Chapter 2 a

Previously on Amor…

1] Dmitri wounded and unconscious is found washed ashore on the banks of river Alaknanda in Rudraprayag

2] He is helped by a tourist named Sunny and a group of nomadic monks

3] He is treated for his wounds by the monk

4] when he regains consciousness he out of precaution makes sunny unconscious by pressing at the base of his skull sharply

5] Arrives at a roadside Inn called Rudra and collects the 5 inch thick A4 sized green parcel waiting for him from the care taker, again as a precautionary measure he checks for any marks or prints of his hand, by using the dusty cloth and shaking it so that the dust would fall over the table where he kept his hand.. and when he was satisfied no sweat/oil were left behind he broke the earthen pot in the name of an accident ,kept on the table so that the entire place be deluded of water… eventually destroying any of the trace evidence…

 X-X-X-X

Chapter – 2 (a)

His Highness Udhay Singh Rajput's Study

Suryakamal Palace

Udaipur

India

7^th July 2013

17 : 00 hrs

Dmitri placed the parcel in front of the king and waited in shadows for further instructions…

His Highness Udhay singh Rajput's study was decked with rows upon rows of books on varied topics..all arranged in a shelves made out of choicest Top quality Teak wood and ivory… the floor was covered with premium quality Red velvet Carpet… and a Stunning Chandelier  hung low from the ceiling in the centre..

It looked like he was talking to no one in particular… as if he was mad and mumbling to himself... and the word had it that age had caught  up finally with the king…as he was nearing 80 years of age.. But he let the rumor mill work because failing age was a perfect cover  for  looking after the affairs of palace in one's own way… privately…..sort of without any unwanted interference…

He took the silver letter opener…and opened the green package…and kept the package on the side table's secret locker...closed the door...He said "I wish I was young, things would have been different…" he sighed sadly…

Dmitri replied "wishes are for tired weary souls, your majesty…"

His Highness chuckled for a while…and beckoned Dmitri to come in front of him…Dmitri didn't stir…His Highness fell silent…as if in some deep thought…then after 10 minutes he shared the reason behind locating and hiring the assassin's services…

"25 years ago My granddaughter Princess Smithakeerti  Rajput was abducted for ransom by some warring clans , she was not in front of my sight under my vigilance…She was just 2 year old kid who was on a trip to Delhi to meet her father… like always her father had differences with me… so he was staying away from the palace… it so happened that due to shrewd thinking of Gustav-"

Dmitri looked up sharply with barely a hint of shock "Master Gustav??"

His highness continued "-yes him! We could recover the ransom money and our grandchild too , we are human and to err is human… in what would be always my responsibility…I made the grave mistake of sending her to her father ,through trusted servants rather than I myself going with her… i am not aware of what happened but we got the news that my son's whole family was wiped out… Contract Killers" he glanced at Dmitri over his spectacles… he went on "your Alpha Swore of vengeance because he grew fond of my grandkid and her death affected him-"

Dmitri flicked the dagger from his side and swirled it in such a way that the blade was outside and the hilt towards him..he pointed the dagger's sharp edge at his highness's neck..it drew a small drop of blood…and hissed in a low voice  "Lies! We are No servants, we are not bound by weak relations and emotions , He is no Alpha … we are no dogs…" he spat angrily in a low menacing hiss…pressing the blade a little bit more..

His Highness was still calm… not a hint of fear…he replied calmly  "weapons are meant to be dangerous, and who wields it is much more dangerous… power lies not in act and weapons … but  in the knowledge , hence master is who, who has mastered the knowledge of delicate balance between actions and weapons ..."

Dmitri  pushed the royal Seat further back…it was now hinging at the back 2 legs…and the Dagger looked thirsty for the blood … he hissed like a poisonous snake  "how did you know of Master Gustav's word?" And he waved the dagger in blinding speed… the drapes behind the royal seat lay in shreds below …

His Highness replied "we hired his services as I said before… not in the capacity of a killer…but in the capacity of protector"

Dmitri kept his left leg on the royal seat's armrest and bent over the frail looking King...and now  much more near to the Face of king he hissed "Again Lies!!...We make the work find us"…

His highness replied "True… let's put it this way…Master Gustav found us?? Ok? My apologies I forget the etiquette…darn this old age…" he laughed a wheezy laugh "anyways …. He swore vengeance against the perpetrators and in a matter of 7 days the entire clan of that enemy royalty was wasted… Master retired to solitude...where after few years he met his time…I lost my entire family…what I was left with was my sister's daughter and her grandson  Prince Rudrpratap , and the memories of the  my only grandchild…only heiress…" suddenly his voice was laden with ancient grief "I was in denial for a long time…then I had to bow down to what we thought was reality….  7 years ago   I came to know that princess Smithakeerti survived the massacre…and that she was adopted by a wealthy barrister family in US of A …it was as if I got the reason to live… I sent my best and most trusted Student Danny A.K.A James Blackwell…An American Art-Photographer, in search of her…him being from same country, and well versed… Would be an added advantage… is it not Destiny?  Sorte  ?? That the assassin hired to kill me was you…whose master served us well …"

Dmitri Drew himself back to the shadows…"he is no master who has weakness… .we are no slaves to have a master"…bitterly

His highness replied benignly "looks like someone is in denial hahahaha" …he broke into a fit of cough ….after sometime when the cough got subdued…he stood up …and went to the west facing window…sharp arrows of golden setting sunlight was piercing through to the inside of the study… imparting a golden hue to everything it touched… "I have been waiting for the moment when I could hold my smithakeerthi  in my hug…I suppose she would have forgotten me…but I am his dadasa…and she my kid…I will jog her memory…slowly…"… he was lost in thoughts….

Dmitri din't move an inch in the shadow…

The sun sunk slowly in the horizon …broodingly…harking the turn of darkness…

His Highness knew not the content of the package Danny Had sent…