Tiger's Curse

by Collen Houck

  “Something like that.” He smiled. “I was never as good as the celebrated masters who came to train us, but I picked up enough. I enjoy sparring, but my great skill is with the sword.”

  “I’ve always wanted to learn karate.”

  “During that time, we didn’t call it karate. The martial arts that we were trained to use during warfare emphasized overcoming your opponent as quickly as possible. It often meant killing or striking a blow that would knock someone out long enough for you to escape. It wasn’t as structured as you see it today.”

  “Gotcha, noKarate Kid I , skip ahead toKarate Kid II . Fights to the death it is. So, you and Ren are trained in martial arts?”

  He nodded. “Yes, and he is very adept. As the future king, he was trained in all manner of warfare, including the martial arts. In India, scions of the royal families were trained in the sixty-four arts and were

  great litterateurs, poets, philosophers, and scientists.”

  “What do you mean the sixty-four arts?”

  “The sixty-four arts are the areas of knowledge all royal descendents are expected to study. They include the sciences, metalworking, crafts, woodwork, textiles, painting, sculpture, the humanities, and many other branches of knowledge to comprise the study of sixty-four different subjects.”

  “Kind of a crash course in How-To-Run-a-Kingdom 101?”

  “I suppose that’s one way to define it. It was very important that the royal family had at least a rudimentary education in all of these subjects.”

  “Huh…it wouldn’t hurt to have all of our modern world leaders take classes like that.”

  “Indeed. But back to the subject of karate, as you call it. Ren’s mother was well versed in the martial arts as well. She had been taught in Asia and insisted that her children be able to protect themselves.

  Experts were brought in, and our kingdom quickly became renowned for fighting in that medium.”

  For a minute, I allowed myself to get lost in the visual image of Ren doing martial arts. Fighting without

  his shirt on…bronze skin…taut muscles….I shook my head and berated myself.Snap out of it, girl!

  I cleared my throat, “Umm…so what were you saying?”

  “Chariots. Have you seen film of Egyptian chariots?”

  “Sure, the pharaoh chasing Moses and the Israelites. They were pulled by horses.”

  “Well, war in India meant chariots, but not quite like Egypt’s. Our chariots were much larger and made of wood and iron. They were decorated with gold, and the largest could hold seven men and had to be pulled by six horses. The Indian chariots would roll right into a battle and run over anyone that stood in their way. The archers would pick off the infantry and then leap down to finish them off with swords or in

  hand-to-hand combat.”

  “Ugh, sounds grizzly.”

  “I rode a chariot like that and then later moved up to become the driver. From there, I was put in charge of all the chariots.”

  “Did you have cavalry too?”

  “We did have horses, but not as many as other countries. However, that doesn’t mean we didn’t train with animals. We had many warriors mounted on camelback, which gives you a tremendous height advantage. It’s also nice having an animal under you that can endure many harsh conditions. But, the most commonly used animal in warfare then was the elephant.”

  “Battle elephants? I have a hard time picturing elephants in a war. They seem so slow and gentle.”

  “Elephants were quite formidable in battle. In fact, elephants, and the territories where they lived, were prizes that were fought over often. The richest kings were those with the most elephants. Thousands of armored elephants were used in those days for battle.”

  “How did you fight with an armored elephant? Did you use archers? It seems like an elephant is a big, moving target. Weren’t many of them killed?”

  He switched lanes again, and I was impressed with his ease at driving in this traffic. It was crowded here, and the drivers were zipping past at frightening speeds.

  “The elephants were heavily armored. They carried an enclosed structure on their backs where several warriors could sit and fire arrows out of slits; they were virtually impenetrable. We used all kinds of weapons: javelins, lances, and bows and arrows like you mentioned. Long daggers or swords could also be affixed to the elephant’s tusks. Occasionally, the swords were dipped in poison, which was very effective in a direct assault. I even met one man who claimed he had trained his elephants to swing a heavy mace with their trunks. I never saw that used in battle, but it’s a chilling idea. Just imagine facing an

  army with twenty thousand armored elephants. I don’t believe we have that many elephants left in all of India now.”

  I could almost visualize what he was talking about. The ground shaking underfoot as thousands of battle-ready elephants descended on an army. He was right. Itwas chilling.

  Mr. Kadam continued, “Most of the soldiers were infantrymen, though, and that’s the area where I started out. I was trained in the use of the sword, the spear, the mace, as well as many other weapons before I moved on to chariots. By the age of twenty-five, I was in charge of the king’s army. By the age of thirty-five, I was teaching others, including Dhiren, and was called to be the king’s special military advisor.”

  “How awful for you to have to be a part of all that bloodshed and destruction, and to think that was your whole life . War is a terrible thing.”

  He shrugged. “War is often necessary. What would the world be like today if no one had opposed Adolf Hitler? Regardless, war was different then than it is today. We followed a warrior’s code, similar to Europe’s code of chivalry. We had four rules.” He held out his fingers for emphasis. “Rule One—You must fight with someone who has similar armor. We wouldn’t fight a man who did not have the same amount of protective gear. This is similar to the concept of not using a weapon against an unarmed man.”

  He raised a second finger. “Rule Two—If your enemy can’t fight any longer, the battle is over. If you’ve disabled your opponent and rendered him helpless, you stop fighting. Youdon’t finish him off. Rule Three—Soldiers do not kill women, children, the aged, or the infirm. And we do not injure those who surrender. And Rule Four—We do not destroy gardens, temples, or other places of worship.”

  “Those sound like pretty good rules.”

  “Our king followed Kshatriadharma, or the Law of Kings, which means that we could only fight in battles that were considered just, or righteous, and that had the approval of the people.”

  We both fell silent for a while. He seemed wrapped in thoughts about his past, and I was trying to understand the time he lived in.

  Later, he turned to me and said, “I’ve made you quiet, Miss Kelsey. I apologize. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  “Oh, you didn’t. I feel more sad than frightened. Sad that you had so much warfare in your life and that you missed out on so many other things.”

  He looked at me and smiled. “Don’t feel sad for me. Remember that it was just one small part of my life.

  I have been able to see and experience more things than would normally have been possible for any man.

  I have seen the world change century after century. I have witnessed many terrible things, as well as many wonderful things. Also, remember that, even though I was a military man, that doesn’t mean we were constantly at war. Our kingdom was large and reputable. Though we trained for battle, we engaged in serious warfare only perhaps a handful of times.”

  “Sometimes I forget how long you and Ren have been alive. Not that I’m saying you’re old or anything.”

  He chuckled. “Indeed not.”

  “How much longer until we arrive?”

  “Oh, we should be there late this afternoon. We’ll stop and get some lunch at a small town soon.”

  I nodded and picked up a book to study more about Hanuman. It was fascinating to read the stories surrounding the monkey god. I was so immersed
in my study that I was surprised when Mr. Kadam pulled over. We grabbed a quick lunch, and Mr. Kadam encouraged me to try some different types of curry. I discovered that I was not much of a curry fan, and he chuckled as I made faces at the spicy ones. I loved the naan bread though.

  As we hopped back into the car, I pulled out a copy of the prophecy and began reading.Snakes…that can’t be a good thing. I wonder what type of protection or blessing Durga would give us.

  “Mr. Kadam, is there a temple of Durga near the ruins of Hampi?”

  “Excellent question, Miss Kelsey. I had the same thought myself. Yes, there are actually temples to honor Durga in almost every city in India. She is a very popular goddess. I have found a temple near Hampi that we will go visit. Hopefully, we’ll find our next clue to the puzzle there.”

  “Hmm.” I went back to my study of the prophecy.Mr. Kadam had said a gada was like a mace, or a club, so that means a weapon. Hanuman’s realm…that means the ruins of Hampi, or Kishkindha, and then hunt the branch that’s bound. Maybe it’s the branch that holds the fruit. Thorny, grasping dangers and lovely, dazzling dangers…the thorns could be rose bushes or thorny vines maybe.

  “Mr. Kadam, any idea what lovely, dazzling dangers might be?”

  “No. Sorry, Miss Kelsey, I can’t think of anything. I’ve also been pondering…Lurid phantoms thwart your route. I’ve found no information on this, which makes me think we might have to interpret it literally.

  That there might be spirits of some kind that try to stop you.”

  I gulped. “And what about the uh…serpents?”

  “There are many dangerous serpents in India—the cobra, the boa, the python, water snakes, vipers, king cobras, and even some that fly.”

  This wasn’t sounding good. “What do you mean fly?”

  “Well, technically, they don’t really fly. They just glide to other trees, like the flying squirrel.”

  I sank lower in my seat and grimaced. “What an exceptional variety of poisonous reptiles you have here.”

  He laughed. “Yes, we do indeed. It’s something we’ve learned to live with, but, in this case, it sounds like the snake or snakes will be helpful.”

  I read the line again.Serpents find forbidden fruit, and India’s hunger satisfy lest all her people surely die.

  “Do you think that what we do could somehow affect all of India?”

  “I’m not sure. I hope not. Despite my decades of study, I know very little about this curse or the amulet.

  It has great power, but as to how it could affect India, I haven’t figured out yet.”

  I had a slight headache, so I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. The next thing I knew, Mr.

  Kadam was nudging me awake.

  “We’re here, Miss Kelsey.”

  I rubbed my sleepy eyes. “Where?”

  “We’re at the place where Ren wanted to stop.”

  “Mr. Kadam, we are in the middle of nowhere surrounded by jungle.”

  “I know. Don’t be afraid. You’ll be safe. Ren will watch out for you.”

  He grabbed my bag and walked around to my door to open it for me. I stepped out and looked up at him.

  “Don’t tell me I have to sleep in the jungle again. Can’t I just go with you while he gets whatever it is he

  needs?”

  “I’m sorry, Miss Kelsey, but in this case he will need you. It’s something he probably can’t do without you and may not even be able to do with you.”

  I groaned, “Right. And you, of course, can’t tell me what it is.”

  “It’s not for me to tell. This is his story to share.”

  I muttered, “Fine. And you’ll be back to pick us up when?”

  “I will go into town and purchase a few items, then I’ll meet you back here in about three or four days. I may end up having to wait foryou . He might not be able to find what he is searching for on the first couple of nights.”

  I sighed and glared at Ren. “Great…more jungle. Okay, let’s get on with it. Please lead the way.”

  Mr. Kadam handed me a bottle of bug spray/sunscreen, then placed some items in a backpack and helped me fit it on my shoulders. I sighed deeply as I watched him pull away in the Jeep, then I turned to follow Ren off into the jungle.

  “Hey, Ren…how come I always have to follow you into a jungle? How about next time you follow me to a nice spa or maybe to the beach? How about that?”

  He snuffed and kept on moving.

  “Fine, but you owe me after this.”

  We walked the rest of the afternoon. I heard a rumbling noise ahead of us and couldn’t figure out what it

  was. The farther we walked, the louder the noise was. We walked through a grove of trees and into a small clearing. Finally, I saw the source of the sounds I’d been hearing. It was a beautiful waterfall.

  A series of gray stones were spread out like steps on a tall hill. The water foamed and flowed over each stone, plummeted down, and spread out like a fan falling to a wide turquoise pool below. Trees and small

  bushes that grew petite red flowers surrounded the pool. It was lovely.

  As I approached one of the bushes, I noticed they were covered with something. At my next step, hundreds of butterflies took to the air. There were two varieties. One type was brown with creamcolored stripes and the other was brownish-black with blue stripes and dots. I laughed and twirled around in a cloud of butterflies. When they settled again, several landed on my arms and my shirt.

  I climbed a rock that looked out over the falls and studied a butterfly perched on my finger. When it flew

  off, I stood quietly watching the water tumble down, I heard a voice behind me.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? It’s my favorite place in the entire world.”

  “It is. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  Ren came up to me and nudged a butterfly from my arm to his finger. “These are called crow butterflies,

  and the others are blue tigers. The blue tigers are brighter and easier to spot, so they live with the crows for camouflage.”

  “Camouflage? Why do they need it?”

  “The crows are inedible. In fact, they’re poisonous, so other butterflies try to mimic them. They fool predators to survive.” He took my hand and guided me a little way along a path by the falls. “We’ll make

  camp here. Go ahead and sit down. I have something I need to tell you.”

  I found a flat place and set down the backpack, and then I pulled out a bottle of water and settled myself with my back against a rock. “Okay, go ahead.”

  He began pacing back and forth and started speaking. “The reason we’re here is because I need to find my brother.”

  I choked on my mouthful of water. “Your brother? I assumed he was dead. You haven’t mentioned him at all, except that he was cursed with you. You mean he’s still alive and lives here?”

  “To be honest with you, I don’t know if he’s still alive or not. I assume he is because I am. Mr. Kadam believes he still lives here in this jungle.” He turned and looked at the waterfall, then sat down next to me,

  stretched out his long legs in front of him, and picked up my hand. He toyed with my fingers and said, “I believe he’s still alive. It’s just a feeling I have. My plan is to search the area in ever-widening circles.

  Eventually, one of us will cross the other’s scent. If he doesn’t show up or if I can’t catch his scent in a few days, we’ll go back, find Mr. Kadam, and continue our journey.”

  “What do you needme to do?”

  “Wait here. I’m hoping that if he won’t listen to me, he might be convinced by meeting you. Also, I hope

  that—”

  “Hope what?”

  He shook his head. “It’s not important now.”

  He squeezed my hand distractedly and jumped up. “Here. Let me help you set up camp quickly before I begin my search.” He went off to look for firewood while I explored the backpack and pulled out a small easy-to-set-up two-person tent.
Thank you, Mr. Kadam! I zipped open the tent bag and spread it out on a patch of even ground. After a few minutes, Ren came over to help me. He already had a fire going and had a nice stack of wood to keep it ablaze.

  “That was fast,” I muttered jealously as I stretched the tent fabric over a hook.

  He popped his head over the other side and grinned. “I was trained extensively on how to live outdoors.”

  “I guess.”

  He laughed. “Kells, there are many things that you know how to do that I don’t…like setting up this tent

  apparently.”

  I smiled. “Pull the fabric down over the hook on the stake.”

  We finished up quickly, and he dusted off his hands.

  “We didn’t have tents like these four hundred years ago. Theylook similar, but these are much more complicated. We just used wooden poles.”

  He walked up to me, tugged on my braid, and impulsively kissed my forehead. “Keep the fire going. It scares wild animals away. I’m going to circle the area a few times, but I’ll be back before it gets dark.”

  He bounded off into the jungle as a tiger again. I tugged on my braid, thought about him for a minute, and smiled. While I waited for him to come back, I decided to go through my backpack and see what Mr. Kadam had put in for dinner.Ah, he outdid himself again—freeze-dried chicken and rice with chocolate pudding for dessert.

  I poured some water from my water bottle into a little pot and set it on a flat rock that I pushed into the coals. When the water bubbled, I used my blanket as a pot holder and transferred the hot water to my dinner pouch. I waited several minutes for it to reconstitute, then enjoyed my meal. It started to get dark, and I decided I’d feel safer in my tent. I climbed in and folded my blanket up to use as a pillow.

  Ren returned shortly after that, and I heard him place more wood on the fire. He said, “No sign of him yet.” Then he changed back to a tiger and settled himself at the tent door.

  I unzipped the tent and asked him if he would mind me using his back as a pillow again. He moved and stretched out as an answer. I scooted closer, laid my head on his soft fur, and wrapped my blanket around me. His chest rumbled rhythmically in a deep purr, which helped me to fall asleep.