The Strange Street to the Wrinkled Memories

Prologue

Panting!
The guard was running to the court hall which was surrounded by few soldiers. He pushed open the palace door and bowed infront of the Queen. The queen was standing guarded by few maidens and the king's sister. The guard was shivering, sweat trickled down his forehead. The queen wanted to know what had happened. She stood up and the guard kneeled on the floor.
The guard informed the queen with deadness and disconsolate in his voice, "Majesty! We had lost our royal highness in the war."
The queen's voice shivered, "How can you say that?" The queen's eyes were already filled up with tears.
"It's been declared by the invaders who battled. They are trying to enter the palace, we will arrange you a way out through the forest, your majesty."
"No! We are the villagers who secure the Book of Elixir, we can't run away being afraid. We are Natya Rajyans, we are dared to challenge... But not run." The queen stopped her tears from flowing down through the cheeks and continued in a dulcet determined sound, "They have laid the king down through false means in the war but they have forgot that the king has a son. Inform the prince! Ask him what he can do for his village?"
"Yes majesty!"

The guard ran to the prince. He was just a six year old boy but the villagers tell that he thinks in a genius way. He was the first one in that village to touch the book of Elixir after his ancestors. The queen had said that the prince even tried to read it when he was four years old. He was the prince who cared for his villagers at a very small age. He was brave and courageous and had all the good qualities of a leader. The guard informed the news as soon as he found the prince in his chamber. The prince said in a childish voice, "My father had laid down to protect the book given by our forefathers and I too will stand for it."

The queen soon declared for a second war with her son but the enemies threw out that they couldn't fight with an army which was led by a kid. The queen shamed the foes of having fear to be defeated by a six year old boy. The rivals could not withstand being criticized. Soon the war was held and to no surprise, the villagers army wore the victory.

As days passed, everything was getting back normal. Natya Rajya was ruled by the queen with the help of her son. She told him myths, stories, facts and more about the globe as well as the village and about the magical book they had. The little boy was fascinated by all this and always wanted to protect the book because his father's memories bordered it.

Another fine day, the guard was infront of the queen with some other terrible news. He claimed, "Highness! Prince had left the house."
The king's sister asked, "He fled... that too leaving his mother? Why? He was going to be the king after few years." She blamed him with a wickedness in her eyes and crookedness in her tone, "Maybe he couldn't look after the village. He must be afraid to fight, to safeguard, to work, to manage and handle. But my son Amir isn't like the prince, he don't run. He dare to face challenges because he is a Natya Rajyan."
The queen saw a message in the hands of the guard, she commanded, "Read the message for me."
The guard replied, "Yes majesty!" The guard removed the knot over the folded epistle and read it aloud, "I, the son of late King Veera Ratan Natya Rajan and Queen Vridhi Veera Ratan Natya Rajan is leaving the palace to live and face the hardships of the villagers. I know my mother wants to crown me as soon as possible as the villagers wish the same to happen but I amn't yet ready for that responsibility. Once I understand all the problems of my village, I myself willingly will come back for the throne. I will come back on the eighteenth year's full moon night, from today. I will come that full moon night this month, to cut our birthday cakes together. Till then, there's no need of sending the guards to bring me back. I have said that I will come back when time comes and this is a promise... A promise given by a son to his mother. I know the queen will be angry at me for leaving her all alone...," the guard paused as he looked at the queen. She wasn't that angry but she was keenly listening in a serious mood. The guard went on turning the page, "Don't worry mother! I will be safeguarding my village from where ever I am. And mother till we meet for another full moon, keep smiling and don't you dare stop smiling because my spies will inform me. Loving with respect, Prince of Natya Rajya."
The guard looked at the queen waiting for a response. The queen quickly smiled, "My boy! I will be waiting for your return to earn the throne." The ministers bowed with respect and left the hall. The queen sighed, "It's my son's seventh birthday and my birthday too." The guard informed, "Queen! It's a full moon tonight." The queen smiled, "Prince!" Then she looked at the king's sister and confidently shot at her, "My son is a Natya Rajyan. He don't run away. He will be back for the throne. He has fled to take a flyer of the troubles of the village. He is ready for everything and he knows how to be the king of the villagers and for that he needs to overcome obstacles." The king's sister walked out from the court hall without responding.

The queen announced it to the villagers, "Your prince will return on the full moon night of this month, after eighteen years to be the king for all of his villagers who always wanted him to be crowned." The villagers turned upset until the queen broke the silence, "Till then we will hope for him to come back much prepared," the villagers were delighted. "For now I name the second prince in his place, the majesty's sister's son, Prince Yadhu Amir Natya Rajya," all the villagers cheered for the beginning but there was discontent in the queen. The king's mother came up to her and patted her, "What's it?"
"Nothing, royal mother."
"I am a mother and I see disappointment in you. Why? For..."
"No mother! Not for my son nor the king, but in their absence I would have liked the responsibilities to be given to my sister's daughter, our princess..."
The guard interfered, "Sorry royal highness. Forgive me for coming in midst of your conversation. It's time for the meeting with the ministers. Please join!"
The queen walked back to the court hall with Yadhu. The king's mother was still lost in memories. The royal grandmother remembered the three same locket of a royal leaf that she had given to her grand-children from the garden, the very less time she spend with her grand-children together and a lot more beautiful moments.

The village of Natya Rajya was hopefully waiting for their six year old prince to return grown up in all ways. The villagers very well knew that the prince always kept his words. The villagers loved their prince cause he had always spent time with them without bridging gaps even when he had been a member of the royal family and they were just the villages. Moreover, the villagers were waiting to see their prince fulfill his promise, because they had hope in their prince that he would return for them. For his mother. For his Father. For Natya Rajya. For the promise he had made.
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