Flashback (4 years before present)
(12 years left of the stay period)
“... since then Tak, a royal member of the Mirintak tribe, became known as a worshipper of ancestors and was blessed with power to change appearance at his will. It was in his honour that all ancestors are referred to as ‘Tak’ and this island also came to be known as ‘Tak’.”
“No one really knows what the 5 tribes were known as, before the birth of Tak. But after his birth, all the tribes changed their name to include Tak in it. They thought it would bring them good luck and ancestral blessings. Hence the names- Mirintak, Critaka, Detaksu, Atakul and our own tribe Bertakog came into being. Note it down on your papers everyone, as it has a high probability of being asked in the final exams.”
“And yes I forgot to mention, It was also why Mirintaks had been chosen as the rulers of the Island, before Critakas replaced them.”
Few students hollered in the back of the class, which was basically a large sized room with no doors, and spaces for windows, through which lush vegetation could be easily seen. The teacher scolded those backbenchers and made snarky comments about their abysmal scores, as usual.
None of it bothered Kamal though, as he was lost somewhere else today.
Usually very alert during the classes and listening carefully to the teacher, that was Sarthak's and his thing and the reason for their great marks. Not to forget the reason why they were bullied as well.
Well, mostly it was Kamal who was bullied. No one ever bullied Sarthak as Sarthak always beat everyone in military training as well as all types of combat training. So they picked on Kamal extra, to compensate for their humiliation.
Today though, he didn't even pay attention to the teacher making fun of his bullies’ dung brains, which had always made Sarthak and him laugh, glee with happiness.
Infact Kamal was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice that even Sarthak wasn't paying attention today.
“ So where were we?” the teacher asked, finally done with his rant and moving to the front of the classroom again.
“You said Tak got powers to change appearances,” a student, who was sitting to the left of Kamal, answered.
“Ah, yes. So the day Tak was granted those powers, is what we all celebrate as Takotsav every year. It is a festival to remember and honour our ancestors and the Tak, and is the main festival of our island.”
“Sir, What about the Takols?” asked the bully, whose name was Tanmay. Although still indignant at the humiliation, the topic was enough to make him forget that momentarily.
Almost at once, all of the class sat up in excitement, a never-before seen sight in the Island history subject class.
If there was one topic that the whole island loved to discuss, it was Takols.
Shocked, even Kamal came to himself, as this lecture was of paramount importance to him. More so than anyone else.
It was his chance to find out more about Takols, whom his father never discussed despite his long lectures on almost every other thing.
Beside him, he felt even Sarthak sit up and a smile came up on his face.
Takols were such a mystery for a reason and they caught everyone's attention, no matter what. No one on this island, no matter how nonchalant, could pass a group of people discussing Takols and not stop to listen.
Strange, Kamal thought to himself, the mystique and the hold this topic still had, when everyone in Tak island practically grew up hearing the tales of Takols ever since birth.
“Tanmay, so kind of you to finally grace us with your attention. Did the sun rise from the west today?” The teacher said in a mock impressed voice.
The whole class had turned to look at Tanmay, laughing at his expense. Kamal turned too, and saw Tanmay muttering under his breath.
Kamal faced the teacher again, noticing for the first time that Sarthak was not paying attention, not even turning to look at Tanmay with everyone else. Sarthak was strangely staring straight ahead, at the teacher.
“We will be learning about Takols in the next class. And I want an essay on Tak on before we begin the next class. Those who fail to do it,” the teacher glared at Tanmay and his group of friends, “will not be allowed to attend the lecture on Takols. That's it, you all may leave.”
The scraping of desks and clattering of items were felt as all the students packed their stuff, free for the day and the weekend ahead.
Kamal started packing his roll of paper and his quill, ink pot and stuffed it in his bundle, snapping his fingers in front of Sarthak’s face when he made no move to get up.
Sarthak looked at Kamal with a strange look that Kamal didn't like at all.
“Kamal, what would you be if you were a Takol?” he asked, looking like he was looking at something far away even when his eyes were trained on Kamal.
Kamal stiffened, even when this question was more common than asking someone's name or their tribe on this island. Takols could also change their appearance like Tak, so everyone kept asking others what they would become if they were a Takol. This question was the best icebreaker ever.
He dawdled, and knowing he couldn't escape it, finally decided on the truth.
“I will become a girl.” Kamal released a breath and counted.
Sarthak stared at Kamal as if he was finally seeing him and very slowly a grin appeared on his face.
Kamal had reached 6 before asking the customary next question.
“And you?”
“I'll become a strong and handsome man, and marry that girl.” Sarthak was back to being his playful self, if his telltale grin was anything to go by.
Kamal couldn't help the heat that flooded his face. He avoided Sarthak's eyes and started folding up even Sarthak's rolls of paper just to have something to do.
“Aw, don't be shy. I promise I'll treat you like a princess and satisfy all your– oww.” Sarthak laughed even while he clutched the place where Kamal had elbowed him.
Too shy to even face Sarthak and keen to stop him from seeing his burning face, Kamal threw the rolls of paper on Sarthak's face and picked up his bundle, running away.
He heard Sarthak calling him but he had no courage to face him now. Or ever.
He hated when Sarthak made jokes like this. He hated what these jokes made him think. And he hated himself for not hating it properly.
He was near the gate when a guy from their class, Uloop, stuck his head inside the room and looked at Kamal, dead in the eyes, before saying, “Today evening.” His eyes implored the meaning behind it and he left as soon as he had come, without ever looking at Sarthak.
Kamal's face fell, a dark shadow taking its place whenever he heard these summons.
Kamal turned to face Sarthak and saw the understanding on his friend's face, and felt a gush of love and gratitude for this amazing guy, who was his friend.
He knew Sarthak wouldn't ask the meaning of it, having seen enough of ‘Today Morning’, ‘Today Night’, ‘Today After Lunch’ in Kamal's company.
He knew that Sarthak also knew it would make Kamal shut up completely or even avoid Sarthak. So they acted like nothing had happened at all.
Kamal in turn, never asked where Sarthak went for hours and even days sometimes.
They never bothered with excuses between them, choosing silence over having to lie, and this was exactly why their friendship lasted or even happened in the first place.
Knowing that he didn't have much time, Kamal said he will see Sarthak later who nodded, and started walking away with heavy steps, a familiar dread settling itself in his heart.
——————————————————
“His royal highness?”
“Your majesty?”
“Prince Ujjawal?”
“PRINCE UJJAWAL.”
“ARE YOU AROUND, PRINCE? YOUR MOTHER HAS ASKED FOR YOU.”
A lot of guards ran around this area of the palace, screaming at the top of their lungs and looking everywhere for the current heir of Critaka.
Another round of similar shouting could be heard at the other side of this palace, indicating that more such searches were being done.
“He must be in some room with another palace maid,” one of the guards who had a bit of limp, whisper-grumbled to his fellow, having just painfully come down a set of stairs. The maids next to them giggled, souring the guard's mood further.
“I bet it would be that weird harlot with her face hidden inside her black veil,” supplied the other guard with a balding hairline, reciting the hushed rumours that were rampant in the palace gossip mill.
“Yeah, or that one in an orange veil, who always wears a mask and walks funny.”
“Do you know she was beaten by her then-husband and burnt while asleep,” stated the guy with the balding hairline, “that's why she walks funny and that's why she hides her face.”
“Because her face is charred? Wow, only Prince Ujjawal would even fuck someone with a burnt face.”
“Men of this whole family would do it. All they care about is someone who's a woman and has a hole for them to stick thei– ohh, Prince Ujjawal.”
Both the guards hurriedly moved apart and bowed so low, their turbans fell to ground. Gossiping about the royal family and finding a prince's face right next to them was a sure way to make someone lose their wit.
“What? Can't a prince get some gossip ‘round here?” pouted the prince in disappointment, as though he was denied a candy.
Both the guards threw away their spears and immediately prostrated themselves at his feet, uttering furious apologies and pleas of mercy.
“What? Complete the sentence, it looked like a saucy story. Come on, don't leave me hanging here.”
“Please, his royal majesty, forgive us for our insolence. We are stupid and dim witted, as well as illiterate folks,” raved the guy with a limp.
“Please prince, we have been orphans since birth and us brothers have no place or even any family member to call ours. It was your gracious father's generosity when he allowed us poorer folk to apply to be in the army, without any background or money.”
“Don't bore me. I believe I ordered you to complete your sentence. How dare you not heed to my order?” The prince's voice rose continuously with each word, attracting people.
A crowd had started gathering in the corridor, the maids and other guards worrying about the fate of those two. Critaka royals were infamously brutal.
One of the maids stepped ahead hesitantly and bowed extremely low to the prince.
“Your mother has asked for you, prince.” Even her voice stuttered, fearing the prince's wrath.
Breathing heavily, he glared at the maid and said gruffly, “Tell her I'll be there soon. Now leave. All of you.”
The crowd thinned immediately, with people running away, either to hide or watch from a safe distance. The entertainment at the cost of one's life was only fun when that life is not your own.
“Get up and get the hell out of my face, both of you. Make sure I never have to look at you or you're dead. Mother won't be there to save your necks next time.” The coolness of his voice was enough to terrorise the guards for a long time.
They hurriedly got up and ran but the prince had long since turned away from them. He started walking in towards an empty corridor, and the guards and maid in the whole corridor bowed and whisked away as if smoke.
As soon as he was alone, his angry face reformed and he sighed, calm as a cucumber suddenly.
Prince Ujjawal had a lot of reputation to live by, courtesy of his father and his step-brothers. Though he's usually grateful for the easy escape it provides, having to be cruel and inhuman always took its toll on his conscience.
‘Always remember why you're doing this. These are small sacrifices for a better future,’ he would always tell his heart.
‘Womanisers and Monsters’ were the two terms used by people for Critaka royal men, and Ujjawal privately agreed with them, even if publicly he had to emulate those very qualities.
He hated this place with his whole heart. He wished he could just live like common people, not having to pretend, to act and lie at every given moment.
Peace and silence were two things no one will ever find in this palace. As long as Critaka held the throne.
Not for the umpteenth time, the thought of running away crossed his mind. He so desperately wanted to leave this nonsense, this bloody palace, his useless family and all the expectations, far, far behind him.
He wanted to run away from this island with his mother. Also take his friends with him, if they'd agree. He was pressing his temples, the strain of this double act triggering another headache.
He missed his friends’ company.
And Sunaina’s.
No sooner had he thought this, that his eyes opened and he realised that his feet were already carrying him to her room, subconsciously.
He didn't like to admit it but Sunaina offered him a respite like nothing else did. She was what made this place bearable, even somewhat fun. He would surely miss all her colourful curses and her hate-filled-glare that she only reserved for him.
And without even realising, he was already smiling widely. Not knowing how much price they will both pay for this later.
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Chapter Word Count- 2313 words
Total Word count- 4268
Round 1 milestone reached. ️️❤️✨