Wv-3/1

The Whisper Valley-3/1

(Contd..,.).. the valley of the Eden!

This is the story of a young woman and her obsession with her love and the eternal journey from life to love...As narrated by the great grand daughter of Willow Feathers...Maria Winsfield...

Khushi liked the narrative and Aron came chiding her," Girl get down I say..."

"Yeah I shall one minute Uncle!" She smiled at him without taking her eyes off the book! Aron left muttering about young woman being obstinate...

She read on...

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"Vekamaaha" The young English lady said in accented Tamil to the Coach man!

"Ama Missie baba!"

( Yes! Missie baba)

The Coachman said and then came the sound of a crashing axil and the coach shook very wildly and then crashed making the young lady hold on to the lamp post to the right hand corner in order to stop herself from falling down...

The coachman Chellamuthu somehow managed to slow down the coach before the axil broke and the young lady was thrown out of the coach landing in the ditch into muddy water!

Missie Baba...

"Nee yenna pandra Muthu!" She shook her head and howled in pain catching her waist!

( Oh! what did you do Muthu!)

"Mannikkanum Missie baba!" Chella Muthu removed the wheel from across her body and she slowly got up as he helped her!

( Please forgive me Missie baba)

"Ayyo..." He was upset!

"Kavalai padaathey!"

( Don't worry)

She smiled as brightly as she could!She then took a dark wrap... something like a quilt in typical SouthIndian combination- a farewell gift from her room mates and covered herself as her sheet white long gown was covered in slush!

"Uhhh!!!" She limped to the side of the muddy road and sat on a rock! She was badly bruised and that would have to be checked once she reached the Valley! It started to drizzle now and she opened the parasole she carried and sat taking long breaths as Muthu checked the horses!

"Hey Muthu! Innum evalavu thooram pohanam?" She asked him writhing in pain.

( How much distance to go Muthu?)

"Ennum... konjam mayil Missie baba!" 

( A few more miles)

Muthu said looking around! They were in thick woods and apart from the mud road every other inch was covered with vegetation! 

"Ok! So what now?" She asked him in English!

"Udavi ketkatumaa?"

(Shall I get some help...?) Muthu asked her!

"Naan wunkoda varuven" The young lady insisted!

(I shall come with you)

"Venda!" Muthu woudn't listen! 

The horse had it leg broken so he carefully weened it away with great difficulty from the road and tied to a tree deeper in the woods!He reiterated that... it was a very muddy road and she won't be able to walk so much! He insisted she stayed back and be safe being nearer to the road! The young woman reluctantly agreed but wanted to tell him she might have to get some medical attention soon!

"Ok! But..." She tried telling something...

Muthu wouldn't listen!He insisited she covered herself completely from over her head shielding her face and sat by the mud road under a giant fig tree!

"Seri!"(Ok) She smiled at her coachman who was very loyal to her family and she being English he was worried to leave her alone on the road so insisted she wore the wrap completely across her face covering both her attire and face!

As Muthu left the young lady sat looking at the whisps of clouds that floated across the sky and the woods that were slowly being covered by a carpet of fog! It was past three in the afternoon and had they not had the accident they would have been in the Valley by now..The young woman grimaced!

And then she saw it! A movement of the Lantana shrubs to her right when a pair of red eyes stared at her and she heard the snarl! 

Oh god! Was it an animal! She got up and did not know what to do! She searched for a stick... a stone...something to scare the animal away! 

She found none but as she bent to pick a weak twig that dropped down the tree.But as she bent there was a distinct thud on the ground... a rythemic thudding of teh earth indicating the approach of a horse... the faint sound of the horse shoed hoofs touching the ground... She looked at teh road turning slightly to her left side,...still bent. 

She first saw a black hound race through with lightening speed and then  she saw him...

...through the fog came a rider on a white horse his cape bellowing in the air and he was wearing a long travel coat with his head and face covered in a 

netted guage that usually the knights of those days wore for travelling to keep the dust at bay! He sat erect on the horse and his stance spoke of regal bearing! The three red crosses on his collar and cape indicated authority and the red band with a gold star on his hat told her clearly that he was from the higher echeolons! 

Willow Gemima Feathers! Are you hallucinating or is that man for real? Willow Feathers pinched herself as the man the horse and the beast of a dog moved in perfect harmony emerging out of the thickening fog just like a bolt of lightening! It looked as if the devil was on the prowl and she was standing right in his path!

The man the horse and  the dog flew past her in a jiffy spewing slush all over... and Willow realised that she could have asked for help! And anyways was he blind! She thought later!

"Mannerless brute!" She huffed! He must have seen the broken down coach! 

"Huh!And still did not stop and offer to help! How very arrogant!" She walked to the rock again and sat down! There was a resounding clap of thunder somewhere... and she saw the hooded form approach her again...as...she saw the knight coming back.

She remembered Muthu's warning to be on her guard! Sister Gratis had taught them a few self defense tricks! She wriggled her fingers to check her techniques! Well! She could always try! Can't she! 

Arnav Simha Raieeszada the second turned back slackening the pace of his horse Cyrus! What in the world was that woman doing gallivanting in deep woods when the fog already took over the valley! Greed!...he concluded when he first saw her searching for wood! Everyone was greedy! The locals, the British and The French! He had just had a meeting with the Governor at Coimbattore and negated his offer to lay a railway track to civilize the Valley of Eden!

He knew the english used this just as an excuse for establishing themselves and adding the valley to their conquests before the French took over! The Valley of eden was so far safe coz of its location and difficulty in approach! A new railway line would spell doom for its locals- mostly tribals who no doubt will be exploited by the greedy foriegners and some money hungry land lords from the land itself!

The locals in their greed for wood and herbs which fethched more and more, thanks to the interest of the foriegn companies went deeper into woods daring the oddly unfriendly weather and also the treacherous mountain cliffs not to mention the wild animals!!Served her right! But then after passing by he felt bad! It was a woman and she was alone! He groaned loudly and turned back!

Willows sat stiff shivering as now even the parasole wouldn't help her! She had put it off by her side long back!

"Ennodu Vaanga!"

( Come with me)
He said without any preamble! 
Willows was peeved as he did not even greet her! What did he think he was up to and who does he think he was!
Arnav was getting ompatient by the minute as the fog was already thick making the visibility to zero and the track was treacherous!

"Unakku udhavattumaa?" Arnav asked her!

(Do you need help?)

Oh! God! He had such deep sexy voice!... It sent a chill down her spine and the exotic local language made it sound even more sinful!

Willows closed her eyes and chided herself! 

If only sister Margerita even knew about the thoughts... she... she gulped hard! Lord please help me as I have sinned! She crossed her fingers!

Was she a Tribal? The garish wrap she was draped in was covering her completely and the fog wasn't helping either! Arnav squinted hard to get a glimpse of her eyes and failed! Finally impatient,... he asked irritatedly!

"Enga irunthu vandha?"

(Where did you come from?)

Willows was now scared in earnest! 
He was an Indian! 
She supposed so as he did not have an accent while speaking Tamil!

The man seemed very rougish! He did not wish a lady and neither did he get down and courteousy!

Oh thats because you are wrapped in a tent idiot girl! 
An inner voice told her and for all he cares he is thinking you are a local!

She cleared her voice and realised it would be better if she maintained to be a local! She coughed to make her voice shiver a little so that he cannot catch her accent...

Arnav had had it for a day! He just had to get rid off the widowed daughter of General Forrests- lady Jasper who clung to him and her father was all for it while all he wanted was-peace and prosperity for his valley! And here he got embroiled with this local ninny who wouldn't even reply for her own good!

"Naan unakku udavi seyattuma?" He growled!

(Shall I help you)

Willows opened her mouth but only to scream as a black hound with its eyes shining like dying stars pounced from the shrubbery on to her!

"BUDDY!!!!" The knight's voice pierced the thick fog and Willows could actually see the dog freeze on its tracks and stand still! 

"Heel boy!"The man said and the accent made Willows gasp as it was typical queen's accent!

And without waiting for her answer he bent and said,"Ennodu Va!"

( Come with me)
How dared he talked to her so informally!

He then to her surprise scooped her up by saying...

" Irunga"( Hold on) and with a jerk of his arm egged his horse!

Willows held on to him for her life as the horse moved like a flash of light and in fifteen minutes they neared the valley which might have other wise taken more than half an hour easily! And she also notied that he was an expert horse man!

They neared the willow creek!

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Darkness enveloped suddenly...what...whaa.... Khsuhi was so lost in reading the book that she forgot she was perched on a ladder and the power gave way and she was on the third gallery which was to the top and very dark as such and now it was compleytely dark!

She suddenly realised that there was no movement in the library! Did they lock her? she opened her mouth to shout but she felt silly! she looked at her flourescent dial that said it was five minutes to two and she knew the library closed by a quarter past two! 

Be brave Khsuhi! She tried to get down the next rung and as she reached for it slipped and closed her eyes as she knew she was going to fall! Oh! God! Now she was going to be so embarrassed she thought as she fell weightlessly down!

Khushi braced for the fall and she landed into a pair of warm hands and was immediately set on the ground as she exclaimed" Whoa! what...who...A hand closed her mouth as a scent - deep and very arousing...and that she could not place wafted across... and a deep male voice whispered...Go away where you came from!" 

Before she even recovered from it... whoever it was was gone! 

She called," Uncle! Is that you?... Who is it?"

The lights came on and Uncle Aron came running saying," Oh my god I thought you would fall! Oh god! Jesus! He crossed his fingers across his chest in gratitude and said," off you go! Its closing time an dyou need to be back! The fog! Remember?"

Khushi was so shocked that she nodded her head mechanically and looked around for any sign of occupation! Apart from a middle aged man searching for some journal, she found the library to be empty!

She asked Aron as he entered her book into the register for borrowing and he said there was none other than the gentle man! 

Then...who was he? ...and why did he warn her? If he wanted to harm her he would have let her fall! Why did he save her from the fall?

Khushi's head whirred as she walked out and the outside chill made her shiver a little and she looked at the book in her hands! Well what happened after they reached the creek? The question nagged at her! it was not even two! she looked around! on the side path that led to the small gate, she saw a stone bench! she walked to it and sat and opened the book! Just a few pages she told herself!

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The knight suddenly bent his head and slowing the horse asked

"Neinga engéa vasikkirienga?"

( Where do you live?)

"Fern cottage!" She said!

There was a sharp intake of breath and he asked
"Nienga engirundhu varrienga?"

(Where Are You From?)

And as they spoke... before she could answer...they neared the Fern cottage!

The horse came to a halt as the Knight got down and gave her his hand to get down! 

Willows stared at the gloved hand!

No manners at all! Offering help to a lady with a leather glove on! Ok! let him be! He atleast gave her a ride till the Valley!

She removed her glove and caught his hand and jumped down and her wrap caught on to the stirrup and blew away with a wisp of wind as she fell into his waiting arms...her hair falling out of the barrete that was broken because of the impact !

Arnav stared at the woman who fell into his arms her eyes wide and wary and a deep blue and her mouth pinched at the corners as she appeared peeved!
Her cheeks and hair at her temples dappled with slush... and her hair goldenbrown and splaying all across his face and shoulders as he exclaimed," Good God!" 

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I am enjoying writing this! Hope you are enjoying the read! do let me know!