The Lady of Light - Part IX

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My father came with me to visit Manas in the hospital the next morning. Prince Ajat was there when we got there, leaning over Manas. Hearing us enter the room, he straightened up smartly and looked at us with a sad smile. "Pawan sir," he said with reverence to my father. My father nodded and pointed to Manas.

"Still unconscious. I tried reaching out to his memory, whatever is left of it. But it is beyond me..." He looked at me and smiled. "I wish he had chosen me to reveal it... I have always felt special respect for him."

My father nodded and it occurred to me that he was very emotional. I clutched his arm.

"You were in the room that day," my father said and looked at Prince Ajat.

He nodded and then shook his head as if in response to some question that my father would ask. "I was mesmerised. I don't know what happened. When we were found there, I was on the floor, totally knocked out."

"You were but a young boy. You couldn't have withstood their power... But your presence also made a difference... The Sacred Shell seemed to have gone willingly. Do you think...?" my father left the question hanging but Prince Ajat seemed to understand the purport of the question. "I would never have done a thing like that! Not voluntarily!" he added softly and his expression became pensive and vulnerable. My father placed a hand on the prince's shoulder and nodded.

"I will leave now sir," the prince said and headed for the door. He turned to look at me and asked, "This evening?" I nodded happily.

Once he was gone, I explained to my father about the invitation. My father nodded and then turned his attention to Manas. He sat down and I saw what him blowing gently to let the breeze take away all negativity from my surroundings.  he would do this whenever I was unwell. I thought it worked only because I believed something was happening. How could it help Manas who seemed beyond help?

For some time nothing seemed to happen. Then I saw tears flowing out of Manas's eyes and his hand moving gently on the bed. My father reached out and touched him. I felt my own eyes well up. I had never known they were close, I had never seen Manas till that day he came to pick me up. I had always thought my father a loner with not many close friends. But I saw a different side of him today. It mattered to him, I could see.

Except for that comforting touch, nothing much seemed to be happening. I drifted off and my mind was on the upcoming meeting with the prince when my father suddenly stood up. I followed him silently, his grim mood evoking slight fear. We reached the gates and found the prince still there talking to the healers. One of the healers saw my father and bowed. My father nodded and asked the man, "Were you able to talk to him?"

"No, sir. He has remained in coma."

My father's expression turned inscrutable as he said, "I know what happened. He spoke to me." He turned to the prince but Ajat preempted him and said, "Please come with me, sir, we have to discuss this with the king. Shakti, I will see you in the evening?"

Before I could say anything, the prince whisked my father away. I had several classes lined up so I went back to the ashram where my tutors kept me busy. As the sun rose up in the afternoon, I saw my mother enter the ashram and walk towards me hurriedly. "Have you seen your father?" she whispered to me when I was given a short break.

"He was with the prince, but that was in the morning..." I said.

She frowned. "I got a message from him... It's ok, you go on," she said and left me abruptly. I was called by the fire wielder and the heat demanded great attention from me as I learnt to work around it as a defender and with it as a wielder. It didn't obey me easily, sensing the cold inside me. But the light aided it and at the end of the session, I at least knew what to do. When I sat down to review the class, I realised how I could have managed the heat better when I was imprisoned in Mars. This one session won't be enough. I should do more sessions with my mom.

Which reminded me of dad. I quickly telecalled my mother to find out if my father had returned home and saw many people gathered in my room. I thought all was well and felt relieved, but as my mom answered me, I could see her looking flustered. There were no signs of my father.

The prince, Amrit and Rajguru were there. There were a few others too. My mother looked at me and quickly wiped her tears. My father hadn't returned and was not answering the calls. Manas had been again arrested for suspected foul play (what!).

I withdrew and instead went to the room directly. I got to hear more of the same thing. Catching a quiet moment, Ajat came to me and whispered, "I am so sorry!"

"He was with you and the king!" I asked him searchingly.

"Yes, he was telling me all about it but I think Manas played with his memory again. He started blabbering and became distraught. I realised that he was getting agitated and needed rest. I asked my bodyguards to escort him home, but he seems to have given them the slip and vanished! They were scared to tell me and I got to know of it just now! I will have the guards severely punished..."

I frowned, thinking of my father escaping the guards. He would have vanished like the wind. Was Saturn where I should look for him? I felt a sense of dread. My earlier experiences with meeting my relatives had led to their sharing their energy with me and leaving their bodies forever. I sat down and felt tears flowing. Ajat put an arm around me and said, "Don't let yourself go. You are strong, you are our hope. I will send wind wielders to look for your father," he said.

I looked at him gratefully but shook my head. "I must do that." I felt a cool breeze touch me and my soul followed the direction in which it blew.

(Continued here)