Iviyana

I knocked on the door.May be I should wait till morning.

The door opened instantly and Papa stood there.Alert.A concerned look on his face as he saw me there standing there.

"Yana,is everything alright?" The worried note in his voice didn't escape me.

I smiled to assure him."Everything's alright Papa.I just wanted to..." I hesitated.Not sure how I could bring it up.With everything that has been happening for the last few days.I didn't know if I should be saying anything.Papa already has so much to worry about.May be it was a bad idea after all.

"Come inside.We haven't had any time to talk till now." Papa gave way for me to enter.Closing the door,he indicated the chair.I refused and went to sit on his bed.Just like I used to do when I was small and worked my head over something.

Papa understood.As always.He too came to sit on the bed.We sat there side by side.Unable to control myself,I placed my head on his shoulder.

I had made back to my room before Papa but I had nothing to worry about because I didn't see Papa after that.He was busy in overlooking the state of affairs that had taken place in his absence.I had a light dinner in my room.Papa had already sent for it along with a message for me to rest and not wait up for him.

I had been unable to lay on the bed.I had waited by the window as the night had darkened.Finally after hearing some shuffling noises from next door,I had rushed to his room.And now here I was.

"What's wrong,dear daughter?" Papa asked calmly as he encompassed me in a side way hug.His hand squeezing my shoulder.

"I couldn't sleep." I whispered.The words flowed out of my mouth."This-This is all so new.I always knew you had a life away from the village.I had thought I would be able to relate to it,you know.I would find my place.But thinking it and actually living it are altogether different.Your life here is so different.Everything is so unfamiliar to me yet you seem to fit right in.I-I am scared Papa.I am scared that I won't be able to find my place to fit in like you have.I won't be able to catch up with you.You'll go away.And I'll lose you.The dream of the family that I want will be broken and I will be left all alone."

I shut my eyes tightly.Anxiety of what he'll say shattering any peace infused by his presence.I wasn't ready for it.What if Papa thought the same?May be that is why he was reluctant to bring me here all those years ago? Papa was quiet for a while.My heart started beating faster.Tension gripped my body.The silence was killing me yet I couldn't find the courage to look up at his face.

Suddenly I heard his laughter.My eyes snapped open and I looked up at him incredulously.He laughed more as he saw my confusion.I looked at him in puzzlement.Was  there something funny in what I had said?

"Papa,why are you laughing?" I groaned at his merriment on my expense.Getting up he walked over to the window as his chuckles started subsidizing.

Shaking his head Papa motioned me to join him.I got up and stood next to him.We gazed out the window at the moon.

"You see that, Yana."He pointed to the moon.I nodded my head in agreement."Sometimes,when the moon doesn't shine with the stars in the night ,do we forget about it?Does the moon lose its importance?Do we assume it doesn't belongs there?"Papa fired the questions one by one.

Unable to analyse where this was going,I just shook my head.

"Exactly,my daughter." Papa smiled kindly . "You are the moon to my night.No matter whether you are physically present or not ,you will always belong with me.Even though I have lived here for most part of my life,never have I ever forgotten your existence .There's nothing to be afraid of.I am not going anywhere.I'll always stand where you can reach me.We are family and always will be.Whether we are together or not." 

I sighed in relief.Yes, we are family.No bond is stronger than that.Reassured now, I asked what was really bothering me."Then who is he,Papa?What relationship do you share with him?" I had seen Papa with him.I knew there was something between them.A kind of connection that was incomprehensible for me.

May be Papa was already expecting such a question because he supplied happily.A warmth on his face."My other moon."

Baffled  I turned to him completely."What?" I whispered.My fears coming back in.My position in Papa's life still in jeopardy.

"Don't fret over it daughter.In my sky,there is place for two moons." The smile got bigger."You don't know him yet.That's why you cannot understand."

"But I want to understand ,Papa.Who is he?How did you meet him.?Why is he so important?" I wanted to know what special bond Papa shared with that stranger .What hold did that beast had over my Papa.?!

Papa seemed lost in thoughts.I saw the change in him as the tenderness  got replaced by vehemence.An anger of some sort.Papa was quick to hide that change but I had already been privy to it.

After a while he started again ,a hint of caution in his words."Master was young when I met him.The connection that I have with him surpasses the highest form of relations for me.He is my most important being " He looked sideways at me, "along with you.The first one who showed his trust in me.The first one who truly needed me for who I am, not for what I could do.He considered me worthy enough to be by his side.You cannot realize what an honor that is,Yana."

I had already witnessed the fondness and the affection Papa harbored for the beast.His love for his master was clear.

"I don't call him master because he has asked me to or because I am under some obligation to do so.I do it out of my own free will.For me that is the biggest bliss.Such is the love and devotion I have for him."Papa turned to me ."You will feel the same once you know him.I am sure of it."

There was very little chance of that.I wanted to say but refrained in the light of Papa's emotions.

"The life in the palace is very different from the simple one you have led so far.There is a trap in every corner.No one can be trusted.People exist  only to climb over each other.The greed for the things that don't belong to them has turned them into hungry mongrels who are happy tearing each other for a small piece of meat." The gravity in Papa's tone alerted me to the seriousness of what he was telling me. 

"You cannot imagine the suffering my master has endured at their hands."Papa stopped there as if unable to go on.The pensiveness on his face made the hairs on my arm stand up.I have never seen him this way.I could sense a hint of melancholy and desolation in his stance.I didn't probe and let Papa continue.I feared Papa will stop if I  interfered.

"It took very long for my master to get away from their clutches and build this place for himself and for the ones who are like him.It will take a single mistake and everything he has worked for will shatter into pieces that will be hard to glue back again."

Papa turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulder.A solemnity and urgency in his eyes."I never want the peace that my master has found to vanish.The consequence of that peace going away is very grave and fatal.I never want the world to face that consequence.I never want you to face that.That is why, promise me today that you will never be the one who will bring him suffering and grief.Promise this to me daughter that you'll never be the reason of his pain.I have served him with everything in me.Hurting him will mean hurting me." 

I  was suspended in the frame of time.I knew something momentary was taking place right in this moment.Something told me whatever I decide to do today will leave lifelong impact on me.My intuition screamed at me to think before giving an answer.Before choosing a path.

But this was Papa.Papa was asking me for something.For the very first time he was entrusting me a responsibility.The one that meant everything to him. Without giving it another thought, I nodded my head fervently.I promised him then and there."I swear to you ,Papa.I will never do anything that brings him harm.If his life holds that much importance to you then it will be the same for me as well."

Papa hugged me to him tightly."Thank you,daughter.I wish I could tell you everything but there's still time for that.One day,I'll tell you all about it and then I hope I'll have the forgiveness." 

 I know it Papa.I know there's so much that you are still keeping from me.I hope that day comes soon when you can trust me enough to tell me all about it.But in the meantime I'll keep myself   happy with whatever you have offered.

I pushed back from Papa.I said with all the belief and earnestness I had."There is nothing  in this world that will ever make me turn away from you.You are the world's greatest Papa."

 Papa reverted back as earnestly."And you are the world's greatest daughter."I grinned at him.

The mood suddenly light.I hugged Papa again.He kissed my head and ruffled my hair."Now go back to your room.It's late.We'll talk more tomorrow."

I said my wishes for the night and went back to my room with a lightheartedness, awaiting a new welcome for the new life.