Part 5

"Die here? "Meghraj whistled."well it seems like your wish is going to be fulfilled soon."

"And I am leaving! "Meghraj wasted no more time in straddling his horse when Nair gasped. "He's coming our way! "

"Who?"

"Chitram! "

Pulling one of the twins towards him, he swapped up the light 16 years old in his arms and threw on the back of his horse before getting up himself.

"Meghraj! It was your fault and you could not possibly be such a coward to leave us now. "He glanced at his friend who's horse was already turning to leave.

With a roll of his eyes through, he came back, hawled up the other very protesting princess onto his horse and then charged forward.

***

"What are you muttering away? "Meghraj asked Maya who was sitting close to him on the horse, blabbering something continuously under her breath.

They were a good half mile away from the brute.

"I am praying. "She replied curtly and closed her eyes again.

"We are safe now, no need to worry for your life anymore. "He told her amused as their horse galloped through the hot sand of desert.

"I am not praying for my life, I am praying that God might just have mercy on me and that you might loose your balance, fall from the horse, break your neck and die on the spot. Nothing much really. "

He was barely able to grasp the meaning of all that when he heard the two other siblings chuckling away.

"Nair" He blared. "I had had enough of this insensible girl. The nerve of her to disrespect me! Don't blame me now if I just kick her down the horse and leave her there writhing. "

"Oh! Then you must also know the consequences of such an action because if my father hears that, he would have your head hanged on the wall of the large banquet hall among the ones of wild boar and doe. "

"NAIR! This woman here...."He started again only to be stopped by the bewitched princess.

"Be a man Meghraj...be a man...."she tusked. "And don't call for Nair....see this....Nair see that. Talk to me and talk straight to me!"

"Enough!" He kicked the horse to a stop before getting down. "That's it! I am not riding with her anymore!" He hissed. By that time Nair and  Mohini reached there and watched as the sence unfolded.

"Actually we can do that! Wait in this town, have something to eat and rest for a while until our folks joins us back." Nair spoke trying to diffuse the growing hostility between the two parties.

Not far from where they stood, little huts can be seen with the walls of clay and sheltered by hay- like little specks outlining what seemed like a large town within.

Knitting the reins of the two horses on the trunk of a old banyan tree, they Sat together under it's vast Shadow munching on the hot crisp snacks they just bought from a nearby shop.

The scorching hot afternoon morfed into a rather warm evening but there was yet no sign of their caravan.

"What's taking them so much time?"

"Now that there's no one watching over the lazy asses must be sleeping away for all we know!" Nair replied but his sisters didn't mind waiting here, now that they had got a new scapegoat for their much colorful ideas. Their was no harm in saying that they were enjoying themselves to the fullest, leaving no stone unturned to torment the poor

Prince.

Buying two glasses of fresh milk from a passing by milkman Nair handed one glass each to twins and tried to relieve his poor friend for a little time.

And it was then that their caravan was seen entering into the town, the moon already in the sky. It was decided then that they would halt here tonight and it took almost four hours for the tents to be set up, beddings being unrolled and dinner being prepared and served. After which both - the twins and Prince Meghraj retired for the night in their respective tents.

And he decided to take a nightly stroll nearby!

The nightly stroll that night though, was going to cost a lot to him.

A LOT!