My stories tend to have a lot of loopholes, all due to the fact that I try to build up the plot with various threads of thought. Anyway, writing fiction does give a certain sense of satisfaction.
In the story below, all references to places or persons are fictitious, I had to think really hard to come up with the names, but all coincidences with places or persons are purely intentional.

A River Runs Through It

Rupert knew they would be coming for him. He had known it from the very moment when he had mentioned his wish to Evan. Telling Evan was like shouting from a rooftop to the crowds below, the first thing Evan would do, like those fat ladies in the market place, would be to get hold of a palace guard and spill it out, get it out of his system once and for all.

He got up as soon as he heard thunderous footsteps. Looking out of the window, he chuckled. They had sent ten men, to arrest one 'mad, and hence dangerous' man. Barging in, they stood pompously, surrounding the 'convict'.

“I am coming with you, my friends, but allow me to carry my flute”, Rupert said.

Taken back and after a minute of intense pondering, the leader consented. The flute could not be used as a weapon anyway.

The palace was indeed very beautiful. Magnificent lawns, a hundred gardeners bent over the rose bushes and an equal number of guards swarming all over the place. The front door was dark mahogany done up in the most exquisite of designs. From the walls inside, and their foot long frames, the kings and queens of yester yore looked disapprovingly at the 'traitor'.

They were waiting for him, in the court. The king seated up there, on the dias and a dozen councilors flanking the length of the hall. (And oh yes, the court jester too). Rupert was led up to the center of the hall, fifteen feet away from the king and forced to kneel, his hands tied, the tight knots digging into raw flesh.

“You wish to travel to the kingdom of Estoria I hear”, the King, almost spitting out the name of the neighboring kingdom, as if it were venom.

“Yes, Your Majesty, I wish to travel and sell my flutes there. I wonder how you got to know though. That was just between Evan and me”, he answered, as if bewildered.

“That is none of your business and I..I have no idea who Evan is. Don’t you know my countrymen are not allowed to travel there. Don’t you know about the feud between King Vildemort and me. How do you suppose you would be allowed to go there. If we don’t hang you here, they certainly will”, the King, sneering

“Your Majesty, I know of a way I can sneak in. And the feud is between both the Kings and not among the countrymen. Why do you drag the innocent into this? Not very long ago, we were one, weren’t we. We lived like brothers, not like foes. The day you let that evil Sir Elias worm his way into the deep recesses of your mind and influence all your decisions, small misunderstandings blew up into mighty fights, and..”

“Stop! How dare you talk to me like that!”, the King shouted, his mighty frame shaking.

“I speak the truth. They say the truth is bitter”, Rupert, very calm and composed. He had seen this coming.

Silence reigned. Even the court jester who was sniggering till now, moved backwards, slipping into the shadows. The guards moved forward, menacingly, as if to cut the 'traitor''s tongue.

"I shall now allow any of my countrymen to travel there”, the King much quieter now. “You play the flute very well, so they say. Play something for me”.

In a few seconds, sweet notes filled the room, they spoke of the twitter of birds, of the flowers greeting the sun, of the river gurgling its way through the woods, he played soulful notes, of the anguish of a damsel waiting for her love to come home.

“You are indeed very talented. And that is why I don’t want you to go there, you understand. They shall steal our music, they shall learn to make flutes like you do. I don’t want to lose such a valuable fellow”, the King relieved, as if the answer would serve as the right façade for his opposition.

“You don’t understand. You have to let me go. I want to go home”

There was a sudden buzz in the court. Sir Illyas leaned forward and questioned, ”Home?”

“Yes, home. I am from Estoria. I am but a visitor here, I sneaked in here a few years ago, and mingled with the folks. I made sure no one would ever learn about my origin. I came with no evil intentions, Sire, I am an artiste, I came to learn about the music here. To my surprise, I found no major differences, we are one, Sire, the people are alike, our worries are alike, our celebrations are alike, we play similar games, then why do we insist on nourishing the seed of discontent? True, we have erred, both the rulers have erred, but let us work towards peace before it is too late”. He continued,” the notes I just played, this music I learnt in Estoria, you never realized its origin, did you? Your majesty, the birds, the flowers are the same, and the river, the very river that divides us, wets the same kind of soil on both sides of the bank!”, he cried out, his strength ebbing.

Frightening moments followed. Rupert, who had till then, thought that he had almost won the argument, wasn’t too sure now. The court jester emerged from the shadows. The King was pensive, his face contorted as if he was in great pain. He suddenly got up and started pacing the dias. The silence so deafening, just like the calm before a storm.

“You may go, you may go… home”, the King, a whisper, barely audible.

“That is not the only thing I wish”, Rupert said.

“It will take time, it will, but one day, it shall happen, for sure. One day I shall come there personally to hear you play about the river that unites”, the King replied.

“I will be waiting, Your Majesty, and then I shall come back with you to my home here, by the market place, back to my people here”.

“Leave, now, before I change my mind”, the King, his face crinkled, the age now showing.

“I will be waiting, Your Majesty, I certainly shall..”, Rupert, bowing awkwardly, his hands still tied, walked out, alone, a winner, his heart lighter, a song in his lips, and at the same time, wondering if he should tell Evan about his good fortune.



Current Music : Chanda, Suraj, Lakhon Taare – Nsrt Fth Ali Khn and ARR