Jazeera- Legend of the Fort Island

by Yash Pawaskar

  Guru Ashwath looked at Kashvi’s curious eyes and said, ‘No.’

  His answer shocked Kashvi. She asked with a puzzled look, ‘Then why are you working so hard to realize it?’

  ‘I work hard because I believe in working hard. It is the only thing in my control. No one knows the future, Kashvi. And you are wise enough to know that all we can do is to focus on the task at hand without worrying about the results. What happens after, might or might not be as per our liking, but what we do to make it happen must be done with total sincerity, humility, and purity.’

  ‘Your words empower me, Guru Ashwath,’ said Kashvi with a smile.

  ‘Words are spells, use them right and you can enchant people. You are kind enough to tell me that my words empower you, although I don’t agree with that. You are too strong a woman to depend on external stimulus, Kashvi. Just as you consider my words to be empowering, the words in the prophecy are meant to bring our clan together. The prophecy is a guide, just like the Kaal Acharya’s calendar. It gives people a sense of purpose, and there is nothing more powerful than women bound together with a purpose,’ said Guru Ashwath.

  ‘Yes, the prophecy has kept everyone motivated. And now that the twenty-year wait is about to end, people, including me, are getting anxious.’

  ‘Acknowledge the anxiety. Give it its due, and it shall be tamed. Try to defend it, and it will attack you into submission. Gain positivity from knowing that things are moving as per the plan. I just heard that the meeting between Bagha and Keshav was fruitful.’

  ‘Yes, yes, yes. I have sent out a scroll to Keshav stating that we will send the detailed strategy in the coming days,’ said Kashvi.

  ‘Good. Also, it is time you are united with your daughter. Forgive me, I have kept you from your daughter for far too long,’ said Guru Ashwath.

  The thought of meeting Avni energized Kashvi. There was a glint in her eyes. She was quick to realize that Guru Ashwath had just asked her for her forgiveness. She said, ‘Who am I to forgive you, Guru Ashwath. Please do not embarrass me with such words.’

  The Guru smiled. He said, ‘We shall get together with our clan and let them know how they are going to make the prophecy come true.’

  ‘Jai Bhoodevi,’ said Kashvi bringing her hands together.

  ‘Jai Bhoodevi,’ replied Guru Ashwath and left the cave.

  20 – Court Hall

  Zorawar wasn’t pleased with the numbers discussed during the meeting with the Council of Ministers and the Wazir. Unlike his usual self, he didn’t leave the hall in a hurry that day. Instead, he ordered the ministers to disperse and asked the Wazir to stay back. This decision had a lot to do with the losses Jazeera had faced in the recent past.

  ‘You heard the Treasury Minister, Ubaid. These missing children are causing a bunch of economic problems. Why didn’t you predict that such a small incident would lead to a loss in trade?’ asked Zorawar.

  ‘Sultan, I had warned about the repercussions of the kidnappings a few weeks ago. That time, the issue wasn’t this severe, and you disallowed me from going in-depth into this matter,’ answered the Wazir.

  ‘So, are you implying that this is my fault?’

  ‘No, Sultan. I am sure you might have your reasons for restricting me in getting into the matter at that stage. Perhaps, my expertise at that time was required in churning out a trading strategy with the Afghans, with whom you met recently. But now, I am looking into it, Sultan,’ explained the Wazir.

  ‘And what have you looked into? You did nothing to stop the decline in trade. You did nothing to stop the traders and merchants from fleeing Jazeera. You did nothing to think why fewer new merchants are coming to Jazeera. You did nothing to stop the children from getting kidnapped. Answer me. What have you looked into, Ubaid Khan? What?’

  ‘Sultan, as per your suggestion, I did invite the Officer from Daulatabad, but he was killed inside the palace grounds. As a result, I had to increase the number of Island Guards inside the palace. This reduced the patrolling party and left fewer men to be on the watch. Besides, a lot of the Island Guards were being allotted to the foreign traders’ entourage and—’ Wazir was stopped by the Sultan’s hand. He had heard enough.

  Zorawar said, ‘You have been my great strength, Ubaid Khan. Your bright brain has helped me rule over Jazeera and turn it into a gold-spinning hub for my treasury. But it seems that your brightness is diminishing. You are getting old. And when strengths become weak, they are of no use. They need to be replaced with new strengths. Be warned, if the time comes, I will not hesitate in letting go of what’s precious to me in order to stay in a position of strength. I don’t have any weaknesses. I hope you have a lot of strength left in you, Ubaid Khan.’

  ‘Sultan, yes, I am getting old but there is…’

  The Wazir was interrupted by a hue and cry in the lobby. He looked into the Sultan’s eyes seeking permission to interrupt the conversation and investigate the matter. The Sultan nodded, and the Wazir rushed outside the court hall.

  Two Island Guards were lying on the floor unconscious, while five others held a dhoti-clad man. It was Shravan. The captive had a wry smile on his face.

  He looked at the Wazir and said, ‘We finally meet again.’

  The Wazir stepped closer to Shravan and found the face to be familiar but wasn’t able to attach a name to it.

  A guard sprinted from the court hall towards the Wazir and said, ‘The Sultan is demanding answers.’ The Wazir ordered the Island Guards to bring the man to the Sultan.

  ‘Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you?’ asked Zorawar.

  ‘That is not how Jazeera treats its guests, does it?’

  ‘What makes you think you are our guest?’ questioned the Wazir.

  ‘There’s a coin in my bag. Be careful, the bag also has darts, which I used to sedate some of your guards on my way here. Don’t worry, I didn’t use a potent dose. They should be up and about in a few hours,’ said Shravan.

  The Sultan ordered one of the guards to frisk him. The Wazir asked the moustached man, ‘How did you enter the palace?’

  ‘The Island Guards are lenient towards the gardening women. I posed as the woman’s assistant, and they let me waltz through. Of course, it was a convincing performance from the woman that tricked them into believing that I was her mentally challenged brother who was brought in to do the heavy lifting in the Sultan’s garden.’

  ‘Kill that woman,’ roared the Wazir.

  ‘I wouldn’t do that; she is my aide now. And after you know who I am, I am sure you wouldn’t want to kill my aides. The Wazir looked at the Sultan for his opinion. Zorawar appeared intrigued by the whole fiasco and gestured to let the proceedings continue without disruption.

  ‘Alright, the woman shall live. Execute the guard that let this man inside without proper permission.’ said the Wazir. He asked, ‘And the darts helped you get past the Island Guards inside the palace?’ Shravan nodded.

  ‘Yes, the darts. I could have strolled inside, but I guess you do have some attentive guards.’

  ‘Sir, here’s the coin,’ said the guard holding out a half-broken coin.

  ‘Don’t you recognise me, Wazir? We met in Daulatabad where you came seeking my help. I am the Officer who was supposed to help you find the missing children, remember?’

  The Wazir was shocked. He said, ‘How’s that possible, the Daulatabad Officer is dead.’

  ‘The fake one is dead, Wazir. I guess both of us think alike. You used a decoy, and I used a decoy. In the end, it worked out well for me. Both decoys are dead, and I am alive,’ said the Officer.

  The Wazir sent out a guard to summon the other half of the coin from his chamber.

  ‘While the guard gets the other half of the coin, I have another item to show you. Can you do the honours please?’ he asked the guard and signalled him to search inside his pocket. The guard looked at Wazir for approval and got it immediately. He found the Timingila pendant. The Wazir examined it closely.

  ‘This is what I f
ound at the site of the recent kidnapping in the market. I also found a rope. And as per my theory, some people are fooling the people of Jazeera. The Shadows are not myths; they are mortal men like you and me. I have seen them, and I can find them and the missing kids for you,’ assured the Officer.

  ‘This is just getting more absurd,’ chided the Sultan. The Wazir expected the Sultan to be angry, but he seemed to be enjoying the turn of events. As usual, he wasn’t able to predict the Sultan’s behaviour.

  ‘Beyond a point, life is absurd, Sultan,’ commented the Officer.

  ‘Ha-ha! I like this man. Ubaid Khan, he seems to be wittier and smarter than you, the Wazir of Jazeera,’ said Zorawar mocking his brother-in-law.

  The guard brought the Wazir’s half of the coin, along with the one given to him by the deceased Officer. The Wazir checked the coin and it matched.

  ‘The earlier one is fake. I had given it to the decoy so that he could give it to you. I knew no one would test it for its authenticity. I am sure you will not repeat the same mistake. Send the coins to the goldsmith, and you will come to know the truth. Besides, I did tell you that the assigned Officer will hand over the coin to you, and I was the one to offer the coin to you in the Daulatabad Hall. Think, Wazir. Think,’ said the Officer with a lot of smugness.

  ‘What is your real identity?’ asked the Sultan.

  ‘My name is Hamid, Sultan. I am an Officer in the Northern Sultanate, serving in the Daulatabad Province. I was assigned this task when Ubaid Khan visited my senior, Salim Sheikh’s court, seeking help in finding out more about the missing children in Jazeera. I am happy to be held as a prisoner until all the facts come to light,’ explained Hamid.

  ‘We shall verify the facts, Hamid. You don’t need to tell us what to do,’ said the Wazir recollecting the peculiar moustache. His face began to resonate in the Wazir’s mind.

  ‘It seems like he does need to tell us what to do, Wazir. Hamid has proven his mettle. I don’t have any doubts regarding this man’s calibre. It takes guts to stand in front of Zorawar and speak freely with confidence. He has the right tricks in the bag to complete a task. And I am sure with his assistance, Jazeera’s Wazir will be able to solve the case, wouldn’t he?’ asked Zorawar looking at the Wazir. The Wazir bowed in agreement.

  Zorawar got up from his throne and prepared to leave.

  ‘One request, Sultan,’ said Hamid. The Sultan nodded, as he walked towards Hamid. Hamid continued, ‘I will need access to the official records and reports to conduct my inquiry.’

  ‘Granted,’ said the Sultan waving his hand, as he left the court hall.

  ‘First, we need to verify the facts, Hamid,’ said the Wazir.

  ‘You are welcome to do so, Wazir. Remember, we are in the same team,’ Hamid smiled.

  ‘And I hope we win,’ said the Wazir.

  He ordered the guards to escort Hamid to the guest house and keep him under surveillance until the coin’s authenticity was confirmed by the goldsmith. He also sent out a messenger with a scroll to Daulatabad to confirm Hamid’s identity with Salim Sheikh.

  Wazir knew that he was outsmarted by the new guest. He left for his chamber and pondered over the unexpected turn of events.

  21 – Loading Dock

  Among Jazeera’s two gates, the West Gate was busier compared to the South Gate. The West Gate was for traders and merchants while the decorated one in the south was for royalty.

  Goraksh was in a horse carriage with his two acquaintances who were helping him bring two massive fruit boxes through the island security to their village on the coast.

  Fruits were purchased from traders in the market and stored in Goraksh’s father Sarayu’s warehouse in the market. They were then taken to the village to be sorted in smaller crates and sent to different selling points in the village.

  There were two security lanes for traffic moving out of Jazeera. The first had a long queue while the second was a fast-track lane. Those in a hurry had to pay extra to get their goods through the fast-track. Goraksh and the others drove up to the two lanes and halted their carriage. Goraksh searched for a familiar face, the one of an Island Guard.

  After a few minutes of looking around, he finally fixed his eyes on a lanky Island Guard. Their eyes met and lips curled into a smile. It was a smile that symbolised a bond, a secret one at that. The Island Guard let Goraksh’s carriage through the fast-track lane without any security check or coins.

  Goraksh and the other village boys breezed through the fast-track lane, unloaded the boxes from the carriage, and loaded them into a boat. They then rowed it to the coast. Once there, they unloaded the boxes and waited for the receiver to pick them up.

  Avni spotted Goraksh with the boxes and whistled. Her peculiar whistle made its way to Goraksh’s ears despite the hustle and bustle at the village jetty. Goraksh spotted Avni. She was wrapped in a brown blanket, which also covered her head—her usual attire for such deliveries. He signalled to the boys to disperse and met Avni alone with the boxes.

  ‘Avni, I hope my contributions to our battle will be written in golden words. People should know the trials and tribulations I have to undergo,’ said Goraksh.

  ‘Of course. Should we sculpt your statue?’ asked Avni.

  ‘A statue would be nice,’ said Goraksh with a smile.

  ‘And below it shall be inscribed, “The Great Goraksh, the man who bedded an Island Guard”,’ Avni chuckled.

  ‘Stop it. This is not funny, okay,’ defended Goraksh.

  ‘Well, you started this. You were bragging about sleeping with an Island Guard. You were ecstatic at his capabilities in bed. You said you might sail away with your African partner one day, away from all this fighting. So, save the melodrama for someone else. We need to get going. Savitri has been eating my ears for these fruit boxes.’

  ‘You know, Avni, since childhood, every time we played Shepherd and the Sheep, you always got to play the commanding Shepherd, and everyone else played the obedient Sheep. I think that has messed with your brain. You feel our life is one big game of Shepherd and the Sheep, and as always, you are the Shepherd. Why are you so commanding?’

  ‘Why are you so theatrical?’ Avni shot back.

  ‘See, classic commanding behaviour. Answering a question with another question. You will find it difficult in bed if you are so dominating. Love-making is all about maintaining the right balance between giving and receiving.’

  ‘Is that how you do it with that African Island Guard?

  ‘His name is Hassan, okay? And no one except I can make fun of him.’

  ‘What happens to your lover when he comes to know that you belong to the opposition?’

  ‘That is when you shall start making the statue of the martyr, “The Great Goraksh”,’ he said, and they giggled.

  They placed the boxes in a cart and proceeded into the Mahavan towards the camp.

  Curious eyes followed their cart, as they entered the forest. Hamid was in the village conducting his investigation and the only cart going in the forest’s direction caught his attention.

  His facts had been verified by the Wazir, and he was given a free hand to collect information. He made a note in his diary, took a boat back to the island, and went to the guest house.

  He compared the notes in his diary to the ones in his journal. He also checked the folded pages of the book of accounts given to him by the minister. He spent the night immersed in his study and worked on a plan to be presented to the Wazir and the Sultan.

  22 – Court Hall

  ‘Do I have your permission to place this lump of jaggery on the floor, Sultan?’ asked Hamid. He was eager to put across his thoughts to the Wazir and Sultan; however, he didn’t let his anxiety score over his temperament.

  ‘Do you have anything more substantial to tell us, dear guest, other than these pedestrian tricks?’ asked the Wazir. It was early morning, and he had not had his breakfast yet.

  Zorawar was chewing on an apple and was amused by the Wazir’s annoyance.
He said, ‘Ubaid Khan, I have indulged in your ideas for so many years. Let’s indulge in this young man’s thoughts for a while.’

  Hamid placed the jaggery on the floor and started walking around it. He began presenting what he had discovered to the Wazir and Sultan. The two rows of Island Guards guarding the hall were also intrigued to hear what he had to say.

  ‘Here’s a list of my top ten observations:

  One – Children between the age group of five to twelve have been abducted in the past three months.

  Two – Almost all the children in that age group in Jazeera are gone from the island.

  Three – These kidnappings have increased like the growing moon. The last ten days have witnessed fifty percent of the kidnappings.

  Four – Earlier, it was rumoured that the kidnappings are the doings of a mysterious Shadow involving black magic. But the latest kidnap suggests otherwise.

  Five – Recent information suggests that there are at least two Shadows

  Six – The latest kidnap was under broad daylight and involved two such Shadows, which are somehow associated with the mythical monster, Timingila. They seem to have some sort of wings.

  Seven – Although the children are missing, the import and export of basic food items haven’t taken as much hit as it should have.

  Eight – I have a feeling that the people living in the forest have something to do with this.

  Nine – These troublemakers are helped by the people from the island; some might even be present in the palace. Otherwise, it would be difficult to beat the system.

  Ten – Kidnapping the children is the first part of the plan, which is almost completed. Going by the rate at which they are going, their main objective will come to light soon.

  ‘These observations and details around them are recorded in this report. I am sure the Wazir would like to go through it,’ concluded Hamid, handing over the report to the Wazir. The Wazir rolled it up and turned his gaze to the Sultan who was lost in thought.