WARLOCK'S INTERNS

Chapter 2:The Dark Clouds

Bakula looked up as Atma and Vasundari walked towards him. The river bank was their favorite place. The three had spent innumerable hours of discussions here. This has been the place where they can rant or rave their heart out. The back fort of the Palace was clearly visible from the river bank. Vasundari sat beside Bakula muttering under her breath.

“How I wish to have the good old days again!”

“Yes, especially with Princess Chitrakshi.” Bakula smiled at her.

Atma looked up at both with a sad grin. Those were their dream years. King Maheepati was kind enough to allow them to play with the Princess when they were kids. The blind cat game was their favorite. Time and often they enjoyed choosing the poor Princess as blind cat. The rule was very simple; being blind folded Princess has to find the three naughty rats, them.

Vasundari remembered the day when Princess was really cross with them. Unable to locate the rats, she removed her blind fold and had screamed in anger, “Ah! I can’t carry on anymore being blind cat, for you are all real little rats.”

They used to play with Princess almost every day; they had developed a strong bond between them. They knew well that Princess would be cross if they failed to visit her even for one day. Their friendship and companionship has bloomed very strongly for years. But unfortunately, now it was just a sweet memory for them.

Things have changed soon; Vasundari remembered the day King Maheepati called upon them personally. He had looked very much stern, “Atma, listen to this carefully. I am hereby forbidding you all from entering the Palace and playing with Princess henceforth.”

Vasundari was the one who dared to speak.

 “But - but oh! Honorable King we - are good friends.”

 The King had looked at her with a sad smile and knelt in front of her.

 “I know Vasundari. Yet I strongly urge you to sacrifice your friendship for the sake of this Kingdom and - no more questions please.”

 Vasundari came back from her thought, “Why do you think King has f*******n us from playing with Princess?”

 Bakula could only smile sadly, “That is what you call the world of grownups, they are afraid because we all are the offspring of fisher woman.”

 Vasundari was very confused, “But what about Atma, he - he – is..”

 Atma stood up at once looking at the Palace back gate, “An orphan and an adopted son of fisher woman.”

 “So what, we were all very good friends, that’s what mattered, isn’t it Atma?” Bakula stated.

 “Or may be Princess started to bleed just like Vasu, and they may think it is not safe for her to be with us anymore.” Atma took another wild guess while Vasundari flushed instantly recalling her first bleeding day. Whatever the reason, they just couldn’t question a King’s word, it is always final. 

 **

The next morning Bakula showered early and started ‘Sandya Vandana’, a ritual he has never failed to do since he was taught the most sacred ‘Gayathri Mantra’ (Sacred Chant of Hindus) and the sacred thread tied by his father. He always enjoyed performing this ritual for it gave him a kind of special peace.

Today, Champaka watched her son doing the usual ritual by chanting innumerable Mantras. She always wondered about his intelligence, she wondered how could he remember all those tough Sanskrit Mantras, all the same she was very happy for he carried his father’s true blood. Champaka being a fisherwoman has never dreamt of marrying the great Priest of Sampada, but it has all happened as in a dream. She was really grateful for that. She had great admiration for her husband, she knew he was one of the very rare human beings and he filled her in with so much of love; tears began to roll down her cheeks.

“Mother, I am done with Sandya Vandana, can I have my Morning meal?”

Champaka hurriedly wiped her tears from the end of her cloth and came back from her past. She looked very affectionately at Bakula; he was so much like his father, intelligent, kind, loving and compassionate. She hurried towards her small cooking place. She took a small plantain leaf and spread it before the thin wooden stool. She placed four rice cakes for Bakula, she knew unlike Atma and Vasundari, Bakula loved to eat his meal sitting on the wooden stool just like his father.    

Bakula walked in and sat on the stool and chanted a holy Mantra before touching the rice cakes. She smiled at him warmly, “Baku, how can you remember all those Mantras?”

Bakula looked surprisingly at his mother, but only for a moment, he knew his mother was not learnt. “Oh! It is easy mother, only one has to make their mind first, where is Atma and Vasundari?”

Champaka signed deeply, “Vasundari is plucking the flowers and Atma, I don’t know son, for he is a real wanderer.”

Bakula smiled at her again, “I will find him.” He always wondered about his name. “Mother, why have you kept my name as Bakula? What does it mean?”     

Champaka began to recall her olden days before answering him, “Beautiful blue flowers were blooming the day you were born, and hence your father named you Bakula, for it means flower, beautiful and blooming flower.”

“So I am a blooming flower then.” Bakula mischievously grinned and walked out to wash his hands.

Outside the hut he saw Atma and Vasundari chatting animatedly. He hurriedly washed his hands and walked towards them.

“Vasundari give me that blue flower.” Atma was asking her.

“Why do need the blue flower Atma? Why are you carrying that stick in your hand?” Vasundari began to shower Atma with her questions.

Bakula walked across and smiled at her, “Vasundari, I have never seen such a talkative girl in my life.”

Vasundari was not a girl who would give up easily, she persisted, “What about Princess Chitrakshi?”

Atma looked at Bakula and exchanged a mischievous glance, “Ah! Yes, save her.”

Suddenly tears filled in Vasundari’s eyes; she was always very sentimental towards Princess. “Atma, why can’t we meet her once, don’t you think she wants too?”

“Yes, she certainly wants too, maybe we should meet her at least once.”

Bakula began to whisper to them, “May be we should sneak into the Palace once.”

Vasundari brightened up suddenly at the thought and whispered back, “Why don’t we do it today?”

Atma walked across giving it a serious thought, “It would be very difficult with all those guards, let us plan carefully first.” 

**

Princess Chitrakshi looked at her own image in the mirror. She looked really beautiful. Mani, her personal maid began to tie the knots of the last jewel around her neck. Chitrakshi began to think about her friends. 

“Oh! Princess, just turn a little bit, there you go; how beautiful you look now!”

Chitrakshi looked at her from the mirror and smiled warmly, suddenly she knew what she wanted to do.

“Mani, aren’t you my best maid?” she began to cajole Mani.  

Mani giggled, “Yes, I am. But why do you ask Princess?”

Chitrakshi stood up from her golden colored couch. She looked around carefully; it is the place of a heaven! A heaven, which most of the people could not even imagine. She had everything here. Her chamber had been decorated with colorful rugs, cloths, Jewels, soft bed, and silverwares. Yet she valued none of these. All she wanted is to be with the three friends whom she adored greatly.

Time and often Chitrakshi wondered why her father had f*******n them from coming to Palace. What have they done to anger him? They were teens like her and she enjoyed playing with them, being with them.

Chitrakshi came out of her thought and looked at Mani warmly, “I need your help, Mani?”

Mani on the other hand was very much intrigued with the new behavior of Princess. “I am here to help you Princess and you know that, don’t you?”   

Chitrakshi failing to transfer her thoughts to Mani felt irritated, “No no, you don’t understand, I need a different kind of help Mani.” Mani felt puzzled; she was very happy to be the maid of this cute Princess whom she adored.

“Different help! Now - now I don’t understand you Princess.”

Chitrakshi went near her so that she could whisper, “I want you to help me in sneaking out of the Palace.”

Mani looked terribly shocked; she has never heard her Princess talk this way. “Oh my god! No - no Princess, King and Queen will be angry with you and me.”

Chitrakshi desperately wanted to convince Mani that this was very important to her; she has been feeling miserable since her friends have been f*******n, and she wanted to meet them at least for once.

She almost began to beg, “Mani, please, no one will know; I promise I shall come back quickly.”

Mani suddenly felt very affectionate towards the Princess; she knew that the Princess has been feeling quite low these days, she was curious to know the whereabouts at once.

“But, where do you want to go Princess?”

“Ah! That’s a secret.” Chitrakshi said realizing that her favorite maid would help her.

**

High above the mountain located at the east of Swarnapuri Kingdom, inside a deep cave, Gorma, the elder witch, kept on staring at the earthen pot for pictures - but there were none. Her twin sister Rukma took out some spinach from a small old mud pot and sprinkled it on the earthen pot filled with water. Finally Gorma took out the precious Moonstone (a stone associated with Solar Plexus and Sacral Chakras) and immersed it under the pot. Next instant, a wave of white foam appeared inside the pot. Soon the white foam cleared and they began to see blurred pictures.  

“Volla! It started working” cried Gorma, “soon it will be as clear as a crystal.”

Gorma was immensely delighted. Both peeped at the earthen pot. Slowly the picture began to fade in. They saw the lovely Palace decorated with fresh flowers. The pot began to show more images of King, Queen and their beautiful Princess clad in royal costumes.

Rukma began to feel the strong pang of jealous, “Gorma, look, he is married, he has a Queen and - and a beautiful Princess!”

Gorma frowned with deep thought, “Yes, I can see that.”

“Isn’t it time for us to do something”?

Gorma looked at her sister, yes; it is time for them to do something. They have worked long; twenty long years to get these pictures. They have tried every method to make their magic work. But to their misfortune, none worked – until Gorma found the precious Moonstone just before the day and now things started to work for them.

Gorma walked across thinking hard, she touched the scar on her right cheek. Her mind raging with only one word - Avenge! They have been humiliated, deserted and most importantly tortured for falling in love with the King.

Rukma walked towards her and touched her shoulders, “Why don’t we send dark clouds first?”

Gorma smiled at her sister; yes dark clouds would be the very first signs. Indeed her sister was right; it is time to send dark clouds.

“So be it, let us send the DARK CLOUDS.”

****