All the male from the dinner are seated inside the private quarters of the Vedor.
Mohd is the first to ask, "Vedor, if I may be so bold as to ask, why have you summoned us?"
The Vedor, who had been drinking some tea, placed his cup down. "My young comrades, I need your help to transport the tariffs and gifts to the Regent in Goa."
"You want us to transport them for you? But why?" Hassan enquires, puzzled.
"As you can tell but have been kind enough not to mention, I am getting far too old and the long journey across the ocean would just tire me even further," Dom Gaspar responds.
"You are not old, Dom Gaspar, just more matured," Ali retorts back.
Dom Gaspar responds, "No need to sugar coat things for this old man. And there is also another reason why I would like one of you to make the trip. This trip would help solidify your family's position in the eyes of the Regent as a useful ally, should anything happen to me."
Mohd, not comfortable with the way Dom Gaspar has responded, tries to counter back. "You should not speak of such things, Dom Gaspar. Nothing will happen to you......"
Dom Gaspar holds his hand up, interrupting Mohd. "Should anything happen to me, I need you to swear that you all will protect Rani, the Princess and the people of the Maldives."
The brothers all look at each other, including Dhandehelu before turning their attention back to the Vedor. "We swear," they all pledge.
Royston has been silent during the whole exchange, but finally speaks up. "Why do you think something bad would happen to you?"
Before the Vedor could answer, another male, JOAO, the man servant to the Vedor, enters the room. Dhandehelu, seeing his best friend, jumps to his feet and grabs him in a bear hug.
"Joao, you ugly fart!!!" They both fake wrestle for a bit.
Hassan, acting like a tired mother commands, "Stop acting like little boys, you two."
As things settle down, Joao is about to answer on behalf of Dom Gaspar when Royston spies Aisha, sitting outside on the swing. "Please excuse me for a moment."
Royston gets up from his position and exits the private quarters to join Aisha.
YOU ARE READING
Freeing Maldives - A Hero in Time
AdventureBased on the novel written by Royston Ellis, my interpretation tells the tale of how a mourning Englishman gets swept back in time to a period when the Portuguese had invaded the nation of Maldives, culminating in the historic guerilla battle, that...
