ENCHANTED - BY INNOCENCE (ongoing)

71

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*** Yashoda ***

"Bapu," I called out to my father just as he was about to leave, "Why are you leaving so early? Have lunch with us?"

"No, Yashu, no," my father said, almost looking terrified. "I only came to see my little child. I cannot stay once your husband and his friends come home. Their antics drive me crazy."

"Bapu, they are good people," I tried to convince him gently.

"I'm sure they are," he replied, "but they are all so unpredictable. This house feels like an asylum. Nobody knows who will yell at whom, nobody knows who will throw swords at whom, and then within seconds, they act as if nothing happened."

"The other day, Yashu," he continued, growing increasingly frustrated, "I was in the house relaxing when your husband came and asked me, 'Where is the snake?' I panicked, and before I could even respond, he just rolled his eyes and walked away. I spent the entire day shivering, with my legs pulled up on the chair, a Hanuman Chalisa in one hand and Ganga water in the other—just in case I needed to either invoke divine power to scare the snake away or drink the holy water before I died."

"It wasn't until hours later that Vishnu came and told me that 'Snake' is his nickname..." He paused, exasperated. "And this morning—this morning when I was coming to meet you, that general sir said, 'Go in, my tiger is waiting for you...' I nearly had a heart attack until Pritham came and assured me there is no actual tiger."

"And the worst of all," he said, holding his head with both hands, "the worst part is, I cannot even say any of this out loud—because apparently, every man in this house hears everything. And if they find out I told you, they will..."

"Kill you," Dheeru's voice cut sharply into the conversation as he stormed into the room, with Pritham and the King following close behind.

My father immediately flinched and took a step backward, although the General hadn't been addressing him.

"That is what would've happened if your childish antics got out of hand," he shouted angrily at the King. "Our enemies would've killed you."

"Once again, Dheera, I am more than capable of defending myself," the King replied, his voice equally furious.

"Again," Dheeru rolled his eyes. "Don't start this all over again, Madhav. We had a deal."

"That Pritham would be beside me anytime I step out of the house," the King completed, "He was beside me when I stepped out of the house. It's just that—near the river—I wanted a bit of privacy and..."

"You tricked my man into forgetting his duty," the General snapped, finishing the sentence for him.

"Sir... I did not forget my duty..." Pritham tried to explain, "It's just..."

"You chose respect over protection," Dheeru finished, and Pritham fell silent.

"You made the wrong decision," he told Pritham sternly. Then, turning toward the King, he added, "And you messed with the wrong person."

"From now on, Pritham, you are confined to this house. You will not step outside that door," he declared firmly.

"But sir..." Pritham tried to argue.

"That's a command," the General interrupted, leaving no room for discussion.

"Yes, sir," Pritham murmured softly, barely audible.