A night without end

The time storm

"They say the footprints that you leave on the sands of time , does not blow away with a sand storm but it takes a mighty time storm to blow it away. Or to blow it in.."

"But great-grandfather can time create a storm ?" 

"Time can indeed create a storm.. one like we have never seen.."

"Not even you?" 

"Not even me.. some say or used to say.. I live long as I was born on the night of the storm."

"What about your twin sister.. she was born before you but .."

"She was born before me.. with all the beauty and grace of both our parents .. a once royal family and a wise woman, now fallen to the dark pits of gloom. It was said till she was born for a century no one had smiled.."

The great grandchild echoes his thoughts aloud, "the price of silencing a Princess.."

"All right let that be, what story do you want to hear today? Shall I tell you of the horse that flew to the heaven in wings made from clouds ?"

"No great grandpa.. tell me the story of your sister.. Prathama.."

Suddenly the household fell quiet. Everyone's beloved elder had an anger rarely seen but deeply feared. But to everyone's surprise he kept quiet almost still. Then he extended his deeply lined hand and said," Come.. my time is near. It is one story I can share for the joy of a twin is often the pain of one too.. come let us go to the shadows of the great fortress and remember the beautiful Prathama. Through her words remember the other Princess of whom we know nothing.. but what my sister felt through her bones.. and her sacrifice.. "

So that afternoon, two boys, generations apart made a travel to the foothills, beyond the village boundaries, and sat on the rock. The great grandfather with his slightly unsteady gait and wooden stick sat on the rock formation looking up at the fortress and shielding his eyes of the afternoon rays.. casting a glance at the ghost town on the other side. A town where a few generations of a once nomadic tribe had settled. Then they had left. It was said that they were cursed to being nomads all their life.. prosecuted from all countries for they betrayed their Chief for land. 

The boy will never forget that afternoon as his great grand father painted the story of his childhood. A fallen kingdom that was possibly just a small hilly one but the prestige was still intact. They searched the entire region for a woman so pure that the curse that has fallen their way can be lifted. His mother was not a royal but a wise woman of her village who never wanted to marry. But the proposal from a royal family along with some ageless jewels did the impossible tasks of convincing her parents that this was the right thing. From day one she knew it was not. But she was wise beyond her ages so she listened and educated herself trying to understand what was the wrong. When she gave birth to her babies and the daughter cried out loud everyone breathed a sense of relief. The curse is lifting. The first born daughter could speak. She looked skywards and prayed for her next born to be a boy for she believed the second born twin was formed first. And boy it was. 

She taught both her children life skills, starting from carpentry, stitching, stone curving to literature. People wondered but kept quiet. She was their savior. Till one day her daughter said, "Mother why does the deep well in the forest, sing such lovely songs." She looked at her daughter and said in strict voice that they are not songs but music poisonous trees made. But a daughter brought up with all liberty of an educated mother ventured alone to check it. 

She called her son and requested to have his sister's back till he could. But when his sister would refuse all reason, remember he had to live and continue the line. As someday through their common life and common penance will the storm of time settle. What is a storm of time the boy asked. 

She said one that came on the day of your birth, where time interfered and mingled a little with the present. It imprinted your sister's consciousness with a different knowledge, selfless duty and yearning. And I saw it happen .. a helpless mother. Why did it happen the boy wondered..Mother sighed and said, it happened as natural laws were defeated a day in the past so dark that it found a way to tangle with the future. 

They boy wondered.. is she then the Princess reborn ? 

The mother said," My son we do not know if they truly died.. or are hovering in the life of half dead.. half alive. You sister will know and that is the worry. "

Let us stop her he thought. But his mother shook her head and said.. we will support her , that is our penance of being associated with this fortress.. we can not stop as mortals what the storm of time has started to unravel.. But let us drag our feet and bargain a little.. to have some more years with her.