She sat by her window sill and fixed her gaze on the dusky moon.
"Mother, I can't escape all this now." she said.
She gripped the handle of the royal sword tightly.
"It is by your guidance, that I shall hence make decisions. You will guide me, from where ever you are." she said standing up, eyes still fixed on the gaping full moon.
"Of course she will Rin." came Theodon's voice from behind.
Rincy turned around to face Theodon. He had an old thick book in hand.
"I am in no mood for argument Coz..." said Rincy, averting her gaze.
" Nor am I. It's been a long day for you, and me." he said, as he held Rincy's hand and led her to the sofa.
They both sat down, as Thoedon placed the book on the table in front of them.
'M for Matilda' read it's title.
Rincy's memories rushed back to her grandmother's words.
"That's what she had said, while she gave me the chain!" she exclaimed.
"I know." said Theodon calmly.
"What? How do you know? And who am I talking about?" she asked, checking if Theodon actually knew.
"Gran Raechel was a beautiful soul."
Rincy was shocked." Theodon knows! How is this possible? How can he know what Gran told me? He wasn't around?" she thought.
"I know little Rin, you have several questions, and a lot of dislike for me...", began Theodon.
"Yes.", cut Rincy sharply.
Theodon looked up from the book, and smiled softly at her, in his usual way.
"I have explanations. Some, which I can give you now, and some, that will be revealed to you by time." he said.
Rincy picked up the book, and placed on her lap.
She ran her hands over the cover. It was old and coarse, but it still preserved the essentials.
She opened the book into some middle page and stared into her own face.
And beneath her picture, it read 'Rincy Matilda, Queen of Isles'.
The next page had a picture of her sword. The Royal Sword.
Subsequent pages were empty.
Rincy was confused.
"By the look of this book, it tells me it's ancient. And the ink is unique and old too.How can a picture of me, and my sword be there?"
"Exactly, the point. You aren't made queen, because your mother's isn't anymore. You were chosen queen long back.Even before our Gran took position." he said.
Rincy was baffled.
"This ain't possible, Theodon. Don't spin tales and deceive me.", she argued.
"I have better work to do Rincy than mislead you. I am telling you the truth."
"This book is filled by a royal priest. It was one of them, who wrote down your fate. You were chosen.And that chain with the 'M' locket is give to the chosen one."
"Why me?", she asked.
"Did you notice, all subsequent pages are empty?" he asked.
Rincy nodded, and flipped the pages.
Empty.
"That's a sign. This book has been passed on from one Royal priest, to the next, in generation. But it continues to remain empty." he added.
"Why so? And what sign?" Rincy asked impatiently.
"You are the Queen who will achieve heights. You are the Queen who will make the difference. You are the Queen who will change what's wrong and mark history." he said with great strength in his voice.
"I am nineteen, Coz. What can you expect of me?"
"Lots. You have the strength to go against evil, and fight for the right.A lot still remains hidden about your capabilities." he said.
The word 'evil' hit Rincy hard. "So long, you were 'evil' to me", she thought.
"What are you trying to tell me? I don't understand Theodon." confessed Rincy.
"The Queen, is always envied by many. Many who want to take her place, many who want to live her life. There are many such, who are willing to over throw you Rincy, and I want to guard you from them, at least till you can do it yourself." he said.
"And what will you get from this? I don't think you do things without benefits!", she mocked.
"Mother, I can't escape all this now." she said.
She gripped the handle of the royal sword tightly.
"It is by your guidance, that I shall hence make decisions. You will guide me, from where ever you are." she said standing up, eyes still fixed on the gaping full moon.
"Of course she will Rin." came Theodon's voice from behind.
Rincy turned around to face Theodon. He had an old thick book in hand.
"I am in no mood for argument Coz..." said Rincy, averting her gaze.
" Nor am I. It's been a long day for you, and me." he said, as he held Rincy's hand and led her to the sofa.
They both sat down, as Thoedon placed the book on the table in front of them.
'M for Matilda' read it's title.
Rincy's memories rushed back to her grandmother's words.
"That's what she had said, while she gave me the chain!" she exclaimed.
"I know." said Theodon calmly.
"What? How do you know? And who am I talking about?" she asked, checking if Theodon actually knew.
"Gran Raechel was a beautiful soul."
Rincy was shocked." Theodon knows! How is this possible? How can he know what Gran told me? He wasn't around?" she thought.
"I know little Rin, you have several questions, and a lot of dislike for me...", began Theodon.
"Yes.", cut Rincy sharply.
Theodon looked up from the book, and smiled softly at her, in his usual way.
"I have explanations. Some, which I can give you now, and some, that will be revealed to you by time." he said.
Rincy picked up the book, and placed on her lap.
She ran her hands over the cover. It was old and coarse, but it still preserved the essentials.
She opened the book into some middle page and stared into her own face.
And beneath her picture, it read 'Rincy Matilda, Queen of Isles'.
The next page had a picture of her sword. The Royal Sword.
Subsequent pages were empty.
Rincy was confused.
"By the look of this book, it tells me it's ancient. And the ink is unique and old too.How can a picture of me, and my sword be there?"
"Exactly, the point. You aren't made queen, because your mother's isn't anymore. You were chosen queen long back.Even before our Gran took position." he said.
Rincy was baffled.
"This ain't possible, Theodon. Don't spin tales and deceive me.", she argued.
"I have better work to do Rincy than mislead you. I am telling you the truth."
"This book is filled by a royal priest. It was one of them, who wrote down your fate. You were chosen.And that chain with the 'M' locket is give to the chosen one."
"Why me?", she asked.
"Did you notice, all subsequent pages are empty?" he asked.
Rincy nodded, and flipped the pages.
Empty.
"That's a sign. This book has been passed on from one Royal priest, to the next, in generation. But it continues to remain empty." he added.
"Why so? And what sign?" Rincy asked impatiently.
"You are the Queen who will achieve heights. You are the Queen who will make the difference. You are the Queen who will change what's wrong and mark history." he said with great strength in his voice.
"I am nineteen, Coz. What can you expect of me?"
"Lots. You have the strength to go against evil, and fight for the right.A lot still remains hidden about your capabilities." he said.
The word 'evil' hit Rincy hard. "So long, you were 'evil' to me", she thought.
"What are you trying to tell me? I don't understand Theodon." confessed Rincy.
"The Queen, is always envied by many. Many who want to take her place, many who want to live her life. There are many such, who are willing to over throw you Rincy, and I want to guard you from them, at least till you can do it yourself." he said.
"And what will you get from this? I don't think you do things without benefits!", she mocked.
" I have a promise to keep Rincy Matilda. I can't let you lose, even if I wanted to, because a man who doesn't keep his word, is a man of no honour. And I am a man of honour." he announced.
"The man in my nightmare!!! He said the same thing too! How this possible? Was it Theodon? Did he save me in the dream?" Rincy's memory flooded with broken scenes from her nightmare.
"And to whom have you made this promise, may I ask?"
"To one who I am devoted with my life and soul."
"Don't twist words, and give me direct answers."
"Time will tell you sweet Coz. But for now, you have to trust me."
"I can't." she said bluntly.
Theodon looked shocked. For the first time, Rincy noticed, that Theodon could adorn another expression, apart from being calm.
"Why? What have I done that makes you doubt me?" he asked, coming back from shock.
"Everything. You shifted Portria to Ream, and without even consulting me." she barked.
"Portria is not someone who you should like to keep. She has a striking history of..." he began.
"I care little about her past Theodon. She has served my mother for over a decade now, and she continues to remain loyal to me. She guides me, teaches me, and is like a mother figure to me. I wouldn't like to listen to much against her."
Something made Rincy defend Portria. She may have lied to Rincy, or hidden things from her, but she still loved Portria.
"Right. Mother figure. All I can say is, be careful and watchful Rincy. She isn't as sparkling as she appears to be." he warned.
"From tomorrow, I will assist you in all official matters. We have an agenda, and I'll give it to you." he said, turning to leave.
"Portria handles my agenda." added Rincy.
"Well, not anymore! Portria Jaccob will shift to the Headquarters of Rhue by tomorrow evening." saying so, he left the room.
"Just as you say Theodon Matilda. Portria will shift to the Headquarters of Rhue, not in Ream ,but in Lea. I will get the Headquarters shifted to our very own capital city." she grinned.
© Srinidhi Iyengar
© Srinidhi Iyengar
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