Karnak met the girl early next morning in Rathvan. Her eyes were red, as if she’d been crying all night. Karnak felt his heart go out to that woman. Imagine being forsaken by your family and being left to your fate. But then, his own life had not been too different from that. Karnak had no memory of his parents or lineage. His earliest memory went back to being brought up in a dingy little dhaba at the outskirts of Patal’lok. If it was within his power, Karnak would not let this girl fall into the evil hands of that ascetic, whoever it was.
The girl and Karnak sat in silence, not knowing what to say. Presently, they heard the rustle of leaves as someone walked towards them. Karnak stood up and got ready.
The man who approached them was tall, fair and broad shouldered like most aryavartis. He was handsome and wore the traditional attire of an ascetic – an antareey and an uttareey draped over his shoulders. His hair were long and tied up in a bun one his head. He carried no weapons.
Karnak suddenly felt a little taken aback. He had expected a hideous monster who wanted to abduct the young girl by force. This man looked completely harmless. But as Karnak had learnt from experience, appearances could be deceiving.
The man approached them and smiled.
“I see that the young lady has brought a companion along,” he said cheerfully, “Who might you be, young sir, and what purpose do you have in accompanying this young lady? According to my instructions, the girl must come alone, by herself and no one is to accompany her beyond the borders of the forest.”
“I am Karnak,” announced Karnak, “shishya of Acharya Shukr and defender of the defenceless. I’m a traveller in these parts and met this young lady as I was enjoying the beauty of this forest yesterday afternoon. Who might you be and why are you taking by force a girl who does not wish to go with you?”
The man chuckled.
“Are you here to challenge me?” he asked, amused. “My name is Manojav and I’ve been living in this forest for a long, long time now. I have a deal with the city of Rathpur and according to this deal I take one young girl from Rathpur as my consort every year. In return I give them great gifts. This girl here might not have come of her own will but she sure has come according to the wishes of her townsfolk. For it is a deal and not an extortion. The townspeople may chose not to send young girls anymore and I will chose not to give them all those gifts that I do and there will be no violence at all from my side. They have nothing to fear and yet they chose to comply with this arrangement. There is nothing unfair or unlawful with this deal. Pray, step aside and let us follow our glorious tradition.”
Manojav laughed out loud. Karnak glanced at the girl who was standing meekly behind him. Her expression had changed from despair to indecision.
The girl and Karnak sat in silence, not knowing what to say. Presently, they heard the rustle of leaves as someone walked towards them. Karnak stood up and got ready.
The man who approached them was tall, fair and broad shouldered like most aryavartis. He was handsome and wore the traditional attire of an ascetic – an antareey and an uttareey draped over his shoulders. His hair were long and tied up in a bun one his head. He carried no weapons.
Karnak suddenly felt a little taken aback. He had expected a hideous monster who wanted to abduct the young girl by force. This man looked completely harmless. But as Karnak had learnt from experience, appearances could be deceiving.
The man approached them and smiled.
“I see that the young lady has brought a companion along,” he said cheerfully, “Who might you be, young sir, and what purpose do you have in accompanying this young lady? According to my instructions, the girl must come alone, by herself and no one is to accompany her beyond the borders of the forest.”
“I am Karnak,” announced Karnak, “shishya of Acharya Shukr and defender of the defenceless. I’m a traveller in these parts and met this young lady as I was enjoying the beauty of this forest yesterday afternoon. Who might you be and why are you taking by force a girl who does not wish to go with you?”
The man chuckled.
“Are you here to challenge me?” he asked, amused. “My name is Manojav and I’ve been living in this forest for a long, long time now. I have a deal with the city of Rathpur and according to this deal I take one young girl from Rathpur as my consort every year. In return I give them great gifts. This girl here might not have come of her own will but she sure has come according to the wishes of her townsfolk. For it is a deal and not an extortion. The townspeople may chose not to send young girls anymore and I will chose not to give them all those gifts that I do and there will be no violence at all from my side. They have nothing to fear and yet they chose to comply with this arrangement. There is nothing unfair or unlawful with this deal. Pray, step aside and let us follow our glorious tradition.”
Manojav laughed out loud. Karnak glanced at the girl who was standing meekly behind him. Her expression had changed from despair to indecision.