"This is your world now," Tusita said. "You are here as the fate has planned, and you must stay here until the end."
"You are our only hope, Nikita," Atith added. "If the prophecy is right, you shall undoubtedly save us from our doom."
"Nikita," Tepi said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I understand you're quite agitated by the prospect. But we're here to ensure that you will fulfill the prophecy, and other people too need to know it."
Another conch shell's sound later, the King and Queens appeared along with other royals and their guards. Everyone in the hall bowed until the monarchs settled in at their seats. The King had his own table on a raised platform before the mighty thrones.
I glanced at Queen Jayara. She still reminded me of my mother in all aspects. When her gaze met mine, a brilliant smile followed. I returned the gesture as best as I could.
The Hora walked in with the strangest man I'd ever seen. He had a flabby body with pot-like belly and short stocky limbs. Instead of a normal human head, his head was of an elephant's. His large ears flapped and his trunk swayed as he walked.
"That is Sambo, our Guru," Tepi whispered to me as I was still staring with my gaping mouth. "He's the avatar of Lord Genesh, the God of Wisdom."
"Am I hallucinating or does he actually have an elephant head?" I said.
Tepi laughed. "Actually, Sambo takes after Lord Genesh, who was born with a human head, but at the time of his birth, his father, Lord Shiva, was not present. Genesh was guarding the chamber of Shiva's wife, Uma, and forbade his father from entering. So Shiva beheaded him, not knowing that Genesh was his own son."
"Aw," I said in surprise. "That must be awful!"
"Yes, but Uma pleaded with her husband to spare Genesh's life, so Lord Shiva gave his son the head of the first creature he encountered, which was an elephant."
"If he was born from Genesh, that makes him a grandson of Shiva," I said.
"Yes, same as Issarak, except one is smart while the other is stupid," Tusita chimed in with a grimace.
As soon as everyone was settled, the King rose from his golden seat and raised his golden cup with a welcoming smile.
"May the gods bless our holy land," he said and everyone repeated in chorus. "My honor to have your divine company tonight. The kingdom has been at peace because of your devotion. Today is a special day, may I welcome you with a royal performance of my beloved daughter."
A loud applause issued around the hall. Everyone was smiling in anticipation.
"Meru gods help me," Atith whined. "Here comes the love of my poor underserved heart."
"And mine," Tusita said, looking rather excited herself. Then she turned to me. "You are lucky. The King’s daughter only dances on special occasions. Once the princess moves, the whole world comes to a halt, the ocean calms, fishermen would forget their boats and nets, even the fishes would sit on their tails, watching the princess of this jewel kingdom dance."
The Kennars started playing the music as the Mohoris and Mohoras started singing in verses, telling a story of five angels. Then the Apsara women floated into the hall, circling the burning hearth like descending swans.
That was when I saw her.
All the functions in my body froze. Everyone breathed in awe at the sight of the maiden. Dressing in sparkling white and gold costume, she was beautiful beyond words.
The princess kneeled on the floor and raised her hands, slowly and gracefully moving to the music. She began to form various hand gestures, speaking in a beautiful body language. Her head tilted this way and that, her ankles moved back and forth as her hips swayed in slow melodious rhythms.
The Mohoris sang of a green garden, of a grove of trees and a mirror-like lake. They sang of the flying nymphs and all the light above their heads. The princess danced to the story, slowly portraying the song with her stunning grace.
Never in my life had I seen anyone so perfect and elegant in every which way she turned.
The whole time I watched, my breath was held up in my chest. How delicate her posture was and how brightly her eyes shone. The other Apsaras circled her, but none could hold a candle to her beauty.
For a long moment, I was captivated along with the others until the music stopped and the song ended. Probably by some divine miracle, as the princess stood up and was ready to leave the hall, her huge brilliant eyes caught mine.
When our gazes entwined, my heart leaped. She looked surprised to find me there. Of course, the royal maiden had not expected my presence. Then her surprise turned into embarrassment and anger all at once.
Yet, she did not know how ecstatic I was to see her, how I tried to contain myself from bolting out and holding her in my arms again. The urge made my inside tingle and my heart swell.
So great was my excitement that I smiled right back at her.
CHAPTER 12
After I realized that my mysterious maiden was actually the princess of this kingdom, I wasn't sure whether I was flirting with death or with destiny. She could have reported me and gotten me chained if she wanted to, but for some reason, she didn't. Her face blushed under my stare, and I had a feeling that the princess wasn't as angry as she was shy.
"Amarisa, my dear, will you come and join us for supper?" the King spoke to his daughter. The princess bowed politely and walked towards the royal table. She sat down beside her mother and Queen Jayara. The music changed melodies into another soothing song. Everyone continued their feast.
Tusita peered sideways at my face.
"You look like you want to bed the princess right then and there," she whispered.
I tore my eyes from Amarisa and looked at her with open mouth.
"W-what? No!"
She laughed.
"You're not alone," she said and patted my hand. "We've been trying to get her attention for ages but failed miserably."
"And that really broke my poor little heart beyond repair," Atith whined again. He rubbed his chest as if he was actually in physical pain. I noticed Atith was still wearing his golden armor under his glittering tunic.
"Get over it, Atith," Tusita said. "You know the princess is not for you. She's not even an ordinary girl herself."
"Is she unusual too?" I asked.
"Well, when Queen Indradevi was pregnant with the princess," Tepi said to change the subject. "She dreamed of a dazzling Jorani stone, which was handed over to her by a mighty serpent king. The Hora predicted the possibility of the birth to be an incarnation of the Naga princess."
"Who?" I said.
"In the legend of our origin, the Naga Princess was the first ruler of this promising land," she said. "Then there was a foreign prince from another kingdom coming from the sea. Fearing of an invasion, the princess sent out her army. They fought but the Nagas lost in the battle. Some talking and courtship later, the foreign prince married the Naga Princess and made her his Queen then they founded the first empire that lasted for a thousand years."
"That is why Princess Amarisa is dear to the whole kingdom. She is the pride of the Naga race."
My head turned back to the royal table. The princess was nodding to something her mother was saying, but when she noticed me, her huge sparkling eyes glared back as if she was still mad about what happened in the bathhouse.
The thought of our shared moment floated into my mind. The surreal sensation of our tongues fighting each other made me weak in the knees. The memory brought a smile to my face, which caused Amarisa to glare at me even more.
Suddenly, Issarak stood up from his table. He bowed in respect to the King and Queens, before turning around to clear his throat for attention. The hall quieted down as everyone turned to look at him.
"Your Majesties, we would like to thank you for your glorious feast tonight," he said with a humble bow. "But as you can see before you, we have a strange company among us."
"Her name is Nikita," Tepi said, trying not to sound too defensive in front of the monarchs.
"Nikita, of course," Issarak decided he finally remembered
it. "As you can see, the girl was sent here as the Hora had foretold. Yet for some mysterious reason, we do not know whether she is the one we have been waiting for. She does not share our divine blood nor is she akin to our countrymen. Therefore, I would like to propose a special game to prove her quality as a leader. If she is indeed a Destined Child who will guide the Seven Race of the Nagas, I believe she shall have to prove her worth with a few challenges, Your Majesties."
The King listened and then turned to his two royal wives. Queen Jayara didn't say anything, but her younger sister rose from her seat.
"Please enlighten me, young avatar," Queen Indradevi said. "What leads you to this conclusion?"
"Truth be told, your majesty," Issarak bowed again. "We are not convinced that she is the Prophesied Child at all."
"So you mean our Oracle’s prediction is worthless?" Atith said.
"You should be thankful for my suggestion," Issarak said. "Because if she's not the right person, we shall know through the game, and thus saving us from the false hope."
Tusita wanted to say something, but Tepi stopped her with a shake of her head.
"Well, I'm not sure whether this is wise to do so," the Queen spoke again. "I must consult this with our Guru."
She turned to the elephant-headed man, Sambo, who was busy chomping on a large slice of watermelon.
"What do you think of this proposal?"
The avatar of Genesh shoved the last bite of his watermelon, skin and all, into his mouth. He swallowed and wiped his lips under his elephant trunk and bowed to the Queen.
"Yes, my Queen," he said. "I think the gods must be hinting this special idea to us. Take it as an opportunity to enforce our training. I believe the newcomer shall benefit from this experience."
Atith and Tusita groaned. Tepi just sighed.
The monarchs nodded in agreement.
"Then I entrust you with the preparation of the game," the Queen decided. "You have the right to choose the tasks for our avatars. It's also a chance to see your military improvement over the years."
"As you wish, your majesty," Sambo said with a bow again, and it was settled.
Later in the evening, after a series of songs from the Mohoris and Mohoras, the bronze gong sounded, signaling the end of the feast.
We went back to our own houses. Honestly, I was scared about the upcoming game, but when I thought of the chance of seeing the princess again, I no longer wanted to leave. I wanted to prove myself worthy of Amarisa's attention, too.
~*~
The next morning, Kesar fetched me light breakfast consisted of rice cakes, honey, and bitter herbal tea. It was my first day in the capital. Tepi told me to get ready for the training in the morning. She said I needed to learn plenty of things before the Game Day.
I was in my fresh clean clothes that Kesar gave me, and the nice fragrant bath I took made me feel almost golden. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I wasn't sure this was what I wanted.
Then Kesar came into the room.
"My lady, the others are waiting for you outside," she said.
I took a long deep breath and stood up. Kesar went to grab my satchel for me, knowing that it was what I always carried around since the first day. Indeed, it somehow comforted me.
"I shall see you at the Terrace of Elephant afterward," Kesar said with a soft smile.
"Where is it?"
"Behind the Great Temple, my lady," she said. "They set a practice ground there at our encampment. It's not that far from the Palace."
"And you're going to fly there, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am. It's faster to do so," she said.
"Of course, you're an early bird," I said and smiled at her. The Kennari blinked with a reddened face again. I cursed myself for making the stupid pun.
"I'm sorry, Kesar," I said. "I didn't mean to offend you."
She nodded and smiled again.
"Never mind, my lady, but you must hurry while the sky is still cool."
"Alright then, see you at the Terrace of...what...Cow?"
"Elephant."
"Oh right." I nodded.
Tusita and Atith waited in the garden of our chamber. They dressed like they were going into a battle. Tusita had a golden bow in her hand and a quiver slung over her back. Atith held his spear with his armor vest exposed, leaving his muscular arms bare.
They looked me over as I did them.
"Interesting outfits, Nikita," Atith said. "I would love to wear some of those."
"Are you sure we're not going to kill anyone today?" I asked.
"No, but we might get killed if you're not careful." Tusita shrugged.
"Oh great, just about the talk I need this morning," I said.
"Come on, Tepi is waiting," Atith said, putting his heavy arm on my shoulder and steering me away. "You don't want to be late for your first training."
"What am I going to learn today?" I asked as we started to leave.
"Lots of awesome things!" he said in excitement. "Archery, martial-art, sword fighting, horse racing, chariot racing, boat racing..."
"Also mathematics, physics, geography, and astronomy," Tusita added.
"Oh geez! You also learn all those stuff?" I said.
"Of course!" Tusita said. "Queen Indradevi teaches those subjects along with the Guru. Our people are builders of cities. Without knowing those things, how could you make a prosperous empire flourish?"
Well, I might be the one from the future but they were the ones who seemed to possess the knowledge that might as well come from aliens, or maybe from their gods? I couldn't tell.
We reached the encampment in an ox-drawn carriage. Tepi was already there waiting for us.
"How was the talk with the others, Tepi?" Atith asked her when we stepped out. Tepi sighed and shook her head.
"No luck. They don't seem convinced," she said. "But they told me they will keep an open mind."
"Are you talking about the other avatars?" I said.
"Yes," Tusita said. "Tepi has been trying to sway their minds. We need all the help we can get."
"I think they want to see your performance first," Tepi said. "Even the Queens are coming today."
"To see me?" I said and the three of them nodded. Oh well, that was like telling me not to ruin my chance while I already knew I would pretty much ruin it by just existing.
The Terrace of Elephant was behind the Golden Temple.
We walked through a Gopura, which was a richly carved entrance building. It led us to the other side. Then we saw another twelve single-tower temples with manicured gardens surrounding them.
The Terrace of Elephant was a vast field. There was a large water Baray to the east. I could see a mountain with waterfalls in the distance. We went past massive wooden buildings and pavilions around the practice ground. Marching soldiers came and went in divisions at the center. Others rode on chariots, elephants, and horseback.
"How many soldiers do you have?" I asked.
"Over fifty thousand men are guarding the four frontiers. Ten thousand here guard each corner of the city," Tepi told me.
"Even so, we are still outnumbered by the demons," Tusita said. "The Asuras probably have bigger and stronger army. They can be hiding in every crook and cranny of the kingdom."
"But you all are the avatars of gods, surely, you can defeat them, right?" I said.
"Oh, you have no idea what we're up against, Nikita," Tusita said. "Some Asuras use palm trees as their toothpicks. Some are even older than the gods."
I shivered at the thought of it. They started showing me around the encampment. There was a boat race going on in the river nearby. Each boat had a Naga head and tail carvings at both ends.
About fifty men were rowing in a single boat at the speed of lightning. They looked like two serpents gliding across the water.
I remembered my father telling me how the Angkorian navy was the fiercest of all. He said the Angkorians' half-ancestors were the Nagas. They knew the secret of how to control the water. The
y built so many reservoirs and canals. Water was the gift that made this empire flourish. I remembered asking him, “If their ancestors were half-Naga, shouldn't I be born with scaly faces or serpent tail since I'm part of them?" He just laughed.
"Samudra is a skilled captain of our navy fleet," Tepi said beside me, bringing me back from the memory. "He's our best chance at winning the Game if he joins us."
"Come, Nikita, more to see," Tepi said. As we walked further, I could hear elephants' wailing coming from a long wooden building at the farthest end, which must be the stable.
We then reached the stone Baray, which looked like a gigantic pool with a waterfall coming down from the mountain. But something caught my eyes. We saw a school of female swimmers. They swiveled about cheerfully, laughing and singing in the mirror-like clear water.
But then my jaw dropped. Those maidens were not regular swimmers. They had the upper halves of a maiden and lower halves of a fish. Their sparkling translucent scales reflected the sunlight. They giggled in a watery tone when they saw me.
"Are those...Are those mermaids?" I asked.
"They're called the 'machas'," Tepi told me, smiling at my shocked face. "The machas come up here because of the sea god's son, Samudra, is here."
"Oh, that tall long-haired boy?" I said.
"Yes, he's the avatar of Varuna, Lord of the Sea, controller of moral orders and aquatic life."
While we stood on the bank of the stone Baray, I noticed a dark underwater entrance with bubbles coming out of it.
"What's inside there?" I asked, pointing to the cave-like opening.
"That's where Samudra's mount resides," Atith said. "You don't wish to go near that place."
Then a group of guards appeared along with Sambo, the Guru. Tepi, Atith and Tusita bowed at him, and I followed suit.
"Welcome to our world, Nikita," Sambo greeted me, squinting his elephant eyes as he smiled. "I have heard that you came from the future realm. I hope you have brought your own astra with you, no?"
"Brought my what?"
"Astra is referred to a celestial weapon," Tepi said. "You must be born with it or must be handed one by the gods. Tusita received her golden bow, the Gandiva, from her holy father. Atith was born with the Kavacha, his golden armor. Do you have any of such gifts?"
Daughter of the Naga Page 8