Sita and the Prince of Tigers by Winona Howe

Author:Winona Howe
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Published: 2022-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

After arriving at the palace, Sita collected a few more belongings. Although she planned to take only practical items, she wished to have something to remind her of the Prince of Tigers, their sons, their adopted sons, and their life here. At last, she asked Ashok to go to the underground room, give her greetings to Nagaiah, and ask if the king cobra would allow him to take one of the jewels to Sita, something she could hold in her hands that would be a physical reminder of the happy years that were now gone.

When Ashok returned, he brought Nagaiah’s salutations to Sita and a large, unset emerald that the great snake had selected for her. Sita held it in her hand and stared into its verdant depths. It was like looking into the jungle where the eye became overwhelmed by the many shades of green: grass, ferns, and leaves, brighter in sun, darker in shadow—all of the shades contributing to the feeling of being immersed in the green of the jungle. It was like looking into the eyes of the Prince of Tigers; his eyes might signal love, anger, challenge, puzzlement—she could think of any number of emotions she once read in his eyes—but those eyes were always green.

Sita closed her fingers over the emerald for a moment, then tied it into a corner of her sari. Nagaiah had chosen the perfect gift, and she felt ashamed that she had not gone to see him herself.

Sita descended the treacherous stairs. Nagaiah was waiting for her at the bottom.

“I am more happy than I can say that you have come yourself,” he said. “I will miss you when you are gone.”

“Do you understand why I must go?”

“Of course. You would not be Sita if you did not continue to search for your loved ones.”

Nagaiah reared up straight to his full height, and Sita wrapped her arms around him, something she had never done before. He dropped his head onto her shoulder for a moment, then withdrew into the shadows as Sita slowly climbed back up the stairs. She knew with certainty that she would miss him too.

She walked to the village and left it the same way she had when she went to the city the first time, years ago. She asked for a ride in Udit’s bullock cart and once again paid him a few small coins for the ride. When they arrived at the city, she again bade him farewell and walked away, soon lost in the crowd of people who were pushing and hurrying in every direction.

Sita’s journey was not yet over. The maharajah’s Primrose Palace and huge estate were many miles farther, out in the countryside. She headed in that direction, uncertain how she would gain access to the grounds, let alone the palace itself. Then a cart stopped, and someone asked if she would like a ride. The cart was mostly filled with bags of millet and other grains, but several palace servants were riding as well, perched on the bags, and to Sita’s surprise, the servants were friendly and talkative.

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