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Gauri, a young village girl holding firm views about morals a...
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Chan chan chan
The sound of her anklets echoed into the lonely corridors at 3 in the morning. The free end of the sari she wore flowed behind her as she ran with an unmasked urgency. Her long hair was now a tangled mess and kept sticking to her sweaty and anxious figure. The apprehension in her eyes shone brighter beneath a sheen of salty drops, under the influence of fluorescent chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Holding the pillar at the end of the hallway, she takes a swift left and descends the numerous stairs.
The entrance of Chitrakoot Mahal was crowded by a few maids and security personnel. The main hall, attached to the entrance, was immersed in chaos as the mother and son raised their voices in a heated argument. Yagya was trying his best to keep the composure and put some sense into his stubborn mother, whereas, Vasundhara had her guards up like a wounded lioness, demanding answers and throwing orders.
"You are my son, and you don't tell me what to do! I can handle it just fine. If I want to go out and look for your father, you shouldn't pose as a hindrance. Rather than standing here and drilling your useless point, go check the perimeters. The kidnappers mustn't have gone far."
"Mother! Listen..."
"No. Enough of this back and forth. I should have taken charge a long time back in place of depending on others. My husband has been missing for an hour now and no one has taken any action. Such tardiness is inexcusable. I will see to the end of it."
Yagya grinds his jaw and squeezes her shoulders in a tight grip, trying to shake her out of the panicked haze. He understands her well. She was finally coming undone. She was one shock or tragedy away from crumbling into a heap of broken pieces.
"Mother, a search team has been dispatched on the lookout. The technical team is working on bringing back the power. The entire fort has blacked out. I cannot let you out of my sight in such a scenario. A storm is brewing outside as well. We will find father soon, I promise. I will leave to look for him, once the electricity returns."
Vasundhara shook her head and let out a dry sob, one which made Gauri's lips quiver.
"Why would anyone do this? He is a paralyzed man. He has been in a coma for the past 49 days. He has hurt no one. I must go out and take a look. At least let me visit the infirmary. I am positive there must be some clue."
Gauri cuts the distance between them and holds Vasundhara's arm.
"Mother, let him leave and look for Father. It is not safe outside. Have you forgotten what happened yesterday? Three guards have died in the Shiv Shakti temple. We were attacked. At the moment, the best bait is to stay out of any trouble and let your son do his job. I'm sure Father hasn't left the fort because the King had issued a lockdown the previous night. All the exits are inaccessible and heavily guarded.
We must wait for the power to come back before taking any irrational decision and inviting more problems." Gauri muttered in a low yet firm voice in Vasundhara's ears, not letting the audience hear her verdict.
