Chapter 24

Shiv walked with Keshav into the special chamber, which was high security and besides the King, only Keshav had access to the codes for the innermost chamber. The specially built section housed the most prized ornaments and artefacts passed down from generations in the Royal family. Some even dated beyond the time of Shivaji Maharaj.

The chamber was a dome-shaped Iron structure outlined by concrete, and the lone single heavy iron door opened only when the several lock combinations were correct. Keshav, too missed a couple of combinations but got it finally on the third try. They both heaved a sigh of relief as, beyond 3 attempts, the locks would realign themselves for the next 36 hours, and they couldn’t be opened no matter what.

Shiv was fascinated by the ancient system of protecting prized possessions. The place looked eerie with only lighted torches for light. They were electrical but gave a feel of actual fire being lit. Shiv was amazed to see the technological marvel. Once they were inside, Keshav shut the door and walked him through the chamber towards the locker where the crown lay.

Keshav unlocked the locker using his fingerprint and retinal ID, and the Crown shone brightly at them.

Keshav released his breath and smiled at Shiv.

“All this trouble for nothing. The Crown is safe…look” Keshav exclaimed, pointing towards the shining tiara.

Shiv stared at the bedazzle incarnate piece and suddenly looked at Keshav.

“This isn’t the Crown… it’s a fake…” Shiv declared, and Keshav suddenly went rigid.

“What the hell are you talking about Shadow?”

“The original Crown had five joints in the tiara and six indents. This has four and five respectively… look” Shiv showed Keshav what he mentioned.

Keshav fell back on his heels, and his shoulders slumped.

“Oh Goodness… how can that happen? Only the King had access, and he gave me the password just before he left. You know that life has been so hectic here… I didn’t even have the time to get in here… How come…?” Keshav blabbered.

“Relax, Keshav, I know it’s not you. The Crown was probably switched on the coronation day, given the commotion…”

“But do you know what is the implication then?” Keshav asked him wide-eyed.

“Yes… I have heard so. Keshav, can you set contact with the King? He must know what is going on…”

“No one knows his whereabouts. Babasaheb didn’t want anyone to find out what he was upto. This is a difficult time for the royal family… for the province too. If the news spreads about the danger to Padma, then… I have no idea how to handle the people’s ire.” Keshav rubbed his face yet again and Shiv felt for the man. The man’s beard had overgrown, and his face showed signs of terrible stress. Keshav was struggling too.

They locked the chamber and emerged out to the corridors and then to the palace grounds taking them to the infirmary.

“Keshav… what is this scene with Seema….” Shiv asked abruptly and held up his hand as Keshav began to speak. “…Before you lie, let me tell you I have watched you two. So just be honest.”

Keshav sighed.

“Seema is the daughter of the late Queen’s closest maid Shubhra tai. The lady passed away a couple of years ago, and since then, Seema has been taking care of Padma’s needs. She was a good student too and my… my best friend growing up. She is also pursuing her studies from distance learning. As you know, my engagement to Padma is only a sham… we don’t have romantic feelings for each other. But we are best friends and look out for each other….”

Keshav looked at the ICU as they approached it. “… When the King returns, I shall confess everything. I shall take the blame…” he looked back at Shiv. “…I was worried about Padma but now, I rest assured she is in the right hands…. Just… take care of her. She is a strong and kind woman but has a weak heart regarding certain emotions. Aaisaheb’s death hit her hard and she has never been the same. I think you know by now that she likes you… so don’t break her heart or you will have to answer me.” Keshav walked away as abruptly as he stopped speaking, leaving Shiv flummoxed.

Shiv was lost in thought when he suddenly saw Maanav walk up to him.

“There is something you should know, Shiv…” Maanav sounded pensive, and he used Shiv’s given name only when something was serious. “… my guy called. We found the driver, Harish…. His body, actually. From the decomposition, it was a day before the accident. It’s worse than it looks buddy…”

Shiv’s heartbeat paced, and he looked towards the ICU where his heart lay. Every time he shut his eyes his mind’s vision was filled with the picture of the Princess clutching at her locket, trying to reach her constricted throat, and he shuddered…

“She is fine now… don’t worry Shadow. But you have to up your ante.” Maanav advised him

“I have made my decision, Bullet….” Shiv said, determination surging through his body. “… I am taking her away. Away from this hellhole till we find the perps. This has been going on for too long and I don’t know how long her luck will hold up. But I am not taking any risk now…”

“Where will you take her? All those responsible will know every nook and corner of the province… Besides, she is royalty and will call for attention wherever you go…” Maanav argued.

“I shall take her to my house. The other one in the woods, left behind by my father. Its in a region not many are familiar with and the terrain is structured such that it will give me an advantage of watching who comes in.”

“Let me and a few guys accompany you…”

“…No… No Bullet. I need you here. You will be my eyes and ears here. There will be no signal up there. So I shall walk downhill to call you. I have the transmitter box and ammunition, So it should be all fine. Just help me stock up the place for the Princess.”

“Are you sure Shadow? You aren’t in the pink of health yourself…”

“I am fine Bullet… we shall wait till the doctor gives the Princess all clear. I shall then take her away.”

“What if the royal board doesn’t permit it? They are in charge here in the King’s absence. Keshav’s father can veto your decision…”

“I have what is needed… My old man made all the provisions.” Shiv sighed.

“What is it?” Maanav asked, amused.

“The ring… the Turkish make. I now know what my father meant and why he left it for me. The Queen must have given it to him….” Shive reminisced. “…that ring is like the King’s order. No one can defy it. “ Shiv spoke confidently.

Padma was brought out to the infirmary room once she was stable, and Shiv spent the next few hours glued to the chair next to her bed, waiting for her to wake up.

The same evening around dusk Padma opened her eyes and Shiv was on his feet instantly, his shoulder throb notwithstanding.

“Sha… Shadow… are you alright? Your… ha… hand…” She spoke full of concern and Shiv marveled at her composure.

“I am fine, Princess. Are you OK?”

Padma nodded and Shiv released the breath he was holding.

“Um… Shadow…I don’t know if… I dreamt but is Seema… OK?”

How on earth did she know? Shiv wondered.

“She is out of danger, Princess. Keshav is with her as we talk.”

Padma smiled. “So I had guessed right…. Keshav and Seema… liked each other… Good for them…” She looked away towards the window. After a moment, she again looked at Shadow. “…Shadow, what happened? I remember… drinking water when… I woke from a…. fitful sleep, and the next I knew… my throat… God Shadow… I thought I would die… then I saw you… I thought I was dreaming…” Tears gathered in her eyes and she looked so vulnerable it broke Shiv’s heart.

He held her hand. “Princess, I promised, didn’t I? Nothing will happen to you under my watch.”

They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and if Shiv hadn’t looked away sooner, he would have ended up kissing her. He helped her wear the chain and her bracelet, she never let go of her body. Her mother’s memories. The doctors had taken them off during treatment. His fingers touched her neck, and he felt the electricity zip through his body.

He cleared his throat.

“Princess, they will be discharging you tomorrow. So you shall go back to your room tomorrow.”

Padma nodded and looked away, disappointment written all over her face.

Shiv met the Princess’s doctor along with Maanav.

“Here Mr. Shadow….” The doctor spoke. “…As Mr. Keshav has permitted, I am handing over the vial of the extracted water remains from her stomach. She was definitely poisoned, but I think it’s the type that disappears in a while. The Princess was lucky you got her out on time, and she hadn’t ingested much. Else it would have been fatal.”

Shiv shuddered at the thought as rage engulfed him thinking of the person who would want to harm the Princess.

Maanav left with the vial, and he would immediately dispatch it to the special unit headquarters, where their friends in forensics promised to help. Meanwhile, Shiv had to wait with Padma and inform her about his decision to take her away. He didn’t know if she would agree…

After 3-4 days, Padma’s colour returned and she was moving around in the palace wing.

Shiv was never away from her, and every morsel of food and every drop of water was tested before it was given to her. Shiv also did a recce of the palace with Keshav’s help to check for different exits. He didn’t want the world to know he was taking the Princess away. Only Keshav and the Royal court consisting of select members whom the King trusted, would know.

It was strange the poison had even entered the Palace premises given the stringent security checks. Only Aarti, Keshav and Seema were allowed near the Princess and her chamber. Speaking about whom, Aarti was strangely missing. Keshav had already texted her about what had happened. Padma, too, inquired about Aarti when Keshav came to check on her. Aarti’s father informed them she was away on a college trip and out of the coverage area. But something about the woman didn’t sit right with Shiv.

He never liked the woman and knew the feelings were mutual. Doubting everyone around him was ingrained into him by his training and partly due to his upbringing. And he doubted Aarti. He relied on his gut instinct, and that had always served him well. He needed that one bit of evidence against the woman, and he would have her by the neck. For now, he decided not to let her anywhere close to the Princess.

He had to wait for Seema to be able to talk to get her version of who attacked her. She was too weak, having lost a lot of blood and injured her diaphragm. Keshav had assured him he would talk to Seema. Keshav also had to hide his affair with Seema from others, especially his father. Shiv wished he could go all out to get the information and inch closer to finding the perps.

Shiv used the time when Padma slept, to scout the Queen’s old chamber. But both times, he found nothing indicating what the Queen was up to that resulted in her death and that of his father…

Most of all he loved the time he spent with Padma. He barely spoke, but Padma seemed to be in a chirpy mood. She wasn’t told about the gravity of Seema’s injuries. Instead, she spoke to him about her childhood with Keshav and Aarti, and how she missed going to school and then college. How she missed her mother… and her dream to start a residential school for girls. Shiv hoped her dreams could materialize but before that, she had to be safe.

That evening as Padma slept, he began his sojourn to find any other passage. This time he took an outer route and walked towards the far end of the palace, closest to the garden. It was where the King and Queen had their residence. The architecture was a bit strange. The earth near the palace edge was slightly raised and though covered richly by flower beds, it didn’t escape his keen eyes.

He walked inside the palace, and the security let him be as instructed by Keshav earlier. He kept walking deeper and deeper into the cul-de-sac corridors and soon took the stairs going below… underground.

The passages were dark and strangely unguarded. The mephitic odour showed neglect, yet he continued walking ahead. A small temple… having an idol of Maa Bhavani on her Vaahan but now wrapped with cobwebs, proudly presided over the cavern in the dark corner.

He reached the dead end. That couldn’t be… the King wouldn’t have gone to such ends just to have a dead end. No…

He touched the wall but found nothing unusual. But after thinking for a moment, he pushed the wall across different points and on hitting it, felt some parts hollow. So he took out his Glock hidden in his hip and hit the parts of the wall. To his surprise, that was just plaster and it gave away. It took great effort to get rid of most of the plaster but when he shone his pentorch, he was shocked to see… a tunnel door.

Even more shocking was it was identical to the one he had seen in the fort. He didn’t need to think anymore. He rushed to the tiny temple and performed the same maneuver as that in the fort and the door made a screeching sound before it moved, sending still dust flying all over him.

Covering his mouth, he moved closer to the opening and it didn’t come as a surprise there lay a tunnel very similar to the fort one. As he moved closer, he heard the gushing sound… he was now sure it was the waterfall. It was relatively closer to the palace than the fort so he could hear it clearly. He was now sure the tunnel was connected to the fort and probably with the area near the waterfall as well. He needed time to explore, but anything beyond this would call for attention.

Realizing he was late, he walked back to Padma’s room.

Maanav stood from his position outside Padma’s door, and his grim look scared Shiv.

“All suspicion was right. Your woman was poisoned… thallium sulfate…or rat poison… tiny traces found. Came in through water. Enough to kill her. Had you not reached on time…”

Shiv punched the wall nearby, the pain doing nothing to reduce the rage threatening to consume everything around him.

“Bullet, I want to know how that came into the palace specifically for the Princess…”

Just then, Maanav’s burner rang, and he answered it. His look became serious and Shiv’s heart fell. What more was in store? Maanav never let anything affect him. Then why was he upset suddenly?

Maanav ended the call and looked at Shiv with concern-filled eyes.

“I think you will have to prepone that trip, Shadow. Take her away sooner…like right now.”

“Why…? What’s up, Bullet?”

“My guy called… they found a body floating near the pool where the waterfall got shallow towards Koini. The body is bloated beyond recognition, but prima facie it looks like…”

“…Like whom…?” Shiv couldn’t wait anymore.

“…Like… brace yourself, Shadow. It’s the King…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 23

Shiv watched the retreating back of the Princess, and he released his breath. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to make her back off. Not only was she engaged to someone else, but she deserved someone a lot better than him.

He was in love with her, and with every moment spent with her as she took care of him these last few days, he was caught in the quicksand of emotions from where it was a point of no return.

No one had ever cared for him. Neither his parents, for whom he was an obligation, nor anyone else. Thanks to his father, he wasn’t in touch with his extended family, and no one even knew he existed.

His friends were there for him, but he always wanted someone to share his life with. He had first felt an iota of the feeling in that mango grove years ago when little Padma had unknowingly consoled him in her sheer innocence. He had almost given up on life itself that day, but she gave him the right impetus to live.

Whether coincidently or not he often encountered Padma and now was completely head over heels for her. He knew she was way beyond his league, given the vast difference in their social status. Not to mention the threat to her life. He wanted her to be safe; he would then go away for good with fond memories of their time together.

The thought killed him, but that would be for the best for Padma, who should have a bright future with Keshav. Speaking of which he remembered a couple of times, he had seen Keshav sneaking into the royal garden’s far end. The movement was so subtle in the dark that it would have missed anyone’s eye. But Shiv was trained to filter out the enemy from the earth’s darkest corners, and he rarely missed anything. After diligent pursuit last evening, he had seen Keshav emerge stealthily and was soon followed by Seema. He had been shocked to see them, but he also knew Keshav and Padma didn’t spend any time together.

He was concerned for Padma. She needed to marry Keshav to keep up her legacy, and though it sounded messed up to the core, he knew Padma would also want the result. So he had to have a word with Keshav and encourage Padma to get closer to her fiancé.

But before all that, he had to eliminate the threats, their very existence. Then, he would spend the rest of his life in peace… alone.

He blinked back tears, surprised that he even shed them. But that was the impact of his feelings for Padma. And he knew even before she confessed that she liked him. So he had to discourage her, and for that, he would go the extra mile… even hurt her in the process.

An incoming message from Maanav alerted him. Despite being on the bed for a couple of days and despite his shoulder being dislocated, and his hand in a sling, he was alert to any changes in their environment. So far, so good.

He knew Maanav would be trying everything to find out about the accident that he was sure wasn’t one. He was sure the brake line was cut. The police declared it an accident, mainly because they didn’t want the media to get a whiff of the situation given the upcoming assembly elections. The local politicians would have their hide if the region got negative publicity. For instance, the crowned Princess being attacked!

Shiv was sure the police wouldn’t bother with an investigation as it would call for attention, and the King not being around would be convenient.

He opened the message box

‘car tampered… driver still missing,’ Maanav had typed from his burner.

In the incident, Shiv had damaged his burner, and Maanav left another one with him in the hospital without anyone’s knowledge. It was ingrained into them that work came first, even before their lives, and they all took their work seriously.

Shiv had asked Keshav to look into the driver Harish the day after he regained consciousness. Harish had been thoroughly checked out, and Shiv wondered what had happened because the young man had to know about the tampering. He was in charge of the vehicle, and its upkeep and Shiv knew he was diligent. He couldn’t be such a wrong judge of people. He hoped Harish was safe.

That night he couldn’t sleep. He was off painkillers and his shoulder throbbed, but he was worried about Padma. Was she alright? Mentally?

It was around 2 AM and he was staring out of the window looking over the vast spread estate when he heard something. He was sure, it was from the adjacent room, the Princess’s room.

He walked out and saw the corridor around her chamber clear as he had requested. He moved slowly towards her door and knocked in his select pattern.

No answer.

He knocked again and heard the sounds but no answer yet again, he got anxious. The door was locked and it was no ordinary wooden door. He couldn’t break it open. He went back to his room and decided to use the other option he had ready just in case. But he hadn’t expected to be in a sling.

He took the sling off and took to the attached balcony railing. Though he had shut the balcony for the Princess’s access in her room, he had access for emergencies…like today.

He climbed into her balcony, which wasn’t difficult for him, but the next step involved moving the wooden frame he had wedged at the entrance to her room to block it tentatively. He could remove it easily in his typical physical status, but with only one fully functional shoulder and arm, it would be a Herculean task.

The sounds continued to come in, and he was getting angsty with every passing second. He held the part he had grooved into the frame only for him and with all his might, he lifted it. His injured shoulder screamed and was in danger of dislocating again. The hairline fracture and the wounds on his body screamed in agony.

Finally, he thought he would faint in pain when the frame moved. He squeezed himself into the gap created and entered the room. It was dimly lit but as his eyes adjusted to the sudden onslaught of light from the darkness outside, he saw the Princess lying on the floor. She was clutching her chest and neck. He saw beads of perspiration as she… gasped. Her jug of water lay strewn and the water had pooled around her hair, matting the curls to her forehead. Her wet silky nightgown stuck to her body as she lay grimacing, her body contouring as she struggled for breath.

“PRINCESS…” he yelled her name and rushed towards her, his discomfort all forgotten. Her eyes rolled up into their socket. He knew this was a classic case of poisoning. He picked up the intercom without wasting time, but it was dead…

Really?

He then took out his burner, thanking God that he had the good sense not to leave it behind in his room. He called the infirmary and sent an SOS text to Maanav. He had to think fast. Things were going out of hand.

He didn’t wait anymore and lifted the Princess in his carry, ignoring the throbbing of his wounds. He opened her door and rushed, screaming at the orderlies and the guards. A few of his men stationed nearby rushed to help him, but he would have none of it. He ran like a man possessed and met the medical staff midway. On the pavement, they lay the Princess on the stretcher and inserted an IV.

Her pulse had dropped to alarmingly low levels, and the medical staff tried to resuscitate her right there. Shiv thought his breath stopped as he watched the proceedings in horror. The Princess lay still like a log…lifeless.

Shiv fell on his knees even as his tears flew unhindered. His wounds had opened, his shoulder probably dislocated but nothing mattered any more than the almost lifeless body of his Princess.

Yes, she was his… he declared to himself. He couldn’t let her go… Never.

He stared blurringly as she was taken away into the ICU segment of the palace infirmary and he couldn’t move.

“Shadow…?” He heard Keshav call out and jerked back to consciousness.

“…uh…huh…?” he muttered incoherently.

“What happened?” Keshav looked alarmed. His dishevelled clothes looked hurriedly worn. Someone must have informed him. A couple of men he knew were the critical members of the Royal court, and other orderlies slowly arrived, and a little crowd began to form.

“Po… poisoned… She was poisoned… Keshav… its Seema… she got water… for the Princess…” Shiv blurted.

“What? Seema? No.. No, it isn’t possible. She would never do that Shadow…” Keshav looked around to see others didn’t hear their conversation.

“Princess didn’t have… dinner. Only water…” Shiv tried to explain.

Keshav stood to his full height and rubbed his fatigued face.

“In that case, Shadow, let’s go and check with her. Are you up to it?” Keshav put his hand forward.

Shiv clutched it and stood on wobbly legs and they began their walk towards the quarters where Seema lived.

Keshav, the Staff supervisor, and Shiv stood outside Seema’s room and knocked. But there was no response, and the room was locked.

The Staff supervisor used the master key and as they opened the door, they saw Seema lying in a pool of blood. She was stabbed in the abdomen and the knife lay nearby. As a frantic Keshav called the medics,  Shiv checked for a pulse. It was very weak and Shiv used her bedsheet to stop the blood flow.

As the medics came and took her away after the emergency first-aid, Keshav slumped to the floor crying like a baby.

Shiv touched his shoulder.

“I told you… it can’t be Seema… she loved Padma, loved me… she knew I loved her back. She… also knew we could probably never be together… but she was OK with it… She is an innocent and pure soul… She cant do something… like this…” Keshav wailed.

“In that case, Keshav, we need to figure out the culprit. This one is closer home…”

They walked back to the infirmary and Shiv popped in Painkillers. Maanav arrived and sat beside him outside the ICU where Padma was still being stabilized.

Maanav didn’t say a word, but Shiv knew the guy had his back.

“Don’t worry Shadow… she is tenacious… she will make it,” Maanav spoke after a while.

“I am scared, Bullet…” Shiv whispered as his voice cracked. “…For once in my life… I am scared… I can’t lose her…”

“You won’t Shadow… I know you won’t. Your love for her will get her out of the jaws of death… I know I sound cliched at the moment.” Maanav chuckled.

Shiv must have looked surprised as he glared at Maanav.

“What…?” Maanav asked smiling slyly. “…It’s written all over your face, buddy, and I have known you long enough to see you worry this much for some ‘project’. But, it’s fine, Shadow, I am happy for you.”

“This… isn’t right, Bullet… she deserves better and I can’t give her the life she deserves.” Shiv rubbed his face for the umpteenth time.

“Now listen carefully, buddy… I have some intel.” Maanav suddenly spoke seriously, and Shiv knew the guy meant business.

“what is it?”

Maanav looked around and cross-checked if they were the only two in the location he then bent ahead and spoke.

“Our MLA Majumdar wants to field his son next year for his seat in Koini. Our old man has his eyes set on Delhi. The party high command had demanded he show something dramatic here in this belt. So he wants to discredit royalty and get it scrapped totally. If it happens the entire province will be taken over by the government and will be included in Koini district. Do you know what that means Shadow?” Maanav asked.

“That means… Koini will not only become the largest region but also rich in vital minerals available and nurtured in this province. That also will mean the asshole politician can exploit the resources as he wants and become richer….”

“Absolutely…” Maanav agreed. “…the rumor is that he is still doing it as we talk, but there is no proof. Just like the disappearing women. We still haven’t understood how Majumdar got his dirty hands on the Royal Jewelry… like the anklet, he gave your mother.”

Shiv nodded.

“But… Bullet, one thing doesn’t make sense… Why kill the Princess?”

“Because like I said earlier, she has the evidence of Majumdar’s misdeeds that can put him behind bars and if made public, the people of Koini will slay him alive.

“She… the Princess doesn’t seem to know anything about the evidence… I even checked with the King indirectly and once when I could break into the jewellery chamber…. There was nothing. I even got into the Late Queen’s chamber twice, unnoticed. But there was nothing. No dairy, no jewellery, disks, nothing.”

“Have you checked the crown? The one she was to wear on her coronation day?” Maanav asked.

Shiv tried to remember the coronation day… in the commotion that followed; he was focused on taking the Princess to safety. He didn’t bother about the crown and hoped the King would have kept it away safely. It sure cost a fortune.

“I think his Highness, the King kept it carefully…”

“It’s not about the cost Shadow…” Maanav probably understood what Shiv thought. “… It’s also about its authenticity. The grapevine doing rounds is that the original crown is stolen and that would be one of the chief reasons to discredit royalty. It’s no ordinary crown…” Maanav stressed.

Shiv thought for a while.

A little later, they got the news that both Seema and the Princess were out of danger. Seema would take time to recover but Princess was showing a speedy recovery.

One of the medics also dressed Shiv’s wounds.

Shiv held Maanav’s shoulders. “Do me a favor, Bullet, stay here and hold the fort. I need to check something.”

“What is it now?”

“I have to check the crown placed in the special room. I have to talk to Keshav and get access to it….”

“Be careful, buddy, all this just got murkier…” Maanav warned as Shiv signed off.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 22

Tampered?

Padma’s heart stilled… terrified was an understatement. To date, danger had been present but subtly come forward and Shadow had saved her twice…

But this was the icing on the cake. Not only her but Shadow was also in danger because of her. She knew Shadow could have quickly jumped out to save himself, but the fact that he still hung on, touched her to the core.

Shadow tugged her further, and she was almost sprawled on him. She placed her legs on either of his sides and held his shoulders.

“Princess…” he panted. “…Hold…. Me… tightly… I …shall…. Do……. The…. rest…”

She didn’t need to be told again. She snaked her arms around his neck and held him tightly, digging her face into the crook of his neck. Instantly the Vanilla whiff calmed her nerves, and she decided to think about them as a couple instead of what awaited them.

She felt his other hand hold her and the vibrations as the car sped uncontrolled, surged through her.

“NOW, PRINCESS…” Shadow screamed, and before she knew it, she found herself out in the air and landed with a thud rolling down what she thought was a hill slope. Shadow protected her by cushioning her fall, and he held her head in his palm.

As they stopped, she opened her lids and looked around to see their vehicle precariously swinging on the hill a little ahead. A gush of wind blew harshly, and to her horror, the car plunged into the ravine, breaking up into pieces on its descent. There was no explosion, but she shuddered at being in the ill-fated vehicle.

The throbbing in her shoulder jerked her to the present, and she looked behind her to see Shadow lying on the ground. He was bleeding profusely, and his hand was bent at an odd angle.

“OH MY GOD… Shadow? Shadow… you are hurt… Oh no…” Padma panicked when Shadow didn’t even stir.

She shook him a little, but he was still. Then, thinking of the untoward, she held her index finger beneath his nostrils. She sighed in relief as she felt his warm breath. But his bleeding was of concern. She barely had scratches because of him.

She raised his head and placed it on her lap. She checked his jeans pockets for a phone, but there was nothing. There wasn’t even a wallet… nothing revealing his identity. She then checked his jacket, but it was empty as well. So who the hell was he?

She tore her kurta and, rolling it into a small bundle, held it to his visible fresh wound. She didn’t know where else he was hurt and hoped and prayed that help would arrive.

Minutes passed, and every second was excruciatingly painful as she waited. Finally, after repeatedly using parts of her clothing, she contained the bleeding a bit, but the wounds could get infected. They were in some woods on the hill. Shadow had strategically jumped out of a moving vehicle to fall on this side otherwise, they would have followed the car to their deaths.

Even now, they weren’t out of danger.

Padma hadn’t seen anyone so selfless as Shadow. He had saved her life without caring about his own. She hoped she could do the same; if anything were to happen to him today, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

It was getting hotter in the afternoon. Where were Shadow’s men? They would have to know something was wrong. She had heard Shadow speak with them.

Right then, she heard motor sounds and looked up. She realized she was crying when she had to wipe her tears to clear her vision. Then, she saw the two of his men and a few more rush down the hills with their walkie-talkies.

They reached Padma and Shadow, and one of them checked for Shadow’s pulse. He gestured something to another, and they gently lifted Shadow and began to take him away.

“Where… where are you taking him? Be care… careful…OK?” She spoke frantically.

She felt someone covering her with a blanket and overcome with emotions she suddenly felt her limbs go weak.

One of them carried her and all she wanted was to be next to Shadow. But when they reached the road, she saw an ambulance and a small crowd of onlookers.

She was rushed into a waiting vehicle while Shadow was probably in the ambulance.

“I… I want to go with Shadow… please…” She pleaded with the man who had brought her up the hill and now sat in the driver’s seat. The car windows were tinted and no one could know she was in there.

“I am sorry, Your Highness, but Shadow had instructed that your security is of utmost importance and that I have to get you safely to the palace.

Tears continued their sojourn as she realized Shadow had been making the quick-fix arrangements even when their car had spiralled out of control. Finally, exhaustion overcame her as the adrenaline left her, and she succumbed to darkness even as the vehicle cruised away from the slope.

Padma didn’t know how long she had slept, but she was in her bed in her room when she woke up, and there was an IV connected to her hand. She lifted her hands and saw they were bandaged at different locations. Then, touching her face, she felt a bandage on her forehead.

She heard some murmurs and looked around, the movement causing her to groan in pain. Keshav stood worried and in animated conversation with Aarti.

They saw her stir and rushed to her bed.

“Padma, are you OK?” Keshav asked, concern written all over his face.

“Gosh Padma you gave us all a scare… it’s a miracle you are alive…” Aarti spoke and right then Padma remembered everything that transpired very clearly.

“Sha… Shadow? How… is he?” She asked her voice horse and painfully dry.

“He is fine now Padma…” Keshav replied. “…He is admitted right here in the infirmary and is on the road to recovery. You did well to stop the bleeding. We are all proud of you Padma. Good presence of mind.”

Seema walked in with a tray of hot soup and Aarti helped Padma sit up. A strong wave of dizziness passed through her body and she had to shut her eyelids tightly to wait for the spell to pass.

She wasn’t hungry but was desperate to see Shadow at the earliest.

“Keshav, I… want to see Shadow… please take… me there…” She spoke with great effort.

“What nonsense, Padma…” Aarti blurted. “…you are not in a position to walk. You should focus on recovering.”

“Please… Aarti… Keshav… Please I have to…. See… he saved … me…” Padma pleaded.

“How can you say he saved you Padma…?” Aarti continued to spew anger. “…for all you know, this man was followed by his enemies and you became the default target…”

“no…no…” Padma protested.

“Think about this, Keshav…” Aarti directed her ire at Keshav. “…we don’t even know from where that man surfaced. Babasaheb must have got a reference from somewhere. But there was no background checks or anything. So how can we trust him? He barely started, and Padma has suffered two attacks already. She narrowly escaped…Till he came along, Padma was fine all these years.

Padma wanted to scream and tell the world Shadow had saved her in the past as well…but she remained silent. Despite everything Aarti said, and Padma saw Keshav ponder over Aarti’s words, Padma trusted Shadow wholeheartedly.

Aarti soon left in a huff, and Keshav waited with Seema. It was late in the night, and sleep was miles away. Keshav instructed Seema to retire for the night and Padma was grateful to her friend for spending time with her and worrying about her. All this despite acknowledging their relationship was a farce.

“Keshav…Please take me to him….” Padma made a last-ditch effort.

Keshav stared at her and smiled. “You like him, don’t you?”

She looked away and blushed.

“Padma, I have known you since childhood. You are transparent when it comes to emotions and can’t hide anything in your heart. But that’s the best part of who you are. Don’t worry… I will take you.”

He helped Padma get up, and she was already feeling more robust and better. The very idea of seeing Shadow acted like an elixir for her.

Keshav helped her walk along the pathway towards the palace infirmary and Padma breathed in the earthly petrichor that instantly calmed her soul. But more than anything, she looked forward to seeing Shadow.

But what Padma wasn’t prepared for was seeing Shadow covered in bandages. His hand was in a cast and a sling, and his head was completely bandaged. And the lone eye that wasn’t patched was swollen shut.

“OH… MY GOD… OH MY G..GOD…” Padma exclaimed, covering her mouth with her uninjured hand, and her legs gave away before Keshav held her.

“Relax Padma, he is fine… just resting. I have spoken to the doctor.” Keshav tried assuring her.

She hobbled her way towards the bed and sat on the chair next to it.

She held his hand closest to her that wasn’t in the sling. She looked at it and tears began their free run. His knuckles were chapped and bruised. One was swollen too. She couldn’t even imagine the pain he must have felt while trying to save her.

“Padma, he is fine. Let’s go now. It would be best if you rested too. He will be sleeping anyway…” Keshav reasoned.

Padma shook her head.

“No… I am not… going anywhere… Keshav… He is like this…. Because of… me. I have to see him… wake up… Please…. Let me stay…” She spoke her eyes not leaving Shadow’s face.

“Alright then, Padma. I shall take your leave. There are guards outside and a night nurse as well. The doctor is also available in case of an emergency. So use the intercom whenever needed and… try to rest as well.” Keshav patted her head and left the room.

Padma stayed up all night, her eyes glued to Shadow’s face. She often heard him groan and move in sleep, and he gripped her hand in his. She kissed his hand and spoke softly that all would be fine, and he went back to sleep.

She didn’t know when she dozed off. She woke up with a start when the hand on hers moved.

Shadow was awake and looking at her with his non-bandaged eye.

“Princess…” He whispered.

“Shadow… are you OK? Does it hurt?” Padma asked even as her eyes welled up.

“Fine… you OK?” Shadow asked her, and she nodded, grabbing his palm again.

“I am sorry… Shadow, you had to… go through this… because … of me…”

She felt his grip tighten on her palm.

“…Not…you… Go back to… room….” He strained to speak, and Padma felt as if she was slapped. But she persisted.

“I am not leaving… Sha… Shadow…”

He tried to release his hand from her grip. “Not…correct…Princess…” he sighed and looked away.

“Shadow… I am scared out of my wits and… I feel safe only around you… please don’t send me away… I… wont disturb you… Just let me… be here…” She pleaded.

He tried to rise up but struggled. She called for help and the ward boys came and helped him incline on the bed. She held his hand all through and based on his changing grip, she realised he was in intense agony.

The doctor checked on Shadow and gave him an all-clear but with strict instructions to rest.

Padma spent the next two days with Shadow in the infirmary room and cared for him though he wasn’t happy about it. Keshav checked on them and gave the specially arranged bodyguards instructions, while Aarti didn’t visit because of her ongoing exams. Padma skipped her classes too.

Finally, he was moved back to his room next to Padma’s on the third day. Padma helped him settle and was glad to see colour return to his rugged face. That evening as she peeled oranges for him, he held her hand.

“Stop this, Princess. I am alright. I thank you for everything but… you should now go back to your room. You should also resume your classes, and Maanav, who rescued you on the slope, will be your bodyguard tentatively.”

“I am not going anywhere and I don’t need another bodyguard. I shall wait till you are healed Shadow…” Padma spoke, blinking back tears.

“Then… please don’t visit me anymore, Princess…” he said softly but the words pierced her soul.

“Wh…why? Why do you say that?”

“Because Princess… its inappropriate. You are engaged to another man and I don’t want gossip to malign your name.”

“So what if I am engaged…?” Padma stood instantly. “…I don’t care about anything else…I…”

“…Princess, please… don’t make it more difficult…” he got off the bed and walked towards the window.

“…What is so difficult about it…? Shadow… do you have someone waiting for you…?”

“What?” he seemed startled.

“I mean… a girlfriend or… a fiancé or… wife…”

She waited with bated breath and he only chuckled shaking his head.

“What’s so funny Shadow?”

“Nothing Princess. You are so naïve but that’s endearing about you…” he shifted and stood slanted against the window sill and the evening rays built an aura around his head.

She couldn’t make out the look on his face as she couldn’t see him clearly against the twilight. She looked down at her clasped hands.

“I… I like you Shadow… a lot… for a long time now.” She said softly and turned around to leave the room.

“Princess…” he called out to her and she stopped in her tracks. “…Don’t like me Princess… you don’t know me at all…I am here to protect you, so let me do my job…”

She held up her hand her back still towards him.

“I didn’t ask you… to like me back…” Saying she stormed out of the room.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 21

A week after she was shot, Padma was up and going. The wound still throbbed, but she was to start her fieldwork for the BEd course, and though she would have got exceptions given her influence, Padma didn’t go for it. She wanted to experience everything firsthand. She wanted to become a teacher and fulfil her and her mother’s dream of opening a residential school for the underprivileged, particularly girls.

She didn’t know if it would ever happen, but teaching was something she would do at any cost. She was determined. Today she had to visit a government primary school in Koini. Shadow and his small team of 2 other guys would be accompanying her so that they didn’t call for attention.

Shadow had been with her throughout the week, but true to his nickname, he wasn’t close enough for her to feel him, but she knew he was around. Something about him being there made her feel confident. She felt safe after a long time.

She watched him take a run every day early morning on the track around the garden surrounding the fountain outside the window. She saw he was overly cautious as he ran an eye around every time he completed a round.

Every time he stretched, his muscles bulging was a treat for her sore eyes. Her traitorous heart beat at a record-breaking rate whenever she saw him go completely taut as he held his plank. It further spiked whenever he took a break to drink water, and with every bounce of his Adam’s apple, she thought she would die right there. He caught her staring unabashedly quite a few times, but she couldn’t help it.

Padma didn’t know what was happening to her whenever she saw him. She didn’t know whether it was plain lust or whether she had deeper feelings for this stranger who felt like anyone but that.

Shadow didn’t allow anyone inside her wing without scrutiny. Poor Seema was scrutinized every day, but the young woman didn’t complain. Aarti, however, didn’t like Shadow and resented his methods.

Keshav and Aarti knew about the arrangement by now.

“Are you sure, Padma? You want to do this?” Aarti asked her that morning as Seema helped her get her injured side into her outfit.

“Yes, Aarti, I would have it no other way. I won’t let anyone scare me into hibernating in my shell.” Padma spoke at her reflection, staring back at her with a determined look.

After Seema left, Aarti helped Padma pack her backpack.

“I don’t like him…” Aarti spoke.

“Whom?”

“That new bodyguard. Something about him doesn’t sit right.”

“Why Aarti? Why do you think so?”

“He unnerves me… the way he looks at me. It’s very unsettling.”

“Aarti, he can be intense at times. But, that’s his job, dear….” Padma tried to defend Shadow.

“Be careful, Padma… I don’t trust anyone. I would have come along if not for my upcoming exams.”

“It’s fine Aarti; you would be bored there.”

Shadow knocked, indicating it was time. Padma hadn’t been out of the palace premises for ages. And given her injury, she was a bit hesitant. But one look at Shadow, and his confident stride, she straightened her spine with aplomb.

Aarti left before them, and Padma sat in her car. Shadow sat next to the driver in the front seat. She knew the young driver as Harish, and she was sure Shiv wouldn’t have allowed him without making him go through the grind.

They reached the school in an hour, and watching everyone, Padma felt like a fish out of water. Every other trainee teacher stood clear of her as if they were wary of her. But, she didn’t blame them as they knew who she was.

The headmistress welcomed her, and all the trainees were assigned classes to observe. Padma was assigned grade 3 children, and she spent the next couple of hours observing the teacher and taking notes to complete her journal. Shadow stood outside the classroom, and Padma’s residual worries dissipated all the time. He had made Harish keep the car ready strategically just in case…

Finally, it was time to leave at the end of the working hours, and Padma tried to mingle with everyone but in vain. Finally, disappointed, she walked back to her car.

On reaching the palace, she rushed into her room and shut the door, giving way to the tears she had managed to keep at bay. Then, after about five minutes, there was a knock, and by the standard pattern, she knew who it was.

Shadow walked in with a glass of juice.

“Seema was on her way, and I just pitched in. Princess, please have this.”

She sat up and wiped away her tears. She didn’t say a word but just walked towards the window and stared out of the lone opening to the world.

“Princess… juice…”

“…I don’t want anything, Shadow. Please leave me alone.” She said firmly, her voice crackling.

Shadow placed the tray on the nightstand, and she felt him move closer behind her. Padma folded her hands close to her chest. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks.

“Princess…” He spoke right behind her. “…I understand what you are going through, but this shall pass too. They will take time to know you, but given the situation, you can’t get too close…”

“… I DON’T CARE ANYMORE… OKAY…?” She turned and interrupted him and was surprised to find herself screaming. She had never yelled at any person in her life! This guy brought out the worst in her.

She immediately realized her folly. It wasn’t Shadow’s fault. He was doing his duty. “…I am sorry, Shadow. Really sorry… but I don’t think anyone understands what it is to be alone without friends, without the independence to do as you please, just because you have certain blood flowing through your veins… It is suffocating.” She sighed and bent forward as a new rush of emotional onslaught engulfed her.

The Vanilla essence whiffed through her senses before she felt him closer, and he patted her head. “I totally understand you, Princess… I know what it is to be lonely. Don’t cry… Once this is over, I promise you can get to your desired life. You are a strong woman and can fight this as well.”

She looked up, unmindful of her smudged light make-up. The twilight had set in, and she had yet to switch on the lights in her room. Yet, in the fragile dusk, she saw the shadows on his face as he looked at her, and she was further drawn toward him. What was his story? She was eager to know. Why did she have a special kinship with this man?

She didn’t know if her emotions had the upper hand or, if the fading evening light did it to her, or the vanilla assault on her mind and senses… she closed the distance between them. She hesitated, but Shadow didn’t move. The intensity of his gaze as he stared into her eyes threatened to burn her to ashes, but at that moment, she didn’t care.

For the first time in her life, she felt brave enough to make a move. She raised a hesitating palm to cup his face. The gruff beard tickled her soft palm, but it was one of the best sensations in recent times. Shadow stood still, and she felt his warm breath on her forehead as she went closer, and they almost touched.

“Shadow…” She whispered. “…tell me it was you those years ago…”

It was as if a thunderbolt hit him; he held her wrist. “Princess, you need to rest and…”

Padma refused to back off. She knew this was the moment. She wouldn’t get another chance again.

“Shadow, please… it was you…”

He looked away, but he was breathing heavily. Was he as affected as she was? Then why was he not accepting?

“Shadow, I have never pleaded before anyone or openly cried before anyone except my mother. You have seen me at my most vulnerable moments, and I think I deserve to know that much… so tell me…”

“It doesn’t make any difference Princess… I am bound by duty….”

“…It was you…”

“…Princess, I have to protect you. The situation outside is…”

“…It…was… you…” She persisted.

“…Princess… it’s a dangerous situation…”

“…you…” She placed a hand on his heart.

“GODDAMN YES… it was ME… are you happy now?” he grasped her hand and panted, looking into her eyes.

The dam broke, and she crashed into his chest, digging her head into the firmness as she sobbed. She thought he would move her away and was prepared. But he didn’t.

After a moment, he rubbed a hand on her back and patted her head with another. She could feel him holding back.

“Princess…” he said softly; the soft vibration of his baritone sent shivers down her spine. He gently held her away. Not leaving her shoulders, he stared into her eyes and continued. “…Your life is of utmost importance to this province. Please don’t ask me why and how. Just… please trust me, Princess… I am committed to serving you and the Royal family. Follow my instructions to the T, till this phase passes….”

“…Will this ever be over, Shadow?” She spoke, tears continuing to flow, and she didn’t bother to wipe them away. To her utmost disappointment, she saw him lift his hand to touch her face and back out last minute.

“I promise you, Princess, this will all be over soon. I won’t rest until it’s done.”

She held his hands in hers, and he didn’t pull away this time.

“Promise me one more thing, Shadow.”

“What is it, Princess?”

“You will be careful about yourself as well…” She looked into his eyes and saw the emotions change for a second, and he swallowed before he nodded slightly and got back to his neutral stance.

The following morning Shadow led the way towards the car parked at the entrance. Padma wanted the extra walk through the palace lawns, and Shadow obliged. The morning breeze caressed her soul and gave her immense peace. As they reached the car, she saw Harish was missing. She looked questioningly at Shadow.

“He called in sick, and I don’t trust anyone else. So I will be driving you today, and we will be followed by two of my men on their bikes like yesterday.”

She nodded and sat on the back passenger seat though she would have given up anything to join Shadow in the front. But she didn’t want to corner him and put him off or put him in an uncomfortable position. She also didn’t want to antagonize him…

She knew last evening something unsaid had passed between them, albeit momentary, and she was curious to see where it led. She barely knew anything about Shadow, but he seemed to know a lot about her. She was lost in her thoughts as they cruised along their route when she felt a jerk, and it jolted her back to the present.

She realized the car was speeding abnormally. She had the seatbelt on, but still, she was thrown along the side, and the belt bit into her wound, making her groan in pain. She was nauseous and controlled the bile rising in her throat. All she could see were the trees speeding in a blur along the road, and they were moving at an alarmingly fast rate down the slope.

She looked at Shadow, and he was the epitome of concentration. He had his hands free and she heard bits and pieces of some communication, probably with his team. She didn’t want to disturb him but knew something was drastically wrong.

“PRINCESS…” Shadow yelled. “…Grip the handle above and release the seatbelt…”

“WHAT…?” Did he lose his mind? For all her bravado, she was terrified.

“PRINCES… DO… AS… I… SAY…” He screamed hoarsely, and she knew he was dead serious.

Padma held the handle above her side of the passenger window even as the momentum resulted in the seatbelt biting into her wound. Then, with the other trembling hand, she released the seatbelt. Shadow shot his hand at the back through the gap between the front seats.

“Hold on, Princess, I will pull you up here.” She said his eyes were still on the road; she realized they had gone off track and were somewhere she didn’t know.

She was panting in fear and grasped his hand. She let go of the handle and before she knew he had pulled her through the gap between the front seats. She landed on her shoulder awkwardly, which sent a shooting pain throughout her body; her legs following along hit him in the face. But he dragged her further, and she quickly tried to straighten herself. She had worn a sky-blue salwar kameez. The top got entangled in the gear stick, and she almost banged her head to the window when the car swerved right, and Shadow avoided colliding with an oncoming truck.

Shadow pulled her towards him in the nick of time, and she fell on his body. She tried to move as the gear stick dug painfully into her hips. But he held her tightly against him even as he manoeuvred the car. Didn’t he need the gear stick? Or was his hand free to drive?

As if answering her thoughts, Shadow said between rapid breaths, “Hold on.. Princess… as you have… seen… the brakes have… failed… your car has been… tampered with…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 20

Padma sipped the tender coconut water as Seema helped her adjust her aching back on the infirmary bed. Her wound throbbed every passing minute, and she didn’t want any more pain medicine as they would dull her senses. She didn’t want to miss anything happening around her. She seemed to be in the dark concerning everything.

Aarti updated her a while ago and gushed about the man in charge of security who sat outside unmoving from his post. Padma’s heart raced at the thought of the stranger, whom she was sure she had encountered in the past. She knew he was the one who had saved her life twice before. But, who was he, and how was he present at the right place at the right time?

Seema switched off the lights and left her room on her insistence. The young woman had tirelessly been there for her for the last couple of years, ever since her mother, a royal housemaid, passed away. Since Aarti was absent because of her studies and given the pandemic restrictions, Padma was glad she got a new friend in Seema.

She stared vacantly at the shadows cast by the fan blades on the pristine ceiling; she thought about the man outside. Sleep was miles away, given her body pain that felt like she had just been run over.

His deep baritone sent shivers down her spine and set off the butterflies in her stomach. According to her father, ‘Shadow’ would be around her. How could she avoid her attraction toward the enigmatic rugged man? It wasn’t a recently acquired emotion. The man had haunted her subconscious for years. She was never drawn to anyone else like she was to him. She wished she could talk to the man and get done with her feelings…  it was going to be a challenge for her to retain her sanity with him around.

Sleep claimed her late into the night.

She raced through the dilapidated moss-laden cavern. Surprisingly, the darkness didn’t scare her, but her heart was pacing for unknown reasons. She had followed someone here. There was only the gush of petrichor breeze hitting her face along with the drops of cold moisture. Unfortunately, the drops meant to soothe her were mercilessly scalding her, and she yelped in agony.. She realized she was crying too…

Suddenly she was at a dead end, and she panted in fear as she turned around. There was no one, nothing but an eternal abyss of darkness. She was sure she had heard footsteps. But where were they? Who were they?

A  window opened in the wall next to her, and she saw pixelled images and blurred movements. The only clear visual was the ancient brass temple bell that rang violently as if protesting what was happening. She saw her white gown, her favorite one smeared with red liquid… Gosh, not just any liquid but blood. Just then, someone screamed and then there was silence. The only sound she heard was of her heart threatening to race out of the confines of her chest. She felt her fingers wet and in the tiny glow of the moonlight, she realised she had touched blood.

Whose blood was it? She couldn’t move as she was stuck to the hard ground. The walls began to close around her and her scream logged in her throat.

She wanted to call her mother…. Her Aai… Yes, the scream belonged to her aai…

“Aai… aaaai… aaaai…”

“wake up, princess…”

“aaii… aaai…” She continued to wail

“Wake up…” someone shook her.

“Aaai… come… please…”she tried to reach into the darkness.

“WAKE up, Princess…” she felt hard but comforting hands on her arms.

Her shoulder throbbed and she opened her lids. Goodness, she had been dreaming. These dreams had often come and gone but this time she was surprised by the intensity of the emotions evoked in her. And why did it seem like her mother’s voice? The surge of the residual feelings from her nightmare surfaced upwards, and she began to sob. She missed her mother terribly. Her birthday marked her mother’s fifth death anniversary…

She didn’t know how and when, but she was held against a taught body in a warm embrace. It wasn’t rocket science to know who he was. Shadow or whatever his name was, held her close and rubbed her back. She felt her fear dissipate and placed her forehead against his chest. The soft vanilla essence that gave her wet dreams piqued her olfactors and she snuggled closer.

He held her hands and moved her away to her utmost disappointment. She was sure she had felt his heartbeat rapidly as well. She wasn’t a good judge of people but their encounter in the temple when he saved her life was still fresh in her memory. She had read his eyes in the staccato of the lightning. They were brimming with emotion as he looked at her. She couldn’t have gotten it wrong.

“Princess, are you alright? Was it a bad dream? Are you in pain?” He asked softly in rapid succession. Every word felt like a feather touching her face before darting into her aura.

She nodded and moved away but the action caused her shoulder to throb and she winced in agony.

He held her affected sidearm and helped her lie on the bed. Then, he placed the additional pillow so that the injured part was elevated, and after about five minutes, she felt the pain subside a bit.

“Tha… thank you, Sh… Shadow” She uttered.

He nodded and covered her with the soft blanket. The rain Gods decided to shower right then and she heard the rain lash on their land. The harsh rain hitting the outer parapet sent a shudder through her body. Not to mention the rumble of the clouds banging into one another as they fled heavily pregnant with rain.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore and didn’t want to stay alone.

“Um… I mean… um Shadow… Can you call Seema, please? I don’t want to be alone… I mean…” She felt embarrassed. She had never spoken about her fears to anyone in the palace in the last five years. But Shadow had seen it all…

“It’s late for her to come over, Princess. The distance is quite a bit from the palace wing and she will have to traverse the slush. I am here, Princess, to help out, and the night nurse can be called if you need anything. So don’t be scared, alright?”

The gentleness in his tone raised her blood pressure, and the feelings she didn’t know existed in her began to announce their presence. Her traitorous heart continued to race, and she knew she was a goner. She looked away and shut her eyes.

On one end, she was thrilled to have him here, but on the other end, he was still a stranger for whom she had developed strong feelings. For all she knew, he had a wife or a girlfriend waiting for him after this job… yes, she was a ‘job’ for him and nothing more. She shut her lids tightly to prevent the gathered tears from escaping. She couldn’t propagate her vulnerability to him.

She felt him move around and drag the chair closer to her bed, and though she couldn’t sleep, she liked the feeling that he was in there. She felt secure.

The following morning after breakfast, she was transferred to her room. She noticed a few modifications, though. First, the windows were sealed shut except for her favorite one overlooking the fountain. The balcony attached to her room was also locked. That was her favorite place in the world, and she loved to watch the sun setting behind the hills she could see fading into the distance.

As Seema left the room, Shadow walked in.

“Princess, I will be right next door… anytime you feel you are in danger or something you feel isn’t right just press the tiny red button on your watch. I can monitor you anywhere. Also…”

She held up her hand to pause him mid-sentence.

“…Shadow, I appreciate your dedication to this job. However, I value my privacy and nothing… no bullet or threat can deter me from doing what I want to do…” She folded her hands against her chest, and the movement caused a pull in her stiches. She grimaced, and he rushed close.

Holding her hand, he took her to the bed and helped her lie on it. The pain spasms were intense, and she gripped his palm with all her might, waiting for the pain to pass. He offered a painkiller, but she refused. As she shut her lids, she felt his hand caressing her head, and she only wanted to snuggle into that comforting chest.

A little while later, she felt him move away, and a sense of loneliness began its descent into her heart. The next moment the doors opened and she saw, Keshav enter along with his father and another member of the royal court.

Shadow stood in the corner, and if not for his unnerving sense of presence in her heart, she wouldn’t have known at all. She had to give it to him. He was the perfect Shadow!

Keshav’s father and the other person checked on her health and updated her about the Royal court’s affairs since her father had left earlier day.

Padma stayed up through the motions trying to control the emotional onslaught at everything transpiring around her. She hated the feeling of helplessness. As soon as they left the room followed by Shadow, she turned towards the unaffected side and dug her head into her pillow as the dams burst. She sobbed and didn’t realise when the door clicked open and someone walked in.

The door shut again but she didn’t turn to look. Desperation set in as she realized how futile everything around her was.

“Princess?” Shadow called her.

She didn’t care to look anymore and continued to sob. Finally, she felt his come closer and felt his touch on her other arm.

“Princess… are you hurting? Should I call the  doctor…?” Shadow seemed worried.

Not bothering about her tear-streaked face, she turned and struggled to sit up. She held up her hand as he came closer to help her.

“Please stay in the Shadows. That’s what you are hired for, aren’t you? The rest of me is not of your concern….” Then, in her vision blurring with tears, she saw him flinch momentarily as if she had slapped him.

“Princess, I am responsible for your safety and you also know how things are dangerous. Till we find the perp responsible for all that’s happened so far….”

“…So it was you, wasn’t it?” She abruptly spoke.

Shadow looked taken aback. “Princess, your safety…”

“…It was you in that nightclub and then in the temple who saved my life…” this time she declared.

“Princess… its important that…”

“…tell me… Shadow… it was you, wasn’t it?” she didn’t know what got into her but she felt she had to know. She was going crazy with her emotions scattered all over, and she had to find some stability.

“Please, Princess, you have to rest…” She saw him pleading and her resolve only strengthened.

“…It was you…” She softly said, and he finally looked into her eyes after avoiding eye contact for the last few hours.

“No…” He said. “…you have mistaken Princess… Now please rest…”

“…I am not mistaken…” She got down from her bed on wobbly legs and took a couple of steps forward. Weakness got the better of her, and she almost fell but not before he caught her. She looked into his eyes, full of mystery and unknown emotions. She knew it was him. gripping his shirt lapels she wailed. “…it was you Shadow, I am sure. Why are you doing this to me? Who are you and how did you…”

“…I am not the one, princess” He spoke firmly splintering her heart into a thousand pieces.

She cried unabashedly. “…Don’t… I don’t expect anything from you Shadow. It’s just that… I am so lost with everything that’s happened. Please…” She tightened her grip. “…Tell me…it was you. I only want to thank you for saving my life. You don’t have to tell me anything else…. But it was you… that night…”

He held her hands and took them in his. “Princess, listen to me carefully. I am not the one. So let it go, alright? You need to rest up…”

She jerked her hands away, the pain only causing her anger to rise. “…to hell with you, Shadow. I am not a porcelain doll that shall break with a tiny shove….” The pain became unbearable and her tears took precedence. “…I don’t want anyone around me in this room at least…”

He came close and she saw concern etched on his face. “Princess… I…”

“…just go…” pain numbed her and she stumbled before blackness overcame her. She felt him lift her and lay her on the bed.

She didn’t know if she was still dreaming later that night. Her hand was in his and she heard slight snores. Then, finally, she opened her eyes and saw him seated on the chair next to her bed, holding her hand and he was asleep too.

“Whatever you say, big man…” she smiled and whispered. “… I know… it was you…”

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 19

Engulfed in the throes of emotions burgeoning from the past

He spiralled out of control as evidence made him aghast

Shiv found it challenging to control the upsurge of emotions that threatened to shake the very foundations of his endurance. He wasn’t attached to his mother. In fact, for the last two years of her life, they barely spoke, and besides the occasional nightmares where he saw he hanging, he didn’t even remember her.

But what was her anklet doing in that godforsaken dungeon? He had touched the anklet so many times to get his memory revived but had failed. He knew the design was unique and there was no way his mother could have got it for herself. It had to be a gift from her paramour.

The man who used his mother and ditched her, eventually leading her to take her life, was politically well-connected and the last he heard he was a sitting MLA from Koini. Shiv had followed the guy during his search years ago and had realised Rajendra Majumdardr’s wealth had grown by leaps and bounds. So not only was he feared in Koini but also in the neighboring provinces. Moreover, there was a rumor that Majumdar had the law in his pockets.

Despite everything, this piece of jewellery was of royal make, which wasn’t available from local jewellers. Customizing it would cost a fortune and call for attention, and Majumdar wasn’t an idiot. He wouldn’t do something like this for a keep. So then, how did the piece of jewelry reach his mother? And the million-dollar question, what was it doing in that fort? When did his mother go there?

The music change as the princess made her entry towards the dias, brought him back to the present. Padma’s beauty spellbound him even as he stared wide-eyed at her bedazzling poise. Then, he saw her family, her fiancé Keshav and friend Aarti walk behind her, and gradually, amidst the flowery rain, she took her seat on the special throne.

He had checked out the area around the throne before the event began. As per his request, the King had promised not to let anyone know he was the bodyguard. He observed the princess, and as of he had known her for ages, he felt Padma wasn’t happy. Something told him she didn’t like the turn of events. But this was her legacy, and whether she liked it or not, she would have to go through the motions.

He had done his background check on Keshav and found the guys were clean. Whether he loved the princess was a different story, but Keshav meant well. For the moment, that was a solace. It would be difficult to handle danger from Keshav…

What he saw also made him realize he was no match for the princess and that his feelings had to be nipped in the bud. But it was all easier said than done. He had been in love with Padma for years, probably when they were kids.

But the fact remained. Padma was the crowned princess, the future queen, and Shiv was an ordinary man. The princess was in danger, and that very thought made him alert. He berated himself for losing himself in his train of thought.

He scanned the audience which was swelling every minute. He wanted nothing more than to stand as a human shield before the princes, but that would call for attention and look odd. Then, before he could register, he saw movement. Not the regular shifting of people but a cautious stance like he did whenever… he wanted to aim and shoot.

Goddamn… someone was aiming towards the princess. How could he get a gun inside? The man was too far to recognize, but Shiv knew he was hired. But how did he get in? There was a wolf in sheep’s clothing for sure in the palace.

He rushed towards the princess. However, he wasn’t fast enough, and he saw the princess being hit. He reached the dais before she collapsed and gathered her in his arms. Without bothering about the chaos in the background, he rushed outside. He didn’t wait for the guards and ran like a man possessed. His heart was in his throat as he felt the warm blood on his hands near the princess’s shoulder.

No… he couldn’t lose her. The very thought was unacceptable. He ran to the infirmary. Everything else could wait. Treating the princess was of utmost importance. As the princess was rushed into surgery, with trembling hands stained with royal blood, Shiv called Maanav to arrange for reinforcement that was kept ready. The immediate security detail for the princess would comprise of his selectmen. The King had already approved of the same.

He paced outside the surgical unit, his entire body tight with tension as he awaited the news of Padma’s safety. Time and again, his eyes filled as he thought of anything untoward…

The King walked in with a stride, just like a commoner. At that moment, with just two of his trusted men by his side, he was just a worried father. Rubbing his exhausted face, the King gestured to someone, and one of the men stepped forward with a ziplocked pouch. It contained a strange letter.

“Mr. Chouhan, this… came in sometime back. It was left on the throne…” the King spoke, his voice hoarse. “…I thought you should see it before the police take it away.

‘THE NEXT BULLET WILL NOT MISS THE HEART. GIVE UP THE CROWN.’

Shiv was furious. How dare someone threaten Padma? That too brazenly before a crowd. The palace exits were sealed, and the police were questioning every visitor. It wasn’t easy because there were special royal guests too.

The King sighed, and Shiv could see the man struggling between his duty as a father and the province’s King.

“You know Mr. Chouhan? Padma isn’t interested in royalty. I know it from the start. She is just like her late mother. She is very kind and simple in her way of life. She is different from all other royal princesses in the country because we didn’t let her experience life outside the palace walls….” The King stared at the doors closing the surgical unit and continued. “…But she is bound by duty because of the blood in her veins and she has to keep up. Else all this will be lost to the hungry vultures who lie in wait for the palace. They have political clout and only the ordinance that the princess is the living heir, has kept all this from going into their hands…” the King rubbed his face yet again. “… Mr. Chouhan, I don’t know for how long I can keep protecting my daughter. At times I want to let her be… But this is all not just mine. It’s come down from my ancestors and Padma deserves it all. So…” The King held Shiv’s hands in his. “…Promise me Mr. Chouhan, you will protect her. Keep her safe. I will be… gone for a while. I have to find out the traitor in our midst and the perps. I have to know who killed my wife and her bodyguard five years ago…That threat is still looming over our heads….”

Shiv bowed before the King. “Your Highness, I promise you, nothing… Absolutely NOTHING untoward will befall the princess so long as I breathe.”

The King nodded, and they waited.

The princess was soon wheeled out. She was out of danger but needed time to recuperate. On Shiv’s advice, her room was converted into a recovery chamber, and Shiv took up residence in the room adjoining the princess’s. He had it checked thoroughly and felt at ease knowing he finally had control of Padma’s safety.

He only was unsure of one element… his heart.

The princess was out of surgery for over three hours, and though the doctors had given her all clear, Shiv was tensed. He would remain so till she regained consciousness.

His prayers were answered and the King walked in a while after Padma regained consciousness. Her fiancé, Keshav, her best friend Aarti, and her attendant Seema were with the princess, and they were quickly sent outside. Only the three of them were aware of Shiv’s role besides the King.

Behind closed doors, Shiv knew the King was probably updating the princess. He was soon ushered in, and as he crossed the room’s threshold, one look at the princess, and he knew she had recognized him. Her glare as she stared into his eyes felt like a blow to his solar plexus. Despite being dressed in the infirmary outfit, with tubes running through her veins, Padma was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His heart raced, and he hoped he didn’t do anything stupid to jeopardize his role as her bodyguard.

The King introduced him as ‘Shadow,’ and the princess only stared. Shiv wished he could read the look in her eyes. But instead, he handed over her phone in which he had already placed the tracker and a sensor from his kit. He instructed the princess about the plan to move into her chamber the next day, and he struggled to hide the tremor in his voice.

As she continued to glare at him. he feigned ignorance even as the surge of emotions cumulatively reached its peak.

He rushed out of the room before the raging volcano in his heart gushed out and burnt them both together.

Shiv sighed as he stood up outside her infirmary room and walked towards the window. His burner buzzed with an incoming text. It was Maanav.

Need to talk—news time. Home is where the heart is!

Shiv knew he had to visit his old home. At 9 PM that night when the local TV channel played the news.

Padma was sleeping when he last checked and asked his selectmen to keep a watch. Shiv rushed to visit his home. It was a good two-hour drive, but he made it just in time.

Manav was unrecognizable in his attire but Shiv was proud of his friend and glad the guy had his back.

“Hey Shadow… back into the lair?” Maanav chuckled a rare one.

“Cut it Bullet… what’s up?”

“I got the news. Hold your breath, it’s shocking….” Maanav moved closer to where Shiv sat on the stone stairs. “… there was a time when the Shiv temple in the fort was a front for the Devdasi tradition. The Natraj form of the lord was worshipped. To end the tradition, Shivaji Maharaj had installed Maa Bhavani after reclaiming the fort. But guess what? Till a few years ago the tradition was ‘kept alive’”

“What the hell? How could anyone do it? And you mean the fort?”

“Yup… ‘devdasi’ tradition has to be a front. I think we can link the missing girls to this sinister ploy. No guesses where these girls were transported to…”

Shiv’s blood boiled. “Who… do you think is behind this horrific practice?”

“There is no evidence, and anyone who has a clue is scared shit. It took many glasses of hootch to get some of them to spill the beans. But the biggest guess is… our friend the MLA…”

“But the MLA was into politics for ages. So why would he do something to jeopardise it all?”

“Money my dear friend… money is the root of all evils….” Maanav sighed. “… It’s never enough. The more you get, the more you yearn. The police once raided the fort as well on receiving a tip-off. They were forced to act because the complainant was also influential but there was nothing found in the fort. It was clean as ever…”

“The tip-off must have gone from the Queen…” Shiv deduced.

“bingo… some say she had gathered evidence and was to present it to the police commissioner directly but…”

“…but she was killed. The evidence must have been destroyed along with her.”

“I think…” Maanav continued. “…The Queen was too perceptive and a brilliant lady from the talks around. She wouldn’t have left things without a backup. So Shadow, you have to find it. It must be somewhere in the palace…”

Shiv nodded. That piece of evidence would be crucial in putting an end to all the fiasco.

“What else did you have for me?” he asked Maanav

Maanav drew out what looked like a map. “Here is the other property left for you. You wanted the location. I asked around. No one knew so I think it’s more like a hideout. The place is on a hill covered by dense forest, close to the waterfall. Your father wouldn’t have got it without influence, and why would he buy it in such a place with no amenities around? Not even electricity… not to mention the few wild animals on the prowl.

But Shiv understood it … there was a link between that waterfall he had heard in that cavity in the fort and the property his father had got. Something told him, he would find out soon…

He rode his newly acquired bike on his way back to the palace and all he wanted to take a look at was the sole woman who had stolen his heart for good before he retired for the night.

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 18

Shiv felt the vibrations beneath his feet in the dark cavernous surroundings before the tiger moved. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched the ground beneath him shift, and the rumbles echoed through the fort, the cacophony of the breeze adding to it. He barely managed to contain his balance.

What on Earth was happening?

The tiger shifted along with the idol of the Goddess, and he saw what looked like a trap door. He knew forts and palaces often had trap doors, but he hadn’t read anything about this one. Also, when he touched the handle, it didn’t appear rusted. So it meant…this was recent. Did the Queen build it, or was the Queen aware of this?

He tried to move the trap door and thought it would be difficult, but instead… it shook with a slight vibration and opened. He removed the lid and shone his torchlight into the cavity. It revealed a long bottomless cul-de-sac. He couldn’t see beyond that. There were stairs leading down into the darkness, and the cavity was huge enough for two well-built individuals to pass through. He touched the stair, and it looked sturdy, and like the lid, it wasn’t rusted.

He was now confident this was a recent make and wanted to learn more. But getting into uncharted territory would be dangerous. He had to come back prepared. He made a mental note to update his friend tomorrow.

As he was about to move and replace the lid, his eyes caught something shining on the stairs at a slightly lower level. A little climb down wouldn’t hurt, would it?

He got down, but immediately, the air pressure changed. The fetid air in the cavity made him gag. It was as if he was getting sucked inside. What kind of place was this? He tightened his grip on the railing and moved down; he heard something when his head was below the entrance. He thought it was some noise, like a broken or interrupted radio frequency. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him, and he moved a couple of steps lower, holding the torch in his mouth.

The walls seemed like he was in a dungeon, and they were overwhelming…

The dark walls close in on me….

And right then, as he thought of his father’s poetry, he heard the distinct noise… it wasn’t any radiofrequency. It was water… yes! He was sure it was water flowing with force. It couldn’t be the sea, because of the altitude…

The heavy gush pulls me

There was only one option, and Shiv was sure of it. The noise was from the waterfall…

He took a look at what had caught his eye. Then, holding the railing, he balanced himself while he picked the object. It was an anklet… not a regular one. He had seen this somewhere…

He put it in his pocket and climbed out, gasping for fresh air. He quickly replaced the lid and pressed the other eye of the tiger on impulse. He was right, though. The tiger and the massive idol moved back in place.

He hoped the loud rumblings hadn’t called for attention as he stealthily made his way out of the fort.

The following day he met up with Maanav. The guy was already into the element and disguised for the role.

“What’s up, Bullet, all OK? Though I am not complaining, why the long sabbatical?” Shiv was curious.

Maanav ‘Bullet’ Deshmukh, a man with few words, only looked around and sighed. Tallest among all of them, Maanav was often called the pillar… He was the best sniper in their unit and an ace with firearms. There wasn’t a gun he hadn’t laid his hands on. He was highly trained, and his observational powers were mind-blowing.

Shiv knew Maanav would open up whenever he was ready. The latter opened his bag and brought out a box.

“Here, Shadow, keep this one. Since you are going solo, you will need this. So consider it’s a retirement gift from all of us…” Maanav smiled for the first time in the past hour.

Shiv shook his head and opened the black box. It was filled with transmitters… in different forms. Earstuds, rings, tiny chips could be fitted into devises… etc. Each set had its recorder as well. A GPS signal dial transmitted inputs from all the transmitters in different windows for Shiv’s purpose.

“This is awesome, buddy..” Shiv exclaimed.

“And here is a message from Razor… he has the information you asked about that ring.” Maanav handed over a piece of paper on which information was scribbled in a unique script the friends had developed in Gurukul to communicate without the warden, Captain Rawat, or any other member knowing about it. The writing was part Morse code and part sketches. A few words had their spellings reversed. It wasn’t easy initially, but it was easy to decipher the letters once they knew each other well.

‘The ring was a gift to King Wamanrao Raje from the Turkish ambassador who had visited the province a few years ago. It was a customized product made by the best craftsman from Istanbul. The Turkish Prime Minister had commissioned it for King Wamanrao as a token of friendship. The words inscribed mean Trust the man who bears the ring.’

Shiv now understood why his father left the ring for him. It would be necessary to gain entry into the palace if needed. Shiv, however, hoped that he would never need it. He didn’t want to reveal his identity for as long as possible. At least not till he found out whatever sinister was happening.

He got back to Gurukul that night after he and Maanav separated with the promise of keeping in touch using the burners.

That night Shiv stared at the anklet. It was a unique pattern. It was silver make for sure but had blackened due to a long time in that godforsaken cavity from the looks of it. He didn’t know about jewellery… but something about this anklet felt familiar. He dozed off as the physical fatigue got the upper hand.

A couple of days later, Maanav informed him about the puja in the local Maa Bhavani Temple to be presided over by the princess and her ‘fiance.’ Though the news of the princess’s betrothal pierced his heart and pained him in a way that surprised him, Shiv recovered soon to note that the event was at night.

Though he was sure the King would arrange for protection, he wouldn’t take a chance. The part of the forest spread behind the temple made everyone in the temple vulnerable to attacks. Moreover, the King probably didn’t know about the princess’s rendezvous in the nightclub; else, he wouldn’t have allowed this outing at night.

As he made a hole in the wall of the temple perimeter from the forest side, he checked that the part was recently repaired. So it would make it easier to break.

The following night, he lay in wait, watching for unwanted elements. But it was tough, given the slopy terrain, and also everyone gathered had worn the royal uniform. And right then, he saw the princess walk around with her fiancé following her along with the bodyguards.

His heart skipped a beat watching her resplendent form in the beautiful saree… There was an air of supremacy in her looks. She seemed detached from her future husband, and that surprised him. How could that man just let her out of his sight, given the dangers she faced?

If she were his, Shiv would move mountains to protect her and engulf her in his cocoon… Freak… What was he thinking? He couldn’t… she didn’t deserve him.

A stray thought entered his mind. Princess Padma had kissed him barely a week ago… whom did she kiss since she was drugged? Was it the fiancé, or was it him?

The flicker of distraction cost him heavily, and he heard the click of the trigger before the bullet was fired. Instantly, he got down from the tree and ran towards the wall on red alert. There was a blackout, and he heard shots being fired. Oh No… the princess was in the line of fire, and any stray bullet could hit her.

He kicked the susceptible wall and rushed toward the princess, who had fallen to the ground. She looked scared, and Shiv’s heart went out to her. The sudden urge to protect her overcame everything else, and he didn’t think of anything else. He lifted her in a fireman’s carry and ran back towards the wall.

Crossing the thresholds, he ran into the forest like a man possessed. The princess initially protested but stopped flapping her hands and hitting him… as if she recognized him.

He stopped only when he was far away from the temple and was sure they weren’t being followed.

He had covered his head completely, and only his eyes were visible. His lungs were on fire given the intense run when covered, but it was also because his heart was beating hard.

She looked up at his face even as it began to pour heavily, as if heaven had decided to drench them together. What was it about the princess and the rain, he didn’t know…

Those beautiful eyes boring into his were free from fear, but he sensed recognition in them as she asked him if he was the one who had saved her the week earlier… She probably didn’t remember what had happened two years ago and that was a blessing in disguise. She had a lot on her plate as it is. Lightening pierced the canopy of the trees above and flashed on them, the staccato playing games with their visions.

The princess got closer, her wet lithe body causing his to go taught with arousal. He was on fire and hoped she didn’t sense it. But the moment was intense, and he thought he would kiss her when he heard footsteps. The pattern wasn’t threatening, and he knew it was the royal security who had come to look for her.

Thanking the stars for preventing him from almost making a mistake he would repent for; he left the place as swiftly as possible. He hadn’t spoken a word, so the princess would never know how he sounded.

That night he was sure the princess was in grave danger and hoped the King would now make sure her security was upped.

Almost a month later, Maanav got together with him and updated what he found from the locals.

The fort was a front for some sinister activities there, but no one had an inkling of it. Everyone was scared of checking it out. It happened on every full moon night and the innocent locals feared the wrath of the Goddess if they dared to check the fort. Maanav on deeper probing, found that many young girls from the ages of 16 to 25 went missing from Koini and the nearby provinces, but there were no records. A recruitment agency employed young women as housemaids or nannies in the city. The women who returned praised the agency and were cash-rich, luring other young girls and women to try their luck.

However, the agency was shut down in the last two years, and all the girls and women hired had mysteriously disappeared.

He found that the Queen had been diligently asking around and encouraging people to talk to the police, but there were no FIRs registered in the records.

Later that night, both Maanav and Shiv were called by their superiors to come together for a special mission for the government. Though Shiv had put in his papers, Captain Rawat requested so he couldn’t refuse. So he arranged for ‘eyes’ on the palace while he left for the mission to Kabul.

Almost a year into the mission, the princess was unharmed, mostly because she wasn’t venturing out of the palace. It was a relief for Shiv and a source of worry since the enemy was upping its ante.

Shiv was in Dhaka a month later when the pandemic struck, and the mission was aborted. He was relieved of duty, and he returned to the Gurukul.

The lockdown had caused a major uproar across the province, and Koini was no exception. Shiv spent his days tending to the groves and reviving them. He employed a supervisor and a few local lads. He didn’t personally meet them to prevent being exposed. He didn’t renovate the house, though… he couldn’t.

Three years passed since he had last seen the princess in the temple, and not a day went by when he hadn’t thought of her. As the situation limped back on track, he resolved to end it all this time and bring the culprits to justice. There was only one way to do it, use the princess as bait, and he had to be there by her side to protect her and catch the culprits.

Captain Rawat helped him. The King was looking for a personal bodyguard for the princess who had to venture out for her studies. This was the moment Shiv was waiting for. He had to enter the palace in an official capacity. The King met with him and given his high credentials, he was employed in the princess’s service right after the coronation.

The princess’s 21^st birthday celebration was an occasion he would never forget. But, the huge pomp and splendour made him wonder what the King was thinking, putting his daughter in danger.

He hadn’t seen the princess yet. However, he met with the King a little before the ceremony.

“Your Highness, With due regards, it’s dangerous for the princess to be exposed to a crowd this big… it would be difficult to protect her.”

The King only stared at his hands.

“I know… I know it’s dangerous, but if we hide her, it would call for unwanted attention on an important day like this… Mr. Chouhan I trust your instincts, and I am sure you will be there for her…” the King had walked away, leaving Shiv flabbergasted.

He had been on high alert all evening, and when the princess made her entry, one look at her grandeur and all blood rushed south. He didn’t know how he would last next to her and control his raging libido…

The princess lifted her outfit to prevent tripping, and his eyes fell on her feet. Right then, realization struck.

That anklet he had found in the fort three years ago belonged to his mother…

©Priya Nayak-Gole

Chapter 16

Shiv didn’t smoke or do weed, but he could smell and identify their types from anywhere. The misty smoke-filled nightclub appeared notorious, and his heart paced with worry for Padma.

He had to spot her to keep an eye without her realizing it. What was the princess thinking? Coming to this shady outlet without security?

The cacophony of the blaring DJ accompanied by the incessant screams of the gathered crowd swelling every minute was getting on Shiv’s nerves. He was used to most chaotic situations, but he was never personally invested. Instead, his trained eyes darted across the room, taking in the exit points and checking out the silhouettes of the gathered people.

Right then, the hair on his neck stood and his heart raced. Something wasn’t right. Where the hell was the princess?

The music changed from brash to something slower, and many split from the dancing crowd to come for a drink, and…then… he saw her. Padma was drinking something with her friend. How could she throw caution to the wind? His blood boiled thinking of the worst-case scenarios, and right then, he saw her friend go back to the dance floor and disappear in the crowd. So why was Padma sitting alone?

The strobe ball above turned, and a myriad kaleidoscope of colors fell on her oval face. Despite the blast of AC she was sweating, and he was about eight feet away. Yet he could see the bead of sweat flow from her temple to the neck and disappear in the strap of whatever she was wearing. She bent slightly, and her outfit slipped a little lower to reveal her nape line.

Padma was perfect, but her chest was heavier, and the dress she had worn that night hugged her in the right manner. His blood gushed southward and an erection so painful than he had ever known strained against his boxers. He looked away and rubbed his face, berating himself to encourage such vile thoughts.

The feeling of unease returned, and he looked up to see… the princess was gone.

Did she get back to dancing? How could he look for her without revealing himself or making it obvious? But he had to find her… he didn’t like the scenario.

His eyes fell on a massive silhouette of a man limping slightly and making his drunk way beyond the drinks counter. Shiv had found there were rooms for the patrons lined at the back in case anyone wanted to make out with their partners or pass out drunk.

But this man… he knew from somewhere. He couldn’t make out in the dark, but something about that gait felt familiar. He moved in the direction wedging between people in the crowd. He could afford to be recognized. But the man suddenly disappeared as well. Was the floor opening up and swallowing everyone here? What on earth was happening?

Shiv cruised slowly and moved towards the back rooms. A couple of rooms gave out groans which weren’t unfamiliar as he realized those were the sounds of passion or whatever they called it. Then, he heard some muffled noise behind one of the closed doors. Now, that wasn’t passion at all…

He tried to move the door but it was locked. His gut instinct that had saved his life umpteen times rang an alarm and he kicked open the door.

Though the lights were dim, he saw the princess sprawled on the bed with her gown drawn down and the last scraps of her virtue up for takes. The man he had seen earlier was above her, smelling of booze. He didn’t think twice but his animal instincts took over and he pulled the man away from the princess. The man fell with a thud and was knocked off immediately. The princess was in a state of shock.

How could the princess be so reckless he wondered when he realized she was crying… silently unable to move or speak. Her eyes were out of focus and she was so disoriented. He bent closer to her and smelt alcohol. Oh goodness… the princess was roofied. She was probably given a date rape drug…

He was right all the while. The killer had made a move. No one would suspect him if the princess was violated and killed in this shady place.

He dressed the princess and lifted her in his arms without wasting another moment. He rushed out of the alternative exit meant for the staff he had marked earlier. It had a couple of employees smoking away to glory, but they didn’t notice him. He ran towards the car he had chosen earlier and picked the lock as he balanced the princess who rested on his body.

He opened the back passenger door and laid her on the seat, but she raised her chest upwards, her face coming close to his, and his breath stopped. Despite everything, he had a tough time controlling his raging libido as he held her lithe body close to his. And then… she kissed him. It was a touch of lips, his rough with her smooth, malleable ones. She hooked her soft hands around his neck pulling him close, and he lost it.

He heard some footsteps and instantly went on high alert. When she was about to move her tongue to part his lips, he released her, swearing at the turn of events and got into the driving seat. He had to rig the ignition but his training was apt. However, the adrenaline from all that transpired moments ago caused his heart to race rapidly, and there was a slight tremor in his fingers for the first time in his life.

The car zoomed away from the nightclub and he took a few detours before ditching the vehicle and stealing another one. He continued this a couple of times more and when he was sure the vehicle would be untraceable, he sped towards the mountain. He had to use the mountain pathway yet again.

For the second time in two years, he dropped the princess back on the same bench and disappeared before anyone could catch him. He dumped the car in a remote area and made his way towards the nearest tea stall even as tangerine skies showered the early morning glow.

He touched his chapped lips where the princess had kissed him barely hours ago and wished with everything he had that he could relive those moments again. But, despite the circumstances, they were the best moments of his life.

As he sipped his cutting chai, slipping into the shadows, there was a small gathering of men and he realised they were waiting for someone. Something told him he had to wait with them. What happened last night wasn’t a coincidence. There was something sinister going on and he had to find out about it. The drugging of the princess and the attempt to violate her… rage filled his body as he thought of how vulnerable the princess was.

An ambassador car halted a little away, and all the gathered men stood up to greet the person who alighted from the car. Shiv peered through the gaps in the tent of the makeshift tea stall and anger raced through his body. The man was none other than the asshole who had tried to force himself on the princess.

Shiv crushed the thermacol cup in his palm, unmindful of the residual tea seeping through his fingers. At that moment, he would give anything to wring that man’s neck. His hand touched his pocket where he had kept the man’s phone as he had lifted it from the scene. It was switched off, and he would soon take it to his tech friend to get it analyzed and delete any data pertaining to the princess that the pervert intended to use.

The men came closer to the stall, and in the new rays of the sun, Shiv could see the bastard as he flopped on the rickety chair. The bump on his forehead was a reminder of Shiv’s handiwork last night, which gave him some solace. He continued to eavesdrop…

“Get me a hot cup of tea…” The man groaned, holding his forehead and continued. “…Saheb is going to be mad. Don’t be surprised if you see my dead body tomorrow…”

“Why Bhau? What is the matter… didn’t things go as planned? We thought the bird was in our grasp,” One of the four men around him asked.

Shiv knew ‘bird’ meant the princess. He hoped this was a start to get to the crux of the plot.

“Everything was under control. Saheb could have achieved what he missed two years ago… Those two hid evidence very well. Still, if the only witness, our bird, is no more or loses credibility, then evidence be damned, Saheb remains untouched, and we can continue our business….” The man with the crooked nose continued holding his head with one hand and sipping tea.

“But Bhau… we had it all arranged, the room, the lights, the drink…” another lanky man spoke

“It was going great Ganpa… I had got pictures too… can you beat that? Value of those pictures in dollars? And the bird was untouched and given the blood in her veins, the auction could have fetched us all we wanted…” He groaned again and continued to talk. “…someone came in right then and took off with the bird.”

“Who was that Bhau?”

“Arre melya…” The man kicked the person who asked the question and spat on the muddy ground. “…if I had known, wouldn’t he be dead by now? The bastard took my phone along with him. If only I could lay my hands on him… I don’t know when we will get another chance… Saheb will have my hide…” the man rubbed his face and Shiv saw the sparkle of a signet ring on his stubby finger.

He had seen this man… yes. On a rainy night two years ago in that fort. This man was right behind the man in the raincoat. He couldn’t see the face then but he had seen the ring. He could recognize the ring anywhere in the world. It was his family heirloom… it was his father’s ring.

The bastard had killed his father and dared to keep the ring. Shiv’s blood boiled, and he wished nothing more than to take them all down, and he knew he could. But he also knew now wasn’t the time. Instead, he needed to get deeper to know what was in store and how his father was involved in the mess that caused his death and the Queen. First, he had to find out who the ‘Saheb’ was.

“Arre, where is that Baltya…?” The man looked around as if he had a gathering before him. “…we have to find out who knew about our plans. I have to answer Saheb. That man came out of nowhere. I asked security and checked the cameras, but I couldn’t spot him at all… Ask Baltya to ask around. I heard a car was stolen from the nightclub. Something tells me that man escaped in that car. Tell Baltya to check that as well… Kon aahe ha manus…?”

“Bhau did you get hurt as well…?” his right-hand man asked.

“Arre Ganpa, he kachich nahi…(this is nothing) think about what Saheb will do of we don’t give him the results….” The man sighed and looked at his henchman again. “….Ganpa ek kaam kar. Check out our latest consignment. And also check the waterfall area… sagla thik aahe na? (all’s fine ?)”

The men nodded, and soon they all left.

Shiv wondered what consignment they were talking about. Was it drugs? But he hadn’t heard any sordid tales from these regions regarding drug use. Nor did he hear of weapons. So there was only one way to start his investigation. He had to access his father’s locker, so he had to get back to Gurukul ASAP.

©priyagole

Chapter 15

Shiv stared at the crescent moon as he lay on the bunk bed in the gurukul. He hadn’t slept a wink for over 24 hours now, but sleep was miles away.

His heart was heavy. Emotions swirled inside, and suddenly, he jerked out of bed and rushed to the washroom. He hadn’t eaten for hours but dry heaved and sat in the lonely bathroom with his back against the tiles and the darkness for company. As the water drops from the tap made their way into the half-filled bucket, the sound, usually redundant, that night, got amplified in his head.

He grabbed his hair in his hands and wailed. He hadn’t cried after that bout in the groves when his mother had died. Even tonight, it wasn’t about his father’s death alone. Yes, he was upset and remorseful. What if he had reached early? Could he have saved his father and the Queen? In that case, maybe the princess would have been in danger.

Princess Padmavati….

The poor girl had seen her mother getting killed but was so shocked that she had moved everything back to her subconsciousness. He knew PTSD was a bitch and hoped that she could get the needed treatment, or at least no one would ever know what she had witnessed. He knew since the Queen was involved, there would be an investigation done.

He had two more years for his mandatory stint in the Army special unit, after which he could choose to continue or resign. He had always thought of serving the country in every capacity till his last breath. However, he was a goner ever since he laid his eyes on Padma and held her soft body in his contrasting hard muscular arms.

There was a huge protective instinct that refused to leave him ever since he saw the princess. For the first time in his life, he wanted to hang on to something. Rather… someone. He had long ago learned not to trust anyone to remain in his life. His father had actually left ages ago when he had abandoned them, and after his mother left too, Shiv hadn’t expected anything in life. But his friends in Gurukul and the Army changed that for him.

However, he longed for someone to call his own… and seeing the princess last night infused life into his heart’s dying embers. He wanted nothing more than to find the perpetrators responsible for his father’s and the Queen’s death. Through Captain Rawat’s connections, he had found out that the Queen was no more. The King had claimed both the bodies, and he knew his father would have wanted to keep their relationship a secret. Else the King would have called for him.

Shiv rubbed his face, his hand halting in his beard. Would the princess remember him? He wanted to rush back to the palace and check on her. He was attracted to her as well but reigned in those thoughts. His feelings for her were beyond physical… there was some soul connection. He had often thought he didn’t have a soul and was going through the motions of life without emotions.

Would he ever meet her again? He was to leave for duty tomorrow to someplace in Assam. The Army had been called to fend off the Ultras and protect the civilians from anticipated unrest. For the first time, he was worried that something happened to him. Who would protect his princess?

‘HIS…?’ Now, where did that thought come from? The princess did not belong to him. And why would she need his protection when she had a vast entourage protecting her? But, in that case, why did his father feel otherwise? There were too many questions and no answers.

He had to protect himself first and complete his tenure. Two years was long, and he wished they would pass soon.

He strutted back into the bed and called his friends. He knew ungodly hours didn’t matter to them. Finally, after an hour, it was settled. Each would take turns to arrange to watch over the palace in the upcoming two years. They had other contacts, too, who pledged to help if any of them had an emergency. It was decided, they wouldn’t act unless needed. Shiv decided, come what may, he would drop everything and reach the palace if the need arose.

In another hour, they arranged backups looping in their friends from the Army spread across the country. Once satisfied with the arrangements, Shiv released the breath he didn’t know he held. Gradually sleep claimed him.

The following two years couldn’t have passed slower.

Shiv was involved with classified missions and was without contact from his friends’ loop for days. But whenever possible, he made it a point to connect with them. The princess was safe, and things at the palace were uneventful so far. The King had converted the place into a fortress. Shiv was glad because it would keep the princess safe. He hoped that hole in the wall was sealed too. It was difficult for his ‘eyes’ to reach the spot, and he didn’t want to call for attention on his comrades and their associates.

Finally, at the end of two years, he called off the arrangements for keeping watch on the palace.

He now was on official leave and would take over the reins of watching over the princess on his own. But he also knew how to do it…

That night he lay on his bunk bed in the gurukul. He had just returned a couple of hours earlier and was to leave for the palace at dawn. Captain Rawat asked to meet him to discuss his father’s wishes, but Shiv wanted first to see the princess in person. He had to confirm for himself that she was safe.

He smiled. Tomorrow was her eighteenth birthday, exactly two years since he had last seen her, and he hoped he would see her in better circumstances.

He had also found that the Queen’s and his father’s murderers weren’t found as yet. Despite being a King the man couldn’t bring his wife’s killer to justice, which meant the plot was far more sinister than what he had thought. First, he had to find out what his father was up to. Only then could he work to keep the princess safe. He didn’t deserve her at all… but if the threat to her life was removed for good, he could rest assured.

The next day at dawn, Shiv dressed in his standard black overalls, figure-hugging clothes. He had to stick to his name ‘Shadow’. He sprinkled a tinge of the Vanilla hues. In his work line, it wasn’t allowed as it would give away his location, and he hadn’t bothered about vanity so far. But princess Padmavati brought out the zeal to live in him, and he felt a slight tinge wouldn’t matter. He was getting amidst civilians after all…

He realized he was smiling as his reflection in the tiny square mirror smiled back at him!

He was told there would be a bash in the palace today after two years, and the King was expected to make a special announcement.

Another aspect and worry plagued his conscience. He hadn’t figured out who that man in the raincoat was from two years ago. The fact that the man hadn’t made a move meant he didn’t get a chance so far, given the tight security. But Shiv’s gut feeling said, the man may make some attempt to harm the princess tonight. That’s how the criminal mind functioned. Besides, the princess had probably seen it better than Shiv, given her line of vision that night, but he wasn’t sure if she had revealed it all to anyone.

There was no uproar, but it put her in danger… grave danger.

He reached the foothills of the mountain later in the evening and soon blended into the overgrowth. It was dark by the time he reached the palace boundary, and as he expected, the hole in the wall still existed, though the location had moved. The princess was tenacious!

He could only conclude… the princess wasn’t aware of the danger she faced. She probably didn’t remember what she saw, maybe some sort of temporary amnesia.

He could hear the loud music and wondered how the King could let caution to air and invite such a crowd. But of course, he would have had security beefed up.

Shiv sat upon a nearby tree from where he could watch the west wing entrance through the high-focus binoculars. There was no movement which meant the princess must be in the venue.

He looked around the palace’s perimeter from his line of vision but couldn’t find anything amiss. He wondered if he should continue watching or leave for the night and come again… when he heard movement around the bushes near the opening.

Suddenly on high alert, he saw two women… WOMEN? Really?

Not just any woman… it was the princess with her friend. He hadn’t seen any pictures of the princess in recent times. Of course, he hadn’t allowed his friends and their men as well… to protect her privacy but what he saw now wasn’t something he had expected. The princess had grown into a woman… a beautiful woman, and in this attire that she wore, his heart skipped a beat, and his brain went mush.

The princess was accompanied by her close friend he only knew as ‘Aarti.’ They were running off somewhere. So what on earth was going on? He couldn’t reveal himself just then. It may result in him getting arrested for trespassing and endangering the royal family’s lives.

Right then, the princess halted and looked around as if she sensed his presence. Oh goodness… his vanilla tinge!!!

He stood still while the women made their escape. He soon followed them through the shadows and how the princess frequently looked in his direction as if sensing his movements, he felt like a fool…

The women reached the foot of the hill on the other side, and there was a …goddamn motorbike. Before he could get his bearings together, the women rode away….

He pinched himself to remind himself that he wasn’t dreaming. Without wasting a moment, he sprinted across the winding road towards the hutments at the foot of the hills. He stole a bicycle parked there and struggled to peddle the rickety thing down the remaining of winding road. Fortunately, he found a motorbike parked near a closed ‘dhaba’ and it was a child’s play for him to get it started. Before the owner could realize the bike missing, he was gone.

He sped for a considerable distance hoping and praying that the women wouldn’t do anything stupid. He hoped they had taken the same road spread ahead and not any detour.

He finally caught up and heaved a sigh of relief as he followed them at a distance. Then, finally, they reached a nightclub, and his head reeled at the thought of the princess exposing herself before the world where the danger lay with her name on it!

The place looked new but sent negative vibes, the scarlet hues from the lighting almost blinded him. This didn’t look good… at all.

He discarded the motorbike and took cognizance of the surroundings. Finally, he zeroed in on a vehicle he knew he would need if he had to make a quick escape.

He entered the nightclub…

©priyagole