The Altered Map Of Destiny

Prologue

      "Sahil, run!" Sahil's father, the merchant Dhanraj, yelled through the raging fire, "Don't wait for us. Go!"
"Sahil, I love you..." Niranjani, his lover,  said before closing her eyes for the last time. "But.... I can't leave you all alone!" Sahil yelled, brandishing his knife, "I can protect you! I will!" But Dhanraj had taken a firm stand, and he gave Sahil a thread infused with prayers from the family deity.
         "May the winds of change guide you, my son," Dhanraj said, as the young boy helped him up to a safehouse by the Sheetala forest, "It is at this juncture that I have to tell you something." Understanding took precedence in the teenager's amber eyes. "Tell me, nanna," he urged, wiping away sweat from his brow, as he began tending to Dhanraj's wounds, "you know you can tell me anything."
            "You actually aren't our son," he started, "I adopted you from a woman who was desperate for your safety."
"But.... nanna, why did she have to abandon me?" Sahil asked. "My son, she wasn't in a position to offer you the love and care you deserved," Dhanraj breathed sharply, "I had to... tell... you.... God bless you, my son."
And Dhanraj had departed the world of the living, now united with his wife, Vijaya, in the realms of the dead. Sahil let out an agonizing cry before proceeding to perform his father's last rites.
            The Sahil who emerged from the crematorium was a changed one, devoid of the happiness that once defined him. One night of tragedy was enough to change his perception of the world. Armed with the charred remains of his clothing, he sought refuge in the ship, The Neerja. The captain, a weathered old man, scrutinized Sahil before letting the boy in. "I can cook a meager meal, sir," Sahil said, "if you -"
"Can you lift this box?" Captain Dharma gestured to a teakwood box, and Sahil stretched himself. And he lifted it with ease, relatively better than his previous competitors.
           "I don't want a chef, boy," Captain Dharma said, "I want someone who can lift the cargo. Are you willing to do it in exchange for a place in this ship?"
Sahil nodded, folding his palms together in gratitude. The captain's wizened features softened into a smile, as he gave Sahil some spare clothes, and introduced him to the crew, which was a group of young interns. "Yo, rookie! I'm Sathya, short for Sathyapriya," a girl with short hair and an impish grin greeted him, extending her hand out.
             "I'm Sahil, the rookie who wishes to become a meaningful addition to your team," he smiled gently, "and I seek closure from a past I wish to escape."
"Welcome to The Neerja, Sahil," the crew chorused, including him into the group quickly. And since then, Sahil never looked back, for, the hustle and bustle of harbors, the prospects of learning new languages and forging new bonds became an integral part of his second chance at a new life.