SitaRamam: A Timeless Symphony

Prologue

"If you have a problem you can call me Sita."

The words reverberated in his mind, recalling that instance of uncurtailed rebellion from his sister. He had stood stunned while she walked away with an air of finality. He breathed deeply, consciously letting his gaze venture above the newspaper he was holding in front of his face. A little boy was sitting on his father's lap on another armchair across from him. He stole a glance to the smaller chair beside his own armchair in the luxurious waiting room of the station. It was occupied by an adorable little girl with two pigtails tied in flowery rubber bands.

His baby girl.

He sighed. She was busy playing with some bird figurine, sucking her pacifier in content. He wished for just a while that he could dwell in the same blissful ignorance as her. He remembered his wife's pained face the day the Oman crisis had swept in through the gates of the palace and his desperation and helpless reactions to the same. Nothing had been the same since then.

He sighed again, clenching and unclenching his fists, trying to relax his over exhausted mind. He gently tapped at his daughter's nose, it was a carbon copy of his sister's. She giggled, dropping the pacifier and he couldn't help being reminded of Noor again. He reminisced about their childhood together when he would pluck fresh fruits from their lavish gardens and enjoy watching his little sister nibble at them, all smiles and merry giggles.

To say he was scared now would be an understatement. He was petrified. He had always kept his family's legacy and honour at the helm of his priorities but now he was lost. Yet, it had taken one telegram from him to bring his almost estranged sister to come back in support beside him. He was grateful. She was prepared to come down to Hyderabad in a day but he had stopped her and said he would come to her place instead. To be honest, he needed a break and now the grand mountainous landscape visible from one of the windows was indeed soothing him a bit.

Noor had said she would come to pick him herself, and he was eagerly as well as nervously waiting for her. It was the first time in several months that they were going to see each other. The last being when she had come running to him, crying and pleading to him to get her lover back from Pakistani prison custody. Her desperation had wrung at his heart but still the faith she had in him, her big brother was not hard to miss.

He stretched his legs, beckoning to one of the attendants to get him a drink. He began readjusting the frilly collar of his child's dress when a shadow walked up from behind them and his daughter began babbling and giggling with more excitement. He turned around excitedly too expecting it to be his sister but that excitement was short lived.