She rose and
rang the huge bell with its attached rope, only to be caught in a vice-like
grip by a soldier, on her father’s pay-roll who was crushing her wrist with one
hand. He was already pulling her
downwards on the steps. Marching her
back to her palace! She was horrified
and raised her spear to hit him. But he
was faster and stronger than her. With a
swift wave of his strong arms, he stalled her blow and sent the spear hurtling
down the hillside. She was struggling to
free her wrist, trembling and crying tears of misery and humiliation. She begged the soldier to release her. “Please, please let me go. I beg you.
I’ll give you anything you want!
Please allow me to meet my suitor in the shrine. Please…..”
But her words were
lost on him. He knew that he had to
follow the strict orders of the king of Regina, his master. And the orders were clear. “The fair princess Sara must be prevented
from entering the shrine at all costs.”
Hence he had deployed strong and resilient soldiers all around the shrine
and at the foothills. Only Sara knew how
she had hoodwinked the guards by wearing the disguise of a soldier’s uniform,
false moustache and a practiced swagger!
She was disgruntled as she had taken great pains to venture there and
carried a heavy backpack containing her purple dress (that she had changed into
mid-way) food, water and first-aid kit, besides a diamond ring for Juan. Now all her pains had come to a naught! She had foolishly come into the shrine’s view
in her dress and been caught straightaway!
She tried to
pull her wrist free and struggled to free herself as she tried to feebly hit
the sturdy guard with her dainty free wrist.
*************
Martha was
flailing her arms in her sleep pleading “Leave me, please leave me!” Norman watched her with a troubled expression
in his grey eyes. Things were really
getting out of hand. He desperately
wanted to help that beautiful, vulnerable woman on his bed. He’d have to take her to a psychiatrist, as
early as possible. But would she agree?
******************
Norman and
Martha boarded an early morning flight to Shanghai. They made a striking couple. Norman looked dapper in a long black overcoat
with over-sized collars, bowler hat and his glasses hanging around his neck,
with a black string. Martha looked
beautiful in her fitted navy blue shirt and skirt suit with a powder blue
jacket around her shoulders, black pumps; her mane shining around her fresh
pink face like a halo.
As she looked
up at him and smiled happily, Norman felt delighted at the thought that they
looked and felt like a newly-wed couple going on their honey-moon. He had resolved that he’d just not mention
her latest novel that was causing her so much anguish. Better let sleeping dogs lie for the
moment!
Martha had also
instinctively guessed his resolve and sportingly resolved to just enjoy the
trip without any emotional baggage. She
was grateful to Norman for being so understanding. She appreciated his help and looked forward
to his gentle hugs and kisses. Thanks to
that incredible man, here she was, raring to go and enjoy her unexpected
trip. She looked forward to meeting and interacting
with many interesting people, authors and voracious bibliophiles. She had taken care to carry along, a
portfolio of all her published work, so that she could read from some of them,
as she’d be most certainly expected to!
The charming and
elegant city of Shanghai welcomed them with open arms. A chauffeur- driven limousine ferried them
from the swanky airport to a luxurious five-star hotel in the city’s
suburbs. They opted for a single double
suite and proceeded to make themselves comfortable. They had the entire afternoon and evening off
to familiarize themselves with the place.
The conference was on the next day.
They’d be having a very busy day.
Norman would be delivering a lecture on ‘The future trends in
publishing’ and she would be reading from one of her favorite essays ‘Journey
to nowhere and back’, a metaphysical piece on out-of-the-body experiences that
she had often had in the past.
Both of them
spent the afternoon reading their drafts and revising them. Then they rehearsed for the same. Norman delivered his entire lecture of 45
minutes in his deep baritone complete with pauses and punctuations, guffaws and
hand-waving; she read out her excerpts with as much feeling as she could
muster. Needless to say, she was shivering
at the end of her reading session. She’d
been way too involved in her ‘eerie’ experience.
Quickly Norman
ordered for a hot pot of coffee and sandwiches to soothe her nerves. He held her close as they ate, first in
silence, then jabbering and joking about each others’ performance.
Soon Martha was
her usual self, criticizing Norman’s accent and mannerisms, thought not
vehemently; and Norman was arguing about her seriousness while reading. They however praised each others’ efforts and
decided to relax in the evening. They’d
stroll down the neat, yet crowded streets, do window-shopping and have dinner,
somewhere quiet and cozy!
Martha dressed
in a mauve flower-patterned knee-length dress of fine cotton, brushed her hair till
it sparkled, applied light make-up and got ready in a jiffy. Norman dressed in a formal grey-suit with an
off-white shirt and navy-blue tie and ushered her chivalrously out of their
suite.
Just before
leaving, he had found her to be too irresistibly good-looking and kissed her on
her rosy lips. She had responded and
complained about him having spoiled her make-up, to which he had cheekily
retorted, “Look at your self in the mirror dear! You look ravishing with that flushed
face. I can save you the cost of your
blusher!” She had blushed even more,
re-applied her lip gloss and winked at him.
The night held a promise….
At a roadside
souvenir shop, he bought a sapphire brooch in the shape of an eagle and urged
her to wear it. Immediately, he
regretted his impulsive decision as he saw her pale and break into a
sweat. He returned the brooch to the
shop-keeper and bought another, shaped like an exquisite butterfly with
twinkling rhinestones set in its metal wings.
As he clipped it on her dress’ front his hands lingered on her chest,
till she laughed and told him to consider the fact that they were in a public
place and not in their bedroom. Having
said that impulsively, she blushed furiously, unable to face him till he lifted
her chin and looked into her eyes and said “I love you, Martha!” She felt a
tremor of pleasure rush up her spine as she yearned to tell him “I love you
too!” Only, the words never escaped her lips.
She just looked at him longingly, with her heart in her eyes. Norman understood and smiled. Her heart melted as he kissed her right there
in front of the amazed and delighted shop-keeper. “This, your wife? Madam, very beautiful!” he said excitedly, in
his sparse English, his enthusiasm shining in his eyes. He couldn’t wait to tell his wife about the sudden show of affection between an elderly
couple in his shop. He’d surprise his wife too, similarly!
To be continued.....
The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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