The Prince's Indentured Bride

attractive old nemises

I looked at Husna; half expecting this to be a dream, and half wanting to confirm if it was real. Husna cleared her throat awkwardly, staring at me, and her brows came together telling me to say something.

Not that I was anti-social, just that, I was too thrown off to speak.

“I am sorry for your loss. Uncle will be missed, always.” He said which built an unnecessary rage in my pit. I didn’t need his sympathy, or for the matter of fact any patty, after five years of his disappearance.

The amount of anger I was feeling right now just subsided down when I realized I was just being stupid, again, and only Kriag can make me look so devious at any time.

“Hi Mendel. Thank you.” I replied awkwardly.

I had just wanted to be left alone. But since the funeral, at the funeral and before the funeral, people kept on coming to console; faces crept in a blur of light telling they were sorry and I didn’t know what to reply.

If possible, I could’ve arranged a mute version of the funeral, because I was not the person who died–why come and tell me good things about father now, this was not a freaking wedding congratulatory ceremony!

I bet when father was alive none of these people had a second to spare and tell him that he was an amazing human being, so, why now?

“Okay Mendel. She is all yours. But you know the deal, and if you fail the consequences will be worse.” I was being pushed towards the door with no idea of what the hell they were talking about.

Kriag said his goodbyes to my mother and walked to us, me in particular. “I am born to succeed Husna, so calm the branch down.” He said her, tantalizing me with a charming smile.

~

This running is crazy!

I stopped midway to take in long and unhelpful breath of air as my lungs kept on failing, maybe because of no food in my system.

‘Why are you such an i***t to not check your tank fuel?’ I wanted to scream at him, but after no contact for years I didn’t feel the same synergy, to keep up with him. Maybe I didn’t have the right to be close to him anymore– no more Criss cross f**k off signs too.

“I am sorry about this. But it’s very near.” Kriag was running face-facing me as he apologised the second time for the accidental mishap.

I just nodded sideways–It’s okay–but in reality, I wanted to give up this stupid chase, hail a cab back and sleep my time off. ‘It’s a busy hot spot, so we need to reach quickly. No prior reservations accepted!’ He had said, about some Italian eatery place he wanted to take me to, to have a little talk about his non-existent presence in my life. Which now I doubt was his actual plan for tonight.

As I kept running, feeling thankful that Husna had saved my life by at least giving me a minimum dignity worth makeover–way better than my pig fest on bed look–and of course, trainers are f*****g life saviours!

“How is it to come back to Nainital?” I asked between my strides, following Kriag’s religiously. Him running facing me was making me feel uncomfortable, but maybe it was supposed to be a sweet gesture in Kriag fashion; Giving all his attention to the one.

Which wasn’t allowing me to openly stare at him and observe how much did he change; damn yes, everything aside, I was curious.

His face broke into a smile as he replied, “I didn’t have a warm welcome because Uncle was a very important person to me. You may not believe it but I will miss him.”

A sudden jab of pity hit my heart. Reality stuck back and I felt like crying again. As if on cue a strong wind blew past my ears and tiny drops of water drizzled on my head. I looked up on the sky and it felt like Daddy dearest was crying above me, looking at me and missing me already, and calling for me.

“I think we should stop for a bit.” Kriag suggested, but I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to run through the rain and weigh my father’s tears on my shoulders.

“You can wait and catch up with me later.” I said as a cold shiver ran down my spine because of the continuous spatter of rain on me.

Kriag turned around and now was running arm to arm with me. He extended his hand towards me, “Hold it tight and cry as much as you want to.”

I didn’t know what made me do it; the fact that I was in need of someone to just be around and not intervene or was it because I was just emotionally weak, but I grabbed his hand.

“Don’t worry. I will not look at you.” He said and increased the running speed, I kept the pace.

Street lights passed in speedy yellows, human stares were invisible and all the worldly talking faded beyond the mix of our running steps and the pitter patter of rain.

This felt very consoling, better than everything I had experienced till today after the funeral.

“Daddy dearest where are you?” I yawped to the descending Cornish mizzle on my face.

After a perpetuity–emotional lasting, night lit beautiful yellow roads and throng of earnest places–passed through the slit of my perforation we came to a stop at swampy railway trackside.

Still holding my hand Kriag leaned on the bumper post, which was dressed in water droplets continuously popping out and dropping in, he stared at the endless length of the tracks on the left side while I kept my stare on the raining sky.

“Have you ever experienced a train passing by while you are standing?” He asked, in a voice of shrill due to the rain, while keeping his proclivity dangerously near to my neck as I felt his hot breaths on my skin.

“No.” I dared not to nod for the fear that my head may slam into his chest. Half wondering how did the atmosphere turn from being a comfort soothe to tempting magnetism of desirability.