The lanes of Rasgaon had never been so lifeless. Even the mud and gravel on the surface refused to budge.
It was like the entire village was in silent mutiny of all that was happening around. Everything was in a state of calm - the calm before the storm. For nobody in the village knew that in about 6 months, the village headmaster's daughter would change the destiny of the village.
It was like the entire village was in silent mutiny of all that was happening around. Everything was in a state of calm - the calm before the storm. For nobody in the village knew that in about 6 months, the village headmaster's daughter would change the destiny of the village.
For them, she was still the naive young girl, who taught in the local gram-school and took dance classes in the evening for the zamindar's children.
----
The smell of wet mud infiltrated his nostrils as he took his morning ride on Mustang. The previous night had been a good one. He'd met with all the important officials in the Parliament. He'd given his silent acquiesce to anything they'd said just to ensure that there was no initial dissension.
They'd finally called it a night, close to midnight.
But sleep seemed to be eluding William. So he decided to go for a midnight stroll.
He decided to explore the woods behind the house. Having lived all his life in London, he'd never really had moments of solitude. The times William would spend in India would always be dear to him, as these would be the moments of self-introspection and self-analysis - something which he seldom did.
So he walked down the cobbled path, interpolated every now and then with a fallen tulip and some errant leaves which the gardener would sweep off the next morning.
His path was aglow with the light from the lonesome moon in the sky that night. The stars seem to have disappeared that night. The solitary moon and the fireflies torched his path.
William walked and walked into the night, forgetting all his woes and troubles. He decided to leave those to ponder over for the next day.
He came to a clearing. The shrubbery and the branches made way for a small lake, literally in the midst of nowhere. The languid reflection of the moon on the still waters was William's undoing. He sat down on the banks, not wanting to stir the water from its apparent restful state, he didn't give into the ever human urge of throwing a pebble into the water.
How long he sat there he knew not. How many hours of the night had gone by he knew not.
He didn't realise when his eyes closed and when sleep finally claimed him.
----
The next morning, Antara went down to the lake. She wanted to be away from the abject mutiny that was now in the veins of Rasgaon. She didn't want to be a part of any war. She didn't want to be a part of any conspiracy. She just wanted to live her life on her own terms, without being answerable to anybody.
As she walked down the familiar path, she picked up the fallen tulips and leaves. She would make a raft with all the leaves and set the tulips on it and send it down the river. She never liked the way the gardener would just stomp on them and sweep them away. So she found a better end for them.
Upon reaching the bank, Antara realised wasn't alone. Thats when she saw him.
----
William had woken up to the sound of the pelican happily sipping water from the lake. He'd woken up in the lap of nature, was his first thought.
He looked around and thats when he saw her.
So he walked down the cobbled path, interpolated every now and then with a fallen tulip and some errant leaves which the gardener would sweep off the next morning.
His path was aglow with the light from the lonesome moon in the sky that night. The stars seem to have disappeared that night. The solitary moon and the fireflies torched his path.
William walked and walked into the night, forgetting all his woes and troubles. He decided to leave those to ponder over for the next day.
He came to a clearing. The shrubbery and the branches made way for a small lake, literally in the midst of nowhere. The languid reflection of the moon on the still waters was William's undoing. He sat down on the banks, not wanting to stir the water from its apparent restful state, he didn't give into the ever human urge of throwing a pebble into the water.
How long he sat there he knew not. How many hours of the night had gone by he knew not.
He didn't realise when his eyes closed and when sleep finally claimed him.
----
The next morning, Antara went down to the lake. She wanted to be away from the abject mutiny that was now in the veins of Rasgaon. She didn't want to be a part of any war. She didn't want to be a part of any conspiracy. She just wanted to live her life on her own terms, without being answerable to anybody.
As she walked down the familiar path, she picked up the fallen tulips and leaves. She would make a raft with all the leaves and set the tulips on it and send it down the river. She never liked the way the gardener would just stomp on them and sweep them away. So she found a better end for them.
Upon reaching the bank, Antara realised wasn't alone. Thats when she saw him.
----
William had woken up to the sound of the pelican happily sipping water from the lake. He'd woken up in the lap of nature, was his first thought.
He looked around and thats when he saw her.
******to be continued******
1 said this!:
Why was William staying in Rasgaon? Why not in Delhi?
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