|| - Quid Pro Quo - ||

"I owe my loyalty only to those who never made me question theirs..."
_______

Raghav Singh the old king of Madhavgadh was a flickering flame in the monsoon wind. Most of his hours were spent in the hazy middle ground between sanity and insanity. It was a realm where time was frozen in a limbo between a past he wished to hold on to and a present he wished not to face. But at a handful of times a simmer of intellect found its way into his eyes and something akin to recognition registered on his face. Mostly it happened when David McLane visited him and Rani Gayatri simply hated to acknowledge that.

She was not impatient like Shivjit, waiting for the old man to die, but she was not as tolerant as her old rival Subhadra to simply let things go on as they were. Gayatri had a simple policy in life. Things that unsettled her had to be conquered and put under control. Those of which could not be tamed had to be destroyed. However, she could possibly do neither with the enigma called David McLane. Something about him was hard and wild neither a charm nor a curse of Gayatri's could conquer or control, yet she could not cast him away without costing the fragile connection she had made with Lord McLane.

At times when he was far away from Madhavgadh Gayatri tried to forget the existence of her problem. But then he would return and with him would come the burning restlessness.

She knew him from before. Gayatri was certain. This was no child of McLane's, no matter how local his wife might be. Gayatri had seen this boy before. She had seen him in Chandranagara just before the battle broke out. But neither lord McLane nor his son would give away any hint that could solve the puzzle for her. With each visit and time she was made to face those startlingly familiar eyes Gayatri burned with a curiosity so strong that she could simply not wait anymore. Especially not when it seemed as if the boy had went and made a fresh bond with another link of her past that she wished would stay buried as long as possible; Kashi.

Gayatri did not want her step daughter anywhere near her especially not under Lord McLane's nose. She feared if the rumors about the cursed girl is true, perhaps the man might think of her as a better choice than Shivjit. She was after all the daughter of the principal queen. And - god forbid - if she was right about David McLane - it could mean lord McLane has a very different design for Chandranagara's future.

Gayatri shook her head unconsciously. No, she thought determinedly eyeing the empty ornate frame that hung on the wall in front of her. She will not let that happen. Then a chill ran down her spine as realization dawned upon her as to where her wandering feet had brought her to.

Gayatri stood some way into a long passage that was aptly lit with oil lamps. From their ambiguous light she could make out the large portraits hanging on both walls, their ornate frames gilded. She sucked in a breath in a vain attempt to clam herself as a bitter wave of dread engulfed her. From each painting an ancestor or a prince or king of Madhavgadh glared down at her. In the flickering light supplied by the oil lamps at their feet they seemed to breathe as they loomed over her like giants in the darkness. She had already walked past the picture of her brother the current king, ahead of her was the portrait of her late father and beside her was that glaringly empty frame.

Gayatri had to clasp a hand over her mouth to contain the little scream that escaped her as the doors behind her were thrown open and David barged in. Looking between his furious face and the empty frame Gayatri bit her lip and shrunk back a little into the shadows.

"Where is my sister?" David demanded in a flat voice.

In his fisted hand there was a crumpled piece of parchment with a blood smudged charcoal drawing of a complex pattern of entangled stars.

**

For the sixteenth time that evening Kashi reminded herself that she was not supposed to be furious at McLane. But in vain again she found herself bitterly thinking about how smartly he had averted the prospect of having to impart his secret skills on her. Well, she told herself, blowing away the strand of hair that dangled before her eyes, she could help herself. The time she had spent healing had left her limbs lazy. Kashi thought as she eyed the edge of the knife in her grip.

It was a fruit knife, nothing too dangerous. She should not have expected anything like a dagger or sword when she asked Keren to bring her a weapon. Keren McLane being the perfect lady that she was did not even bother to inquire for what Kashi needed the weapon for. Kashi thought however that the knowledge would not have impressed her either. So instead she glared at the fruit knife and swiftly threw it at the closed bedroom door imagining David McLane was still leaning against it. With a crack it stuck on the dead center of what she imagined as her target.
A victorious grin broke through her pursed lips.

"Are you alright Raajkumari sa?" The guard outside decided to barge in the very next moment, his eyes darting around the room in search of a possible attacker. Kashi glared at him in a similar manner and huffed.

"Very well thank you! I'd appreciate it if you keep yourself restricted to outside."

The man stilled and gulped at her unfriendly tone with a short bow and a murmured apology he scrambled outside and tried to shut the door after him. Before the door closed however Kashi caught sighed of something beyond his shoulder that made her speak again.

"Hold on."

"Yes Rajkumari Sa?"

It was Keren in her long white night gown walking past her door. Something about her manner alerted Kashi. It looked like a trance. She gripped the door frame with one hand and pulled the knife out of the wood with the other before smiling at the guard.

"I just remembered I promised to go on a walk with Lady McLane."

"But Rajkumari I was instructed to -"

"Are you seriously going to suggest that I send Lord McLane's daughter along at this time? Look there she is going? I'm sure she'll be very disappointed if I don't join her!" Kashi continued in her most convincingly polite tone.

"Oh, oh well - if you insist -"

"Yes, I do insist," she pushed through the man and hurried down the passageway only managing to catch a brief glimpse of Keren's white gown disappearing at the end of it.

"Keren! Keren wait up!"

**

"I beg your pardon Mr. McLane?" Gayatri said sweetly. "I wasn't aware that I was supposed to know your sister's whereabouts."

David's lips tugged into what could possibly be described as a diabolical smile.

"That's the irony isn't it? Although you have no reason to know it, I'm afraid you are the only one who would be able to answer my question. Let me ask you again Rani Sa, where is my sister?"

Gayatri stepped closer. He was much taller than she was, but the aura of confidence in her eyes leveled their grounds. There was a thin smile on her lips of one with reins in their hand.

"I'm sure your father might have taught you Mr. McLane, every answer has a price!"

David clenched his jaw, the piece of paper in his hand crushed into a ball inside his fist.

"What is it that you want?"

Gayatri sucked in another breath this time savoring the feeling of having David McLane had her mercy.

"Quid pro quo," she proposed smoothly. "An answer for an answer... Your honesty in answering would in turn guarantee mine."

His chuckle in response was a dark one.

"You did all of this to get me to answer your questions?"

"You see Mr. McLane, these days honesty comes at a very high price. No man speaks truth unless there's a sword pressed against his throat."

"Fine -" he conceded doubtfully. "What is it that you want to know?"

"What sort of a connection do you share with Chandranagara?"

"Nothing whatsoever! Now - where is Keren?"

Gayatri's eyes narrowed.

"You are not being honest."

"I assure you I am. Your old kingdom has nothing to do with me, other than my father's plans to make your son sit in that throne! What have you done with my sister?" He demanded rather sternly.

"Let us just assume she will be safe if you speak the truth," Gayatri said slyly. "Your dishonesty could possibly cost her life - such was the charm that I chose."

"Indeed?" David raised an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me right now?"

"Perhaps... Let me try a different approach are you familiar with the name Gangadar Singh Rathod?"

"No, I'm not. Where is Keren?" He shot back unfazed.

"Definitely not in the castle," Gayatri walked away and stood beside her father's portrait. "Aren't you curious why I'm asking you these strange questions?"

"Not more than I'm curious as to what you've done with my sister."

"You remind me of my father, Mr. McLane. He had eyes very similar to yours."

"How intriguing!" David said sarcastically.

"Yes, isn't it? That makes me wonder about your mother... could she possibly be Narmada Singh Rathod?"

There was a pause in which her eyed bored into his. It was hard to guess what Gayatri thought she would see in his eyes or whether she had found it or not.

"You certainly entertain a lot of fanciful ideas Rani Sa," replied David, with a short bow that barely lowered his eyes. "But I'm sure you might have heard, my mother's name is Anita McLane."

Gayatri turned away from him and faced the portrait of her father once more.

"Very well then - I'm sure you will find you sister if you take a stroll down the path that leads into the woods." David stopped with his hand on the door handle when she spoke again. "Let us hope for your sister's sake that your answers had been truthful!"

She got no reply other than the snap of the slamming door as David raced down the corridor.

**

A twig broke under her feet reminding Kashi that she had forgotten her footwear back at her room. Cautiously she glanced up at the canopy of crisscrossing branches overhead. Stars winked at her from the gaps between the trees and an owl hooted somewhere ahead. The racket of crickets rose up to a crescendo and a bat flapped down from a nearest tree. Kashi waved her arms in hopes of driving it off and tried to maintain the trail of Keren who was still walking up ahead.

Her white dress was almost a flag in the darkness and Kashi closed in. She knew it was no longer wise to call out. She had no idea what kind of evils hid themselves in the depths of Madhavgadh woods. She did not want to deal with any more unknown foes for the time being. Finally she stretched out a hand and grabbed Keren's arm.

At the same time something shot past her. It was only instinctively that Kashi managed to pulled Keren and herself out of the harm's way. An arrow shot at them in the darkness buried itself into the bark of the tree they were pressed against. Keren's eyes were wide as if she had just woken up from a nightmare.

"Kashi Bai? Dear lord what is this place?" She asked in a breathless and startled tone.

"You tell me Miss McLane, do you sleep walk often?"

"Sleep walk? You mean to say I walked all the way from my bedchamber to here?"

"Well at least it seemed to me that way, as long as I followed you."

Keren watched Kashi for another moment as if her words were too deep for her understanding. Then she shook her head slowly to get herself rid of the complex explanation and in the process noticed the arrow sticking to the tree, very close to her ear.

She did the very logical thing any lady would do. She screamed. Kashi rolled her eyes before pulling Keren down to the ground with her as three more arrows found the place where their heads had been a moment before and she clasped a hand over Keren's mouth.

"Please for the sake of your own safety do not make any more noises. Do you understand Miss McLane?" She asked in a low whisper. Keren nodded furiously fast and with a sigh Kashi removed her hand.

"What was that?" Keren inquired in whisper.

"Madhavgadh is famous for sound arches. It seems the woods are full of them," she replied in a equally soundless manner. Getting to her feet and mutely helping Keren to follow on her steps. "As for the first arrow I think we've stepped into some sort of a trap - step where I step and nowhere else."

She took one cautious step forward and then another. On her third step however there was a snap followed by a crack in the distance. The arrow came before they could take the next breath and met the blade of Kashi's fruit knife. With a swift and sharp movement of her wrist she sent it towards another tree and turned to look at Keren.

"Are you quite alright, Miss McLane?"

Keren took some effort to shut her gaping mouth and nodded. In the starlight her eyes were shinning with new found respect.

"You are a hero Kashi Bai!"

"Not quite," Kashi said dismissively since she missed the childlike excitement in Keren's face as she was too perturbed with finding safe spots to step. "If I had a bow I would have cut the string that connected the arrows to the trap in one move. And even figuratively speaking, heroine would be the correct term."

Keren dismissed the later remark and grabbed the former with even more fanatic glow in her eyes.

"You can handle the bow as well?"

"Well yes, it's my favorite weapon. The precision and speed. I like that."

"Umm Kashi Bai - how long do you think we'll have to walk?"

Kashi did not answer immediately as her eyes were fixed on somewhere beyond the trees.

"Not very long," she replied distractedly. They could hear hooves against the dried leaves on the ground and soon a horseman appeared. His dark silhouette raised a bow and shot somewhere above their heads. Once, twice and again he shot before putting the bow away. "Here comes your brother!"

Their eyes met for a brief moment as David dismounted his beast and Keren rushed past Kashi to his embrace. She had never seen that look in his eyes that it made her stumble in the darkness as she approached them. David stretched out an arm to steady her, still hugging his sister tight with the other arm.

The David McLane she was familiar with had so much confidence in his cold and closed off gaze. But the David McLane who held her gaze then had shed that veil of indifference. He looked vulnerable and raw agony flashed in the grey depths of his eyes. She did not need the words that followed to know what he felt at that moment.

"I am in your debt Kashi Bai!"

She tried to maintain her breath, suddenly feeling her throat tight and eyes stinging. It will not do to lose her head over a simple expression of gratitude.

Kashi cleared her throat and looked away at the horse that suddenly seemed rather fascinating.

"I believe you know of a very good way to pay off that debt Mr. McLane." She managed to utter to her absolute surprise.

**
He had almost broken his promise to his mother.

"Say it David, I want to hear you say it." He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.

"I will take care of Keren, she will never be involved in any game we play for power." He said honestly.

"That's not all." Anita said shortly.

"And I will return safely too," sighed David. "I will not let myself get killed."

Almost. David could not help the wave of relief that rushed over him when his eyes finally rested upon Kashi Bai and Keren. He did not mind that his mask had slipped in front of Kashi Bai's too sharp eyes. He did not care that she might see his insecurities through the cracks of his armor and he meant it when he said, "I'm in your debt Kashi Bai."

"I think you know of a very good way to pay off that debt, Mr. McLane." She replied. Her tone shook a little but strong nevertheless.

That blunt reply snapped whatever string it was that bound his rational mind for a moment from reaching out to him. David said nothing. Only his eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch and his grip on Kashi's elbow tightened a little.

"Of cause," he said. Suddenly all the warmth of gratitude was gone from his tone. "Anything that pleases the lady..."

"Does that mean you're willing to re - negotiate the terms of our deal?"

His grip fell away from her elbow and he turned to leave, leading Keren with a hand on the small of her back.

"I choose the place and you can choose the time Kashi Bai. I'll await your word."

**
Did Gayatri give enough food for your thought? What about David was he being honest or sly?
Tell me what you think, I'm waiting to know!
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Thank you for reading!