A Dream Comes Alive

Madan left the resort at Dalhousie and slowly began to drive downhill. He was in a pensive mood and his mind was in ferment. He wondered how a princess come into his life. He remembered her as a muse, so beautiful that she could have only been an Angel from paradise and yet he remembered that someone had been torturing and burning her body with lighted cigarette butts. He felt angry and he resolved that he must go and meet the princess of Kapurthala again.

He took out the letter from his pocket and read it again. As he drove he read the letter and put it in the glove box. The events of the night flashed before his eyes and he knew he would go back but before that, he decided to join duty. After that, he planned to formulate his plan to go back to the princess. She was a tortured soul and he remembered kissing the burn marks on her back and buttocks. He remembered kissing the most esoteric part of the princess and.....

He stopped by a wayside stall and ordered a cup of tea. Refreshed he drove back to the airbase. On the way, he rang up his flight commander. He said, "Sir, I am coming back to join duty."

" What happened man? I give you a week's furlough and you are coming back within 2 days. Are you ok?"

"Never felt better, Sir but maybe I may take a few days off again towards the end of this month."

" That's ok, but come over."

Madan joined duty the next day and reported to the MIG that he was to fly for a mission. As he climbed into the cockpit, all the time his mind was on the lovely woman with whom he had spent the night. It was more like a dream and he wondered whether there was to be a meaning for his life without her.

As he flew the plane at 1200 miles per hour his mind reverted to the princess and her beauty. He finished his sortie went to the crew room.

Time always passes and soon more than a month had elapsed. One day he finished his sortie and went to the crew room. After he had a bite to eat he was wondering what to do. Events now took place that took the decision out of his hands and presented him with a fait accompli. As he moved towards his car a corporal from the Air Force police came running towards him. He said, ": Sir, there is a letter for you. It was delivered by a girl."

"What is it? give it to me" Madan replied.

The corporal handed an envelope to Madan. One look at it and knew it was from the princess. The emblem of the house of Kapurthala was embossed on it. He slit open that envelope and took out the letter. He could make out the same slanting handwriting of the earlier note. He read it " Dear Squadron Leader, I am in trouble can you come and rescue me?"

"Who brought this letter?"

"A girl"

"Can I talk to her?''

"Sir, she is here."

Madan looked at the girl and asked, "How have you come?"

"Her highness sent me to you to rescue her as she is with child..."

The words hit Madan like a bombshell. He felt dizzy. He again read the letter and neatly folded it. He had made his decision. He took the next logical step and rang up the flight commander," Sir," he said, " I have an emergency. Can I get 4 days of casual leave."

"Why? what happened."

"I will tell you later Sir, but now I am leaving."

He straight away jumped into his Mustang. He quickly changed from his flying overall to T-shirt and trouser which he always kept in his car and drove out of Palam Airport.

He headed towards Kapurthala. It is a small state in the Punjab province of India. He drove the car along the superhighway and saw the trees whirl past. He overtook innumerable cars and buses but he never felt so resolute in his life as now.

He soon reached the turning that would take him to Kapurthala. Just as he turned he saw a Toyota Sedan parked by the side of a roadside stall. As he pulled up close to the car he realized the car had two flat tires. He got down from his car and moved towards the tea stall. A middle-aged man was sitting on a chair sipping tea. He looked at Madan with a critical look.

"Hello there," he said, "look I have a problem. Can you help out? because I don't have a spare tire and take me to Kapurthala Palace if you are going that way." These words had a catalytic effect on Madan and he asked, " Why are you going there?"

The man replied," I cannot tell because it's confidential but I am a doctor and I am being paid a large sum of money by the Maharaja for this"

"A large sum of money?"

"That's not your concern but I shall pay you a thousand rupees if you take me to the palace because I have to do my work and leave today. Time is at a premium."

The man seemed to have a sinister look and Madan didn't like him one bit. All the same, he wondered what this doctor was going to do in Kapurthala. After all, the Maharaja could have called any doctor from near.

"Fine, I will take you to the palace because I am going there myself but tell me what are you going to do in the palace?"

The man looked at Madan quizzically and said, "I am a gynecologist ...

"A gynecologist?"

"Yes"

"You must have some very important work there, for there are so many gynecologists floating around."

"Yes, but what I am going to do can only be done by me."

"You will have to tell me before I take you there."

"OK man, I have to attend to the princess"

"Princess?"

"Yes! does it surprises you?"

"No, but is there going to be a delivery.?"

The man laughed," no man, no, am going to do something else."

Madan now realized that this man was up to no good. He just walked up to the man and said

"You're not going anywhere. You are going back to Delhi."

"Why"

"Because you are going to do something illegal and I shall hand you to the police."

"What are you saying. Are you a friend of the maharajah?"

"Yes, someone much closer."

"But I can't go back."

"You have no choice. You know illegal abortions are banned."

It was just a shot in the dark but it worked. The man turned pale.

"Doctor, don't do anything foolish for your good, just catch the next bus that stops here and go back."

He drove fast and reached the palace. He drove to the porch and the liveried man approached.

"Doctor sahib, is it you?"

"Yes"

Madan was ushered into a large hall. He moved around the hall thinking how things would pan out now, deliberating on his next step. The liveried waiter came again carrying a telephone on the silver tray. He said, "sir, the maharaja would like to talk to you, as he will not come to meet you."

"Okay," Madan replied. as he picked up the receiver. The voice at the other end was authoritative 'Dr. you complete the work and you will get paid a handsome amount."

"yes"

The Maharaja continued," My wife the princess had been to Dalhousie and there she got screwed by an unknown man. She is a slut and I have whipped her for it but now carry out MTP"

"Is she agreeable for it"

"No, not at all, that is why you will have to sedate her and then carry out the act, now you can go to her chamber".

The line went dead and Madan motioned the waiter to take him to the princess's chamber. He climbed up the ornate and decorated stairway and entered the room. A guard outside allowed Madan to enter inside.

He could not make out the contours of the room initially and then he saw the princess sitting on a bed wearing a fez. She looked ravishing in her finery. She did not look at him and asked: "who are you?"

Madan answered softly" I'm your lover."

She looked up and seeing Madan rushed to him. "I knew you would come, my hero. Now take me from here, before the Raja comes to know about my escape"

Madan gathered her in his arms and removed her fez and exotic jewelry. He carried her to the opulent luxurious bed and bared her. This was something ordained by the gods and it had to end the way it started. A glorious bout of love like the one between the Lord and his consort Sakthi.

He laid her on the bed and kissed her. He lowered himself upon her and watched her face. Her lips parting, stretching, her mouth opening in a silent gasp. Eyes closed and then suddenly open, staring up at Madan with real helplessness, mixed with hunger and surprise. She was rising toward him, levitating, holding on with her soft competent hands. Madan could feel her reaching her climax and almost stopped because he didn’t want it to end. Each time he stopped, the eventual come would be more powerful. Each interlude would send them streaming closer together. They were united and suddenly he could feel her inner walls in terrifying detail. They came, first the princess and then Madan, holding each other, and forming one wild and unbearably lovely union. After it was over he told her, "it's all over now and you can come with me."

He held her hand and led her out of the room. The guard seeing the princess come out with Madan attempted to catch his arm but that was his big mistake. He received a mighty blow in the middle of his stomach and an uppercut on his chin, that sent him sprawling to the far end of the corridor.

As he came out with the princess he saw the maharaja standing at one corner of the corridor. " well well," he said, "you have won and I have lost but I am not going to stop you. Once she has chosen her way, the only way is for her to leave."He quickly turned and walked away.

Madan gathered the princess in his arms and slowly began to climb down the staircase. It was a surprise for him to see that most of the maids and the helpers were slowly clapping their hands as they wanted the princess to be happy. He carried her to the car and deposited her in the front seat."Let's go," he said as he put the car into gear and moved forward

As the car gathered speed, he asked: "Tell me are you with child?"The Princess laughed, "no," she said, "no, but maybe in time to come I will. I had cooked up this news because I wanted to call you here. I also bluffed to the Maharajah to spite him and he whipped me for it. I wanted you to come like the warrior and take me away like the Lord carried the princess Rukmani. She held his hand and they both knew that the future ahead was bright and beautiful