A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 19

                             “So how are things at the office, Dorothy? Are you having a tough time with the Boss not around? Do you need any help from me? I can volunteer for any absent employees in case your company has a deadline to meet! Feel free to tell me.”

                            Dorothy looked at her warily. Whatever had come over this woman? Why was a busy writer volunteering for proof-reading and editing? That too, when the Boss was not around! She smelt a fish. Cautiously she said, “Things are just fine, Martha. Nothing that we can’t handle! Thanks for your offer anyway. It was very kind of you.” She had guessed that Norman had told Martha to find out how the office was functioning in his absence. She resented the implied distrust in his behavior. Didn’t Norman trust her? Why did he ask this woman to gauge the situation in his office? She felt uneasy.

                             After a while, Martha realized that the other woman had just clammed up and there was no point in trying to offer for help. She started talking about the weather and her favorite soap operas. For Dorothy, warning bells rang in her head as she wondered whether her Boss was having an affair on the sly with this plump, middle-aged woman and whether she would be her Boss in the near future. She had often fancied herself in the managing Director’s chair. Where did that leave her? She felt her hands becoming clammy. She mustered a faint smile as the other woman warmly bade her “Good Bye. Have a nice day!”

                             Martha almost pitied Dorothy. This was one classic case of a “Secretary loves her Boss but he loves someone else” syndrome. She knew that she was up in arms against a powerful ‘other woman’. She groaned inwardly, as she started her car and started driving back home. She even cursed Norman for sending her to face her bête noire! Had he done it on purpose, to have a hearty laugh at her expense? Did he know that his secretary fancied him? Had he ever had an affair or even a fling with that slim, super-efficient Dorothy? She shuddered as she wondered about what fate had in store for her. Though she had written about such situations, umpteen times in her stories, she had just experienced her protagonists’ thoughts.

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        Norman was watching over Nancy, as she lay, fast asleep on her huge bed. She was snoring softly.  But her lined face appeared twisted in agony.  The cancer had ravaged her thoroughly.  It had appeared insidiously in her small intestine and then tenaciously overtaken the surrounding organs too.  The physicians were treating her with chemotherapy but had failed to halt the swift progress of the malignancy. 

        Life for Nancy had become an unending round of pathology labs, hospitals, chemo sessions, medicines and misery.  Whatever she ingested was vomited out.  Each bout of retching drained her.  Physically, she was battered.  Her bald pate, a result of the harsh chemo-therapy, her sallow skin, sunken owlish eyes, parched lips and dry skin; made her appear 80 rather than the 50 that she was!

        When her eyes were open, that is, when she was awake, Norman couldn’t bear to see the immense pain, desperation and helplessness that he saw in them.  He’d realize, with sorrow, that it was those same grayish- blue eyes that had attracted him towards her.  He remembered how she had been a vivacious young lady, in her early twenties, 22 to be precise, when she had first met him as a rookie reporter for the ‘Standard News’ daily.  She was about to interview him about the bestseller that had sold a million copies.  That novel ‘Dogma’ had been published by his publishing house and had been widely acclaimed and even nominated for the Booker award. 

        “Please may I come in Sir?” she had asked anxiously, one bright morning, at 9 a.m. “I’m sorry that I’m five minutes late.  The traffic on the highway, you know…..” she was babbling apologetically, as he had appraised her from toe to top, taking in her sensible black pumps, black pencil skirt, a white linen top with ruffles at the neck, slim watch and belt, a heart-shaped pendant with a sparkling sapphire dangling enticingly between her pert breasts, heaving slightly due to her anxiety, shoulder-length open hair (brunette, he observed) and then her pretty, flushed face, devoid of any make-up.  Her spectacles framed in fiber-glass, added to her beauty and made her appear intelligent and smart. 

        He brusquely cut her short.  “It’s all right lady.  You’re forgiven.  Your name is Nancy, right.  Let’s start the interview right away.  I have an urgent meeting in the next hour!”

        She was miffed by his curtness but attracted by his powerful persona.  A strong face, thick hair, broad shoulders and natty suit in brown.  Was he really a publisher?  He should’ve been in the movies. 

        “Well, …….. ?” Norman inquired as he saw her open-mouthed gaze fawning over him.  Rolling his eyes, he egged her on, “Hurry up, will you?” Those fascinating blue-grey eyes were irresistible.  He was drowning in her eyes. 

        The interview began in right earnest.  It ended with Norman asking her out to dinner that very night. 

        Over several other dates, both Norman and Nancy realized that they gelled very well.  Both were the answer to each others' dreams.  What else could they have wanted?  Why would they waste time and youth then?  They were married in a simple, yet elegant ceremony in the local cathedral.

        Norman sighed as he remembered their wedding photograph splashed across all the papers, the next morning.  “Wealthy publisher marries young reporter” “A fairy-tale wedding”, “The ‘write’ match” and so on screamed the headlines.  They had laughed at the brouhaha and nonchalantly proceeded to the Swiss Alps for their honeymoon.             

        Over the following 5 years, life was picture-perfect.  Two kids, Angel and Merci had filled their lives with sunshine and happiness.  Nancy was a full-time home-maker then.  Content to bask in her husband’s glory and watch her kids growing up.  But the good things in life never last.  And so it happened with their marriage too.

 To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 18

                          For a long time Martha cried and cried, hysterically. As her cottage was in an isolated dead-end, no one heard her piteous sobs. Then she heard the incessant ringing of the telephone. She wiped her tears and reached out for the receiver. It must be Norman, she thought through her gut-wrenching agony. “Hello!” She said feebly, with a half-sob. “Martha, what’s up? Why are you crying, my dear?” Norman’s voice boomed down the line. “I, uh, it’s nothing really!” she said sheepishly, realizing that she had been crying as she had substituted herself for her heroine, Sara. Norman would be definitely put off by her stupid behavior. Hence she concocted a small lie. “Norman, I’ve been missing you so much. I was just crying because I couldn’t bear not having you by my side…”

                                Intuitively, Norman guessed that she was lying. He knew that she was not a compulsive liar. Hence she hadn’t been able to lie convincingly to him. He even guessed that it was that stupid story of hers that had been the cause of her misery. He threw up his hand in frustration and rolled his eyes, almost laughing, but just checked himself in time before he said indulgently, “Oh, I’m so sorry, Darling, I should’ve phoned you earlier! It has been 48 hours since we’ve been apart. I’ll be back in a couple of days and make up for the lost time, I promise!”

                                Martha could almost see the twinkle in his eyes and laughed aloud. She already felt much better. Yes, Norman was her stress-buster. How she longed to fly into the safe haven of his muscular arms and bury her head between his broad shoulders! She blushed furiously and was relieved that he wasn’t around to pull her leg on seeing her face turn a bright red. She said softly into the receiver “I love you, Norman. I miss you all the time. Come soon. By the way, how’s Nancy? I hope you haven’t told her anything about me! Please don’t, because it will not do her any good. I hope you understand what I mean!”

                               “No, I won’t, my sweet little Martha, but only if you promise not to mope around in that lonely cottage of yours. Why don’t you go out and get some fresh air? Then remembering that last time when she had swooned in his arms in the woods, he quickly added, “Please could you go to my office in town and see what’s happening there? Maybe you could chat with my secretary, Dorothy and find out how she’s coping in my absence and whether she needs any help. Knowing her, she’ll not even dream about disturbing me even in an emergency! Don’t tell her that I’d called, just act as if you were passing by and had casually dropped in to say “Hello”!”

                                    Thankful about having something else to do, apart from writing her agonizing novel, she hastily agreed. He hung up after saying naughtily, “Please wait till I come back to let me show how much I love you!” She was blushing again….

                                   After a quick shower, she dressed in a bright dress patterned with big yellow flowers, pulled on a smart matching hat and accessories, locked the door to her cottage and was soon on her way to town, in her quaint little Bentley car. She had decided to make her weekly purchases as well, so as to really utilize her trip. She was running short of supplies. Then she remembered how well-stocked that hut in the Kingdom of Regina was! Full marks to the persons in charge! But before she got carried away and entered her novel’s setting, she consciously pulled her thoughts from there and nodded her head from one side to the other. Regina went away and she reached the town.

                                She proceeded to the super-market where she got all that she needed for a month, then after dumping her shopping bags into her car, had a cool drink at a café nearby. She could feel the appreciative stares of some men who were seated in the café. She felt happy and contented. She ordered for some light snacks and relished them as she made small-talk with the waitress who knew her as a regular visitor. After about half an hour, refreshed, she made her way to Norman’s office.

                               This was the first time that she was visiting his office after discovering that they loved each other. She experienced a flush of affection and pleasure. Even she, with her vivid imagination had never ever realized that this office would once be shared by herself and Norman, the publisher! Why, she had never even seen him in that light at all! Maybe she had been too full of her stories and he had been too full of his work! She’d rib him about that when they met next. She eagerly looked forward to that exchange!

                               Dorothy was surprised to have her as a visitor and delightedly exclaimed, “Martha, was a pleasant surprise! What brings you here? I’m sure that Norman must’ve informed you about the emergency! I’m sure that none of your cheques are pending.”

                             Martha laughed and said, ”Can’t I come to visit a friend?” “Yes, of course, Madam. My pleasure! What will you have? By the way, since it is almost lunch-time, would you care to come and have lunch with me in that café down the street?”

                             Apologetically Martha said, “But I’ve just had some snacks and am too full! I’ll just give you company as you eat and we can chat, if that’s O.K. with you.”

                             Dorothy readily agreed and started putting on her hat and coat. Even in her slim business suit, she looked smart and efficient. Beautiful too! Martha thought with a pang of sudden envy, as she ruefully looked at her own plump frame.

                             Both of them presented a stark contrast as they made their way down the street. Martha was plump and gaily dressed while Dorothy was slim and elegantly dressed in her formal suit. Martha spoke effusively about trivial matters while Dorothy was pleasant but guarded in her remarks. As she ate silently, Martha sensed that Dorothy had been behaving in a slightly reserved manner. Maybe she thought about her as “The great writer Martha” and not like a friend. Maybe she didn’t want to put her foot in her mouth, hence spoke little. 

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 17

                 Sara had literally run up the steps to the shrine, puffing and panting, egged on by her enthusiasm and love. She knew that now it was “Do or Die”. The guard at the gates looked at her warily, sizing her up. Now what could this woman want? He seemed to ponder. His small eyes took in her costume and regal bearing. He even distinctly remembered that the same woman had come there 3 years ago, albeit more femininely dressed in a purple gown! Gosh, she was the Princess Sara. He sensed more trouble. He knew what she wanted and pitied her. He reluctantly admired her perseverance too! Imagine landing up there, all alone, in the dead of night, after all those years!

                   “What do you want, young lady? This is no place for a Princess like you. Kindly go back to your kingdom and let us all live in peace here! If you insist in going into the shrine, I must inform His Highness, the King, about it, immediately. All of us guarding the shrine, have been strictly instructed by the King, through a written order, conveyed by his guards, that in case you ever happen to come here in future, we must at once inform the palace about it. I needn’t say that you are absolutely forbidden from entering the shrine.

                     Sara, who had been calmly listening to him, said in an even tone, “But whoever told you that I’ve come to meet my suitor? I’m here on a mission. I have my father’s permission for the same. You may enquire and confirm with the officials at the palace. You see, my father is not there, right now, in the kingdom.”

                     The guard was even more suspicious now. His senses were on very high alert! He was sure that that young lady was up to some tricks to meet her beloved. He readied himself for a battle of wits.

                      “And what, may I ask is that mission that brings you here in the dead of night?”

                       “Will you keep a look-out for the enemies of Regina? Here, at this height, you have a vantage view. You can easily apprise us about any troops that may invade our Kingdom. Our spies have informed us that a neighboring kingdom has readied a large army to conquer us.”

                        The guard was intrigued. It was the first time in his life that anyone had ever suggested something so preposterous to him. He almost laughed at the absurdity of what that young lady was suggesting to him. What could the seers who had given up on everything in life, achieve by the prevention of these “worldly conquests, these petty wars and one-upmanship?”Did they even care? Had that lady gone out of her mind? What was her ruse?

                          He knew that his thoughts were on the right track when she said that she had a message from her father for Juan. “Please call Juan here. I have to personally tell him the King’s message. You dare not refuse, if you don’t want to be tried for treason!”

                          “But that’s impossible, Princess! No one is allowed to come out of the shrine.”

                           “Then let me go in!” Sara commanded in a high-pitched, thundering voice, trying to sound as imperious as she could. She knew that her voice carried a slight hint of desperation and hoped that that guard hadn’t detected it!

                             “No way, Princess! Please go away and leave us alone. We have nothing to do with your worldly pursuits.”

                             “What if the enemies destroy your shrine?” she countered stubbornly.

                              Aghast, the guard looked at her, speechlessly. Sara knew that she was winning, by the trace of fear that she saw in his hitherto defiant and courageous gaze. Who didn’t want to live? she mused. Yes, she had touched the right nerve! He looked doubtful now. The he said,

                            “What exactly do you suggest, Princess?”

                            “Please do as I say. Call Juan here at once!”

                            “I don’t have the authority to do so, Princess. I’ll first have to inform our head, who’ll take a call. Please come tomorrow. I cannot leave my post now. When my reliever comes here in the morning, I’ll go in and inform him.”

                             Seeing his firm resolve, Sara realized that she’d have to listen to him, if she didn’t want to rouse his suspicion. She merely said, “All right then, I’ll sit on this step till your reliever comes here!”

                               The guard shrugged his shoulders and looked resolutely ahead, as if unaware about her presence. Sara sat down wearily on the step and stretched her sore legs in front of her. Soon she fell asleep.

                             When she woke up, she was in her soft bed in the palace, clad in her favorite white velvet gown! Had she been dreaming? Where was the shrine? How had she landed back into the palace? What was going on? She was befuddled and angry. Just when victory had seemed to be inevitable, she had lost, by stupidly falling asleep on the most important mission of her life!

                            She looked around her dazedly. She saw that she was surrounded by guards who stood discreetly near the pillars in her huge room. Her best friend Myara was seated beside her on a couch, anxiety writ large on her face. Her face brightened when she saw that Sara had woken up from her deep slumber. “How are you Sara? We all have been so worried ever since we found you missing from the palace, last morning! Why didn’t you even inform me about your daring plan to visit Juan? Now see the soup you’ve unwittingly landed into! The guard at the shrine, after being relieved, immediately informed the palace guards who were at the base of that hill, searching for you! They scooped you up and brought you here.”

                             Sara was staring at her mutely. Surely she would have woken up on being carried by those guards! Why hadn’t she felt anything at all? Had she been drugged? Aghast at that thought she looked at Myara. Guessing her train of thoughts, Myara said “Yes, you are right. They held a pack of smelling salts under your nose and made you unconscious!”

                            As all her senses came alive, Sara shrieked, “How dare they? Tell me their names at once. I’ll banish them from this Kingdom.” She started throwing the expensive artifacts on the bedside table on the wall in front of her and at the guards. All of them started ducking for cover. She got up and screeched at Myara. “You too get out of this place. You are no longer my friend. You’ve ganged up with them. Oh, how I hate all of you!” So saying, she started wailing hysterically.

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya  Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 16

                She was amazed to see that the hut was very dry. Not a drop of rain-water had seeped in! She instinctively knew that her father, the wise King of Regina had been thoughtful enough to make this temporary shelter for her suitor, a safe and self-contained haven, for wouldn’t he eventually be the future King? Secretly, he had wished fervently that that handsome young lad won in his endeavor. He wasn’t oblivious to the longing in the lovely eyes of his beautiful daughter. Besides, Juan was strong, capable and confident; undoubtedly brave too!

                Happily, Sara settled down on a comfortable, low couch after undressing and wearing a coarse blanket that she found on the floor. She was feeling cold, damp and hungry. She soon had a small fire blazing merrily at the hearth and a plate filled with noodles in her hand. She had cooked them on that same fire! She had used rain-water to boil them! She was pleased with her resourcefulness and knew that her father and mother would have been proud to see her survival instincts.

                 Soon, she was sleepy and lay down on that couch. She started dreaming about a handsome face, sensuous eyes, lips, blonde hair and ….. Then she shrieked. A loud, high-pitched plaintive wail rent the air, mingling with the steady pitter-patter of the relentless rain. A hollow eye was facing her. She couldn’t see anything else.

                  Loud sobs wracked her body and she broke out in cold sweat. Her lips moaned, Juan, my Juan, what happened to you my dear? Oh, I’m so sorry! Her heart twisted with the agony of unrequited love. She woke up with a start and saw that she was lying in complete darkness. The rain had stopped and the wet earth smelled delicious. She walked out into the cold night air and shivered, then she realized that her shoulders were bare and that she was dressed only in a coarse blanket. She hastily looked around to see if anyone had spotted her there, then rushed into the hut. Her dress had dried in the warmth of the fire; that had now died in the embers. She dressed quickly as she realized that she had lost precious time.

                  She didn’t want her father to return back to the kingdom and raise an alarm on not finding her there! She had taken the precaution of telling her trusted aides that she was on a secret mission to an enemy kingdom that she and her father wanted to conquer! She had sworn them to secrecy! Only her father would be informed about the same on his arrival. But what if he guessed about her real plans and followed her here?

                   Just as her pen was writing about the tension that Sara felt, Martha’s stomach started growling. She realized that her fingers were paining terribly too, with that non-stop, marathon writing session. As she raised her head and looked out of her window, she was stunned to see that dawn had broken outside. She had written the whole night long! But she was pleased that the story was hurtling towards some conclusion! She hoped and prayed that the love-birds would be united. Then she remembered her love, Norman.

                  She suddenly felt guilty about neglecting him. She hadn’t even phoned him after her return. She hadn’t enquired about the well-being of his ex-wife or about his well-being. She felt selfish and wretched. Now it was her turn to look exasperatedly at the pages of her unfinished novel. “Sara, you rogue, see how you’ve changed me”, she said softly and chuckled, with mock disapproval.

                  With an exaggerated yawn, she stretched out her hands as far as she could, to ease her stiff neck and shoulders. Her lower back protested as she got up slowly and made her way to the washroom. She had an eerie feeling that she was being followed. But, by now she was used to that vague sensation of being pried upon. She shrugged and refused to look behind her back. Of course, it was either the charming Sara or the handsome, wounded, Juan! She hoped that it was Norman, though!

                  She smiled at that pleasant thought. She wondered where he was and what he was doing just then. Suddenly, an unbidden thought flashed before her mind’s eye. Norman in bed, cuddling his ex-wife Susan! Hot tears sprang into her eyes and she blindly made her way into the washroom. As she wiped the tears away, she realized that she was jealous! That could only mean that she had become insanely possessive about her lover.

                  Then she chided herself, “Now, now, Martha, be a good girl. He’s only comforting a sick soul!” But what if the old flame was rekindled and she was left out in the cold? A shiver ran through her entire being. Then, resolutely shaking away her miserable thoughts, she raced through her ablutions, shower and breakfast routine, before settling down with a pitcher of tea; on her settee. Somehow, she felt very desolate and wretched. She wished to talk to some one, any one, rather desperately.

                  As her eyes were instinctively drawn towards the half-written novel’s pages, she knew whom to talk to! Sara. It could only be her! Only a woman, a woman in love, could understand and empathize with the plight of another woman in the same boat. “Sara…“ she began. “Sara, are you listening to me, dear? I am feeling very low today. I know that you will understand my situation now. Norman is away on a mission. To help bring respite, comfort and succor to his ex-wife Susan, who’s battling cancer! But I am plagued by misgivings about whether their relationship will begin anew, with all that good-will and unstinting devotion.”

                 “You know, she corrected herself, we know how we ladies can latch on to any one who shows us the slightest of love and regard! And an ex-husband who rushes like a knight in shining armor to his sick ex-wife must be too irresistible! In fact, if I were Susan, right now, I’d seize this opportunity to keep that man by my side forever. Oh, how my heart is being twisted by even the thought of his imaginary betrayal, while all that he’s doing is tending to her wants and needs out of sheer compassion! I am just being envious, I know, unreasonable too, but, after all I’m a woman. “Jealousy, thy name is woman!” I quote from Shakespeare’s play. By the way, you too faced the same dilemma when you thought that your best friend fancied your handsome suitor, Juan, didn’t you?”

                 A soft and sweet voice answered almost immediately, “You bet, Madam! I felt like gouging out her eyes just then. I was so helpless with rage and blinded by jealousy! I was ready to throw our friendship of nearly two decades, to the winds, just because of the attraction that I felt for my suitor, a man whom I had set my eyes on, just a while ago! Talk about passion! Yes, I agree that love is blind! It even makes vengeance seem right, when it is so obviously wrong!”

                 Now Martha felt infinitely better after having that heart-to-heart talk with a like-minded woman. She thanked herself for having created such an empathetic and believable character in her piece of fiction. She decided that she would at least relieve Sara of her misery, as soon as she could. That was in her hands, unlike her own future.

                “Thanks, dear. You’ve been a real darling. I feel a lot better now! I’ll try to speed up things at your end too. Now where was I?”

                 She could hear a distinct sigh of relief. A slight giggle too! As she looked around, she knew that Sara had gone back to the gates of the shrine.

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.