Everything stood perfectly still. There was no wind to ruffle the treetops or make the lamp flame dance. Payal was only sleeping in brief spells. The damp airlessness of the night was making it difficult to breath. Fleeting dreams haunted her during the half asleep-half wakeful state, where she hovered. Her bedclothes, wet with sweat, stuck to her mercilessly as she tossed and turned. "Raja, don't go", she whispered. "Nobody wins a war. I beg you, don't go".
Damini sat at the foot of the bed and shook her head hopelessly. The nightmares had stopped temporarily, only to be revived by the arrival of the King's letter. "Didi", she called gently as she cried out in her sleep. "Didi, wake up." Payal was yanked free from her dream as she awoke with a start, a look of madness in her eyes which was now quite familiar to Damini.
"Where is it? Where is it?", she screamed, her voice entwined with insanity.
Damini was ready with the letter. Payal clutched it to her heart and cried desperately. When the tears ceased, she opened the letter to read it for the hundredth time.
Payal, my love,
Gods have surely forsaken this place. If this isn't hell, what is? The stench of death and rot lies thick in the air, threatening to choke me. All I hear are the deafening clash of weapons and the bone-chilling cries of the dying. My friends and family now lie dead in battle with nobody to perform their last rights, maimed beyond recognition. Often, I have had to plunge my knife into a man's heart in order to put him out of misery. I am responsible for countless deaths. Victory may be ours in the end but the immeasurable loss we have suffered cannot be compensated for. Our bards sing of honour and heroism at war but I tell you now, my love, there is nothing to be proud of here. These sins I commit will haunt me beyond this life.
I too die a new death everyday. I cannot help but admit that I miss you more than I can ever express. When I close my eyes and think of you, I swear I can hear your sweet laughter, the soothing tinkle of you anklet. I can even smell the flowers in your hair. Often I have this vision of you wearing a blood red ghagra and walking through the devastation in the battle field. You bend down and bless each body, sending him to the afterlife. I run to you as fast as I can, you look at me with those kohl laden doe eyes and disappear. The only thing that keeps me sane and helps me to inspire my soldiers everyday is the thought of you waiting for me to return.
Please forgive me, dear Payal, for the pain that I am causing you. I will make up for it in any way that you wish. I fear for your safety even within the palace walls because you are more precious and more beautiful than any jewel in the royal treasury. I only thank God for granting me your undying love. I escape death only to return to your warm arms. My heart is with you, keep it safe.
Your faithful servant,
Raja Suvajit
Damini sat at the foot of the bed and shook her head hopelessly. The nightmares had stopped temporarily, only to be revived by the arrival of the King's letter. "Didi", she called gently as she cried out in her sleep. "Didi, wake up." Payal was yanked free from her dream as she awoke with a start, a look of madness in her eyes which was now quite familiar to Damini.
"Where is it? Where is it?", she screamed, her voice entwined with insanity.
Damini was ready with the letter. Payal clutched it to her heart and cried desperately. When the tears ceased, she opened the letter to read it for the hundredth time.
Payal, my love,
Gods have surely forsaken this place. If this isn't hell, what is? The stench of death and rot lies thick in the air, threatening to choke me. All I hear are the deafening clash of weapons and the bone-chilling cries of the dying. My friends and family now lie dead in battle with nobody to perform their last rights, maimed beyond recognition. Often, I have had to plunge my knife into a man's heart in order to put him out of misery. I am responsible for countless deaths. Victory may be ours in the end but the immeasurable loss we have suffered cannot be compensated for. Our bards sing of honour and heroism at war but I tell you now, my love, there is nothing to be proud of here. These sins I commit will haunt me beyond this life.
I too die a new death everyday. I cannot help but admit that I miss you more than I can ever express. When I close my eyes and think of you, I swear I can hear your sweet laughter, the soothing tinkle of you anklet. I can even smell the flowers in your hair. Often I have this vision of you wearing a blood red ghagra and walking through the devastation in the battle field. You bend down and bless each body, sending him to the afterlife. I run to you as fast as I can, you look at me with those kohl laden doe eyes and disappear. The only thing that keeps me sane and helps me to inspire my soldiers everyday is the thought of you waiting for me to return.
Please forgive me, dear Payal, for the pain that I am causing you. I will make up for it in any way that you wish. I fear for your safety even within the palace walls because you are more precious and more beautiful than any jewel in the royal treasury. I only thank God for granting me your undying love. I escape death only to return to your warm arms. My heart is with you, keep it safe.
Your faithful servant,
Raja Suvajit
The imagery, the use of colours, all of it has the marks of a professional. This is sheer talent shining through on it's own merit.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I have an image in my head, of this being the story about The Jaded King and the Heartless Angel.