dispatch troops to see if there are any casualties to the storm this time and how much lose people had endured as well.
"Your highness..." I heard my second in command say as he bragged in unannounced. I snapped shut my book in annoyance and thrown a glare at him. He knows better than disturbing my reading. The only thing I cherish than that damned crown and throne. "What..." I asked as he looked down at his feets. Which are muddy and his lower is slightly stained with mud showing he was running here through the rain to inform me of something important. "There had been another murder. Your highness." He said as a monstrous lightning cracked in the sky followed by increase in the pelting of rain against the windows and stones. Look like the storm is back.
My feets were soaked into the muddy water of rain as I walked carefully on the slippery ground leading to the banks were the bodies were kept before but the only difference is the bodies are long removed and cremated as unknown. The people are reported as missing not dead. I stepped down the stairs which are flowing with rainy water into the a small diverted branch of Alaknanda and then back into the river itself. I shuddered at the thoughts of any nameless head flowing with the course of river downstream. The sky is still pitch black. The only light was the oil lamp I brought for my aid. Sure Maharaj's soilders did a good job of wiping out any presence of bodies or blood from here and if any where left the water from rain washed it out long back before the news reached my éars in late fifth pahar of day.
The three bodies found in mid time of fifty pahar (7:30 pm) were disposed by late fifth (9 pm) pahar. Maharaj sure have a way with his reign. If not for few of my soilders heard the rumors and immediately investigated the news would have been buried forever along with the bodies. "You look lost Your Highness." I heard a femine voice say drawing me out of my tendinous thought process. I looked over my shoulder to find the crown princess of Hind Kush staring at me with same type of light lamp in her hands. Her five feet and five inches body covered in a cloak made up of weird type of fur which I think is protecting her from both rain and cold.
"Princess. What are you doing here ?" I asked in suprise turning towards her looking in her unique blue eyes. A colour I never saw on anyone before. "I can ask you the same." She said giving a simple smile this one looked more genuine than the one I got two days ago. "Inspecting the banks to see if we have any flood threats here." I lied easily with a smile. Her smile flattered for a moment but remained that I can pass it as my silly imagination. "And you ?" I repeated the same wanting to know her reason to roam in the crackling lightning and dangerous storm. "We don't have many rains in Hind Kush. Not of this extent any ways. I just want to see once. What if they never come again." She said with a child like curiosity in her voice unlike her warrior like demeanor. I smiled at her.
"Don't worry the rain will happen again and again till it's purpose is reached." A forgein tone escaped my throat as I frowned in confusion. I don't even know what this means. The tone was mind yet very much unfamiliar. Like another person speaking through my throat. "Are you okay Rajkumar ?" I felt Chandrika's hand on my shoulder. A wave of current ran through me as I got lost in a darken baseless abyss.
I woke up with a splitting headache to hear someone chanting something around me. I frowned. Where I am ? I thought as I looked around to find a warm hand in mine. Princess Chandrika is looking at me with same confused expression only hers looked more alarmed than me. The voice of chanting grown louder along with light of rays. We both looked at the direction of light and got up lightly treading carefully on the forest floor which is suprisingly devoid of any crackling dried leaves or stones. Only soft moist soil. This type of soil is only found in upper valleys of Himalaya near Bhramagiri border which is devoid of the annoying presence of humans due to its chilling cold and snow slides.
The chants were not in any language I am familiar with. It was neither Sanskrit nor any Devanagiri script I know of which is nearly impossible. My eyes diverted towards Chandrika who is walking towards the lightened clearing infront of us where the chants are coming from. I was suprisingly brave in this unknown place or perspective. I think if you throw a eight year old boy infront of a whole pack of hungry wolves the fear of death will leave him for better part of his life. But Chandrika looked as if she is frightened of something she knows. The clearing came into view. Hidden behind a huge tree we looked into the clearing to find two figures sitting within a circle. From the distance it was difficult to see who are they.
Few warriors lurking around in shadows as if they are one with it I wondered how they never noticed us. A lady was muttering the incarnate. The sky was full with white moon which is reflecting it's peerless beauty in the lake behind them. I narrowed my eyes to see better in the brightness. Two boys were sitting in strange circles. Suddenly one collasped. I heard a painful yet surprised shriek come from somewhere as my eyes widened in horror as his body caught on fire instantaneously like it was a log of fire not a living or breathing person. The other boy stood up and smiled mercilessly. His eyes devoid of any emotions looked at the lady who shrieked now caught by those shadow like gaurds.
He smiled at her sinisterly as her stomach was cut open by those black shadows her insides spilling out. But there is another expression on her face as if she accomplished something. Soon a black wisp of smoke escaped from both the bodies and converged as one forming a single form. The entity itself is formless and shapeless except for the two almond like red eyes which appeared to be too perfect to be real. The warriors around it fallen down with bleeding throat. Before we can see what happened further we were thrown back into present.