A TALE FROM THE PAGES OF PAST

STRANGE EXPERIENCE

RAJKUMARI CHANDRIKA

I smiled as I looked into the raging rain outside. The streams of mountains had became rivers of mud and stones as they joined the river. In Hind Kush the rivers only flow for the brief time of few weeks in summer and the hot streams are too hot for use. I had never seen this amount of warm water falling from the sky. "Princess you will get cold in the storm." I heard Princess Amrita said sipping from her steaming glass of tea as she sat leg propelled over the couch playing cards with Malvika. The Princess of Kamboj was not that big with rules and regulations. I came to know it the moment she dived headfirst into the common large pond in the inner courtyards of Aavesharahit Mahal to save a rabbit with unknowingly wandered in. There isn't much light just slight brightness.

Malvika and she bonded instantly over their love for sharp weapons and abusive fathers. She is probably the first person who didn't flinched when Malvika launched into a extremely detailed process of how she killed her abusive father with a knife she found in pantry. She even looked eager as she bite into her red apple not removing her gaze. "Don't worry princess. I am used to more cold than this." I shouted over the thundering voice of river and lightning. The air here is crisp and fresh. I spreaded my arms wide as the refreshing drops pelted against my skin and my face drenching me in their calm embrace. This is heaven I thought. My calm pose was broken as soon as the lightening strucked the mounts and the rain turned into a thunderstorm.

I frowned as I felt sudden shift in the energies surrounding us. The silent and calm energies were went into in a violent turmoil. Like someone thrown a large anchor into a calm sea disturbing it's calm surface. Sending wide and strong ripples across it. Alerting the people. The same way I felt myself alerted to this new yet not so new presence. I felt this presence many times since I came here two days ago. It intensified a bit when Amrita reached here today morning but not at this alarming rate. I frowned. Something is not right with either this place or me. I moved further into the balcony looming over the edge. All brighteness gone from the sky replaced with pitchless darkness.

I moved my eyes back to glance at Malvika and Princess Amrita who are still paying their entire consentration on the game in their hands. I signed and moved my head forward and stumbled back and fallen on the wet floor. A black shadow peered at me. It's head like structure identified by the two red almond like eyes looking at me before speeding in the downwards direction. Towards where the banks are present. It's progress was hidden by heavy and tell trees surrounding. I took in deep breaths. For a moment the air pressure became almost to much to bear. "Are you okay. My Liege." Malvika asked reshuffling the cards. "I am." I said back trying to calm my heavy breaths.

I went inside and dried myself dressing in one of the most comfortable dress I possessed for this weather. Sheathing my knifes I put up my hood. "I am going for a stroll." I said and before anyone can object slipped out of the room closing it my behind. I closed my eyes trying to focus all of my consentration on my surroundings. Trying to comb out even a smallest of small hint of magic present anywhere near. Soon the familiar vibration of the evil magic reached me. I followed the thin thread with gradually became stronger and thicker. My feets stamping over the patches of water. The rain drops fallen over my covered head draining away from the fur. All the energies converged as I came near the bank of river. It all was concentrated on a single spot where a figure was examining the ground.

PRINCE ARIV

My footfalls were muted by the soft carpet spreaded infront of the fireplace hissing in my quarters as if bravely trying to fight against the cold winds from the lands beyond the snow capped mounts of Brahmagiri. The thunderstorm pelted against the glasses, windows and stones of my palace. The voice is also muffled. Since evening the Alaknanda had taken a evil form and showing us her anger to us in the form of huge monstrous waves which are crashing against the banks at present. The large distance between my palace and the river was not enough to totally muffle down the crashes as well as the strange yet powerful lighting taking its reign over the mighty sky.