Above pic inspires Swara in elven land...

Chapter seven

Enchanter

Kolkata, March 13th 2015

"Won't hold his gaze

Won't be indebted him

Won't talk to him

Won't make promises

Won't touch him

Won't enter his house

Won't trust him"

Never ever, ever!' Swara repeated to herself, as she clutched the cold stone lying against her throat. Mohan said those words, before she left Kaldwaara. She could still recall his worry clouded face, his eyes hooded and weary, creases etched in to his forehead.

Then he won't be able to use you as a vessel.' He finished, with a curt nod.

Do you really think he will try to, Mohan?'

He took a minute to answer, his eyes travelling over her face.

Yuvraj Sanskar, is a dangerous man Shona. The farther you are from him, the safer you will be. The sad part is...he is hunting after you.'

Don't worry,' she shook her head, trying to form a smile through her frozen lips. The chilly mist, waving around Kaldwaara during mornings those days was making their breath misty around them. Swara rubbed her palms together. I'm not foolish enough to go looking for a green eyed monster.' As she said those words a vivid vision of those sparkling green eyes crossed her mind, Swara gulped and looked around. Mohan chuckled darkly.

Well, he is anything but a green eyed monster.' He patted her head, his smile dimming. There's a lot you need to learn, yet. One of them is that, sometimes it is harder to overcome allure than aggression my dear.'

Anyway, I will follow your "Seven vows" and I will be safe right?' She asked casually, for a reason unknown, Mohan's earlier words brought a rosy tint across her cheeks, she could feel their heat contrasting against the misty air as the first rays of sun started to sparkle.

I'm not sure how many of the vows you'll be able to follow, if he really wants you.' Mohan muttered and then, shaking the thought off his mind; handed her the chain with the dangling cold ruby. Wear it, and then I'll know when you need help.' He sighed. I wish I could have accompanied you. But the battle calls me. I will be there if you're in danger, I will keep an eye on you.'

The stone did not make her feel any safer. Swara thought as she ran her fingers over its cold, hard surface. It simply laid against her skin, very close to her heart, under the material of her blouse; a cold and heavy reminder of the danger hovering over her.

The situation was ironical. Yuvraj Sanskar, the one she thought was in danger, had now become the danger himself, while the predicted traitor was... her eyes scanned the rather empty surrounding and her eyes fell on Ragini, who was absentmindedly stroking the strings of the guitar perched on her knee and looking at the young man on his knees in front of her with twinkling eyes.

Lakshya was laughing at something, bringing that pinkish gloss over Ragini's face as she joined in the laughter. Swara frowned a little. The young man was too friendly for her taste. Or, perhaps she was not yet ready to forsake her ages old prejudice. How can one believe he does not remember anything from his elven life just because he says so? But there was the possibility of his memory being erased glaring at her. Lakshya had regained his consciousness a day or two after she brought him back, and according to him his car crashed in to a water body huge and dark, he remembers the vehicle sinking and nothing more.

It was possible, Swara thought to herself that he had crashed directly in to one of their gates. After all Ashvini had planned his arrival, maybe this was how she did it.

Then back to the glaring fact. He called himself Lakshya Mittal, even had parents he could name. A complete human identity beyond which he remembered nothing! Swara narrowed her eyes again. Was he being truthful...or was he a side kick of his princely brother?

She sighed then. There was no way to find out.

What bothered Swara was his continuous stay in her vicinity. He had recovered completely. He could just leave, giving her the much deserved peace, but no; he has to stay here and complicate the matters even more. It was revealed that Lakshya was an apprentice magician and a huge fan (in his childhood of cause) of her Baba, Shekar Gadodia. Shekar himself was more than happy (to Swara's horror) to teach Lakshya what he knew in the field.

In simple terms, Swara, or as she used to be in human realms Janki Gadodia, is struck with Lakshya Mittal until the later can produce a rabbit out of a hat!

Thinking about me?' Lakshya suddenly materialized in front of her, pulling a chair for him to sit on the opposite end of the table and flashing a dazzling smile at her.

Unfortunately yes, I have a habit of thinking a lot about uninvited guests,' Swara told him grimacing.

Have you vowed to be rude to everyone or is it a special offer for me?'

Oh yes, and the world revolves around you!' She stood up, huffing to herself.

Before she could give him a piece of his mind, Shekar entered the room, looking around him excitedly.

So kids, ready for a final rehearsal?'

That brought them back to earth. They were supposed to have a show in a few hours. The much deserved break in between training had ended.

Janki,' Shekar smiled at her. Let's practice the vanishing act again.'

Swara smiled, as she turned to him. It was wonderful to see that excitement reflected upon his kind features once more, the soft glimmer in his eyes and the upturned corners of his smiling mouth. This show was an opportunity Shekar Gadodia got after almost half a decade. It was a competition, where the winners would be granted a chance to be the performing team on a ship from Mumbai to Shanghai, for a 22 days contract.

Gathering their belongings they once more set out for the stage, Swara went ahead, discussing the trick with Shekar and Ragini legged behind her eyes widened as they usually did whenever she was performing a illusion. They always made her think of Janki (the real one) and recall the way she could not hold on to her. Ragini shuddered again and on the same time missed a step. The stairs made a dump sound as she slipped through them and fell head forward. Lakshya who was walking ahead of her turned and balanced her instantly. One of his hands, held her upper arm, and the other swathed around her waist. Holding her securely he helped her back to her feet. Ragini still had her eyes closed, clutching two fistful of his shirt.

Steady,' he said smiling at her; there was a tender gleam in his absolute dark eyes. Do watch your step lady.' With another flash of his dazzling smile and making sure she was securely on her feet, he skipped after Swara and Shekar, leaving Ragini to stare after him.

There was something about the stranger her new sister brought home. Ragini thought uneasily. She always seemed to lose her speaking ability in front of him. Oh, those smiles...she thought as her cheeks heated up, her stomach always did a flip-flop whenever he smiled at her like that.

Snap out of it Raagu,' Janki's voice whispered. He is not interested about you, but fancied about Swara.'

But he saved me...' she muttered, jogging down the stairs.

Yes, because you're her sister. He wants to prove himself to her, doesn't he?'

No, no it's not like that!'

It is my innocent fool.' Janki's tone sounded sympathetic. No one in here cares a lot about you do they?'

No, it's not like that.'

Their conversation had to be stopped as Ragini saw the rest of her team gathered at the entrance of the stage. Before she could ask them what was wrong, she saw what it was.

The team practicing there, had not finished their act yet. It was the same vanishing act, to the last of details as the one they were supposed to play off.

Swara looked at her baba, in time to notice the dark worry cloud over his face. She hated that look in his eyes, that look of absolute defeat.

We can't do that trick anymore,' he told them dejectedly.

We'll do a different one.'

There's not enough time, or equipments to do something totally different.' Shekar continued, over Lakshya's previous positive statement. Unless,' the idea seemed to darken his mood even more.

What baba?'

The only act left for us, is the one I've vowed not to do again.'

*

They stood watching each other, in outfits that made them unrecognizably alike. The dark, midnight blue material, seemingly merged in to their skins, hair upturned and held fast in knots and face smudged with blue paint arts and silver sparkles. Swara gave a shaky smile, which Ragini did not return; she seemed too busy holding herself straight.

It was this same trick,' she said after a moment, in a voice that could hardly reach the ears of the other. Swara looked at her instantly and Ragini gulped. It was this same trick years ago, where Janki...'

Nothing's going to happen today.' Swara assured her, in a voice that sounded stronger than she felt.

Ragini still looked uneasy, over her paint smudged skin, beads of perspire gathered. She closed her eyes, sighing silently and nodded a little, clutching her fists.

I can do this!' She muttered to herself, and then a powerful shiver ran down her body, visibly shaking her. She opened her eyes, to find Swara gazing at her worriedly. I'm scared of fire...!'

Swara's eyes widened a little. Ragini should have said this earlier. They would have planned something different. Now, the moment before the last minute, in the backstage, with no one but themselves to discuss was not the time to back out.

Whenever I see flames...' she continued, not catching Swara's eye but instead examining the burn marks on her shaking fingers. I remember...That day...her fall...her screams...' She closed her eyes again and shuddered. I'm sorry Jaanu, I...I can't do this!'

The door opened once more and Shekar entered. His face was still clouded with worry, shadows underneath his eyes deepened. Even he was not alright with the prospect of performing that trick again, which had once taken his dearest child from him.

Are you girls ready?' He asked in a weary tone, looking from one face to another. His worry lines etched more prominently. Whatever is the matter?'

Baba I...' Ragini started.

If you don't feel like doing this, you don't have to Raagu,' Shekar said immediately. We'll have more opportunities to prove ourselves one chance missed means nothing...'

I will do Ragini's part in the illusion Baba, if it won't bother you.' Swara offered. Ragini can do take mine. We've rehearsed the trick so many times, so she would know what to do as well as I do.'

Shekar didn't say anything for a long time. He looked taken aback and thoughtful.

It's too late to exchange your places now Jaanu.' He said then.

But Ragini is scared of fire.' Swara argued. Her fear might affect her performance; moreover it might endanger her life.'

No.' Shekar still shook his head. That can't be done. Gather yourself Ragini.' He clapped her shoulder and turned to leave. Take your positions in five minutes. If you can't make up your mind by then, let's abandon that trick.'

He left, leaving the girls staring at each other once more. Swara said nothing as she took Ragini's hand and moved to exit the green room.

At the backstage she turned to Ragini, who was looking at her wide eyed and smiled reassuringly.

Go on. Take the stage,'

But, Jaanu...Baba said...'

He'll never pay attention to who is where.' Swara squeazed her shoulder and pushed her a little. You don't ever have to do something you don't want to, Ragini.' She said and left to reach her place in a light run. They could hear the voices of the audience filtered from the curtains.

Ragini stood immobilized for a moment, watching Swara's retreating back, the voice of Janki muttering in her mind.

You're wrong.' She muttered back, momentarily silencing the whispers. Swara really cares for me."

*

Padmapeeta Palace, Akashnagara, 13th March, 2015

Pratula had just entered the court room and an instant frustration took over him. The veins at his throat throbbing with his racing pulse, his eyes narrowed and burning in anger he clenched his jaw and his fingers curled in to fists. Saying he was livid would be an underestimation.

A distance of twenty feet and a flight of stairs away, on the high throne of gold with lotuses curved around it, sat a slender figure clad in black. Their face was lost in darkness and their finger tips tapping on the arm rest steadily.

Have you finally, completely lost your sanity?' Pratula asked in a low, grumbling tone.

Welcome father...' Suvanna rose from the throne gracefully. She walked in to the light, lowering her dark hood to reveal her pale face. Gone was the doll like girl of past, with kohl lined eyes, rosy cheeks and red paint on her palms and feet. In front of Pratula stood a young woman, willowy and pale, her eyes deep set and completely dark, and her hair unhealthy and unkempt. There were tattoos running the length of her wrist, forearm and arm, creeping up her neck and curling itself around her earlobes. They were dark patterns, odd and twisty, like serpents.

Why are you here?' Pratula growled again.

Oh,' Suvanna said, her voice lacking the previous respect. I came to grant you a boon, father. It should be your choice after all...what you need first, the Vajra prince or the Vajra's eye?'

Get out this...' Pratula stopped in between his order and eyed her curiously. Vajra's eye?'

Is within my reach.'

Why would I believe you?'

Suvanna held out her hands with a deep intake of breath. In the darkness surrounding them, torches sprung to life. The tattoos covering every inch of her skin were glowing like fire, and the same orange glow, filled her eyes.

Pratula the king of Anjanis,' she spoke in a terrible voice. Don't you ever dare insult my power!'

*

Shekar Gadodia had been a legend that night. He took the breath of the audience, widened their eyes and stilled their hearts. All was fine, until they reached that final illusion. The professional best of the illusionist, revolutionized version of levitation and the vanishing act, the trick called "Agni Pariksha."

The soft music or baba's voice explaining the trick to the audience did not reach Swara's ears. She could feel her heart, could literally count the number of beats it beat before the time came. Each time it pumped blood across her already numb body, the movement felt painful against her ribcage as if her heart was swollen over its usual size.

Good luck Janki,' Lakshya smiled again, even his dazzling smile looked blurred to her now. His eyes tried to hold her gaze, in a reassuring way. He did know they had swapped places, it suddenly occurred to Swara. Would he inform baba about the same? Ragini would be in trouble if he does that.

I won't tell him,' he waved his hand, whispering. I can keep a secret.'

That was all they could exchange as the moment was finally here.

For the audience the trick involved simply walking through a screen of fire unharmed. The basic trick was the one behind the fire and the one coming through it was not the same person. No one was supposed to see that.

The screen with double sides was drawn, after a moment Swara was introduced to the stage. The audience could no longer see anything other than the top of her head and her feet under the screen. She moved ever so slightly replacing her feet with the boots and stepping back mounted the truss batten supposed to take her up. They could still see the top of her head, the inches of change in distance not visible. Then the screen sprung to flames, shocking the people and gaining loud reactions, higher and higher went the flames. On cue the batten rose carrying her and the curtain fall, hiding her movements behind its dark material, no one would notice the millisecond of swap they made. Ragini would move through the flap of screen untouched by fire and present herself to the audience, being the girl who walked through fire unscathed.

She heard the earsplitting applause that signaled the end of the illusion. As she moved further upwards in to the Fly Space of the theatre she could hear the smooth movements of pulleys in the Grid Deck, pulling her upwards and closing the drapes at the same time.

There was a slight jerk in the cable; she was holding to, the bar dipped a millimeter toward the left. There was something wrong in the balance.

Something that she noted with the corner of her eye, made her grip on the cable falter. The hem of the drape that had covered her before the curtains went down had caught fire. The flames were running the length of the rough cloth now, reaching her as fast as it could.

For a moment she wondered, if the history of Janki was repeating itself with her and then she shook her head. No, she would not let that happen.

The bar, shook violently, she could hear voices from the operators.

We're losing the compensating wire rope! The loads are unbalanced! Did you change the girl who was supposed to get on in the last minute?'

Then she realized why Baba was so against the idea of her and Ragini swapping their places. The fly system was set balanced for Ragini's weight, not hers.

She felt the violent jerk of the rope she was holding to as it unplugged itself from the locking rail. The bar slid from horizontal to a vertical position under her feet, compelling her to launch herself and catch the remaining cabal, with no other support.

The cabal seemed strong, but the fire was spreading through the curtains rapidly and Swara hung there, with the rough edges of the cabal cutting in to her palms and swinging like a pendulum suspended in the middle, between life and death.

The smoke curled in to her nostrils, burning their way down to her lungs and her vision blurred with tears. With one of her hands, still wrapped around the cable, her ears going completely deaf to the shouts of her team and the stage operators, she clasped the cold stone still lying against her throat.

Mohan help me!'

The stone made no response, but heated up under her palm.

From the darkness and somewhere above her, someone stretched out a hand. Swara lifted her eyes to the darkness above, the tiny lights from the Grid Deck, not enough to distinguish her vision. She could not make out the figure who offered her help, who had lowered themselves to the fire line just to pick her up.

            The hand gestured her to grab it, in a haste movement. The fire was already licking her toes, perspire soaking in to her clothes and the cable of dangling dangerously.

Are you planning to die?' the owner of the hand asked.

It was then Swara realized what was wrong with her. The fear, pumping itself instead of blood in her veins had frozen her body. She could not move even a finger from the position they remained locked. Her body completely wrapped around the cable, waving just above the fire in a dangerously erratic movement.

Janki, come on!'

No response. She could not find a word or even lift her eyes again.

For a long while, or a moment extended in torturous silence and anticipation nothing happened. The cabal swung with her from one end to the other, almost brushing her feet against her flames. She curled herself upwards, increasing the pace with which the reach the other end.

Suspending her pendulous movement, an arm wrapped itself around her midriff and against her instinct of keeping wrapped around the collapsing cable, hoisted her off it. For a moment, her blearily open eyes could register the constricting of muscles of an arm, before she engulfed it to a tight, air knocking embrace.

Trying to catch her breath, she held on, similar to the fashion in which she had clung herself to that cable, swinging itself to her death as she felt the heat of the flames below dimming and realized they were moving upwards.

Don't leave me.' Was the first sentence she managed to utter. Please...please...' Those words uttered in the gaps of silence between her gasps of air, were hardly coherent.

I won't,' her savior replied clearly, in a firm tone. Just hold on.'

I'm going to die, aren't I?' She muttered, completely panic stricken, shutting her eyes as tightly as she could. I don't want to burn...no, not that way...not fire, I...'

Shh,' His tone was persistent. I'm not going to let you die, Swara.'

His voice was pleasantly deep, echoing inside her fear - numbed mind amplified by many folds. Their speed decreased and letting go of the breath she was holding, Swara slowly opened her eyes.

Their eyes met in a blink. Her honey brown eyes were glowing in the reflections of the flames below, just like he had first seen them. Sanskar held the breath he took, as he stared in to her glittering orbs of molten gold. No, this was not a part of the plan. He was supposed to charm, not to get caught in it. But it was too late for that logic. The allure she held over him was too much. Those eyes, their deep golden gaze. In a moment, a pure illogical moment, he realized he had casted a spell he did not plan to unleash.

She went blank, for the moment their eyes met. His eyes were hazel brown. Sparkling in the light of the flames that threatened them no longer. She felt the first tingles of a spell being spun around her, something...an allure of sorts, dimming her senses. This was not supposed to happen; she was not supposed to make eye contact with anyone. Did not Mohan say something like that? What did he say exactly? But, then again, this was not Yuvraj Sanskar, she had seen him before, she would most definitely recognize him if they meet again.

Swara wondered back to the snowy forest she had traveled with the prince. How did he look like? She gulped, she could no longer remember. What was wrong with her memory?

In that moment where she was not in her senses to make sure she made no contact with the skin of her savior, Sanskar laid a hand on her cheek, his warm palm against her cold skin drugged her senses to a incident not yet etched in the fabric of time.

I have nothing to give, no hopes or dreams. Why don't you leave for god's sake?'

What if I don't want anything, other than this one night, where you and I are both alive and...together?'

You shouldn't jest a dying man.'

You shouldn't kill with words either.'

Leave, please...!'

Make me, if you can.'

The darkness deepened and silence confounded her. The details of that vision swept away with consciousness, in a moment where a new fate came in to being.

*