An Indian Princess - A Modern Day Fairytale (Completed)

Chapter 6.6

Dedicated to AbhayRajSingh5.

To my friend Talita.  Happy birthday.  :)

Part 6 of 6

Nidhi and Arii had gone to a small tea room after ‘dinner’ and while sitting there Arii had told Nidhi a few things.  Arii’s father was the head of the village.  He was a very important person here and everyone said he was a very intelligent man and he was wise too. 

The village was the only one in the area that was completely self sufficient.  They didn’t buy anything and everything in the village was produced here.  Other villagers come here to buy products like fabric and food. 

Nidhi had learned a lot about the village and the people and after a while she wanted to be on her own a little.

“Arii, would it be okay if I go for a walk.  I will not leave the square and go into the woods?”  Nidhi asked with an innocent smile.  “Please?”

“Okay, but you stay where people can see you.”  Arii said with a stern face.

Nidhi was out of the door seconds later.  Nidhi filled her lungs with fresh air and the breeze on her skin felt good.  She sat on the fountain and watched the princess and the tiger that was at the top.  She stood up and walked towards the passage that led to the square.  It was already past eight but people still moved around or sat in groups around in the square. 

Nidhi walked far from the villagers because she had learned that when she gets near the people who are not supposed to talk to her stops talking to the people in their company as soon as she gets near them.  She didn’t want to interrupt their conversations so she stayed away. 

Nidhi looked at different things around the square and about an hour later arrived at her destination.  She knows that she said she would stay in the square but she had to see if the tiger was still there.  She entered the dark part of the square and moved cautiously away from the square. 

Nidhi felt like turning back when she had walked what felt like fifteen minutes but as she was about to turn around she got this feeling like the first time she saw the tiger. 

“I had a dream that you were going to hurt me, please don’t, I have missed you.”  Nidhi heard a soft growl and it sounded soothing.  Nidhi knew then that he wouldn’t hurt her.  She turned toward the sound and saw him sitting a few feet away.  Nidhi was happy to see him and ran as fast as she could and when she got to him, she grabbed him around his furry neck and hugged him tight.  “I have really missed you.  Arii doesn’t understand my connection to you.  She thinks you will hurt me.”

Nidhi sat down next to him and he lay down on his paws.  It was dark around them but Nidhi didn’t need light to see the tiger.  His image was burned into her mind and when she was close to him like this she could feel him and smell him.  He didn’t smell bad, he smelled like the earth and the woods and she liked it.  His fur was soft and smooth, she didn’t know what other tigers felt like but she somehow knew that they didn’t feel like him.  He was different from other tigers.  Nidhi felt the warmth from his body against her side and it was comforting. 

Nidhi felt tired and knew she should get back before Arii came looking for her.  “I have to go now.  Tomorrow is the day of Peace and everyone is going to be busy, would you meet me again?  I don’t think they will miss me.  If you can and haven’t already you should go and look at the fountain behind the temple.  It is so beautiful and it made me think about you and me.  They call it the fountain of peace and the princess and the tiger are unlikely friends sort of like you and me.”

Nidhi got ready to get up to go but he placed his head on her lap so she couldn’t.  “I will come here again in the morning.  Arii will not be happy if I don’t go home now.  I would stay with you if I could but I can’t.  I am going to get in trouble again.”  He lifted his head and Nidhi got up.  He sat up again and when Nidhi stood next to him their eyes was at the same height.  Nidhi hugged him again and very quickly kissed him between the eyes.  “Goodnight tiger.” 

She ran as fast as she could back to the fountain.  She didn’t go through the square, instead she ran to the back of the building to the left of the temple and when she saw the fountain she slowed to a walk.  She looked back and even though she couldn’t see him she knew he was there.  Like her secret protector.  Watching and waiting in the shadows. 

Nidhi said goodnight to Arri and ran up the stairs to her room.  She changed into her sleepwear and got into bed with a smile on her face.