GM’s Note:<\/b>\u00a0 This episode originally started as one of Neil Fraser’s many play-by-mail (PBM) games.\u00a0 The original first move is included below.<\/span><\/p>\nWritten by Neil Fraser<\/h2>\n
Anjuli stood eagerly at the rail of ‘A-Deck’ on the Gold Funnel liner, ‘Duchess of Skye’.\u00a0 In deference to the chilly weather, she wore western clothes and was wrapped in a luxurious blue mink coat.\u00a0 She tugged the matching hat down more closely over her icy ears.\u00a0 Few others were on deck with her, most preferring the comfort of the lounge or their cabins.<\/p>\n
Her green eyes anxiously searched the dull grey horizon for her first glimpse of home after such a long time.\u00a0 She desperately wanted to see Shahpura again, despite the smallness of the old walled town.\u00a0 Even Paris had paled after a while.\u00a0 Above all she wanted Jumtiaha Palace to still be home, unchanged, impossibly huge and sprawling as it was with all its dark corridors, mysterious cupboards, bizarre rooms and abandoned wings.\u00a0 Anjuli sighed happily, then shivered again.\u00a0 Just as soon as she had seen India, she would go back to the warmth of the lounge.<\/p>\n
On the very edge of her vision, a darker grey streak appeared along the horizon.\u00a0 Land!\u00a0 India at last.\u00a0 She watched for several minutes as the smudge became more substantial.\u00a0 The relief, joy and excitement of returning home flooded through her and memories of her family crowded into her mind.\u00a0 A sudden break in the clouds created a golden spear of sunlight which lanced down to impact silently on the waves ahead of the ship, pointing the way home.\u00a0 The first sight was only Bombay, but it was real, not the imagined city of a homesick heart.<\/p>\n
Not unlike her namesake, the ‘Duchess of Skye’ wallowed majestically in the wake of the tugs as they rounded the point past Black Bay and the elderly hulk of Fort St. George.\u00a0 She was towed to her anchorage in the Bombay Harbour where a crowd of people awaited her berthing.\u00a0 There were soldiers and civilians, nearly all British, and patient native labourers squatting in droves, chatting idly and waiting for the verbal lash of their overseers.<\/p>\n
Anjuli was glorious in shimmering silver-blue satins, silks and coarse woven cottons, all products of the native industry of Shahpura.\u00a0 Her formal sari was brilliant and shot through with threads of gold.\u00a0 The long end was draped artistically over her head and fell to below her waist.\u00a0 Her elaborate gold, pearl and sapphire necklaces, gold and bejewelled bracelets, tinkling anklets and snaking gold and diamond chains over the backs of her hands and fingers caused her to shimmer and flash in the bright sunlight.<\/p>\n
The weather had changed.\u00a0 Whereas at sea it had been cold, windy and miserable, in Bombay the weather was hot, just as she remembered.\u00a0 Anjuli looked over the gathered crowd and felt very smug.\u00a0 These superior British had nothing to compare to her and her adornments.\u00a0 It had always puzzled her how the arrogant ones tended to end up in India, she had not found them to be so bad at home.<\/p>\n
“Is that you, my Darling?”.\u00a0 The woman’s question had come from behind Anjuli, who swung about in a flutter of hummingbird colours to find her new friend standing a short distance from her.\u00a0 Anjuli had met Chastity de Vere aboard the ship after Rome and was immediately taken by the contrast between her name and her appearance.\u00a0 Chastity was one of the most ravishing and sensual beauties Anjuli had ever seen, so un-English, perfect of face and form and possessed of a liquid and seductive voice that stopped men in their tracks.\u00a0 Chastity was only four months younger than Anjuli and the two women quickly became fast friends.<\/p>\n
“Yes Chastity, it’s me” Anjuli replied, taking in her friend’s black satin trouser suit, pale pink silk blouse and wide-brimmed, elegant satin hat.\u00a0 On seeing Anjuli properly Chastity’s mauve-blue eyes opened wide, giving her the look of an empty-headed doll.\u00a0 Anjuli now knew this to be an expression Chastity used to mislead people as to her wit and intelligence.\u00a0 The resulting confusion had given both women subtle enjoyment over the course of the voyage.<\/p>\n
Chastity quickly embraced Anjuli and kissed her cheek-to-cheek.\u00a0 Despite usually being outshone by the Welsh woman, this time Anjuli was by far the more spectacular of the two.\u00a0 “That’s utterly super!” said Chastity, faint regret tinging her voice as she stared at Anjuli’s forehead.\u00a0 “A gift from my father on my fourteenth birthday” Anjuli answered with quiet pride.\u00a0 She knew why Chastity stared.\u00a0 Everyone who saw that particular jewel stared.<\/p>\n
A woven electrum wire about Anjuli’s black tresses supported above her forehead a rosette of white diamonds, fourteen in all, surrounding a carved and shapely ten pointed star surmounted by a huge, fiery blue diamond.\u00a0 Below, in lieu of her usual painted caste mark, hung a bloody ruby with the fire of the gods in its heart.\u00a0 The warm metal against her forehead was a reminder of who and where she was.\u00a0 Rajkumari Anjuli, daughter of Bharmal, Rajah of Shahpura, granddaughter of the 10th Earl of Carmarthen by his daughter Catherine, herself now Rani of Shahpura and wife to Bharmal, noticed with cynical amusement the gap that had opened about her and Chastity, a court of sycophants drawing back from their mistresses.<\/p>\n
What Anjuli liked best about Chastity and her husband, Rhys de Vere, was that neither had apparently noticed she was not the same hue as they.\u00a0 Neither seemed to care and, as far as she could tell, these vital and vibrant individuals accepted people on their own merits.\u00a0 Anjuli reflected sadly that they were likely to be shunned by the rest of the British community in India as a result.<\/p>\n
Chastity sighed enviously as she touched Anjuli’s flowing robes.\u00a0 “Oh, I love this.\u00a0 I must wear some and you must show me how to wear it”.\u00a0 The hint of a challenge in her gaze deserved a suitable reply.\u00a0 Anjuli smiled and took Chastity’s hand.\u00a0 “Your hair is exactly the right black, Chastity.\u00a0 That’s unusual in Europe but perfect for here.\u00a0 But your skin is even paler than mine and mine is most un-Indian.\u00a0 I don’t think I want to have you seen in a sari, though.\u00a0 You outshine me invariable anyway!”\u00a0 Anjuli’s teasing worked and Chastity laughed gaily, eyes flashing.\u00a0 She kissed Anjuli again, oblivious of the disapproving frowns of the “pukka sahibs” about.<\/p>\n
“What ho, ladies!” came the cheery cry of Chastity’s husband, Rhys.\u00a0 He pushed his way through the crowd, smiling brilliantly to all and sundry as an apology.\u00a0 His enormous and unaffected charm won him an effortless path.\u00a0 In his own way, Rhys was almost as stunning as his lovely wife.\u00a0 Tall, slim and broad-shouldered, his studiously careless blond hair and his dark blue eyes heralded bon viveur.<\/p>\n
On first meeting him Anjuli had been quite shocked to see an Anglican dog collar beneath his square chin, she would never have thought him a minister.\u00a0 After learning more about him Anjuli discovered that under his individually tailored black suits and his languid upper-class drawl Rhys was a Welshman and a member of the superb 1924 Olympic British trap-shooting team.\u00a0 It was unfortunate he broke his hand just after qualifying for the team.<\/p>\n
Rhys bowed extravagantly before Anjuli.\u00a0 “Dear cousin!” he exclaimed.\u00a0 Ever since he found out that an ancestor of his had married a relative of Anjuli’s British ancestors, he had insisted on calling her “cousin”.\u00a0 With a grandiloquent gesture, Rhys took Anjuli’s hand and bent over to kiss it.\u00a0 She suspected he would have been a magnificent actor had the Church not called him.<\/p>\n
“Gosh, one could cut one’s lips on these baubles, couldn’t one poppet?” he appealed to his wife, waving Anjuli’s captive hand before Chastity’s laughing eyes.\u00a0 “Rhys!” she managed, seeing Anjuli’s attempts to break free and stop being the centre of unwanted attention from the surrounding British and natives.\u00a0 “They are not baubles!”\u00a0 She turned to Anjuli whose hand was still captive in Rhys grasp.\u00a0 “The silly thing has no taste.\u00a0 Baubles, dear Rhys, are one, usually worthless, two, invariably large, gaudy and in poor taste, and three, worn by large, gaudy and in poor taste matrons.\u00a0 Neither one, two or three apply to our Anjuli.”<\/p>\n
Throughout this lecture, Chastity made no attempt to help Anjuli set herself free.\u00a0 Rhys threw one histrionic hand to his forehead and staggered in shock and dismay.\u00a0 Anjuli hurriedly reclaimed her hand.<\/p>\n
“What?” the minister cried.\u00a0 “You are not a matron, dear cousin?\u00a0 How could you have deceived me so?”\u00a0 He turned to the gawking crowds about them.\u00a0 “Listen up, oh sturdy yeomen!\u00a0 She is not a matron!”\u00a0 Suddenly Anjuli was not the centre of attention.\u00a0 Everyone was looking pointedly elsewhere, everyone except one little girl who giggled in delight at the “funny man”.\u00a0 The girl’s nanny gave her a quick clip on the side of her head, causing the girl enough pain to start quietly crying.\u00a0 Rhys glared daggers at the nanny, causing her to back away looking upset, confused and a little contrite.<\/p>\n
Chastity threw her arms about her husband, weeping with laughter into his shoulder.\u00a0 He patted her in the manner of an uncle and peered at her, as if over the top of imaginary spectacles.\u00a0 “Dear me!” he remarked to Anjuli.\u00a0 “Who is this young gel who continually drapes herself over me?\u00a0 Where do I pick ’em up from?”\u00a0 He lapsed into a series of senile mumbles, oblivious to Chastity’s tiny pounding fists against his chest.<\/p>\n
“Beast!” she managed.\u00a0 “I’m going to have to do all my makeup again.”\u00a0 “Goo’ Lord!” he exclaimed.\u00a0 “You need to wear makeup?”\u00a0 She hugged him tightly, beaming.\u00a0 “Sometimes he’s an angel” she proclaimed.\u00a0 “Dash it then!\u00a0 Some cad has stolen me wings, harp and halo!”\u00a0 “Then he spoils it!” Chastity continued severely.<\/p>\n
Anjuli had resigned herself to an interminable wait in customs, perhaps due to her mountainous baggage.\u00a0 Over to her right, Rhys was enjoying himself.\u00a0 The officials had no idea what to do with such a minister of religion.\u00a0 “The huntin’, the shootin’ and the fishin’, dear boy.\u00a0 Though I’m not too keen on the fishin’.\u00a0 That’s why I’m here.\u00a0 I’m disappointed though.\u00a0 Almost fifteen minutes ashore and I haven’t seen a single tiger yet.\u00a0 It’s not good enough, old chum” he continued, lecturing benignly.\u00a0 The official looked bemused.\u00a0 “Roll on the tigers!\u00a0 I say, with all these doors, surely there’s a tiger behind one of ’em.\u00a0 Let ’em get moving, then POW!\u00a0 A running shot!”\u00a0 Rhys made a rifle shooting gesture, nearly knocking off his wife’s hat.\u00a0 Chastity was trying unsuccessfully not to giggle.<\/p>\n
Then Anjuli forgot the dog collared clown.\u00a0 Effortlessly gliding through the crowds towards her was the unmistakable form of Sher Singh Ardra, one of her father’s oldest friends and one of hers too, despite the disparity in age, gender and station.\u00a0 The Sikh was almost 6′ 8″ tall and must have weighed over twenty stone.\u00a0 He was built like a bull, handsome and impressive.\u00a0 Shimmering black boots were topped by crimson silk trousers and a turquoise silk jacket, gold-embroidered with carved sapphire buttons.\u00a0 His broad sash was butter yellow and scarlet, fringed with silver.\u00a0 His magnificent turban was snow white and immaculately wound, topped with a piece of carved jade backed with the eye from a peacock’s tail.<\/p>\n
“Little Princess!” he boomed, his voice deep enough, but not as much as would be expected from his size.\u00a0 He swept down on Anjuli, picking her up and embracing her closely.\u00a0 Anjuli’s face was buried in his silky beard.\u00a0 “I’ve missed you, little Princess,” he said in English.\u00a0 His voice was tender and Anjuli thought she saw a tear in the warrior’s eye.\u00a0 The big Sikh disliked speaking Rajputani and Anjuli spoke no Punjabi.\u00a0 He put her down carefully, then gently put one huge hand on her shoulder and smiled.\u00a0 “Your father sent me to meet you.\u00a0 I’ve been looking forward to this moment since your telegram arrived.”<\/p>\n
“I’ve missed you too, Sher Singh”, Anjuli said, slightly breathlessly.\u00a0 Despite the huge man being nearly twice her age, he had been like a brother to her.\u00a0 Sher Singh had been in the Rajah’s service since 1897 and had taught Anjuli’s older brother, Lalji. Anjuli and Lalji had always been Sher Singh’s favourites.\u00a0 Anjuli’s younger brother Nandu had never really liked him though.<\/p>\n
As a Sikh and therefore without the Hindu caste and social system, Sher Singh felt it not unreasonable that he acted as the conscience of the family he served with devotion.\u00a0 Bharmal appreciated this and welcomed the giant soldier’s often blunt advice.\u00a0 Nandu, however, felt that the foreigner and unbeliever took advantage of his position.\u00a0\u00a0 Consequently, Sher Singh had resigned himself to losing his job on his friend Bharmal’s death.\u00a0 Privately Anjuli had resolved to find a position for him.\u00a0 Such faithfulness as her father’s general and chief soldier had invariably shown, such friendship, should not be discarded like an old coat.<\/p>\n
Anjuli noticed the relative silence.\u00a0 Rhys was observing this little t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate from his position, eyes bright and amused, head slightly on one side, like a roguish blond starling.\u00a0 The customs official took advantage of this respite to hurriedly stamp the minister’s papers and thrust them into his hands.\u00a0 Chastity took his arm and began to tug him in the direction of Anjuli and Sher Singh.<\/p>\n
The latter spoke again, oblivious for the moment of the coming confrontation.\u00a0 “Mohandur Banh is fixing your papers, little Princess.\u00a0 Waiting outside I have servants, guards, elephants, carriages and my Rajah’s motor-car for your choice of travel.”<\/p>\n
Anjuli nodded, comfortably slipping into the role of potentate surrounded by hordes of lackeys, though her heart sank slightly at the thought of Mohandur Banh, the major-domo.\u00a0 A tall, thin, cold man he was technically Anjuli’s uncle, though never referred to as such.\u00a0 Anjuli’s grandfather had eight wives, Bharmal was the son of the Rani, Mohandur the son of the junior-most wife.\u00a0 Though always very formal and correct, Anjuli had always suspected him of seeking more power than he already possessed, and of being a manipulator of the thoughts and deeds of others.\u00a0 Sometimes he made her feel like a stumbling girl.\u00a0 She smiled, slightly absently, at Sher Singh who swelled with pleasure.\u00a0 At least she had her guardian lion to protect her.<\/p>\n
“Little princess, introduce me to your two friends,” Sher Singh asked gently.\u00a0 He turned, lightly for his bulk, and surveyed Reverend and Mrs de Vere with cool brown eyes.\u00a0 They had yet to prove themselves to him.\u00a0 “Oh, Sher Singh.\u00a0 This is … the Honourable the Reverend Rhys Owain Davies-de Vere and his wife Chastity, Mrs Rhys Davies-de Vere.\u00a0 I met them aboard ship and they are my friends.\u00a0 We are related, oh, way back, in Britain.”<\/p>\n
“My Princess’ friends are my responsibility too” declared the Sikh.\u00a0 “My service is yours to command.”\u00a0 Now the de Veres were placed as friends and even as relatives Sher Singh’s eyes were warm and open.\u00a0 “Gosh!\u00a0 Do all of your countrymen come so big, dear cousin?” asked Rhys ingenuously.\u00a0 Anjuli smiled.\u00a0 “No, I believe Sher Singh broke the mould in which he was forged.”\u00a0 She patted Sher Singh’s arm.\u00a0 “He was forged.\u00a0 He’s solid steel with the heart of a marshmallow.”<\/p>\n
The Sikh drew himself up very impressively.\u00a0 “Only to family am I soft, little Princess!”\u00a0 Then he relaxed, laughing.\u00a0 “And to family friends.\u00a0 Do all your countrymen make so merry a set of clergy?” he asked Rhys.\u00a0 “Oh gosh, no!” said Rhys, with every appearance of earnest honesty.\u00a0 “I had to pay a jolly lot of money for the duds.”<\/p>\n
“Don’t listen to him Anjuli, Mr Singh” retorted Chastity.\u00a0 “He set out to become a minister and he worked awfully hard.\u00a0 Then he joined the army and when the War ended he studied some more.\u00a0 He loves the position and he’d never have stooped to pay.”\u00a0 Chastity seemed very sincere on Rhys behalf.\u00a0 “A hit!\u00a0 A palpable hit!” exclaimed Rhys.\u00a0 “Never marry a maiden (he grinned as at some private joke) who believes in one more than oneself does.”\u00a0 He hugged his wife.<\/p>\n
“And please, Mr and Mrs … Reverend and Mrs Davies-de Vere, I am Sher Singh, not Mr Singh.\u00a0 I am a Sikh and every Sikh’s name is Singh.”<\/p>\n
“In that case” Rhys responded and offered his hand to be shaken by Sher Singh, who did so firmly.\u00a0 “I am Rhys, and my wife Chastity, though she is but a poppet to me.”\u00a0 He nudged her in the ribs.\u00a0 “And we don’t generally use the Davies bit of the surname, y’ know.\u00a0 Just when we’re out to impress.\u00a0 One has a jolly funny feeling you’d be awfully hard to impress, eh what?”<\/p>\n
Sher Singh led the way out, people scattering from his path.\u00a0 A small troop of mounted Sikhs armed with swords clustered about a large, Victorian-style horse-drawn carriage.\u00a0 “Everyone else is outside town, little Princess.\u00a0 We will join them there.”\u00a0 Sher Singh snapped his fingers at the laden porters who hastened to dump their loads on the vehicle.\u00a0 Pre-empting Sher Singh, Rhys handed Chastity and Anjuli into the carriage, then leapt in rather stylishly himself.\u00a0 The Sikh, now astride a huge black stallion, tapped the driver with his whip, then moved to a position alongside the carriage as it moved off.<\/p>\n
“We’ll have to report to the North Barracks, little Princess.\u00a0 I have to collect the lances and our guns.\u00a0 The soldiers will also probably want to escort us to the border of Rajputana.”<\/p>\n
“Band of desperados, eh?” remarked Rhys cheerfully, as he glanced at the immaculate lines of the troopers following.<\/p>\n
“Absolutely Rhys” responded Sher Singh solemnly.\u00a0 “Cut your throat as soon as look at you.\u00a0 They’re just pretending to be disciplined to put you off your guard.”\u00a0 At first Rhys looked startled, but then he grinned appreciatively.\u00a0 “I think I like it here.\u00a0 Jolly interesting chappies in the neighbourhood, eh poppet?”\u00a0 Chastity didn’t respond as she was busy seeing scenes Anjuli didn’t bother looking at any more.\u00a0 Chastity’s interest rekindled Anjuli’s, who then began seeing things with a fresh eye.<\/p>\n
The noise and bustle.\u00a0 British sahibs and memsahibs were followed by Indian servants, often liveried.\u00a0 There were the occasional khaki coated soldiers, native or British, and once, a group of four rifle-green and black-clad Ghurkhas.\u00a0 There were western dressed Indians, merchants perhaps, or businessmen or even clerks, plus natives dressed in all the innumerable styles of the subcontinent.\u00a0 Then there were the cows, the occasional chickens, dogs, cats and even a pair of yellow-grey furred ferocious-looking rats at the opening to a hole that could have been a sewer, save that no-one in the town seemed to use sewers, from the filthy state of the streets.<\/p>\n
Amidst the noise and the sights, the stench and the filth the beggars lurked, and Untouchables engaged in menial and revolting jobs, cringing away from the possessors of caste.\u00a0 Children played in filth and in the back alleys, unseen by more gentle eyes, corpses no doubt lay to be collected eventually and buried.<\/p>\n
“It’s like the East End of London, save for the heat and the clothes, and the buildings are so much finer, so British.”\u00a0 Chastity spoke after a long period of watching, wondering.\u00a0 “You British were ever good builders, Chastity” advised Sher Singh softly.\u00a0 “Builders of structures and builders of realms.\u00a0 To turn all into Britain.\u00a0 Bombay was for so long the home of the Company, and it is more British than virtually any other town.”<\/p>\n
Anjuli picked up the thread.\u00a0 “In the end, though India will swallow Britain, and all this will be India.\u00a0 India is patient and huge and we will bury the little British attempts to change us.\u00a0 We are like China in that, though even more quiet and subtle.”<\/p>\n
“You make all our attempts sound futile.”\u00a0 Rhys was solemn for a change.\u00a0 “Attempts to do what?” asked Sher Singh curiously.\u00a0 “India was already civilized before you came before you were in fact.\u00a0 What Britain wants from India is our wealth.\u00a0 The sometimes dubious benefits of your Western civilization are only a side effect of the Company’s and then the Empire’s attempts to take what is ours.”\u00a0 Sher Singh held up a large, calloused brown hand.\u00a0 “Please don’t think I dislike the British, especially not such intelligent and willing to learn Britons as yourselves.\u00a0 It’s just that the return we get from the Empire doesn’t justify the way things are done.”<\/p>\n
“Even if India can’t rule herself, shouldn’t she be given a chance to try?” asked Anjuli.\u00a0 “You speak as if you are not part of this India” Rhys noticed.\u00a0 “I’m not” she responded promptly.\u00a0 “Sher Singh is, he’s a Punjabi.\u00a0 But I’m from Rajputana and am a member of one of the Princely Houses.\u00a0 We owe our allegiance directly to His Imperial Majesty.\u00a0 George V may be King of Great Britain, but he is Emperor of India, too.\u00a0 Independence such as the Congress Party wants will probably not be good for Rajputana and the other Princely States.”<\/p>\n
“You sound as political as I, little Princess.”\u00a0 It was difficult for Anjuli to tell if Sher Singh sounded reproving.
\nThey arrived outside the barracks.\u00a0 “I’ll go in, little Princess.\u00a0 Wait here.”\u00a0 Sher Singh swung off the big horse, then dismounted his troop.\u00a0 Followed by his sergeant, Khanzah Singh and half the troopers, Sher Singh made his impressive way past the sentries of whatever British regiment they were.\u00a0 The two of them glanced as surreptitiously as possible at the two beautiful women in the carriage.<\/p>\n
“Yoo hoo!” waved Rhys.\u00a0 “Jolly interesting sights, eh fellows?”\u00a0 The two suddenly lost interest in the carriage.\u00a0 “If only I could work out how he does it,” his wife said wistfully.\u00a0 “I could make a fortune selling it.”\u00a0 She changed the subject, fanning herself with a pamphlet that was usually used to extol the virtues of the Gold Funnel Line.\u00a0 “Is it always this hot, dear?”<\/p>\n
“Oh no, usually it’s much worse,” Anjuli said cheerfully.<\/p>\n
“Oh,” said the other faintly.\u00a0 “Oh drat, now I don’t know if you’re serious or not.\u00a0 Do you pick it up from Rhys, or does it come naturally to you?”<\/p>\n
“Yes,” Anjuli answered firmly.\u00a0 Chastity grimaced in reply.\u00a0 “Seriously Chastity, you should wear white to reflect the heat and use a parasol.\u00a0 There should be one here somewhere.”<\/p>\n
Anjuli hunted around in the carriage fruitlessly until the driver divined her purpose.\u00a0 He handed back a long cloth wrapped pole from under his seat.\u00a0 Between Rhys and the Sikh corporal they soon had the brilliantly coloured, heavily fringed umbrella open and socketed.<\/p>\n
Sher Singh reappeared, majestically leading his men who were burdened with lances adorned with fluttering sky blue pennons, and with rifles.\u00a0 The Sikh commander had already slung his rifle over his shoulder and stowed his two revolvers in their waist holsters.\u00a0 Armed, he looked more comfortable than hitherto.\u00a0 A broad, short, very ugly lieutenant of about thirty wearing khaki accompanied him, scampering slightly to keep up and casually returning the sentries salutes with an irritable wave of his swagger stick.\u00a0 Sher Singh made the salutation he reserved for formal occasions.<\/p>\n
“Rajkumari, may I present Lieutenant Dobson of the 3rd Hyderabad Cavalry.\u00a0 Lieutenant Dobson, this is the Rajkumari Anjuli of Shahpura.”\u00a0 The squat Dobson managed a rather lackadaisical salute and his eyes slid sideways to roam over Chastity.\u00a0 He brightened up.\u00a0 “I’m pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Dogson,” said Anjuli, taking a slight pleasure in the needling.\u00a0 Sher Singh looked sideways.<\/p>\n
“Dobson, ma’am” the Englishman corrected, his outraged eyes flicking back to Anjuli.\u00a0 “Oh, of course,” said Anjuli, waving the matter aside as if it was of no major importance.\u00a0 Dobson swallowed his annoyance, but at least no longer dismissed her as unimportant.\u00a0 Chastity ostentatiously shifted closer to Anjuli and draped a slim arm around her shoulder, then leaned to whisper in her ear.\u00a0 “We’ll show that the woman he admires thinks more of the “natives” than her own kind, shall we dear?”\u00a0 Anjuli felt grateful and turned to Chastity with a faint clashing of jewellery.\u00a0 “People like you and Rhys are rare.\u00a0 Thankyou, Chastity.”<\/p>\n
The troopers armed themselves, relaxing and gaining in stature with the restoration of their weapons.\u00a0 A quiet, satisfied buzz ran amongst them until their captain glanced casually over their ranks.\u00a0 There came a clattering of hooves as a British sergeant led a saddled horse and twelve other mounted Indian cavalrymen to the gates.\u00a0 Dobson strode off to his horse without waiting for dismissal.\u00a0 Sher Singh looked ominously at him.<\/p>\n
A little louder than strictly necessary Sher Singh explained to Anjuli “His Majesty’s Government has kindly agreed to allow Lieutenant Dobson and his men to accompany us to the border of Rajputana.\u00a0 There they will return to us the bullets for our rifles.”\u00a0 He slapped the carriage and the whole original part of the cavalcade moved off, to the discomfort of the Indian Army section left behind to wait as their Commander mounted his horse.\u00a0 One of the Sikh troopers made an apparently ribald comment in Punjabi until Sher Singh snapped a comment back.\u00a0 The trooper looked resentful, then grudgingly accepting.<\/p>\n
The other troop finally caught up, Dobson fuming, his sergeant stony-faced and the other troopers apparently unconcerned.\u00a0 A general lack of communication ensued between the two halves of the party.<\/p>\n
The fringes of Bombay were at last behind them.\u00a0 Lieutenant Dobson, at last, had his troop successfully pass the Sikhs and the carriage, a feat he’d been attempting for some time.\u00a0 Dobson had felt rather out of control when at the rear of the group he was trying to escort.\u00a0 The triumph was utterly ruined when Sher Singh, with a ringing Punjabi cry, wheeled his whole group off of the main road and onto a bumpy side trail.<\/p>\n
For a moment Anjuli thought Dobson would draw and use his revolver, she could see the intent in his disappearing back.\u00a0 Reason prevailed, however, and he turned his men around and intercepted them.\u00a0 Dobson glared daggers at an unconcerned Sher Singh but didn’t miss the next turn or the stop.<\/p>\n
An elaborate little camp-site was spread out beside a well near a farm.\u00a0 The area was well watered and the farmer well paid so no resentment was incurred.\u00a0 Naked and semi-naked urchins of both sexes gazed at the camp and the arriving notables.\u00a0 A number broke away from the crowd and clamoured towards the carriage, crying for alms.\u00a0 Off in the distance, under a tree, an almost wholly naked yogi raised his hoary head in mild disinterest at the noise, before letting his head drop again.<\/p>\n
Mohandur Banh descended upon them, stalking like a crane but covering the ground rapidly.\u00a0 Accompanying him were a number of the burlier servants and a flutter of girls.\u00a0 He looked disapprovingly at the unexpected shapes of Rhys and Chastity, then let his cool, remote gaze slip masterfully to his niece.\u00a0 The major-domo nodded as the children scattered before the male servants.\u00a0 “Welcome back Rajkumari.”\u00a0 Mohandur Banh sounded not in the least sincere, and as cool as ever.\u00a0 “It is long since we have seen you.”\u00a0 He didn’t miss a breath but let his gaze slip off her and across the two Britons as though they weren’t there.\u00a0 Rhys and Chastity looked baffled at the Hindi but could tell a snub when they saw one, no matter how well concealed.\u00a0 Rhys helped his wife out as Sher Singh gave his Princess his massive arm.<\/p>\n
“Where is Gunjit Ranwar Pran?” the major-domo gently enquired of no-one.\u00a0 “Here, here, here!” came the shrill response as the fat and greasy little protocol chief bustled up, rubbing scented hands together.\u00a0 He wilted at Mohandur Banh’s superior but subtle sneer.\u00a0 “Oh Rajkumari, Rajkumari!” Pran babbled as he attempted to get close and take Anjuli’s hand.\u00a0 Sher Singh “accidentally” interposed his bulk and was stabbed by a serpentine glare from Pran.\u00a0 There was no love whatsoever lost between the two men.<\/p>\n
“Oh, welcome back to Rajputana” continued Pran.\u00a0 “I pray to all the gods I will be spared to welcome you back to Shahpura as well, Rajkumari!\u00a0 The whole realm will rejoice at your return.\u00a0 The birds will sing, the cows low, the very flowers will bloom again!”<\/p>\n
“That will be enough, Gunjit” interposed Banh expertly, before the spring became a flood.\u00a0 “The Princess will desire a meal and rest and her companions will no doubt require accommodation.\u00a0 Will they be travelling far, Rajkumari?”<\/p>\n
Anjuli was left with Banh’s distaste for the whole business ringing in her ears.\u00a0 Hastily she introduced the minister and his wife to Banh and Pran, then added “Reverend and Mrs de Vere will be travelling to Shahpura with me, then on to Ajmere where his sister and new brother-in-law now live.\u00a0 Reverend de Vere’s brother-in-law works for the Chief Commissioner there.”<\/p>\n
“Indeed” was the lack-lustre response from Banh.\u00a0 “How very exciting it must be for Reverend and Mrs de Vere.”\u00a0 He switched effortlessly to his fluent and only moderately accented English.\u00a0 “Welcome to India, Reverend and Mrs de Vere.\u00a0 One trusts you will enjoy your stay in this alien country.”\u00a0 Banh’s tone left no doubt he rather hoped their stay would be brief and unpleasant.<\/p>\n
Rhys lifted one of those expressive eyebrows of his.\u00a0 “Just here for the shootin’ and huntin’, old boy!”\u00a0 Mohandur Banh looked aggrieved at the appellation.\u00a0 With a sinking heart, Anjuli knew that Rhys would forever call the major-domo “old boy”.\u00a0 Chastity hung onto Rhys’ arm and giggled slightly, slipping into her dumb beauty role.\u00a0 Anjuli now knew that Chastity suspected something odd was going on.<\/p>\n
Banh looked down his not inconsiderable nose at Chastity, then dismissed her as not worthy of further consideration.\u00a0 He turned to Anjuli again.\u00a0 “Come, if you please Rajkumari. I will show you to your tent and I will have instantly made available a tent for your guests.”\u00a0 The “your” of “your guests” was faintly but distinctly emphasized.<\/p>\n
“I thank you for your welcome, Mohandur Banh” Anjuli responded formally.\u00a0 She would give him no more.\u00a0 “Come with me please Chastity, Rhys.\u00a0 I’ll show you around and introduce you later to everyone.”\u00a0 Anjuli switched back to Rajputani to speak to Sher Singh, a sure sign she was angry, upset and feeling ominous.\u00a0 “Please attend me too, Sher Singh.\u00a0 I wish to talk to you about various matters.”<\/p>\n
The Sikh immediately looked worried and upset and Anjuli knew she had scored a hit.\u00a0 He understood Rajputani well enough though he preferred not to talk it, so he knew that for his little Princess to use the tongue on him was a bad sign.\u00a0 The formality of the request was ill, too.\u00a0 They knew he would attend her automatically.\u00a0 The request was to formalise and make an order of a pleasure.\u00a0 “I hear and obey, little Princess.”\u00a0 In a lighter moment, the general would have thickened and made comical his Punjabi accent, but not now.<\/p>\n
Sher Singh trailed unhappily behind as Anjuli took the de Veres to the tent already erected for them.\u00a0 Anjuli reflected sourly that whatever Bahn’s other faults, he was efficient.\u00a0 She assigned three servants, a man and two women, exclusively to Rhys and Chastity.\u00a0 This was usually the major-domo’s job and Anjuli took some pleasure in stepping in over him.\u00a0 She left the de Veres to their own devices.\u00a0 “I’ll just freshen up, dear” Chastity had said.\u00a0 “So we’ll be seein’ you tomorrow, dear cous..\u00a0 Ow!\u00a0 She hit me!\u00a0 Ow!”\u00a0 As she left their tent Anjuli’s humour was somewhat restored.<\/p>\n
Anjuli sank down with pleasure into her own special chair.\u00a0 She had expected it to be here.\u00a0 She’d fallen in love with it when she first saw it at the age of five.\u00a0 It was made of ancient dark wood, inlaid with ivory now cracked and yellowed with age, and with small pieces of lapis lazuli.\u00a0 Exquisitely made, it was said to be ninth century Persian.\u00a0 Father had given it to her as a birthday present.\u00a0 When a passing Frenchman, an expert in such things, had offered Anjuli \u00a31,000.00 for her chair she had said no.\u00a0 The cool silk cushions supported her and lay piled around her feet, resting on the ornate carpet.\u00a0 She sipped at the fruit juice drink that had been provided for her and let the silence grow, along with Sher Singh’s discomfort.<\/p>\n
At last, she decided the veteran warrior was not going to crack.\u00a0 She spoke, still in Rajputani.\u00a0 “Now, Sher Singh Ardra.\u00a0 I have arrived back in India and have been met and most faithfully escorted.\u00a0 I have been in the company of an old and trusted friend for hours now.\u00a0 When we first met again you told me my father had sent you to meet me.”\u00a0 Sher Singh shifted uncomfortably and his eyes, so honest with the family he served, shifted completely from hers.\u00a0 Anjuli knew then that it was bad news.\u00a0 “Since then, Sher Singh Ardra, noble and faithful servant of my father, the Rajah Bharmal, and my friend too, you have not mentioned the Rajah, the Rani, the Yuveraj, my sister Shushila or my nephew or niece!\u00a0 Jhoti is in England still, so I expected to tell you about him, but my whole family otherwise Sher Singh!\u00a0 Why have you given me no word at all on them?\u00a0 What is wrong?\u00a0 Think not to cozen me, Sher Singh.\u00a0 Speak the truth and if there is blame, attach it fairly, but I must know!\u00a0 I will know!<\/p>\n
Anjuli looked very impressive at that moment had she known it.\u00a0 Eyes flashing fire and the dancing ruby on her forehead winking in bloody counterpoint.\u00a0 The very picture of a potentate, far more so than her brother Nandu, as Sher Singh realised later on reflection on this scene.\u00a0 Had he known, apart from her gender Anjuli was the image of her adventurous great-grandfather, the Russian Sergei Vodvichenko, one not possible to refuse.\u00a0 The Sikh bowed to the inevitable, pulled himself together and the knelt in submission before his suddenly great little Princess.<\/p>\n
“Ah, my little Queen!” he appealed brokenly.\u00a0 “No, no” he corrected as Anjuli started, her eyes appalled and wide.\u00a0 “None have died except some of the commoners and some soldiers.\u00a0 Some of them may yet live as they have vanished.\u00a0 My job, my role in life is to care for you … to care for all of you” he corrected.\u00a0 It was the closest Sher Singh had ever come to saying that Anjuli was the most important of his charges.\u00a0 “What care do I give if I give this burden to you?\u00a0 Yet I must, as you must make decisions.”\u00a0 He drew a deep breath and steadied himself, his lips moving briefly in one of his Sikh prayers.<\/p>\n
“The Rani is very ill, some say insane.\u00a0 She will not come from her room or receive anyone.\u00a0 What she says is often incomprehensible.\u00a0 The Rajah is sunk in depression and lethargy and vanishes from the palace often.\u00a0 He seeks in vain for something that seems to be hidden from him when he is still to be found.\u00a0 Shushila has grown cruel and arbitrary.\u00a0 I …” he hesitated carefully, then resolved himself.\u00a0 “I suspect her of having something to do with some of the disappearances of children.\u00a0 Nandu attempts to rule Shahpura, but he is dominated by Colonel Sir Aubrey Winstanley-Beckett, who became British resident and adviser just before you left.\u00a0 Gunjit Ranwar Pran runs about agreeing with everyone and anyone.\u00a0 Mohandur Banh acts as though there is nothing amiss.\u00a0 One of the servants went amok just a week ago, raped two others and murdered three more before he was shot.\u00a0 There are strange smells and sounds in the halls of Jumtiaha.”\u00a0 He stopped momentarily in this litany of disasters.\u00a0 Anjuli gazed at him, motionless, wide-eyed and stricken.<\/p>\n
“Border tensions with our old enemy and neighbour Amwar are increasing.\u00a0 Our spies say they are having similar, though lesser troubles than we are.\u00a0 In the hills is a strange thing.”\u00a0 He drew a deep breath and looked even more troubled.\u00a0 “I was scouting in the hills trying to find what is happening.\u00a0 I am sick too, little Princess.\u00a0 Sick with worry and sick with fear for it seems there is nothing I can do.\u00a0 Near the abandoned hill village of Deiskhun, I found a woman.\u00a0 She was tall and may have been beautiful but she had been living very rough.\u00a0 She wore men’s clothes like a uniform in mottled browns and tans but tailored to her.\u00a0 Her English was very fluent but with a peculiar accent, though she spoke some Rajasthani too.\u00a0 I challenged her, as she was wearing a gun, a big revolver.\u00a0 She said nothing of importance but she came closer.\u00a0 I did not worry as I had her covered, but she attacked me despite this!\u00a0 I shot her, though I must have missed as she did not act wounded, but I seem to remember blood, perhaps mine.\u00a0 I could not use my katar properly.”<\/p>\n
“Little Princess, I am humiliated.\u00a0 Taller, heavier and stronger than her as I am, she beat me.\u00a0 She punched me, kicked me and threw me to the ground.\u00a0 As I lay stunned she argued to herself, one part of her arguing for my death, the other my survival, for to kill me this one said, would be an evil thing.\u00a0 The other said I was dangerous.\u00a0 As you can see my Princess, the side who wished not my death won.\u00a0 I lost her trail and haven’t seen her again.\u00a0 That was eight days ago.\u00a0 She was a white woman though, little Princess, and no native as she was badly sunburnt.\u00a0 Her eyes seemed yellow, or perhaps the colour of amber.\u00a0 Her hair was red-brown and she was dirty, torn and smelly.\u00a0 She is perhaps thirty.\u00a0 No other persons admit to knowing her, seeing her or hearing of her.\u00a0 Condemn me, little Princess.\u00a0 Tell me my fate and I will carry out the sentence on myself for my grievous failure”.\u00a0 Sher Singh lapsed into silence, grief on his face.\u00a0 Anjuli sat silent, mentally reeling.\u00a0 What was happening?\u00a0 What would … what could she do?<\/p>\n
GM’s Note:<\/b>\u00a0 After Neil’s death, I ran this episode with Neil’s regular players.\u00a0 As I had no knowledge of what Neil intended, I didn’t include some of the original play-by-mail’s themes or characters in our live play sessions. The episode as described below is told from the viewpoint of\u00a0Baron Tyson Trevelyan.<\/span><\/p>\nWritten by Ben (Tyson)<\/h2>\n
Monica, Charles, Nikolai and Anjuli arrive in India on a trip to Shahpura.\u00a0 Charles tries a drug and has a \u201ctrip\u201d where he sees a Rakhasa (demon \u2013 blue-skinned, red-eyed, multi-armed) who is after me!<\/p>\n
Cavalcade is halted by a sword-wielding outcast who speaks in tongues and who shrugs off being shot. I blast him with a couple of critical hits but then he appears to be hit by lightning from a clear sky and explodes.<\/p>\n
Arrive at Shaphura and the Jumtiaha Palace to find the Raja and Rani crazy as loons \u2013 no-one knows what to do.\u00a0 We follow up a story of a strange woman who trashed Sher Singh a while ago.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s called a tiger hunt, but when we are a day away from the Palace, we are led away from Anjuli and all the guards and elephants are killed with blood and bits everywhere (just like the Somme \u2013 oh the humanity) \u2013 but Anjuli lives!\u00a0 We trek back through tiger country covered in blood but untouched.<\/p>\n
Us guys break into Mohandar\u2019s apartments, I get bitten by his snake-spirit guardian \u2013 everyone investigates the secret tunnels underneath where ceremonies and sacrifices have been held \u2013 we fight a statue of demon come to life \u2013 I take the statue\u2019s crown and find no-one wants it.<\/p>\n
Info from my Brahmin friends leads to Anjuli sacrificing some Special Sea Shells to Vishnu\u2019s wife, Kali-Ma.\u00a0 Raja is cured but Kali-Ma appears to have come to stay within Anjuli.<\/p>\n
Breaking into Shushila\u2019s apartments gives us a map to Mohandar\u2019s and Shushila\u2019s hideout \u2013 after going there and see more Kali than Anjuli \u2013 wild dogs get killed \u2013 Shushila gets killed.<\/p>\n
We kill a giant snake and get to a cavern with a ring of fire around a Banyan tree \u2013 I walk through and get purified \u2013 everyone else waits for Kali to put the fire out \u2013 I touch the tree and we\u2019re all transported to the demon\u2019s realm \u2013 I freak out and think I\u2019m Vishnu \u2013 visit Demon\u2019s palace and Kali kicks Demon butt \u2013 we return and kill the giant snake (who turns out to be Mohandar) again.<\/p>\n
Back at the palace, Brahmins and Raja turn Kali\u2019s visitation into a circus, and I mortally insult (according to the Hindus) Kali by sitting down on the throne (hey, I\u2019m Kali\u2019s husband, remember) but of course Kali doesn\u2019t mind.<\/p>\n
Kali does nothing except strange clouds gather centring over Kali.\u00a0 I track down Sher Singh, needle him out of his depression and tell him what to do and he sacrifices his faith and his honour and almost his life to get Kali to leave Anjuli.\u00a0 I have to lead him away and fuss over him while everybody else is all over Anjuli.<\/p>\n
Anjuli\u2019s previously arranged marriage is cancelled as she now has much greater value \u2013 a living avatar of Kali-Ma.\u00a0 Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner, one of the 21-gun salute states of Rajasthan, arranges to marry Anjuli.\u00a0 Sher Singh is no longer a Sikh, and Charles is befriending Nandu.<\/p>\n
We all travel to Bikaner for the wedding, but Anjuli disappears (in plain sight of everybody) from the Wedding Howdah going to the ceremony.\u00a0 Monica also disappears in the same instant.\u00a0 Kali gets the blame.<\/p>\n
GM’s Note:<\/b> Anjuli was transported to the 1990s and into Sam\u2019s arms after Sam \u201cwished\u201d her to him.\u00a0 A Swan May granted his wish as a reward for rescuing her from a tribe of dog-headed monsters.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1924 September – Shahpura, India. Characters Player Characters Non-Player Characters Charles – English dilettante who has a predilection for art, the occult, doing nothing and duelling with pistols (Simon) Anjuli, Rajkumari of Shahpura Holmes, Monica – American, Doctor of Medicine from Crab Apple Cove, Maine (Jenny) Ardra, Sher Singh\u00a0– Commander of the Shahpura Royal Guard … <\/p>\n
Continue reading “Home Sweet Home”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":41,"menu_order":18,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-863","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=863"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/863\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alifeinfantasyroleplaying.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}