"Please, maidens of the sea, leave this poor girl alone. She is not from here and can be easily spooked."
One by one, the mermaids reluctantly swam away, but not without pinching my cheeks left and right. Free at last, I swam towards the edge afterward.
"My lady!" Kesar's voice cried from far above. I looked up. She descended to the ground again with her wide golden wings flapped rapidly in the air.
After she landed, Kesar came and helped me climb up from the pool. Once I was out of the water, she wrapped her wings around me as if to give me warmth. I didn't realize I was shivering. A Devata spirit appeared out of a bush and gave me a fleecy towel, which Kesar draped over my shoulders.
"We saw your chariot burned," she said. "What happened, my lady?"
"I know what happened," Samudra said and pointed to Morokot, who was now riding her chariot back towards us. She pulled on the reins to stay the horses and glared at Samudra.
"Why didn't you mind your own business, Samudra?" she said.
"Morokot, what you did was against the rules!" he retorted.
"You shouldn't waste your time with this girl," she said. "We all knew she wasn't that holy as we thought she was. Just have a look at her miserable state."
"I don't think she is made for such cruel trickery," he said. "I would choose her company rather than be with a mean soul like you. You're a coward and a stain on your father's name."
"How dare you call me a coward?"
"Your misconducts proved so!"
"I despise you, Samudra," Morokot sneered. "You're just a moron after all. We don't need your favor anyway."
She pulled her horses around and was about to ride off again when Samudra went to block her path.
"You can't go anywhere until you apologize to her!" he said, pointing at me.
"As if you have the right to tell me!" Morokot hissed back. "Get out of my way!"
"I am here to keep the moral orders," Samudra said. "What is wrong must be righted, and I insist you redeem your bad deed this instant."
"Moral orders, my foot!" Morokot growled and opened her palm. Fire burst from her hand immediately. She hurled a ball of red flame at Samudra. It flew through the air like a dart. Samudra pulled a spinning backward-kick and crashed Morokot's fireball, which exploded like a firework.
Morokot stepped off her chariot and hurled another fireball at him. He jumped into the air and delivered a roundhouse kick, sending it flying back at her. Morokot swatted the flames away with her hand.
"I give you another chance, or you shall receive what you deserve," Samudra said.
Morokot sneered back. This time, I saw fire rose from her feet, circling around her body like frenzy twin serpents, even her hair was also ablaze. Hundreds of scorching tongues danced about her in the shade of red, purple and green. Morokot looked like a walking bonfire.
I realized we weren't alone anymore. The rest of the avatars were there. Tepi and Tusita came towards me. Even Atith and Vorac returned from the race along with Issarak.
"She's crazy, is she not?" Tusita said. Tepi just shook her head.
Samudra took a few steps away. Morokot stomped over.
"I'll burn you to a cinder for your insult!" the daughter of Agni opened her arms and threw her hands forward. A huge stream of roaring fire gushed out and hit Samudra.
We all gasped.
Samudra rolled himself over the ground to extinguish the fire. Black smoke came off of his burned clothes. Samudra got onto his feet again and ripped off his charred tunic. His face and arms looked raw from the hot fumes. Yet he showed no fear nor pain.
Suddenly, we heard a weird noise coming from the cave behind the waterfall. A strange sound rippled the water as something huge crawling out.
My jaw dropped when a giant crocodile swam across the pool. It almost gave me a heart attack. The reptile creature was the length of two chariots put together. It opened its long wide jaw which was full of saw-like teeth. Even the mermaids screamed and swam away from the beast. The giant crocodile leaped over the bank and crawled swiftly towards Samudra.
"Charavan, no!" he cried. "Go back to your cave!"
The crocodile just swung its spiky tail back and forth. Now I understood. Charavan was Samudra's mount. I stared at that thick rough skin, all thorny and hard as a rock. Those bright yellow eyes with vertical slits blinked slowly. Charavan's jaw was big enough to swallow a whole cow.
The crocodile moved towards his master.
"You brought help? Who's the coward now?" Morokot said. Then she put her fingers between her lips and whistled. A moment later, it felt like a herd of wild bulls was galloping downhill.
Her ugly rhino emerged onto the field. Everyone dove away from his path. The rhino's massive horn pointed forward.
Morokot ran over to her mount and jumped onto his back. There was nothing Samudra could do but to mount his mighty crocodile, too.
"Oh wow! Awesome! This is the mood we need! Yes, in gods’ name, fight!" the twin avatars cheered them on. It looked like almost the entire encampment was here to watch.
"Shouldn't we stop them?" I said. "This was blown out of proportion."
"Let them be, Nikita," Tusita said. "They will be fine."
All we could do was waiting to see who would walk out in one piece.
The two powerful avatars made their mounts sprint towards each other. Morokot's whole body was still aflame. Her rhino didn't seem to mind the heat. That thick armor skin was also fireproof.
Once they clashed, Charavan snapped at the rhino with his great jaw, but he was knocked aside by the rhino's steel-like horn.
Morokot fired at Samudra again. The sea god's son dodged the flame but it still hit him on the shoulder. Samudra yelped and steered his mount away.
"Back into the water, Charavan!" Samudra ordered. It only took his werecrocodile two leaps to plunge back into the water and swam away with his master on the back. Morokot's rhino had to skid to a halt by the bank.
"Don't you run, coward!" Morokot snarled after him. "Is that all you got?"
She waved her fist in the air angrily. Samudra said nothing. His back was turned to the waterfall. Morokot bit her lips and raised her hands above her head. Fire soared up like a pair of blazing wings. The flames whirled and entwined each other until Morokot thrust her hands forward. The fire arched in the air and flew towards Samudra in the shape of a serpent.
Samudra raised his hands and the water rose from the pool. It formed a protective wall and put out Morokot's fire. The water kept rising another hundreds of feet into the sky.
We were standing on the safe side, watching thousands of gallons of water arching like a tidal wave. Samudra's eyes were closed, but the great wave was still rising, threatening to crush the life out of anyone in its path at any moment.
Morokot gritted her teeth and tried to summon fire again. Her flames built up only a few second when Samudra hurled the wall of bone-crushing water at her and her rhino.
Morokot tried to pull the pet away from the wave in retreat, but it was too late. The deadly sheet of water crashed onto the earth like a giant palm, smashing over the running pair.
Samudra held his hands up to command the element again. It twirled into a standing whirlpool and scooped Morokot off the ground. She was locked in a massive watery grip.
The girl tried to break free by firing off her fireballs, but now she was like a small bug swimming inside a giant droplet.
Before Morokot was about to drown, Samudra made a tearing gesture. The water split apart, releasing her to the muddy ground again.
Morokot lay there, choking and coughing. The rhino had collapsed on his back with his hooves waving helplessly.
The machas cheered from the other side of the Baray. Samudra got off Charavan and motioned for the crocodile to go back into his cave. The mount wagged his tail like a dog before swimming away.
Samudra climbed over the edge of the pool and walked towards Morokot. He put his hand out to her, but Morokot swatted it away.
"I don't need your help," she muttered and staggered back onto her wobbly feet. Morokot was covered in brown mud from head to toes. She walked over to her rhino and tried to push him back onto his feet. The other avatars laughed at the sight.
Issarak was gone. When the girl needed a friend, she got none.
I felt pity for Morokot then found myself running over to her. Once I reached the drenched girl and her overturned rhino, I put my hands up and started to push the animal, too.
Morokot snapped her head to me. Her eyes stirred with confusion and rage, but at least, she didn't start frying me. I gave her a small nod. She turned her face away and started to push her mount again.
The crowd was quiet as we both helped the rhino onto his feet. Then Morokot and her pet walked off the field in silence. The crowd parted for them. Tepi came to place her hand on my shoulder. Samudra was standing by the pool, looking as grim as the defeated girl.
"I hope she has learned her lesson," Tepi said.
CHAPTER 18
I sat by the fire brazier with Kesar. She was tending to the burn on my upper left arm. I hadn't realized I got burned until then.
"My lady, your injury has worsened," Kesar said. "You might need to drink some of the divine Soma."
"I thought it was just a minor burn. Is it that bad?" I asked, wincing a little when Kesar applied some more cooling balm on it.
"A holy drink is more effective since you were burned by no ordinary flames," Kesar said.
"It was no ordinary flame all right! It burst out from Morokot's freaking hand!"
"Lady Morokot was given the gift of fire," Kesar told me. "It's the five-colored flames of Lord Agni. I am amazed that you were unaware of the pain, but you may fall ill if we leave the wound untended."
Now that Kesar mentioned it, I noticed the stinging pain had indeed sharpened. It felt like a snakebite.
"Well, I could use the holy drink now," I said with a grimace.
Kesar turned to a maid and asked for the Soma Juice. The maid came back with a golden tray and the nectar in its golden cup.
After I downed the sweet delicious cool drink, my pain and fatigue dissolved. The burned skin began to itch and heal itself. The reddish patch turned into a healthy tone again.
"It worked like a charm, Kesar! Look, it's all healed!" I said and smiled at her. She smiled back, looking at my arm in relief.
"I'm glad you feel better, my lady."
"Kesar, I didn't know what I would do without you," I said. "You're truly my guardian angel!"
With the boost of the holy juice, I leaned over and planted my wet lips on her cheek. Kesar stared at me then turned her face away. I blinked.
"Are you alright?"
She just nodded though she still didn't look at me. I realized what it meant and wanted to kick myself. Must I always be that stupid? Then I tried to think up something to change her gloomy mood.
"By the way, Kesar, I have hardly seen you with your wings until this evening. I would like to look at them again. Do you mind showing me?"
The maiden's eyes drifted back to my face but then she shook her head.
"There's nothing to see, my lady," she murmured.
"Oh please? Just a little look?" I said in a pleading voice.
Kesar was still silent.
"You know, I just want to compare you with my drawing," I said again.
"Your drawing?"
"Yes, I drew you," I said and turned around to retrieve my bag then got my drawing pad out. "Here it is!"
I showed Kesar the portrait of herself. She looked at it for a few minutes then gazed back at me. Her dark brown eyes glittered with emotions.
"My lady drew me?" she said almost in a whisper. I nodded back with a smile. Kesar brushed her fingers over my sketch as if it was priceless to her.
"It's beautiful," she breathed at last.
"You are beautiful," I said. "You should not be embarrassed about your true form."
Kesar was quiet for a long moment. Then she rose from the seat. I looked up at her as she backed away and the air around her body began to twirl into a whiff of gold dust.
Her skin shimmered with bright light. Then a pair of golden wings sprang out from behind her back. Kesar's beautiful wings extended almost two meters long. Her lower half was coated with sleek brilliant plume. Each feather sparkled against the firelight, dazzling me.
I had never seen anything so magnificent like that, and I was blown away by the beautiful winged-maiden. For a long moment, I sat gazing mutely at her angelic wings and her swan-like feet. They were also golden in color. Kesar stood shyly under my stare.
As if hypnotized, I stood up and walked towards the Kennari. She folded her golden wings and tugged them back where her human and her bird form joined. Her long flowing tail spread over the floor like the tail of a peacock.
I circled around my handmaiden, admiring every strand of her feathers and beautiful wings.
"Can I touch your wings, Kesar?" I asked. The maiden stiffened a little, but at last, she nodded, granting me permission. I came around her and brushed my hands over the smooth texture of her feathers. My fingers roamed over the small of her back and down her soft cottony feathers around her hips and thighs.
"Your feathers are so beautiful," I whispered in amazement. My curious hands kept wandering over her lower half until she squirmed away with a slight blush on her cheeks. I stood up and turned Kesar around to face me.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of," I said to her.
Kesar looked down. "I was afraid that you wouldn't favor me."
"Kesar, you are my favorite,” I said, tipping her chin up to make her look at me again. “How could you not see that you're special?"
Her gaze held mine. I could see the tears dampen her thick black lashes. We were just a kiss away, and I did want to crash my lips onto hers.
But then we heard a knock on the door, causing us both to part from each other.
Several maidens entered the room, but one of them almost knocked the air out of my lungs. She walked forward in all her usual glory and looked back us.
"Amarisa?" I breathed.
"Your Highness." Kesar quickly bowed at her presence.
The princess nodded back awkwardly. I noticed she was holding a beautiful garland of white jasmines in her hands. Yet what confused me was why the princess had come to my chamber out of the blue. As if she could read my mind, Amarisa cleared her throat and muttered curtly.
"I came here to apologize for my action the previous day," she said, still unable to look at me in the eyes. I kept staring back at her in confusion. She held out the garland towards me at arm's length like a guilty child. I looked at the jasmine flowers, which were strung together to form beautiful patterns. "Accept it as a token of my apology."
Her words sounded like an order, and it made me smile. I would never imagine the princess to go out of her way to do this. At the same time, I was overjoyed that she did. I took a few steps forward to grab the lovely hand that was holding the garland.
Amarisa looked back at me with a shocked expression. She tried to withdraw her hand from my grasp, but I kept holding it tightly in mine.
"You made Malis scare me senseless," I said, knowing that I had the power to guilt-trip her now. "But I would gladly accept your flowers, my princess, only if you agree to stay for a bit longer."
It was just my excuse. Amarisa didn't need my forgiveness. No matter what she did to me, my heart would never hold her at fault. Now, it was the right time to pave the way for our friendship, and I wouldn't want to let the princess slip from my hands.
There was a long silent moment. As if to give us some privacy, Kesar, whose wings had already vanished, bowed and retreated from the room along with the other maidens. Seeing the Kennari walked away had caused a sting of pity in my chest, but there was no way I would let go of my princess's hand. I turned back to Amarisa. She was still glaring at me.
"I must leave," she said.
"Your Highness, please?" I coa
xed. "I was injured from the practice last morning. You would give me relief from pain if you stay."
My words seemed to melt her resolve. Amarisa hid her eyes under those long curved lashes. Without delay, I pulled her with me towards our seats by the brazier.
The princess did follow me, yet she remained standing after I sat down. I tugged at her hand, and to my utter delight, she complied. I could feel my heart pump in excitement. The princess took a seat next to mine at last. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I looked at her.
Then Amarisa's eyes seemed to focus on something else. I realized she was staring at my drawing pad. The princess picked it off the floor to her lap.
"What a strange material," she said, tracing her fingers over its spiral binding and hard covers. Then she looked back at me.
"It's called a drawing pad," I told her. "I use it to make art."
"You draw?" Amarisa said as she flipped through the pages. Her eyes glided over my work of Kesar although she tried not to look impressed by it.
I nodded with a sheepish smile. She ran her fingers over the brown acrylic page one at a time. When she reached the work I made of the spiral, she turned to me again.
"What is this?"
"Wait, you also don't know about it?"
Amarisa shook her head. I wasn't sure how I should react to that, but I had forgotten all about the spiral until now. I scooted closer to the princess. She recoiled back from me, but I gave her a reassuring smile then pointed to the image.
"That's what brought me into your realm," I told her. "The stone spiral had a carving of a seven-headed Naga. It’s visible only when you have aligned all the rings. The object acts as a portal or a door of some sort and can be activated by a crystal stone called Chandramoki Moni."
Amarisa stared at the detailed sketch, trying to get her mind around it.
"I'm not aware of how the people in your world could build such a thing," she said, astounded.
"Oh you got it all wrong," I said. "The spiral that sent me here wasn't built by the people of my time but yours."
"But none of King Father's architects have ever been ordered to build something like this," she said. "If there was such a structure in our kingdom, I would know of it."
Daughter of the Naga Page 13