Chapter 14

At night, Krishna sat up another meeting, to discuss for the last time about this contract. He called also Ann to join them.

Everybody took his place when Bai announced, in Hindi first: "My dear chancellors, my daughter finally talked with the British king. And now, we'll hear her opinion."

He looked at her and ordered her: "Sundarta my daughter, please tell us: what do you think now about Edward III?"

Samantha stood up, and answered her father, looking at the floor and in English: "My father, I spoke for less than 10 minutes with him, and I realized that not signing the contract will be a huge loss for us: the rarities he talked about was… sliver."

Every Indian person there started murmuring. Sundarta shut, waiting for Krishna to ask the counselors to be quiet. When he did and everybody did get calm, she continued: "Yes, sliver. But also; he can get us merchandises from the Americas, merchandises that we can't get, such as tobacco, sugar etc…"

"Then, what do you recommend?" Krishna asked for clarification.

"I don't see any bad side from the contract. And that's sure and obvious from what we'll get for exchange of tea, cloth, cotton, spices…things we over-have that British people don't have and terribly need it daily." She explained.

However, Ann stood up, rejecting respectfully her daughter's point of view: "Allow me your majesty to talk: I reject my daughter's opinion with completely no offense: I still consist that you must never collaborate with this man."

Bai argued with Worthington: "But, madam, we're deeply in need of silver as much as your kingdom is of tea!"

"I warned you, your majesty. The contract may not look really harmful, but I really warn you." Ann insistently warned.

Krishna thought about Sundarta and her mother's different points of view. Finally, he decided: "My apologizes, Ms. Worthington, I can't refuse such an offer and a chance of increasing our kingdom's economy like this contract. Neither I nor princess Sundarta is able to see the damages that you are. Thanks for helping us choosing."

Ann sat down, disappointed, while Sundarta calmed her: "It's ok, mother; I hope that you're not right about the bad side of the contract…"

The mother smiled to her daughter while the king asked for the rest of counselors' judgments: "What about you, my dear counselors: who agrees with princess Sundarta raises his hand."

Most of them did raise their arms. Bai concluded: "Well then, I guess that we'll better collaborate with Europe…"

But that decision, made up cause of greediness, the greediness that Krishna felt it once during all his life, was the worst decision that kingdom of Michor had ever have…

***

At the morning of the next day, both of royal families were sitting together in front of a large table, witnessing the signing of the commercial contract between the Indian and the British kings. And during it, Ann was still worried and anxious about it; her bones were still feeling that this contract had beyond it the terrible bad luck for a whole kingdom. She didn't have any clue for that: Edward himself wanted only to make business with the Indian subcontinent…

After finishing the historic event, and after that everybody there clapped, Ed informed Krishna: "Well, I guess we're leaving Michor tomorrow…"

Sundarta, Ann, Milady and George weren't happy to hear that; each person wanted to spend more time with the other: Ann wanted more time with her daughter, as she was a princess that couldn't leave her kingdom. George wanted it with Sundarta, Milady wanted to stay more with her kind ex-boss.

Krishna looked at these faces, and realized the reason of their lour. Thus, he interrogated in purpose: "Why is that, your majesty? It's too early to leave now!"

"Why do you think so?" Edward wondered.

"Well… First: I think that Ms. Worthington still wants to stay with Princess Sundarta, as you know, her highness cannot leave the kingdom for no purpose. Second, it's Asadha!"

"Asadha?"

"It's June-July in the Gregorian calendar: It's getting hot and humid. It may rain and then your horses won't be able to travel." He explained.

Edward thought about it. Then, he remembered that his son must get closer to Sundarta to marry her and to improve the relationships between his kingdom and the Indian one. So, he pretended to be convinced and asked: "Fair enough… Then, till when we'll stay here?"

Samantha and George smiled unconsciously, while Bai answered George's father: "Until the mid-way of Kartika, means until September. Besides, it'll be better for you to finish September with us: at its end, we celebrate the Navratri. And you'll get the chance to watch the dancing talent that princess Sundarta and Queen Chandramukhi have."

Ed remembered that his throne was left alone and anybody could get it with a simple revolution, as he knew that everybody in Great Britain hated him. However, he preferred to stay; a little number of people knew about his trip.

Thus, he agreed: "Well then… I think we're staying…"

Everybody in the room clapped happily; the palace's habitants loved the visitors, especially Ann and George thanks to their kindness and generosity with them.

During this celebration, Edward looked at his son a meaningful look: Purpose to Sundarta.

George didn't mind it at all; in fact, as said above, he was terrified of revealing for him his desire of marrying her. So, he decided to purpose to her, but he didn't know when exactly…

***

Days pass. George was still spending time with Sundarta but he didn't know or have the perfect time for purposing. The more time passed, the more he got stressed, as much that Sundarta noticed that and she asked him several times about his stress but he was always ignoring it.

It was on the final days of September. Finally, Navratri started: Navratri is a Hindu festival which took 9 nights and 10 days in autumn. During this festival, Hindu people worshipped God Rama (only in western and northern states of India), and celebrate his victory over demon Ravana, which was celebrating the victory of good over evil. The way of celebrating it varied from part to another in the Indian subcontinent.

In Michor, which was a mixture of Gujarat and Rajasthan areas, people celebrated it the way people of Gujarat did: dancing Garba.

Garba was performed in a circle, representing the life cycle from birth to death and again to rebirth which was the symbol of the Hindu view of time, around a clay lantern called Garbha Deep. People dance Garba daily for the whole 9 nights.

Every Navratri, Sundarta and Chandramukhi helped each other in creating the Garba dance, learning it and teaching it to the back dancers.

During the nine nights of the Navratri, the royal families and every single person living in the palace joined the celebration courtyard, to watch The Adopted Princess dancing Garba with Chandramukhi. Everyone, even the British people wore the traditional Indian clothes for Garba: Chandiya Choli for the woman and men wear Kedia (type of shirts) with Dhoti (skirt) or pyjama.

Sundarta kept dancing during the whole Navratri with a beautiful red Chaniya Choli (she chose it red because she was in love), bare foot and with free hair, among bunch of female back dancers and drummers playing Dhak (type of drums) called Dhakis. At the end of the dance, Chandramukhi joined Sundarta in dancing Dandiya

As always, during dancing and singing, Sundarta kept looking at George.

The song's Hindi lyrics were talking about the myth of the demon Ravana and God Rama.

Until finally, it was the Dussehra: at night of the tenth day, people burned a giant effigy of Ravana, to remember the victory of good over evil.

At that night, George could at final stay alone and only with Sundarta…

***