The Strange Street to the Wrinkled Memories

Mission: Maybe possible

The plan was set and he had conveyed it to her. The day dawned as the night arrived. Shravya walked out of the house and stood looking at the shadow of the palace which was lit by the moonlight. Suddenly she heard someone close the door, she looked back and there was a young man in a black cloak, fully covered again. It was Adwait and she knew it. Shravya asked, "Why do you wear this when you step out?"
He replied, "Don't know, became my habit."
Shravya nodded as she followed him to the palace. This time he had a dagger and she kept an eye on it.
Shravya asked, "Why weapons?"
"What if mad prince will see us, he will surely attack us. So safety!"
She breathed a sigh of painful relief. He demanded, "Through crossing this river, we will get the short cut to the other side of the palace. Do you know to row the boat?"
"Me? No! I don't no."
"Do you know to swim?"
"No!"
"Keep it up! I will row the boat, incase you fell, try to learn swimming."
"Life jacket? Mm... Will I get it?"
"Oh! Yes! In the shops."
Shravya turned silent. He helped her sit in the boat and then he got in. He took the oars  and began rowing. Within few minutes, the boat was on the other side of land. He jumped out and helped Shravya. Then she followed him through a street in midst of the small forest. She was scared walking there in the night, but she wanted to find herself. That grew courage in her. She stepped on something and then heard a rustling sound. She closed her eyes and slowly looked down. Adwait called out, turning at her, "It's just dry leaves."
She opened her eyes and then ran behind him. He marked, "In this small forest there is no danger. Only few birds are found in here."
She nodded.
She suddenly stumbled on a broken branch and was about to fell, when Adwait caught her in his arms. He helped her balance and then cried, "Would you please walk properly? Only then we will reach there within ten minutes."
She sighed, shaking her head, "Thank you."
He took in a deep breath an released it, "Welcome."
"So," she was about to began a conversation, but Adwait put his finger on his lip and gestured her to stay silent.
Shravya barked to herself, "This man... Unbelievable!"
As they walked further, Adwait heard a sound. He turned back and there was Shravya humming, he yelled in a low voice, "We are near the palace. Would you mind listening to me?"
"Aye!"
"Stay silent till I ask you to talk. Got it?"
She nodded without talking. He looked forward and instructed, "That! There is the tomb. There will be only one guard at top, there. We will go through that way, I will take the guard and stay at his position. When you replace the book, we will get back from there. Okay?"
No reply came!
"Fine?"
There came no reply, so he turned back. She was wondering the palace beauty. He asked, "Did you hear me?"
She nodded.
"Why didn't you reply? I thought the guard jailed you."
She opened her mouth, "You told me not to talk till you asks."
He sighed, "God! Sorry, do keep your mouth open, otherwise I will not know if someone even kidnapped you."
"What? You said there is no danger in this forest, then how come kidnappers be in here?"
"Slip of tongue! I meant maybe, the intruders have made a hidden stay in the forest. Who knows!"

They walked further and there was the wall, and above it was a tomb. Shravya asked, "How will we get up the wall?"
Adwait wanted to plaster her mouth, "We will fly!"
"Wow! Is that so?"
"Oh my!"
"Then?"
He guided, "Open that window in the wall, there will be a security but he would be sleeping. Get in through that window, then we will get the staircase to the top."
She slowly walked infront of Adwait as he had guided. She slowly tried opening the window, "It's locked from inside."
He said, "It could not be locked. It hadn't been locked for years, then why today?"
"Maybe because they knew we were coming," Shravya teased as Adwait checked the lock, it wasn't locked. He pulled it open, forcefully.
He then told her, "Ancient things, they are strong so use your strength to open or close."
She then looked inside, and there was a paunchy man snoring. He was the security and he was sitting on a chair. The walked past him slowly. Shravya was about to sneeze but Adwait covered her mouth by his palm. As they reached the staircase, he took back his hand and she then sneezed. Adwait didn't stop for her, he walked up the stairs so she followed him. He was about to open the door upward to get up on the tomb top. He knew there would be a guard so he gave the dagger to Shravya and mentioned, "Don't harm anyone, it's just to scare the guard for now." Shravya listened carefully and he marked, "Follow me out of here and catch the guard. On my count down, 3, 2 and 1." and soon He jumped out, the guard saw them and was about to attack them, when Shravya caught the guard's hands and pulled the dagger near his neck. The guard was about to hit them when Adwait sprayed something on that guard. The guard collapsed unconsciously on to the floor. He took the guard to a side. Adwait took off his cloak and Shravya was still staring at the guard who was laying on a side. Shravya then looked at Adwait, "What are you doing? What did you do to the guard?" Adwait said, "Turn round and signal me if anyone is coming. Turn round!" She turned round as asked but no one was coming that way. She heard Adwait say, "I sprayed a herbal liquid, it lets a person sleep for so long and once he wake he wouldn't remember what happened to him just before he slept."
She turned back, "Hey! Where is Adwait?"
"That was so funny!", teased Adwait who was dressed up in the guard's uniform. The guard was in his cloak by then. Shravya said, "You are well planned. Impressive!"
He regarded,"There is no self pride over compliments, anyway thanks."
He looked around, then told Shravya, "You go in through the back door. It will take you to the guards room, this time no one will be there. Go in, take the stairs, you will be in an open green area in middle of the palace, run away straight to the direction of a big door of the court hall. Right side from there will be the royal room, the door will be locked. So walk from there, on the side will be another green area. Walk through it, go behind that room, there will be a window that would be kept open. Get in and replace the book. Let no royal member see you, especially the mad prince."
Shravya eagerly asked "Why especially him?"
He looked down, sighing as if he was trapped in a calamity, "Oh you, disaster! If he see you then most probably next time when I come to keep back the original book I would be seeing you as the princess."
She was tempered, "Huh?"
His face looked innocent, "I will help you out of all the troubles coming in your way, is it fine?"
She nodded, smiling, "Will you do that?"
"If you believe me?"
"I do, I guess."
He rose his eyebrows, he sighed "Guess?"
She asked, "Why would you not smile? Have someone cut it off from you?"
He stared at her, "Here this is the duplicate one." He handed her a book with thick cover, that had sparkling gems over it. One of the page was bookmarked. Shravya took it in her hand and rose up, "Why is a page bookmarked?"
He answered, "That is the page the queen will be reading this full moon night. The day before the full moon night, she will be reading Shakti in the library, this book is also somewhat realated to it. Now go! I will be here waiting for you."
Shravya said, "I am first time on a hiest, I mean your quest. So I can say it will be possible because I am scared."
He said, "Stay out of the royal members sight. Workers and guards will not observe you, they will think you are one of the maiden."
He pulled out something from his pants pocket, under the guard's uniform. He handed an shawl to her, "Wear it, they will consider you as a maiden. Cover the book with this shawl itself."
Shravya stood confused and asked, "How does the maiden wear this long one? Over head or wraps fully or drapes like a saree?"
He sighed again and took the shawl and within seconds he took the shawl over head, so that no one could identify her from behind. She didn't want to look at him cause it could feel awkward, so she stared at the floor then at the stars. Then he pushed the edge of the shawl towards her face and twisted it over her elbow and he said, "Hug the book to your chest. The wrapped shawl will not give a glimpse of the edges of the book." Accidentally, her eyes fell on him and suddenly he looked at her and they kept staring until Shravya shook to do as he asked.
He looked at the floor, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then said, "Go on for mission possible."
"I don't think it would be possible, don't keep too much hope in me for stealing. I haven't yet practiced nor done these things in life, I do guess because I don't remember my past. This is mission impossible."
"Oh god! Fine, you are trying to help me, help Natya Rajya. This is mission: maybe possible."
"Yes! Right."
"So go!"
"I am leaving, help me if I get trapped. I will come back here, so don't move from this spot."
"Fine, I will have an eye on you. Okay?"
Shravya smiled as Adwait said, "The sun will come up now, come back before he does that. Go."
She turned and walked to the door there while she said in an undertone, "This is really mission: maybe possible." She then opened the door forcefully, there came no sound. She looked back at Adwait. He nodded his head and Shravya took in a deep breath as she walked in.

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Surya_SK