The family house of Amaroks was called the 'Hill Palace'. As the name indicates, it was a huge palace located at a hill top. When they were still ruling Poonj, it was from here they controlled the state. The palace road started with a huge arch gate at the foothill and extended to another similar gate at the top. The palace was known for its vibrant and exquisite craftsmanship and stood like a red ruby at the centre of a green forest, when viewed from atop.
Today was the wedding day of the first heir in the family. If it was the old times, this meant the crown prince's wedding; a royal wedding. But against everyone's expectation, there were hardly any decorations or arrangements for the wedding in the palace. Instead of a very joyful atmosphere all there was some gloomy appearance.
Yul entered the palace and went straight into a huge study hall that was located at one corner in the upper floor. He knocked on the carved red wood door and entered in respect.
In the middle of the hall, there sat a woman in her late forties reading through some report presented by a servant. She was wearing Poonj's traditional costume which was full length large pleated silk skirt and shirt top adorned by a transparent golden laid shawl across her shoulders. Accompanied by accessories of gold, she proclaimed her presence as the woman in power, without any word.
"Mother…" Yul called respectfully.
"You are here!" Mrs Thamina Amarok looked at Yul, took off her reading glass and then dismissed the servant.
The servant bowed at Yul in respect and left the room.
Seeing the servant close the door, she stood up from her seat and went to Yul.
"How are you, mother?" Yul enquired.
"How well I can be when all these are happening?" Thamina said to Yul in desperation.
"I told you not to be worried. Everything will go as per our plans. I am here, isn't?" Yul assured her and brought her to sit in the sofa nearby.
"Where is the boy? Didn't you bring him here?"
"There is a small situation there. The child is too much attached with the mother. So I couldn't take him from her. They will both arrive soon. You will understand when you see them." Yul tried to explain the situation.
"What situation, Yul? She must be playing tricks to keep the child with her. We must bring him here, no matter what. He is my Yaniv's child. He should grow here, with me and not with some uncouth woman of unknown origin." Thamina's anger towards Liya was very evident in her words.
"I understand mother. I did try for that. But I said, there are some issues with the boy. He will need some time to adjust to the fact that we are his family. We can't just force him on that." Yul replied.
"I don't need to know any of that. I just want my son's child to grow with me. That is what you promised too. Now look at what you are doing. Marrying that vicious girl who seduced my son and making her official wife. What will the people think, if anyone knew about this? The elder brother marrying his younger brother's.... " She didn't finish that but continued, "You are even lying to everyone for her sake." Thamina stood up in anger and took few steps away from Yul.
"I am not doing that for her, mother. It is for Inu. As you said, he is Yaniv's son. We can't allow anyone to call him names, when he grow up, can we? By this marriage we can make him a legal heir and everyone will see him as my son. Isn't that better?" Yul also stood up and went to make Thamina listen to him.
But as he looked at Thamina, he saw tears welled up in her eyes. On seeing Yul noticing the tears, she hurriedly wiped her eyes and looked at the floor.
"Why are you crying, mother? Please don't cry. It doesn't suit the queen of the family. I will take care of everything and bring Inu to you soon. Okay?" Yul tried to cheer up his mother.
"As you say Yul…" Thamina regained her composure and continued, "By the way, I have arranged everything for the wedding as you asked. The high priest and monks are already here. You go and greet them first."
"I will do that. Where are Fariya and Riyan? I didn't see them anywhere!" Yul asked about his younger sister and brother.
"She must be messing around somewhere there. Riyan went out. Said he will be back in time of the prayer." Thamina replied.
"Then I will see you downstairs…" Yul took his leave from the study and went to the prayer hall were the monks were preparing for the wedding.
Before he entered the prayer hall, someone grabbed Yul's neck from behind. Yul bend a bit to make the person grabbing him feel successful in attacking him.
"You should grow up, Fariya. Stop fooling around." Yul said to his sister who was now hanging on to his neck.
"How did you know it was me? What if it was some assassin?" Fariya asked while still clinging on to him.
"No assassin will cling like a monkey on its target's neck. Now let go."
"You are so boring." Fariya removed his hold and replied.
"Well… well…my dear brother, you are not that boring as I imagined. Tell me the truth, how did it happen?" She asked while looking at him with a playful smile.
"How did what happen?" Yul asked.
"Sh… Come here…This isn't something that poor celibate monks should hear." Saying this Fariya grabbed Yul's hand and took him aside.
"You know what I mean. The kid. Your son! How did it happen?" Fariya went near Yul and whispered the rest, "Wasn't it some wild night encounter gone wrong? Then she became pregnant, came to you with a grown up child and you were forced to take responsibility! Isn't that the real story?"
"Is that something a kid should ask? Who teaches you things like this?" Yul knocked lightly on her forehead and made her stand straight.
"I am not a kid. I am a well grown adult attending college. Moreover, now even a school kid knows things like this . The world has changed, you old man." Fariya put out her tongue to tease Yul.
Seeing his childish sister, Yul said, "Yeah, sure, I can see that you have grown… backwards."
Fariya pouted her lips, and then quickly said, "Leave that. Now tell me what happened? I know for sure that you aren't someone who will have a secret marriage. There is something very obviously suspicious."