Sindhi Forests:
That night Aditya and Maheshwar sat vigilant on the trees, armed with bows and swords. They wanted to know the culprits and their mastermind. Finishing their dinner early, they stealthily climbed the tallest tree from where both of them could see clearly as well as be hidden well from someone's view.
"Phew." Aditya let out a sigh. Climbing a tree was a bit difficult for him due to his strained arm. Maheshwar chuckled at his drama. "What? I am grateful to you for healing me, but this still hurts like a bitch." Aditya let out a dramatic dialogue holding his shoulder.
"Sure, sure." Maheshwar gave out a sing-a-song voice. "I have been meaning to ask you, which kingdom do you belong to?"
"Kingdom?" Aditya was taken off guard. Quickly regaining his composure he spoke, "I am a traveler from the north. My dad is a merchant dealer in silks and I wanted to travel around before I took over his business so that I can expand our business and improve our trade." Maheshwar looked at him for a moment and Aditya held his gaze. "What? You don't believe me?" Maheshwar nodded. "Why?" Aditya asked curiously.
"You are built like a prince, Aditya. Bulky arms, trained body, regal posture, everything about you screams royalty. You adjusted well at my house, but I could see that you didn't fit there. When you were served a one dish meal, you couldn't help but move your hand absentmindedly looking for something else to eat too. Your senses are strong and you are always guarded. You sleep with a dagger on your body and that dagger has royal inscriptions. Now, is this enough or do you need more?" Maheshwar spoke, his words hitting their mark perfectly.
"How do you know all these? How could you read me so well? Even that day you caught my lie. Everyone in the village believes me, but not you. And this is the second time you caught my lie. How?" Aditya was surprised by his revelations.
"I just read people well, that's all Aditya. Nothing big about it. Now would you still tell me who you are or is it going to be a secret?" Maheshwar asked.
"Well I don't think I can hide anything from you anymore. I am the crown prince of Krishnapura. I am here to find out about these loot and smugglings. It's been about two weeks and people of my kingdom are suffering. My father had sent his soldiers to find out about all of these, but there has been no avail. So I am here to look into this personally." He said, with a far off look. Reality donned on Maheshwar who silently nodded. He didn't know what to reply. The name of Krishnapura sent chills down his spine and he was sitting with the crown prince here. "You are silent now? What happened? Do you still I am lying?" Aditya asked, mirth dancing in his eyes.
"No, no, Yuvaraj. I was just thinking. Nothing else." Maheshwar said.
"Oh please, drop the title Mahesh. All my life I have been listening to people calling me Yuvaraj. Hell, no one can even call me by my name. Now you don't start with the same. I thought I found a friend in you and you go back to being a stranger." Aditya said.
"So you don't have any friends?" Mahesh asked, skeptically.
Aditya chuckled humorlessly. "No, I don't have any. All my life I was protected by my father who couldn't afford to lose me. To be honest, this is my first time defending myself and my kingdom. I wanted to prove myself and as a future king I know that I am expected of all these, but no one is prepared for anything in their life. And last night I realized, I couldn't even defend myself well." Aditya's pain was felt in his words.
"In spite of everything being new to you, you didn't back away from your responsibilities Aditya. Surviving in this world all alone is a difficult task, but it's not impossible. And about last night, a fight in the darkness needs a lot of patience and training. It is not easy. And in spite of being trained, people fail at this." Mahesh spoke, his words reflecting his experience.
Aditya nodded, absorbing Maheshwar's words. The night air was thick with anticipation as they continued their vigil. The rustle of leaves and distant sounds added to the mystique of their surroundings.
As they sat in silence, their thoughts converged on the task at hand. Aditya's revelation about his true identity lingered in the air, creating an unspoken understanding between the two. The burden of responsibility weighed heavily on the young prince's shoulders.
After what seemed like an eternity, Maheshwar broke the silence. "Aditya, let's focus on the task. We need to find those responsible for the loot and smuggling. What do you know about this? What did you find out so far"
Aditya recounted the bits of information he had gathered so far, the conversations with the villagers and his observations from the night. "It all started about two weeks ago when there was a death during the yearly festival that is celebrated in the forest."
Maheshwar nodded, scanning the surroundings for any unusual movements. Suddenly, a few distant figures caught his attention. He motioned Aditya to follow as they descended the tree with practiced stealth. They trailed the mysterious figures through the shadows, careful not to alert them. After a series of turns and narrow escapes, they hid behind a tree where they heard the men discussing.
In the shadows, Aditya and Maheshwar listened intently to the hushed conversation of the mysterious figures. The men, clad in dark attire, gathered beneath the canopy of ancient trees, their faces obscured by the dim moonlight.
"I reckon we should hit the Chandravati house next. It is a big house. People will also be scared easily." whispered one of the men, his voice carrying a sly undertone.
Another, slightly taller and more authoritative, chimed in, "Agreed. We should also rob some wealth, not just cattle and grains. Their wealth will be a fine addition to our hard work. And remember, be swift and silent. We don't want any unwanted attention."
The third figure, shrouded in a hood, spoke with an air of caution, "What about the unknown stranger who's been poking around? He took down Kailash without breaking a sweat. We can't underestimate him."
The first man chuckled, "The fool probably stumbled upon us by accident. If he shows up again, we'll deal with him. But for now, our priority is Chandravati's house. Let's divide the tasks – Ravi, you take care of the guards. Shyam, focus on securing the grains first. And if anyone comes close, use the signal whistle. I'll wait here for you guys."
Aditya and Maheshwar, crouched behind the tree, exchanged a determined look. The urgency to thwart the impending raid and protect the Chandravati's house intensified.
"We need to act swiftly," Maheshwar whispered, his eyes focused on the distant figures disappearing into the night.
Aditya nodded, "I'll approach from the front, drawing their attention. You circle around, catch them off guard. We need to ensure the safety of the Chandravati's house and gather more information about these criminals."
With their plan set, the duo moved silently through the shadows, weaving between the trees. The night seemed to embrace them, concealing their movements as they closed in on the unsuspecting criminals.
**********
Can you guys guess what is happening here? Anything?
Let's see if anyone gets this right.
YOU ARE READING
Meenakshi
Historical Fiction"Do you know, Guruma told me how much she likes me being there." Thirteen year old Meenakshi spoke about her new life. "She is absolutely right. Having you around is like having our blessings around." Chitrama said, as she slowly massaged her bruise...
