by Andrea Ring
I smile — I cannot help it. This creature is not someone I would have ever considered marrying, but circumstances are dire. I accomplished at least one thing on my list. At the very least, this bolsters my spirits.
“I must speak with your father,” I say. I start to rise, but Nilaruna speaks again.
“My lord, I have one more stipulation.”
I sit back down.
“I need to speak with Maja again. I need to explain to him what’s happened. And…I need to say goodbye.”
“I told you I will return you to him,” I say. “A goodbye is unnecessary.”
She gives me a scathing look, and I lower my eyes to the ground.
“Do not start this marriage off with promises you cannot keep,” she says. “Only truth between us. If I’m going to die for you, that’s the least you can do for me.”
I raise my gaze back to her eyes, and I focus on the scarred one.
This girl is one my citizens, entrusted to my care. I have vowed protection for every single person in my kingdom, and here I am, asking for a woman to turn around and protect me.
I am a snake.
“Perhaps this was a mistake,” I say.
She frowns. “I ask you to negotiate with the gods and you do not balk, but when I ask for honesty, you run away?”
“That is not what I meant. I…I didn’t know you when I set off to find you. I thought nothing of you and only of myself. Yes, I have vowed to keep you safe, but as you said, it is an empty promise. Shiva has seen your death in exchange for my life, and I may not be able to change that. It is cruel and heartless of me to pretend otherwise.
“Shiva said that I can pick any maiden in the kingdom for my bride, and no matter who it is, I will be saved and the kingdom will be stable. But when I expressed reservations about having my bride die for me, he suggested I find a woman who will do her duty for the kingdom. Who is strong and brave. Who will come to love me, and will be willing to die for that love. He named you as this woman.”
Nilaruna’s mouth falls open. “But he knows I love Maja. And he knows I am not fickle.”
I shrug. “I do not know you well enough to judge his assessment. I’m simply trying to do the right thing for Jatani. And I’m sorry that you are caught in the middle.
“So here is what I propose: return to Maja now, this very day. Discuss it with him. Search your heart. I will stay in the village inn for three more days. If you decide to return and help me, I will be here. If you do not return, I will choose another bride. Simple as that.”
I stand and give Nilaruna Nandal a low bow. “My lady, it has been an honor to meet you. I am proud to call you one of Jatani’s citizens.” I look over at Faaris and Manoj, who are giving us sidelong glances. “Let us back to the inn.”
And we make a swift departure.
XV. NILARUNA
I watch the prince go. I put my veil back on without thinking about it.
I make my way back to the house and to the front door. I don’t open it. I just listen hard.
“You had her and you caved,” Manoj says. “She agreed to marry you and you ruined it! Do you actually want to die?”
I hear the creak of a saddle as someone settles himself on his horse.
“You heard the entire conversation?”
“We didn’t mean to, but we did,” Faaris says. “Manoj is right. You botched that, badly.”
Prince Kai growls softly. “If you heard the conversation, then you know why I did it. I’m asking her to give up her love and her life!”
“For the kingdom,” Manoj says. “There is no greater honor. Songs will be sung about her, tales told, baby girls will be named Nilaruna in her honor. And she’s an untouchable, Kai. To marry a prince…it’s like she won a cosmic pot of gold. She should consider herself lucky!”
“Manoj,” Faaris says, “if you’re going to argue this point, you should do it with some sensitivity. You’re making the case that being an untouchable means you have no worth as a human being.”
“That is the definition of an untouchable,” Manoj says. “And before you roast me, I’m speaking from the cultural prospective. Sensitivity has no place in this discussion. The kingdom is in danger, and we must do whatever it takes to save it.”
“What if Shiva had named your sister for this task instead of Nilaruna?” Faaris asks.
“But he didn’t,” Manoj says. “I will not discuss what-ifs.”
“Stop the infernal bickering!” Prince Kai says. “Get on your horses. We need to leave now.”
“Why?” Manoj says. “Thanks to you, we have nothing to do but kill time for three days.”
“Just hurry up,” the prince says. “I feel like we’re being watched.”
“Royalty is always watched.”
I hear the horses clip-clop as they begin to leave. When I think they’re out of sight, I open the front door.
Prince Kai is staring down at me from his perch on his horse.
“Were you listening to our conversation?” he asks.
I gulp. Thank the gods I can hide behind my veil.
“Of course not. You were loud. Don’t you realize people can hear you through a door?”
He just continues to frown at me.
“You are a good man, Prince Kai,” I say with a bow. “Maybe I have won a pot of gold.”
“Unfortunately, no one is winning here,” he says. “I’m going to spend the next three days visiting with High Priest Sanji and snooping around. If you do return and cannot find me at the inn, leave me a message and I will seek you here.”
I nod.
“And I’d like to get a look at the pass. Can you alert Maja that we will be in his territory?”
“Of course. Are you headed there now?”
“No. I need to summon a god and start negotiating.”
I smile, though he cannot see it. “You’re betting on me.”
“Do not be flattered,” he says. “We both know my options are limited.”
“I will keep that in mind,” I say, “because, as I said, I do not wish for your death. And this time, I actually mean it.”
Prince Kai laughs, and with a small wave, turns his horse around and heads off.
XVI. MAJA
I find the nesting caves of the blue dragons and land softly a half a league away. They know me, but they do not like anyone or anything too close to their home. Especially with two nestlings to protect.
This is the first cycle in centuries that this thunder has seen the birth of a dragon. And they were blessed enough to have two females carry to term. I do not know what caused the sudden spike in fertility, and I didn’t really care before, but now, it seems like odd timing at best, and the result of sinister workings at worst.
I walk through the forest briskly. They must know I’m here. Surely one of them will come to greet me soon.
But none show. And when I’m two hundred paces from their caves, a wave of panic quickens my steps.
I roar. Long and low, I roar.
In answer, I hear a high-pitched rumble. The nestlings.
But no answering roar.
I run.
XVII. THE KING
Silvia can no longer sit up, since her muscles have atrophied so. It’s been two weeks since she lifted her head. Perhaps I will not have to poison her. Maybe the gods have finally had enough fun.
I gently roll her to her left side, careful to keep the pillow away from her mouth and nose. I examine her now-exposed right side, and sigh at the sight of her weeping bedsores. Dear Silvia, the torture never ends, does it?
Let the healers attend to her wounds. I will attend to her soul.
I take a seat on the edge of her bed and open The Book of the Dying.
It’s the first time I’ve ever cracked this book. Never felt the need before.
I read from a random page. “And Parvati bathes his brow, and wipes the spittle from his lips, and whispers in his ear: ‘You are of the earth and return to the earth. Your sins have been tallied. They w
ill not be forgotten, nor should they be. For in the next life, all can be remedied. Every wrong can be made right. Note the station to which you are reborn, and know that this is where you belong. It is all in your hands. Karma is but the result of every choice you made.’
“But the dying man has no wish to face his sins, and knows well all the wrongs he committed, and thus thrashes against death. Parvati is merciful, though. She pries the man’s jaw open with one strong hand and thrusts the other fist down his throat. She rips his soul from his body and flings it into the heavens.”
I pause to catch my breath. I never anticipated that The Book of the Dying would be so violent.
Silvia stares at the wall with unblinking eyes.
Parvati, where are you? I think. Why have you not come here, to fling my beloved’s soul into the heavens? She started her life as a noble and made herself into a queen. Surely she has not far to go to be reunited with the One.
Parvati doesn’t answer.
My head pounds.
I call for some herbal tea, just enough to help me to sleep.
I slumber, dreaming of the many sins I committed in this life and wondering which shack in Dabani I will be reborn in.
XVIII. PRINCE KAI
I meet up with Manoj and Faaris at the inn stables. I ordered them to unsaddle the horses and retire for the afternoon, but they are still saddled up, arguing.
“Do the two of you ever listen to me?” I say.
They ignore me.
“If he marries her,” Manoj is saying, “the veil must stay on. In public and private. It is a small compromise.”
“The villagers all know her,” Faaris says. “Word will get out, eventually to the entire kingdom. I say we use her status. Play it up. It will strengthen his popularity among the common people.”
“The common people are not the ones with the power,” Manoj says.
“Have you never seen ants overwhelm a rat? I have. The rat could crush them with a paw, but given enough ants with the same purpose, the rat doesn’t stand a chance.”
Manoj just shakes his head. “And you,” he says, pointing a finger at me. “You actually bantered about bedding the girl. Have you no decency?”
“What bothers you so much about her?” Faaris says. “Is it her status, or simply her hideous appearance?”
“Both!” he says with a shudder. “You are royalty, Kai. I do not care how dire the circumstances, you must remember that.”
“So he cannot bed his wife,” Faaris says. “He must marry someone not of his choosing, his parents will be dead soon, and he might die also. Throw the guy a bone, man.” Then he turns to me, realizing what he just said. “I’m sorry, Kai. I didn’t mean to be so blunt.”
“That sums it up nicely, I think,” I say. “But my marital status and the fact that I might not get laid again before I die are trivial matters. It’s not just the royal family in danger. We are but pawns in a greater scheme. Someone wants the kingdom, and they’ve been patient enough to play a long game.”
“We heard what Nilaruna said about the Go-Betweens. Maja should have alerted the crown,” Faaris says.
“How could he?” I say. “The Go-Betweens are his only link to Dabani. If he gave them messages for the crown or the high priest, perhaps those messages were never received.”
“So what exactly is the Protector good for?” Faaris asks.
“He guards the pass,” Manoj says. “And since we’ve seen no threat from that pass in three hundred cycles, I would say he’s done his job admirably.”
“The pass can only allow one person through at a time,” Faaris says. “Seems ridiculous to have a Protector for such a small threat.”
“Circumstances were different three hundred cycles ago. Bhutan was still a young province, and not stable. Pirates roamed the seas. Bandits and malcontents swarmed the Fangs. If he weren’t there, how many could have gotten through before we realized it?” Manoj counters.
“The other side is quite stable now,” Faaris says. “Surely there are greater threats elsewhere.”
“Stop!” I yell, and they finally give me their attention. “None of that matters. Focus. Please. There is a threat today, and I believe it comes, in great part, from the other side of that pass. Whether it’s from our own people, or from barbarians across the sea who’ve conquered other parts of our kingdom, we need to figure it out. And we can’t do that sitting on our asses arguing in the stables. We need a plan.”
“Well first we—”
“Be quiet, Manoj,” I snap. “Here’s what we’re going to do. First, Faaris is going to the temple to summon the high priest. We need to take his measure and question him. He’s obviously been derelict in his duties to the crown, and he has much to answer for.”
“You’re going to listen to a woman?” Manoj says.
I give him a withering gaze.
“Right now, I’m going up to our room to summon a god. If Nilaruna agrees to marry me, I must alter Maja’s curse. And I actually think this is a good idea whether she marries me or not. He can fly over the mountains to the rest of the kingdom and be our lookout. Having aerial surveillance would be a great boon.
“And first thing tomorrow morning, we’re going to visit Maja. I want to share information and see what he knows. Hopefully he will cooperate with us.”
“Not very likely if you’re about to marry his beloved,” Faaris says.
“Agreed. This may be a dangerous trip. We’ll all have to be on guard.”
XIX. NILARUNA
A makeshift litter awkwardly carried by three young men emerges from my father’s workroom. I scurry out of the way, and only at the last minute do I glance at the patient — my childhood friend Saphala Parsa’s father, one of the fisherfolk.
“Stop!” yells Fadi Parsa, and the litter comes to a jolting halt.
“What is it, Fadi?” my father asks as he follows them into the room.
“Is this your daughter, the Go-Between?” he asks, pointing at me.
I raise my eyebrows beneath the veil.
“Out!” my father shouts at me. “You know better than to be in the presence of others!”
I turn to go, but Fadi yells again. “Wait, wait! No, don’t go! I must speak with her!”
“Fadi, your head isn’t right with the herbs I’ve given you. Go home and sleep it off.” He waves at the young men to continue on, but Fadi struggles to sit up.
“My head’s just fine, thank you very much. This is urgent! Nilaruna, it’s about Saphala.”
“Saphala?” I whisper. I’ve heard nothing of Saphala since the fire.
“She’s in danger. Please. Just a moment of your daughter’s time, Ravi. I’m sure the Protector can help me.”
Father narrows his eyes at me. “Is this something the Protector can help with?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I say, “until I hear what the danger is.”
We all stare at Fadi Parsa.
“I must speak with the Go-Between alone. It’s a delicate matter.”
My father weighs Fadi with his eyes. “I better have a fresh fish on my doorstep every day for the next three moons,” he says. “And that will only buy you a few moments.”
Fadi looks like he wants to protest, but he doesn’t. “Of course, Ravi. You have earned it.”
My father nods to the men, and they set the litter down none too gently. Fadi winces and appears to hold his breath until everyone has left the room.
“Nilaruna, I tell you this as part of your duties as Go-Between.” I nod — he wants my silence. “Saphala was kidnapped a few cycles ago. We received word every so often, but this whole time, I’ve been saving to pay the ransom to her kidnappers. I’ve finally got enough, and tonight, we’re supposed to do the exchange — my bag of gold and gems for my precious daughter. She was your friend once, remember?”
How could I forget? “I remember. We were very close,” I say. “And now you’ve gone and broken your leg. You need someone to do the exchange.”
He n
ods. “Saphala always said you were her brightest friend. You understand the situation. I need help from the Protector.”
“This is not something the Protector can do,” I say, and Fadi’s mouth twists into despair. “But perhaps I can find someone else to help.”
“Who?” he demands.
“I’m not sure yet,” I say. “Why the secrecy? Saphala was beautiful and charming, and I’m sure she still is. There must be many men in our caste who would fight over the chance to rescue her.”
“No! No one must know. The kidnappers, they said they’ll kill her if anyone finds out.”
“So this person must pretend to be you?”
“Yes,” he says. “Who are you thinking of?”
“I don’t know yet, but I swear, as Go-Between, that I will not betray your trust. On my own life, I will do whatever it takes to return Saphala to you safely.”
He relaxes at this.
I ask him for details about the time and place of the exchange, and he tells me I can pick up his bag of gold tonight, after dark, in his fishing boat, which can also be used to meet the kidnappers.
“Thank you, Nilaruna,” he says. “And I will…perhaps I can arrange a meeting for you in a few weeks, with Saphala. Would you like that?”
I have to catch my breath. I don’t even know if I’ll be here in a few weeks, but seeing my friend after so long…
“Yes. I would like that very much.”
***
My mother is cleaning my father’s implements, and he’s sitting in a chair, ordering me about.
“And we’re out of mint for the tea. Mint always makes it more palatable, you know, so bring a bunch from the garden, Nili. Mother can hang it to dry.”
Mother gives me an eye roll behind his back while I head out to the garden.
“So what did Fadi want?” my father asks as I come through the door. “What kind of trouble has Saphala gotten herself into now?”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” I say, handing Mother the bunch of mint. “He was concerned about an insult given to her, and he wanted to call down the wrath of the Protector. I told him I’d pass along the suggestion.”