A Heart of Gold

Chapter 13: A Heart of Gold

Radheya walked all night. He stopped only when the sky had begun to lighten and snuck into one of the many abandoned buildings that littered the outskirts of Hastinapur. It was cold, damp and dark, and small feet skittered around noisily. But Radheya feared neither the darkness, nor the rats, and wrapping himself in the blanket that had doubled as his bag thus far, he settled down in one corner. Still euphoric at the success of his escape and puzzled at his father's behavior, he could not sleep for a long time.

When he woke up, Radheya noted that the sun had already begun to sink. Collecting his meagre belongings and tying them into the blanket, Radheya set out again. His stomach grumbled loudly. Although no one was around, for some reason Radheya still felt ashamed. He took the winding path that led him to the town square and discovered an array of shops selling edibles. The sight of freshly prepared sweets dipped in syrup, steaming chapatis and puris, and fried snacks swarming with flies made his mouth water. He pulled out the pouch of money his father had given him and would have bought himself a puri when he heard a man yelling at someone.

As is customary in situations like this, people gathered around the quarreling party and looked on with avid interest without any intention of helping. Curious, Radheya squeezed his way through the crowd, bumping his head on people's elbows and mumbling half-hearted apologies, and finally managed to get to the front. Unfortunately or otherwise, the drama was over by then. Radheya watched as a well-dressed man strutted out of a local inn, waved at what appeared to be his servant, and turning around to the assembled spectators, barked, "What are you lot staring at? Get lost! Shoo!!"

The area began to thin out. Radheya had to move so as not to be trampled in the ensuing commotion. Whispered conversations erupted in the air. He watched as a woman dragged herself out of the inn and fell at the man's feet, wailing. The man did not even deign to look down at her.

"Get lost, filth," he thundered, "How dare you soil my shoes? They're worth thrice your worthless life."

The woman did not move away, still mumbling incoherently. No one paid them any attention. Radheya noticed an old man leaning on the hovel-post of the inn, looking sorrowfully at the unfolding scene. The man now kicked the woman. She fell to her side. Paying her no mind, the man called impatiently, "Manohar, you blind bat, shall we stand here all day?"

Radheya crept up to the old man, taking care to ensure that the howling bull would not see him, and lightly tapped him on his arm, "Dadaji, what happened?"

Dadaji tore his eyes away from the horrifying view and opened his mouth to say something, but noticing him, stopped. His eyes widened in dismay, "What are you doing here, child? Where are your parents? "

"I was just passing by. What happened here? Why is he hitting that lady?"

Unable to articulate the situation, the old Dadaji kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish. The servant, Manohar, had emerged from wherever he had gone off to, and was leading a beautiful black stallion towards his master. The furious man leapt on it and landed a sharp whiplash on its side. The horse reared up with an enraged neigh and burst forward in a flurry of speed, leaving Manohar haplessly standing behind. Even from a distance, Radheya knew that the stallion must be worth more than the entire inn. The woman remained on the ground, sobbing.

The old man heaved a sigh and turned towards him wearily, groaning when he saw the inquiring look in Radheya's eyes. Reluctantly, he bit out, "He took something from the woman and refused to pay for it. This is what she gets for going after him."

Radheya was discombobulated. Taking in the woman's form, scantily clad in an old, worn blouse and ripped skirt, he asked, "She was selling something? She doesn't look like a hawker. She doesn't have any wares upon her person."