Royal Vs Rebel (Royal #2: Book 1)

2

Happy Gudi Padwa ✨

-• faith •-

Sara had been to Mumbai only once in her life. Now twice. She was eleven years old, and had accompanied her sister for an inter-state dance competition. They had reached the city at twelve in the afternoon, it was the month of September. Heavy rains had plunged the wide streets of the city into knee deep waters, and yet, the city was alive. Why?

It was Ganesh Chaturthi. A festival of ten days where it is believed Lord Ganesha alights from the sky to bless his devotees.

Sara had never before seen a sight so bizarre. Thousands of people had flooded the streets, the sound of trumpets, dhol tasha and slogans breathed life in the air. This was the busiest city in India? This was the city that worked so hard that it never slept? How come it has time to celebrate when it never has time to eat?

"And I thought Mumbai was the busiest city," she had mused thoughtfully, her whisper nothing less than a blow of fog on the spotless windows of their luxury car.

"Faith is very powerful, Sara," her sister had said, and Sara had looked at the young, teeming with beauty, eighteen year old teenager who smiled down at her fondly. "When you believe in something, in someone, you'll always want to celebrate that trust, to boast about it to the world. Because faith, is also rare." Her nimble fingers had tucked back the wavy strands from the kid's face. "There are only two relationships you can share with the Almighty, faith or fear. Which one would you prefer?"

"Faith." Sara had answered.

"Why?"

"You said it's powerful."

The slender lips had curled up into a glowing smile. "That's right. What you're seeing outside is a proud display of someone's faith, of their power."

Presently? Sara wants no relationship with the Almighty. Neither of faith, and she certainly would never fear him. He's a body of stones and sand, unfleshed, and those who don't bleed, never know pain. You can't understand a human if you have never felt pain. Because pain is an inherent part of everything that lives and breathes. Pain is an unsaid understanding between mortals, someone else, someone immortal, unseen and intangible, someone who exists beyond space and time, and has never known human emotions, cannot ever be vested with the power of trust.

Power in the hands of an already powerful existence promises nothing but destruction.

"Have you ever been to Mumbai before, Madam Ji?"

Eyes off the window, she meets the driver's inquisitive gaze through the rear view mirror. "Only once."

"Do you like the city?" He continues to probe, interested in keeping the conversation going with the elegant lady in his backseat. He has had rich people hiring his luxury sedan all the time, but only on rare occurrences had people of high status really exuded the air of regality. Rich people are often snobs, and he has damned the fate at the unfairness of the world a lot of times, but then he meets people who define their high standing with the dignity and prestige they carry, rather than the money they own.

"It's.... brimming with people." She nods.

Atul, the name he had introduced himself with, chuckles in amusement. "As many people, that many dreams. After all, it's the city of dreams."

"How is it the city of dreams when it never sleeps?" Gracefully resting her slim arm on the centre armrest, she tilts her head to the right curiously, her dark, open locks swaying to a stop on her thin shoulders.

Having hit the traffic, since it's the rush hour of the day, Atul taps his fingers on the steering, taking his time to come up with a justified answer. "Trust me, if dreams were achieved sleeping eight hours a day, Mumbai would be forever asleep. To make them your reality, you've to fight for them in your reality."