Chasing the Sun

XXI

|| - Enemy's Jaws I - ||

Choosing to let the sky fall, I awoke...

- Richelle E. Goodrich

_________

Prince Shivjit had been a master in handling hawks. It was a pastime he had borrowed from his foreign mentor. With his caramel brown eyes that shone red in the sunlight, his angular face, and the hooked nose the man himself looked like one of the birds that he pursued. That mid – morning however, Shivjit was not in his best shape at the sport he often enjoyed exhibiting his skills at.

The game was also a one borrowed from his mentor which was designed to judge how well one had tamed a bird. Shivjit had an exotic collection of hawks. The brood of blood – thirsty beasts were let free and Shivjit stood in the middle of a fenced off arena. They flapped their large wings circling him overhead, their red eyes rolling back and forth as they took in the landscape. Shivjit and the other young men who joined in his pastime, whistled sharply, holding out their hands for the birds to land. It was simply a test to see which command the bird obeyed, to which master it heeded.

It was the third time Shivjit missed his opportunity. As his gaze had shifted to the shaded hut of on lookers where his mother and Lord McLane sat observing the progress of his game and engaged in conversation, the bird swooped past him and landed on the wrist of another. A low voiced curse escaped his lips but his eyes where soon drawn back skywards. From the side of onlookers Lord McLane clicked his tongue.

"It seemed neither luck nor attention is on Kuwar sa's side today." He commented, his icy blue eyes exploring the circle of hawks in the sky. Gayatri's eyes narrowed, if only by a fraction. But her voice was pleasant as she replied.

"I'm sure the concern for his sister is distracting him."

McLane's mouth twitched but he did not smile at the blunt lie; instead his eyes withdrew themselves to fix his gaze upon the uncrowned queen of Madhavgadh. Gayatri did not look any more pleased with the way wind was blowing than her son had been.

"And what are your thoughts on the matter Rani Sa?"

Gayatri twirled a large sapphire ring on her finger thoughtfully. Her eyes were downcast examining the ring so that McLane could not catch the emotions flickering at lightning speed.

"I would like to believe that you were right in your assumptions, Lord McLane. That the girl would play a vital part in restoring my son to his rightful place..."

"I assure you she will."

"Yet you will not enlighten me how and why?" Gayatri did not try to disguise the annoyance in her tone. She liked to be informed of things and McLane liked to keep her on her toes, trying to fish out the secrets that he did not wish to reveal. McLane sighed.

At times like these, he almost shared his son's suspicious nature towards this woman.

"I am an intelligent creature contrary to what the others might believe Lord McLane, perhaps you could give me a hint," she smiled a bearing of teeth that would have suited a hyena better. "Then perhaps I could arrange for a safer stay for my – ah – step daughter?"

A threat thinly veiled and coated in poison. He was by no means to forget that his trump card was currently hidden in her safe was he? McLane's eyes narrowed, yet his lips tugged upwards in an imitation of a smile.

"Do you happen to know why Chandranagara was attacked?" He asked casually.

"Of cause the king, my late husband had some disagreement with the emperor did he not?" Gayatri questioned back.