3 years later...

Vikrant Aditya Singh, a man in his mid-forties, stood in the balcony overlooking the courtyard of his manor. A carriage arrived. His daughter and three grandkids, who were visiting for a few days, disembarked. Squealing in delight, the children, ranging from two to six, immediately ran in the direction of a few rabbits that were hopping on a nearby patch of grass.

The drizzle of the past few hours had stopped, and the twilight sky was casting an ethereal golden glow. Thanks to the drops of rain still clinging to the leaves and grass, the garden below shimmered with many shades of green. A Koyal was joyfully singing at some distance and a dog tied at one end of the garden was zealously barking. A few servants were rushing around, attending to their chores.

The sight of happy domesticity below should have filled Vikrant's heart with pleasure and left it overflowing with bliss. And, to an extent, maybe it did. But not enough.

Turning around, his eyes landed on the young man in the centre of the room. A tanned man of about twenty was slouched over a heavy wooden table, studying a bunch of maps and letters. Dressed in just a maroon dhoti, his lithe upper body - covered in numerous scars - proclaimed him a warrior. His almost shoulder length hair had been messily tied back with a piece of string.

"Vayu, stop staring at them. The contents aren't going to magically change!" Vikrant exclaimed, sounding exasperated.

Still intently gazing at the scattered scrolls, Vayu responded with a shake of his head "Mama-sa, we are missing something vital. Their movements seem haphazard, but I am sure it's a ruse to mislead us."

The older man nodded "I agree. Don't worry, I will gather some intel during my visit to Prabodhan."

Audibly sighing, Vayu asked "When do you leave for Mandigadh?"

Patting his nephew's back lightly, Vikrant replied "Very soon. There's a delegation of merchants wishing to travel there day after tomorrow. I will accompany them under the pretext of discussing some business treaties and then informally pry some information."

As a look of irritation flickered across Vayu's face, his uncle chuckled "Where has the mischievous, laid-back young lad that I knew gone?"

Vayu's gaze hardened "Kings cannot afford the luxury of relaxing, as I have learnt."

Glancing at the sky, Vikrant added "Let's make sure you have some fun while you are with us in Chandanpur. Tonight, I would like to take you to see someone special. Urvashi will ensure that you forget all your worries. She truly dances like an apsara!"

Over the last few years, his uncle had gained a potbelly. His eyes sagged slightly with puffy bags underneath and the grey moustache wasn't as thick as Vayu recalled from his childhood days.

But some things haven't changed... Vayu smirked slightly, well aware of his uncle's penchant for frequenting the Kothas to admire the dancing girls there.

He spoke warily "Mama-sa, please carry on. I would prefer to spend the evening with Chitra Jiji-sa. I have promised her and the kids a few games of Chaupar. And Shera needs a good long walk before that."

A black dog that has been lying quietly to one side immediately sat up, his ears perking at the mention of one of his favourite words. His huge size and the smattering of brown mane like fur around his neck justified him being named after the king of the jungle.

Vikrant responded dismissively "Do what you like for the next hour and a half, but you will accompany me later this evening!" Frowning slightly, he continued as he walked toward the door "Though she means well, my sister has some very unrealistic expectations from you. And in my opinion very unnatural too! Learn to live a little my boy. Yes, you are a king now, but you are a young man too! And what is the point of being a king if you can't enjoy some simple pleasures of life?!"

Overlooking his shoulder as he exited the doorway, Vikrant winked conspiratorially "Don't worry Vaidehi will not find out about our little escapade. Krushanu is hardly going to spill your secrets to your mother!"

Vayu reflexively snorted. The thought of his close confidant-friend-advisor betraying his confidence was ludicrous. Other than the fun and frolic of their childhood, they had also shared the trauma of forced metamorphosis in the recent years.

He stood still for a few moments; his heart embroiled in some conflict. Then trying to shake off a feeling of apprehension he reasoned with himself, I can always spend time with Jiji-sa and the kids after Mama-sa leaves for Mandigadh. Yes, Mama-sa is right... what's the harm in heading out for an evening of some light entertainment?

His mind made up, he strolled over to Shera and rubbing his head murmured "Let's go. I think we both need to get some fresh air." Yapping excitedly like a little puppy, the big dog sloppily licked Vayu's hands and then bounded out of the room.

* * *

Sometime later Vayu accompanied by his uncle and a few others stepped into a small boat. The boatman bowed deeply as he assured them that despite the rains the current allowed for a safe crossing.

Their destination for that evening was located on the opposite south bank. The narrow river effectively segregated the two strata of Chandanpur's society. The north bank housed the rich and respectable, while those living on the south bank were less affluent and some deemed of dubious origins. But it was understood that both had a role to play. While the north might look down on the south, it could not achieve its orderly state without the south housing all the chaos.

The ride across the river was expected to take about five minutes.

As Vayu laughed at something his uncle shared, Krushanu watched his friend with satisfaction. Such carefree smiles on Vayu's face had become a rarity.

They had already spent over two months on the road before landing in Chandanpur. Though the advertised purpose of this campaign was reviewing existing treaties and strengthening ties with their allies, it was very much a fact-finding mission too. While meeting the kings, lords, and powerbrokers in all the states that they visited, the most important agenda was to see what was not on display and hear what was left unsaid. When he had suddenly been crowned the ruler of Sudhagadh, Vayu had found such diplomatic missions a little disconcerting to start with. It was only in the past year that he had hit his stride.

Krushanu smiled recalling the meetings from the week before when the old King of Chaitrali had seemed taken aback by Vayu's astuteness. Feeling Krushanu's eyes on him, Vayu turned in his direction and raised a brow. Krushanu just shrugged in reply and turned his gaze towards the fast-approaching bank.

As soon as they came ashore, they were whisked away in the two fine carriages that were already awaiting their arrival. The roads were narrower and the area more crowded than the north bank, but the overall joviality of the atmosphere eclipsed the flaws in the infrastructure.

Few minutes into the ride, as they turned on a street, the visage drastically changed. Four moderately sized havelis, two on each side, lined the broad avenue. Many carriages were parked along the street while the drivers ambled around smoking rolled tobacco. Though all the structures were similar in size, two were especially brightly lit and bustling with activity. The third had a moderately inviting look, while the last dimly lit structure had the aura of an old woman; well past her prime but still hobbling around the house trying to get on with her chores.

Unsurprisingly, Vikrant's carriage entered the courtyard of the haveli which was glimmering the brightest. A couple of male servants rushed forward with a small wooden footstool to offer their assistance to the passengers to disembark.

The whitewashed façade, though not elaborately decorated, was lit with numerous oil lamps placed in all the doorways and windows as though Diwali was being celebrated. A small man-made pond with some floating lily pads formed the centre piece of the courtyard. Many flowering climbers and shrubs planted in the garden were delicately perfuming the balmy evening air.

The melodious strains of music grew louder as the Vikrant's entourage was guided to the great hall inside. They passed through a sitting area which was used by the habitants of the haveli for receiving guests during the day. Noting the satin throws and cushions, as well as the painting on the walls of Gopis in various stages of rasleela, Krushanu concluded the owner was profiting well from her enterprise.

As their group entered the hall reserved for the evening's performances, the hostess immediately rose to welcome them. A woman of medium stature, with sharp-attractive features, she appeared to be in her late twenties. She was wearing an elegant pale pink lehenga, which did not reveal much skin, and some pearl jewellery.

After bowing respectfully, she greeted Vikrant with a dazzling smile "Welcome Thakur-sa! I don't have enough words to tell you how happy we are to be graced by your presence this evening. The mehfils are not the same without an appreciator of the arts like you."

"The pleasure is all mine! Believe me, staying away from the allure of your mehfils is no less than a torture. But unfortunately, sometimes we must attend to the calls of more mundane businesses." Vikrant responded with a benevolent air.

Gesturing in the direction of the seating area in the centre of the room, the lady said, "I always keep the best seats empty for your grace, hoping that you will be able to find some time for us too."

Looking pleased, Vikrant replied "Not only have I made time for you today but brought my illustrious nephew along too. Meet the Raja of Sudhagadh, Vayu Pratap Singh." Then he addressed his nephew "And meet Chandrika Bai, whose arrival in Chandanpur has made the evenings here sparkle."

"Thakur-sa you are being too kind. We can only aspire to be like the moonlight, but you're both the sun and moon of Chandanpur." Chandrika immediately responded.

As Vayu controlled the urge to instinctively roll his eyes at the sugar-coated, flowery words being exchanged, bowing deeply to the young king, Chandrika said "Raja-sa, welcome to this humble abode. We are deeply grateful that you have deemed us worthy of giving us an opportunity to serve you."

Chandrika regarded the young king with curiosity as he acknowledged her with a slight nod and an ever-slighter smile.

Vayu glanced around the room taking in the setting. It was a spacious room with a high ceiling and multiple chandeliers. Just like the exteriors, the walls were whitewashed, but were decorated with many colourful wall-hangings. All the doorways were covered with shimmering curtains and decorative strings made of colourful beads. The musicians were seated at one end behind a big, carpeted area laid out for the dancers to perform. Low seating of thick mattresses covered in velvet and an assortment of cushions had been set up in a semicircle arrangement. Some additional seating was scattered across the rest of the room.

The dancer, who had paused her performance on their arrival, was strikingly beautiful with a very fair complexion and light green eyes. She was dressed quite provocatively in a heavily embellished red lehenga. The flowy skirt sat well below her navel revealing much of her mid-riff, the choli though long-sleeved was rather deep cut at the back and the yards long transparent chunni left very little of her figure to imagination. From the self-assured look on her face, it was clear that she was very aware and confident of her charms.

Vikrant shared some greetings with the other patrons as they approached their seats at the front. Once they were seated, Chandrika gestured to the servants. A man brought out a hooka, while a serving girl brought out silver goblets and a carafe of the expensive madira that was reserved only for the most distinguished guests.

Chandrika sought permission to continue and on Vikrant's nod of approval the musicians resumed the performance with one of Thakur-sa's favourite songs. As Urvashi started seductively swaying her hips, Vikrant winked to his nephew "Get ready for a glimpse of heaven!"

Over the next hour or so, Urvashi and another dancer, Mohini, alternatively entertained the spectators. But the applause and comments were always loudest for Urvashi. The patrons kept bestowing the performers with money and jewels. As the level of alcohol in their blood increased, so did their zeal to outdo others in their generosity.

Chandrika watched the proceedings with a keen eye. Every now and then, when just her gestures did not suffice, a sharp word would be used to make sure the servants were doing their best. Through all this, her eyes frequently drifted towards the young king in unbridled curiosity. She couldn't decide what to make of him. He did not bear much resemblance to his uncle.

Dressed in a spotless while dhoti and kurta, he carried a deep red stole over one shoulder. A single string of pearls around his neck, small gold loop earnings and a couple of rings were the only ornaments he was wearing. Lean and tall, with a slightly aquiline nose, strong square jawline, a well-groomed moustache, and full lips, he was sure to draw many glances wherever he walked – even if he hadn't been a king. There was a scar on the left side of his chin which only added to his charisma. It was quite evident that he was not the type of king who ruled only from the safety of his palace.

Some small talk had revealed that he had been on the road, away from the comforts of his palace, for few months now. And yet, he was rather restrained in his consumption of alcohol and food. Nor was he fawning over the dancers or groping the serving girls. Chandrika wondered if this was a result of being in his uncle's presence. But she knew this was the place where respectable men came to indulge in less than honourable behaviour. So what is holding him back? And at his age??

Mostly, he seemed happy to sip on his madira and enjoy the music with a distant look in his eyes. The only times his eyes twinkled were when his young companion whispered something to him.

At one point, when the table player had played an especially intense and difficult piece, Vayu had spontaneously removed one of his rings and sent Krushanu to present it to the artist.

Before she noticed his eyes lingering on Mohini's ample bosom a few times, Chandrika wondered if he might prefer the man with curly locks and an easy enigmatic smile, playing the percussion instrument? She had seen too much of life to rule out this possibility. And she was beyond judging what people preferred to do in the privacy of their bedrooms, provided it did not mean subjecting one of her girls to anything derogatory.

Though Chandrika did not run a brothel, making allowances for a few extremely influential patrons like Vikrant Thakur-sa was a pre-requisite for the survival of her enterprise.

Looking at Thakur-sa, she noticed he was already quite tipsy and in a very good mood. Urvashi's every movement was being abundantly praised. Noticing his goblet was almost empty, she ordered the carafe and poured him some madira herself as a mark of his importance.

Then settling down next to Vayu, she remarked "Raja-sa, my apologies if the madira here is not up to your standards." Vayu forwarded his glass "I should be the one to be sorry if I have not shown my appreciation for your hospitality. The madira is delicious." Slightly lowering his voice, he added smiling "But I must confess I am not a big drinker and would not like to make a spectacle of myself!"

Surprised by his candid confession, Chandrika returned his smile and changed the subject "I couldn't help noticing that you seem to especially enjoy the tabla. Do you play some instrument yourself?" He flushed slightly, and then admitted "I do play the tabla. Learning a musical instrument was considered an integral part of my education." After a small pause, he added regretfully "Unfortunately, I don't find the time for it these days. There is no place for any frivolous activities in my life now."

They conversed about his taste in music, and he reminisced about some exceptional performers that he had the pleasure of listening to in the past. Some of his recent travels were discussed as well.

As they spoke, Chandrika tried to recall all that she had heard Thakur-sa mention about him in the past.

Feeling very impressed with the young king's conduct and thoughts, as soon as the performers took a small break, she addressed the older man "Thakur-sa, I can see why you always speak so highly of your nephew! I am honoured to had made his acquaintance."

"He is my favourite nephew for a reason!" Vikrant grinned back.

Vayu muttered darkly "Not like you have much choice, considering that I am the only one..." Ignoring his glum tone, Vikrant carried on "Chandrika Bai, I have done my bit of dragging him here today. Let's see if you can weave the magic required to draw him back here while I am gone."

Chandrika exclaimed "Thakur-sa, are you planning to abandon us?! Why??" When the older man replied vaguely "Some worldly business my dear...", she probed "And will Raja-sa accompany you too?" Vikrant shook his head "No, he will be in Chandanpur for few more days. But I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't choose to cross the river again during the rest of his stay."

Krushanu interjected smiling mischievously "Please don't take this as a reflection on your splendid establishment. Its' just that Raja-sa is more passionate about war than love!"

"Not war, my friend! I am passionate about winning." Vayu smirked in reply.

"Then why not set out to win a fair maiden's heart??" Krushanu quipped back.

Vayu drawled "And where's the fun in an easy win?"

His friend winked at Chandrika "As you can see, he is passionate about winning the war of words too!"

As the two young men laughed and bantered, a new performer entered the hall and took a seat at the front. She was heavyset and clearly a few years older than the dancers who had been performing earlier.

Shushing the young men, Vikrant shared "That is Manjusha. She sings like an angel!"

A hush fell in the room for some time as Manjusha crooned a few classical melodies in her truly angelic voice. The tunes that she sang were sad, hunting melodies that left most of the audience dabbing their eyes.

As Vayu listened to Manjusha voicing the pain of loss and separation, the image of a princess sitting far away rose to his mind. He uneasily wondered – Does Samidha carry this anguish in her heart too??

But he quickly abandoned that line of thought and focused on his surroundings.

Watching the singer, Vayu wondered how the parents of all these performers had known, while naming them, what their children would excel at. Urvashi, Mohini, Manjusha... and then scoffed internally Why am I being so silly? Of course, these are the stage names they have chosen for themselves. They can hardly introduce themselves by their birth-names like: Sita, Satyavati or Saraswati, while performing here!

Then his heart clenched wondering, why they had landed in that place. Are they here because their king couldn't do anything to stop their lives from being uprooted? What if they are from my kingdom?? Am I responsible for their plight?!

Noticing that Vayu seemed to have lost interest in his surroundings once again, Chandrika wondered what, or rather who, could capture the young man's attention.

After deliberating awhile, she called over one of the young servants and instructed her softly "Kanta, go upstairs and ask Hari to bring out the Paan for Thakur-sa and his guests." Thinking she had misheard, Kanta asked sounding unsure "Bai-sa, Hari??" When Chandrika nodded "Yes, Hari." The baffled servant questioned again "You want me to send Hari in here to serve Thakur-sa??" This time Chandrika whisper yelled at her "Can't you understand a simple order?! Tell Hari to bring out the Paan. Now!"

As the servant finally dashed off, Chandrika prayed that this decision wouldn't come back to haunt her.

* * *

(Hi Dearies,

Happy Gudi Padwa and Ugadi! A big thanks to all of you for the enthusiastic and welcoming response to the prologue. I am so excited! 

Hope you liked this part as well. Please note, irrespective of whether she is a warrior princess by birth or not, I promise Harinakshi is a very strong character bent on following her own passion. 

And do let me know if I have managed to capture the essence of Sameer in Vayu.

I have decided to adopt a different strategy with respect to sharing updates for this story. I am going to aim for weekly updates, even if that means the chapters end up being substantially shorter than what I had been publishing for 'The Folly of Love'. Hopefully this will result in better reader engagement. Does that sound alright?

Ramadan Mubarak to all my readers observing it. May this holy month bring much peace and blessings your way.

Take care all of you and enjoy the upcoming summertime activities!

Love always, May)