WARLOCK'S INTERNS

Chapter 5: Recollection

Chitrakshi began to sob thinking about the incident again and again. She recalled the two Witches and their appearance. Had not for Vasundari, she would have been kidnapped by now. She remembered how angry her father had been when the guards brought them into the Palace. Is she being Princess, a curse? Why can’t she be happy with her friends? Why did King and Queen always restrict her to Palace? Being with Mani was only her solace, but Mani was a grown woman, she desired to be with teenagers like Vasundari, Atma and Bakula. Vasundari! How brave and thoughtful she had been, Chitrakshi eyes began to glow at the thought.     

 “My darling! What are you thinking about?” Queen Keertidevi walked in and saw the formation of tiny droplets on Princess’s eyes.

 “Oh my dear wench; no, don’t cry; I am here, no one will hurt you anymore.”

 Chitrakshi hugged her mother and could not contain her sorrow, “It was my fault Mother, my fault, I sneaked away willingly, and please don’t punish Mani.”

 Keertidevi smiled at her Princess, “No my Princess, we shall not punish her, now - now everything is fine.”

 “Mother, why can’t I meet my friends? They are so good; I just love to be with them”. Chitrakshi longed to ask this to her mother.

 Keertidevi sat beside Chitrakshi taking her delicate hand, “I know my flower, but there is great danger!”

 “Danger! From whom? Mountain Witches?”

 “Yes, from the Witches of Mountain, they want to hurt you.”

 “Hurt me, but why? What have I done to anger them?

 “Oh! It is a very long story, my flower, a long story.”

 “I like to hear it mother, now.”

 **

It was the day of alleviation. The old King of Swarnapuri was very satisfied with the things. Swarnapuri had won the great battle against the ever threatening neighbor Kingdom Sampada. It was the victory that whole Swarnapuri awaited since long. Sampada; a Kingdom much smaller, however, very ambitious and powerful Kingdom was eager to defeat Swarnapuri since long. The King of Sampada was quite in contrary to the old King of Swarnapuri. The old King of Swarnapuri was man of honor, he adored peace. He had prolonged the inevitable war for long, but now they don’t have to worry about it. They are victorious. They made Sampada King to think twice before even dreaming about the word ‘battle’.

The old King of Swarnapuri clad in the royal costumes beamed at his Queen and only son Prince Maheepati. The council was very hilarious. He looked at his ministers and chief of councils once again and stood up to address them.

“Swarnapuri has thus achieved the tranquility after many years. I am very pleased to announce that we shall live in peace henceforth and shall not be threatened by Sampada”.

The crowd cheered raising their hands and screamed, “Hear, hear”. The young Prince Maheepati smiled at them and looked at his father very proudly. He knew if they wanted they could have destroyed Sampada completely, but the old King was generous again, he put no stronger terms, he did not demand for their treasure, he did not humiliate the Sampada King. He only wished for a pact of eternal peace. However; Prince Maheepati knew that the King of Sampada had agreed and signed the pact in retrospect mind.

Suddenly a guard came in running and bowed at the old King, he had something important, Prince Maheepati understood.

“My Lord! Two beautiful Princess from far away land wants to see you.” the guard bowed with due respect expecting an order.

Old King looked surprised; however, he did not show it. “Bring them in with due respect.”

As the two young and beautiful Princess walked into the council, the crowd gasped for a second. Indeed, the two Princesses looked very grand although they showed an air of false dignity.

The one who was taller bowed to the old King. The other hurried repeated the same observing it.

“Oh! Respected lord, we are the Princess from far away land; a Catastrophe has brought us here.”

The old King looked kindly at them, “How sad! Oh! Beautiful Princess, what is that you expect from us?”

The taller was the one again who spoke casting a secret glance at young Prince Maheepati. “We are here seeking alliance Oh! King; we wish to marry your Son.”

The old King was taken aback for a moment. He knew no Princess would be so open and extrovert to speak such a delicate matter in front of an open council. He cast a glance at his Son before answering them.

“That’s up to my Son to decide.”

The taller one again smiled “We too think so, oh! Respected King. Could you please allow us to talk privately?”

Prince Maheepati sensed deception at once. He knew the ways of Princess, but these two looked very evasive and too true to be twin Princess. He stood up at once and looked closely at the other one. He saw a faint change of color in her face. She seemed to be very nervous. He looked at his father before challenging the two.

“But I do not wish to, for I sense a deception.”

Suddenly the other Princess began to perspire heavily changing her body color to yellow while muttering, “Oh! I can’t bear this.”

Prince Maheepati at once understood. They are not Princess, they are here to deceit. He walked to the old King and whispered, “Father, look at her color, there is something wrong, they are not Princess as they claim. Let me handle them.” The old King at once agreed with his son and nodded his head.

Prince Maheepati walked towards the Princess, sternly looking at the two he commanded, “WHO ARE YOU?”

“We - we are the Princess from far away land, believe us oh! Respected Prince and we wish to be your twin wives.” The taller stammered trying to hide her fear.

“NO!” a strong voice suddenly cried from the Palace door.

“No! Please don’t believe them my Lord; they are the Witches of Mountain.”

Prince Maheepati saw an old man with long white beard walk towards the council holding what looked like a long stick. He at once recognized him, the old man! The old Warlock from the west.

He saw his father standing up at once with surprise, “Who are you old man? What’s this have to do with you?” He demanded.

The taller one who too looked surprised cried in despair, “He is a liar, he himself is a Wizard, and he is the one who tricked us my Lord! I beg you to believe me.”

Prince Maheepati at once understood everything. He walked towards them slowly. “I believe”, he continued “I believe the old man, for he has saved my vey life once.”

He removed the small hand sword from his sheath and walked closer towards the twin Princess and said, “Now I know who you are my dear twin Princesses, and I have a surprise for you two.”

The taller one at once tried to hide her fear, but the other one could no longer contain, she screamed changing her body color to yellow again, “Stand back, stand back; don’t hurt us.”

Prince Maheepati slashed his sword twice at the cheeks of so called twin Princess and said, “This is for you my lovely Princesses, now we can recognize you whenever our road crosses again no matter how well you disguise yourself.”

Blood oozed out of the cheeks of two Princesses, the taller one looked very fiercely at the young Maheepati and screamed, “Ah! You dared to desert us Prince; we shall get back to you, WE SHALL AT ANY COST.” Soon she took out some powder and blew it all around them, a thick smoke rose and soon it engulfed them.

 **

Chitrakshi listened to her mother with awe. So much has happened before she was even born. She now knew who are those Mountain Witches and why are they trying to hurt her. She understood the danger at once, she looked solemnly at her mother, “That means I can never go out, isn’t it mother? “

“Yes my flower, now you know why you should never leave the Palace alone.”

“But, but mother I like to be with my friends, I am all alone here.”

“I know my sweet angel, but things will change soon, then you will be allowed to spend time with your friends.”

“Really? When mother?” Chitrakshi’s eye brightened up at the thought.

“I too don’t know, but you must wait until that time. Now, promise me dear.”

Hugging her mother Chitrakshi said, “I Promise, I shall not sneak again mother.”

**

Vaachaspati hurriedly walked towards his hut. He was very angry with his kids. The King had summoned him personally and narrated the whole incident. The King wanted him to make sure that no more secret meetings would take place henceforth. Vaachaspati has in turn promised King Maheepati that he certainly would see to it.

He heard the whispering words of his three kids once he entered. They were all sitting on the ground in their small cooking place. He looked at Vasundari, his favorite girl! The girl who ventured to challenge the Witches of Mountain and – and was successful too for that matter.

“So you are back from your great adventure, hmm.” He sat in front of them trying to look very stern. Champaka sat beside him; he knew she was the one who let the kids to roam freely. Champaka also knew he was very angry, she touched his shoulder and whispered, “I have already scolded them, please do not be angry with them.” 

Vaachaspati looked at her coldly, how can she talk that way? She may not be aware of the danger ahead. The Mountain Witches could try to hurt Vasundari now.

“How dare you are Vasundari? They could have hurt you instead easily.”

“But they did not; I never gave them a chance.” Vasundari muttered under her breath, she was the one who really dared to speak to her father even when he was angry.

“You and your big mouth, this is my last warning to you all, you shall never go towards Palace here after.”

Atma looked up at his father sadly, he knew it was his fault; he was the one who encouraged Bakula to sneak to the Palace. “I am sorry father; I am the cause for all this.”

“No father, it was me who started all this.” Bakula was not ready to leave his brother’s side.

Vaachaspati once again looked at all the three. He knew they were all brave and had the intelligence to come out of any situation, but they were very young, too young to stand in front of the vengeful world. He was really worried about their safety. The signs and omen were all telling bad things. He predicted something bad too. It’s time they be careful, very careful, indeed.

“Enough! No use of regretting it now. Just remember my warning or you shall face my wrath.” Vaachaspati said eyeing all the three with a cold stare.  

 ****