8. The Prince and the Wizard

A Tense Prelude

The brave Badal has caused concern for King Bhuvansingh. The royal detectives trace the hideout of the rebels in the forest, and one night, the King’s army swoops down upon their camp. At Badal’s timely advice, the rebels manage to escape. However, he cannot save their Master, who is injured and caught in a fire. While dying, the old man reveals that Badal is none other than the grandson of the rightful king of the land, who had been killed by King Bhuvansingh’s father.

A Strange Encounter

Evening had set in, and sounds of bells and conchshells echoed from various temples in the city. Badal and Ramu advanced towards the palace along a lonely road. Suddenly, Badal laughed.

“My dear friend, since that fateful night when our camp was raided, you have grown so grave! I have become accustomed to your alarming silence. But your sudden laughter truly frightens me,” observed Ramu.

“Ramu! This beautiful city of Sundarpur was founded by my ancestors; I am the heir to the throne of this kingdom. Is it not funny that I must wander these city streets uncared for, like a beggar? Is it not funny that I must try to sneak into the castle built by my forefathers like a thief? How can I refrain from laughing?” said Badal.

The Call for Vengeance

They walked in silence for a while until Ramu spoke again, keeping his voice low, “O Prince…”

Badal clamped his palm over Ramu’s mouth. “Will you please continue to address me as Badal? If you must call me otherwise, then wait till…”

“Till the time when I can address you as my lord, the king!” Ramu cut in as soon as Badal removed his hand.

“Till the time when I can address you as my learned minister,” replied Badal softly. They both giggled, but only for a brief moment. Their mission for the night was too ominous to allow any revelry.

The Plan Unfolds

“My friend, should we not wait for some more days?” asked Ramu, his voice laced with concern.

Badal cast a stern glance at his friend. “Did the enemy wait? At the earliest opportunity, they struck. The situation is clear. They killed our Master. We must avenge his death. For accomplishing this task, there will never be a more favorable opportunity. The usurper, Bhuvansingh, will not invite me into his palace and offer me a dagger to kill him. I have to take my chance—risking my life, now or later. I do it now!”

The Wizardry Performance

The square at the back of the castle was crowded. The wizard and his disciple, Mangal, were delivering a spine-tingling performance. The spectators were agog with excitement. As the wizard waved his wand, the turban of a wealthy merchant flew off and landed on the head of a beggar.

“My turban! My turban!” shouted the merchant. “I have money tucked in it!”

As soon as the beggar heard this, he prepared to run away with the turban. But in the next moment, another wave of the wizard’s wand transformed the turban into a snake, coiled tightly on the beggar’s head. He was horrified as others shrieked, pointing and bouncing back from him. The wizard laughed aloud as the snake dissolved, returning the merchant’s turban.

A Strategic Distraction

Two sentries guarded the rear gate of the palace. One had joined the crowd, while the other was obliged to keep standing at the gate, though his mind lingered on the magic show.

Not far from the gate, at a turn of the high compound wall, stood Badal and Ramu. “Ramu, look at the sky. In a moment, the floating cloud will hide the moon. That is when the sentry’s attention must be diverted,” whispered Badal.

Ramu nodded and walked away in the opposite direction. Within minutes, the moonlight dimmed, and a noise that sounded like a quarrel between two cats filled the air. The guard raised his jathi and ran towards the noise, only to find a passerby who had seemingly driven away the cats. The passerby greeted the guard, dismissing the uncivilized conduct of the cats before joining the crowd captivated by the wizard’s performance.

Needless to say, the passerby was none other than Ramu, a past master in mimicking animals and birds.

The Infiltration

While the wizard continued his show, Badal took advantage of the guard’s distraction to sneak into the compound. For a long time, the wizard cast brief looks at the palace terrace, indicating he wanted to attract the attention of the inmates.

Badal would not embark on the next phase of his mission until midnight, as it was fraught with grave risks. Ramu felt extremely tense and restless. Although Badal instructed him to wait amidst the ruins of a temple a mile away, Ramu could not bring himself to leave the area.

In the Princess’s Chamber

As the wizard announced the end of his performance, a royal messenger approached him, stating that the king would be pleased to see his wizardry again. “I will deem it a great privilege to please the king,” the wizard replied, delighted. It was arranged that the messenger would meet him the next day at a tavern to arrange a date to entertain the king and his court.

Ramu decided to linger until midnight. He followed the wizard and his disciple to a nearby tavern. All was quiet as the clock struck midnight. Ramu sat on the tavern veranda, gazing at the upper floor of the palace, but the moonlight was insufficient to reveal any movement in the large building.

Suddenly, someone cried out, which was soon echoed by more cries. The palace erupted into chaos as guards and maids rushed along the terrace. By the light of the torches and lanterns they held, Ramu could see their shadowy figures.

Indeed, the commotion escalated. A guard had accidentally spotted a figure near the king’s bedroom window. Challenged, the intruder flashed a dagger and attempted to subdue the guard through intimidation, but the guard raised an alarm. Other guards joined him in pursuit. The intruder tried to escape but proved exceptionally agile, darting from balcony to balcony with the grace of a leopard, sometimes pushing through the guards chasing him.

A Desperate Decision

Princess Pratiba stepped out of her room in response to the commotion. Instantly, someone dashed inwards. She recoiled in horror as the stranger slammed the door and pressed his back against it, fixing his gaze on her.

“Please do not cry out, O Princess; I mean you no harm,” murmured the intruder, sweating and panting.

Though panicked, the princess recognized the voice. In a trembling hand, she raised a lamp to see the face of the stranger.

Badal smiled. The princess lowered the lamp, her panic shifting to wonder.

“They are after me, O Princess. You may give me up if you so choose. I am at your mercy,” Badal said softly.

“But why did you enter the palace in this strange manner?” asked the princess, bewildered.

“For me, there was no other way,” replied Badal.

“But what was the need for this?” questioned the princess again.

Badal remained silent as mild knocks sounded on the door.

“O Princess, there is no time to lose. One day, I will explain the reasons for my strange conduct, if you allow me to escape. Now, you must decide—will you save me or hand me over to my would-be killers?” Badal asked earnestly.

There were knocks at the door once more.

(To be continued)