Love's singe - A warrior's story (Part III)
Part III
The letter seemed to be stained with tears. “If it isn’t tears it should be wine. But, Tony does not drink…” contemplated Andrew.
He felt an urge to reply to it as he could sense Tony’s life in danger so he decided to reply.
Dear Tony,
I have fought many a war but this one is special, it is my gift to you for the friendship we share. So take my word, I would bring her back. She will be yours' forever. Don’t lose hope. She was and will be always yours. It’s just a matter of time. I have no other friend except you so I will do everything I can, to just have you as a friend forever. Trust me. Hold on, Cinda will be your, soon.
Forever your friend
Andrew
When he finished the message, he tied it, handed it to the girl and asked her to leave. The girl was confused and looked at Andrew and asked, “Is everything Okay General?”
“Yes it is...” said Andrew and walked away leaving the girl in state of confusion.
As he walked alone he found too many meaning to all that was happening to him. First time he had denied a girl, first time he was not himself.
As Andrew was walking along the seashore he had a gut feeling that he would find an answer to all his questions if he walked into the city. This was the first time he had an urge in him that begged his attention. He denied the feeling the attention it wanted and continued looking at the waves trying to shoo it away.
“Why am I feeling so much of someone else in me? Who is this who seeks my attention? Why is it that I hear a voice in me?” wondered Andrew.
“General is there something that is bothering you?” he heard a voice; he turned, and saw Paul a ninety year old man known for his wisdom. Andrew never paid heed to this old man because he had a feeling that this man was too old for his young ways of life. But, the King insisted Andrew to take Paul with him. This Andrew did, but never did he listen to him.
“No… No… there isn’t anything…” after a long pause, “Yes! Can I have a word with you?” asked Andrew.
“Yes General Andrew. I would try my best to help you out!” replied the man with a smile.
“I don’t know what this feeling is, I feel a voice in me! I feel too many questions. I don’t understand what this is I am going through… I feel lonely.” replied Andrew helplessly.
“That’s because of the way you lived General Andrew. Nothing makes us as lonely as our secrets,” replied the wise man.
Andrew looked at him befuddled and asked, “Why am I feeling lonely?”
“We're all lonely for something we don't know we're lonely for. It’s the way of life Andrew, we can never question it,” replied the man thoughtfully.
He looked at the old man without a word and turned his attention to the waves.
The old man continued, “Lonely men seek companionship. Lonely women sit at home and wait. They never meet. Inscrutable are the ways of life, everything we need in life is just around the corner, but, without realizing it we walk to the end of the world with empty hands.”
“You are right Paul. But I don’t know what I need, nor do I understand what the ‘me’ in me seeks,” replied Andrew.
“Loneliness is a gift not many are blessed with. Only when we are alone do we think of others and pay heed to the voice in us. Remember one thing son, in life there is always someone who dreams of your smile and finds in your presence that life is worthwhile, so when you feel lonely remember it’s true, that someone somewhere is thinking of you.”
Andrew gave a deriding look.
“Do I make sense Andrew to you? I might not for the voice of life in ‘me’ be able to reach the ear of life in ‘you’; but I believe you will soon,” assured the old man.
“I understand,” he still wasn’t sure of what he felt.
“Are you in love Andrew?” inquired the old man.
“Love…” after a deep breath he continued, “Love can sweep a man off his feet and carry him along in a way he never knew before. But when the ride ends, he ends up feeling lonely and bitter. I will never chose a women,” they were not just words, they were expressions. They imbibed with them the heart of a man about whom no one knew anything.
Paul looked at Andrew and thought, “This man is not just another man; he is a book of experiences, written with blood.”
Paul smiled and said, “You’re wrong Andrew… It is the women who choose the man who will choose her; we are just helpless beings to what they do to us.”
Andrew looked at Paul and the very look at his eyes made Paul comfortable for it was very much evident that Andrew agreed to what Paul said.
Suddenly Andrew looked at Paul and in a deep tone asked, “Paul… who were you?”
Paul smiled and said, “Andrew… I was what you are now - The General of Shinigami.”
Andrew was astonished.
“The urge you have for war, the love you have for blood, the lust you have for land are all that I shared. But in course of time I realized that there wasn’t anything that gave happiness as much as this solitude did.”
Andrew smiled.
Paul continued, “Okay… now tell me what was that question that was seeking your attention?”
“I have this urge in me that wants me to enter this city. But, why I don’t know,” replied Andrew.
“Why don’t you go and find out for yourself?” asked the old man.
“Why should I?” argued Andrew.
“Because, you need to know if your gut feeling makes sense and if it does then the next time it happens again you can pay heed to it but, if it doesn’t you can ignore it the next time,” replied the old man with a smile.
That was a good reason he could give himself, “Okay. I will go and look for myself,” replied Andrew.
Paul looked at Andrew and said, “Son, treat this as a warning: Distrust all that that pulls your attention upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason. For they are depths of despair disguised as women or pleasure.”
Andrew smiled at the old man and said, “Do not worry Paul I will take care,” saying so the Andrew galloped away on his horse leaving the old man behind.
He reached the city and it was covered with blood and corpses that screamed vengeance. The smell of blood filled the air. Andrew was surprised when he did not find a single human around. The place seemed quiet and there was a deep sense of sorrow that seemed to have engulfed the city.
Andrew slowly found his way into the city. He saw a wolf feeding on the flesh of a man and remembered a women telling him, “You are a wolf, you only know to feed on human flesh but know nothing of the heart it holds.”
He shook his head and thought, “Enigmatic are the ways of women.”
Something in the dark caught his attention suddenly; he put his hand on his sword and craftily went towards it. He looked around in the dim light and it was quiet with no one in view.
He continued walking around the city, entering every house and every street. Dawn was soon approaching and Andrew was very disappointed as his searched turned out to be futile.
“Now I know this gut feeling is nothing,” thought Andrew.
He fastened his horse to a nearby tree and decided to check the battlefield one last time.
The sun lit his path making way to the approaching day.
Suddenly, at a few feet away from where he stood he saw a young girl picking up swords and shields from the war field. She was dressed in black and her face was covered with a black cloth. From what he saw he felt that she was searching for something desperately.
Andrew could only see her eyes, they were captivating. He looked at her and it was very much evident that she was in a hurry. She had collected enough weapons and had saddled them on her horse. Andrew’s heart pounded really fast. He had never had this emotion. It was something new. He had never heard his heart speak volumes but now it did.
He murmured to himself, “What’s this I feel? I knew not of its existence.”
He stood there frozen. He wanted to run to her, fly with her, swim all the worlds’ sea with her; all at the same time, but he was frozen to the ground and could not move a step forward.
“I've looked at many a women with lust. I've committed adultery in my heart’s chamber and have had women by my side, but I have never wanted a women as much as I do now,” thought Andrew.
Suddenly, the lady turned around and found Andrew standing there majestically. It was a feast to any women’s eyes; Andrew was handsome man. For a few seconds she stood where she was standing and lost herself in him. But then in seconds she pulled herself to reality looked at him one last time, jumped on to her horse, and galloped away.
Andrew did not expect her to gallop away; he was lost for a moment. Before he realized what he was there for he saw her moving away from him. Andrew ran behind her but missed her in thin air.
He was gasping for breath but she was no more in sight, “Do I love her? Do I love her because she is beautiful? Was she there in person or am I imagining things? Is she true for a woman? She is too perfect to be true? Or is she the sweet invention of my dream, or is she really as beautiful as she seems to be?” questions were pouring in.
Andrew was feeling really happy. He was tranquilized in her beauty. “Her soft glance has the power to turneth away my wrath,” thought Andrew.
Suddenly Andrew realized he was standing in the kingdom of an enemy with whom he was at war.
He now had questions popping up in his mind, “What was she searching? Was it her brother, father or friend? Was it her love? I still see that burning desire and pain in her eyes… I still remember that… that inexpressible something in her eyes, which pulled me to her,” pondered Andrew.
With thoughts painting his day he galloped back to his camp, where all his soldiers were waiting with clear signs of concern.
He assured them everything was fine and walked back to his camp to undress himself.
“Son…Can I come in?” it was Paul, the old man.
“Yes Paul, nothing to worry. Am fine!” replied Andrew in an assuring tone.
“You aren’t Son… You are in love. I can see it your eyes,” replied Paul in a tone that tried to warn him.
Andrew looked at the old man, astonished.
Paul continued, “Son, I repeat: Distrust all that that pulls your attention upon just the very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason. For they are depths of despair disguised as women,” leaving Andrew all the more confused.
That morning things started off again the Rabidians suffered their heaviest losses in retreat. The Tortians army and Andrew took off after the King of Tideland, but couldn't catch him. Andrew assembled troops, attacked all the remaining chiefs of provinces, exterminated them one after another, and thus won the battle for Shinigami.
This time every move Andrew made was not his way of skirmishing, but he shot the bull’s eye. The King of Tideland lost his son Robert in the war and he fled for his life leaving his subjects at the mercy of Andrew.
Andrew was beaming with a sense of satisfaction that he had never felt. Though Andrew loved war this one wasn’t for his love for war, it was for his friends love. He still was searching for answers he had within him. He wanted to know who the girl he saw the other night was.
Andrew was informed that Princess Cinda denied Andrew’s invitation to Shinigami. He blind-folded himself and walked inside the castle among men and women who stood there admiring his grandeur and majesty.
“My Greetings to thee, Princess Cinda…”She was standing there looking outside the window, she did not even care to look at Andrew.
He continued, “I am Andrew Arthur, Army General of Shinigami. I am at your service Madam; I am here to take you to the abode of Prince Tony Tendon. He is awaiting your return.”
“What makes you think I would come?” asked Cinda in a low but demanding tone. Her voice seemed to sink deep into him.
For a moment Andrew faltered and said, “Princess you would know that the kingdom is under King Samuel of Shinigami… all that belongs to this Kingdom is his… including…” he stopped. He did not want to complete the sentence.
She turned and looked straight at Andrew and asked, “Including me…?” sarcastically.
Andrew was silent.
“Why are you blind-folded?” asked the Princess.
“Madame… Prince Tony is in love with you. He wants to be the first person to set his eyes on you. I am his best friend. I have promised to bring you to his abode, blind-folded. I am keeping my promise.”
“Promise… Love…” she mocked, “It’s a pity to know that these words nest on your lips. Do you think that this is the reason he had asked you to blind-fold yourself? No, that’s not the reason. He does not trust you! Your friend doesn’t seem to trust you! He feels that if you see me you might fall in love with me and might have me for yourself.”
Andrew calmly said, “May be Your Highness… I keep my word.”
“Ha ha… she laughed loudly, but softly… it was like the wind rustling under rose petals. “You haven’t General Andrew…” she said.
“Haven’t… what Princesses Cinda?” asked Andrew.
“You haven’t kept your promise and you will never be able to General,” said the Princess and walked off to the chariot.
Andrew stood their stupefied with what the Princesses said. He quietly followed her, walked up to the chariot, turned facing his soldiers, removed the cloth from his eyes, and commanded his soldiers to take the Princess to Prince Tony.
“General, aren’t you coming?” asked one of the soldiers.
“I have something to know. A pair of eyes has been haunting me for the last two days… I need to find whose it is…You go ahead and tell the King I would be back very soon.” said Andrew
“General Andrew… would you like to have me with you?” it was Paul.
“No Paul… I would manage on my own. The King needs your company,” replied Andrew and galloped-off on his horse.
Cinda turned and looked at him disappearing in the dust and sand that left no trace of his path.
The chariot started off…
Cinda was quiet for some time. Curiosity got the best off her and she asked a girl who was sitting beside her, “Who is this Andrew Arthur?”
“You’re Highness!!! Andrew Arthur is the Army General of Shinigami. Men fear him and women love him. There isn’t a girl in Shinigami who hasn’t adorned General Andrew’s room. He is treated very much as King Samuel and Prince Tony are.”
Cinda listened keenly, “Who waged this war?”
“Not just this war, General Andrew wages every war Shinigami is involved in and he always emerges victorious,” replied the girl.
After a moment of pause the princess asked, “Is he in love?”
The girl laughed, “He never was and I don’t think he will ever be. Many queens and Princesses have sent him their proposals but the General has politely denied them all. He never looks at women as women, but, as articles of beauty,” replied the girl.
“That’s not the way he should treat women,” replied Cinda furiously.
“May be it’s not the way, but that is what makes him different from other men and that’s why he is loved all the more by women all over the world,” replied the girl.
“What makes you tell that women from all over the world love him?” asked Cinda in a stern tone.
“Your Highness!!! The Princess of Holland, Maria Fedrina had sent the General a proposal asking his hand in marriage but General Andrew flatly denied it,” after a short pause, “But there is something the General seems to be bothered about, no one knows what it is” said the girl thoughtfully.
“Whatever it is we the people of Shinigami know, our General will never love a woman,” said the girl confidently.
Cinda smiled at the girl, turned, and looked at the direction in which Andrew galloped and said, “It’s a pity to know that the people of Shinigami tread the paths of life with your assumptions. It’s good to guess things about life but don’t assume things. Take my word, Your General will never be the same again.”
To be continued...
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