Manasa and Shruti were walking quicker than usual.
The kingdom was rich, beautiful and all that, but there was still nothing striking – just tall decorated houses, busy playgrounds and streets, old men being loud for no reason.
"I know, brother. We have waited long for King Ram's reign."
"There will be peace and justice. I can't tell you how happy I am!"
"He's so perfect!"
Manasa deadpanned. "Isn't there a museum around here?"
"We haven't even come across a library yet." Shruti observed.
Manasa stopped dead in her tracks. "....They don't have a library?"
"I'm only saying that we haven't seen one yet."
"How do these people live?"
Shruti's lips quirked up in a smile. Manasa huffed and began walking again.
Together, the girls walked past a playground and Shruti tugged on Manasa's arm. "Look! A fair!"
To their right, within colourfull fencing, was a local fair. Various smells filled Manasa's nose.
"A good place to start." Shruti said, and pulled Manasa towards the fair.
Upon entering, hawkers and shopkeepers offered them bangles, sweets, toys and what not. The girls waved them away and went on.
In the distance, a bearded man sold goats and cows, another sold pots, and the others food.
Manasa realised that fairs for Middlings mainly meant food. She looked at Shruti to see if anything caught her eye – the girl's gaze swept past everything.
A little more walking, and the girls saw a huge crowd gathering in front of a raised platform. Few men sat their sons on their shoulders so that the boys could see.
Manasa and Shruti headed straight for the crowd.
Manasa found herself cursing her height, and not for the first time. She struggled to see what was going on. Just then, Shruti pointed to their left. "The sign."
It read: 'Magic Show! Come one, come all!'
Manasa snorted.
Magic? Let's see what these Middlings have got.
"This place just might be worth staying after all, dear." Manasa said.
She glanced around and produced her wand from her sleeve. Shruti raised her eyebrows and moved to block the wand from people's vision.
Manasa paused and waved her wand in three circles. Two empty wooden cartons spun a little in the air and landed with a thud on the ground between the girls. A few heads turned to see what made the noise, but the wizardess had already hidden her wand.
The girls climbed atop the cartons. Now they could see the platform. Only if that wretched idiot would quit flailing like that.
Manasa crossed her arms.
Shruti's lips curled. "Any thoughts?"
"Only prayers."
Shruti giggled and turned to the platform again.
"They learn how to spell 'magic' and think they know everything."
After a while, the flailing idiot settled down and the crowd held its breath. A short man in green robes climbed the platform. His hair was arranged in a neat tower.
YOU ARE READING
Blood Of Magic & Tides
AléatoireRam doesn't get it - he has no children. Why do subjects take her as the heir? Who's spreading these rumours about him and his brothers? Is it wise to mingle with those youngsters? No one knows. Another thing no one knows - one Narunan, one Night-e...
