Haridwar — Morning
"WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP?!"
Tara's voice echoed through the guest house.
She hurried across the room, trying to fasten her clothing while two servants struggled to pack her belongings into wooden chests. Her hair was only half-tied, and one of her earrings was missing.
Malini rushed around the room, collecting garments and small belongings from the table.
Tara: "We're supposed to leave this morning! Everyone must already be waiting! Why didn't you wake me up?!"
Malini: "I was exhausted too! Just like you, after we climbed that mountain yesterday!"
Tara: "We need to hurry! Pack everything up and go! GO!"
Malini: "I'm packing as fast as I can!"
Tara grabbed a shawl from the bed and threw it over her shoulders.
Tara: "Where's my other earring?"
Malini: "How should I know?! You were the one who took it off!"
Tara: "Then find it!"
Malini: "You find it! I'm already trying to keep your entire room from being left behind!"
One of the servants handed Tara a pair of sandals.
Servant: "Lady Tara, your footwear."
Tara: "Yes, yes, thank you!"
She slipped them on without checking whether they were the correct pair.
Malini finally shoved the last item into a small bag and turned toward the door.
Malini: "Ready?"
Tara looked around.
One chest was still open. A folded garment lay on the floor. A decorative hairpin rested beneath the bed.
She quickly bent down and picked it up.
Tara: "Now I'm ready!"
Malini: "That is not convincing."
Tara: "MOVE!"
Tara and Malini kicked open the door and rushed into the corridor.
At precisely the same moment, the door of the neighbouring room burst open.
Aryav and Kavya came running out, followed by two servants carrying their belongings.
Aryav's clothing was only partially arranged, while Kavya was attempting to secure her shawl as she ran.
Tara glanced at them.
Tara: "You two got late as well?"
Aryav looked at her while hurrying down the corridor.
Aryav: "Of course we did! Why else would we be hurrying like this?!"
Tara considered the question for a moment.
Tara: "Makes sense."
Kavya: "Don't stop! Keep moving!"
They rushed down the staircase.
One of Aryav's servants nearly lost his grip on a wooden box.
Aryav: "Careful! That contains important documents!"
Kavya: "You mean the documents you forgot to organize last night?"
Aryav: "They were organized."
Kavya: "They were scattered across your bed."
Aryav: "That is an advanced organizational method."
Tara: "Can both of you stop organizing your arguments and run faster?!"
They hurried through the guest house entrance and out into the street.
The Forgotten Departure
Satyadhara stood outside the guest house, already dressed in his armour.
He had been waiting for some time.
His horse stood beside him, its reins held by a young attendant. The commander glanced toward the guest house entrance just as Tara and the others emerged, rushing into the street with several servants behind them.
Satyadhara watched them approach.
His expression remained completely flat.
Satyadhara: "You people are finally awake."
Malini continued running without slowing down.
Malini: "This is not the time for compliments! Just run with us!"
Satyadhara stared at her.
Satyadhara: "That was not a compliment."
Malini: "Even worse! Run!"
He sighed and followed them.
Tara hurried beside him, trying to maintain some dignity despite her dishevelled appearance.
Tara: "How far is the convoy?"
Satyadhara: "Not far."
Tara: "Good."
Satyadhara: "You could have walked there."
Tara: "I know."
Satyadhara: "You could have woken up earlier."
Tara: "I know."
Satyadhara: "You could have—"
Tara: "Satyadhara, I am begging you to remain silent."
Aryav ran past them.
Aryav: "For once, I agree with Tara!"
Satyadhara looked at him.
Satyadhara: "You were late too."
Aryav immediately looked away.
Aryav: "I withdraw my statement."
Kavya shook her head while trying not to laugh.
They continued toward the place where the expedition's convoy had been stationed.
Tara could already imagine the entire group waiting for her.
The guards.
The servants.
The merchants.
The officers.
Everyone standing around while the head of the expedition slept peacefully.
She quickened her pace.
Tara: "We should have left already."
Malini: "We should have woken up earlier."
Tara: "I know what we should have done!"
They reached the assembly area.
Tara stopped.
Her hurried breathing was the only sound she could hear for a moment.
The road was empty.
Completely empty.
There were no carriages. No supply wagons. No horses tied to posts. No guards waiting with their weapons. Even the servants who usually moved around the convoy were nowhere to be seen.
Tara blinked.
She took a few steps forward.
Tara: "...What?"
Malini stopped beside her.
Aryav and Kavya arrived behind them, equally confused.
Aryav: "Where is everyone?"
Kavya: "Did they leave?"
Tara turned toward Satyadhara.
Tara: "Did they leave?"
Satyadhara looked at the empty assembly area.
For the first time that morning, he appeared slightly puzzled.
Tara's expression slowly changed from confusion to panic.
Tara: "No. No, no, no. They wouldn't leave without us, would they?"
Aryav: "You are the head of the expedition. I don't think they would dare."
Tara: "Then why is the entire place empty?!"
Malini: "Perhaps they finally became tired of waiting for you."
Tara turned toward her.
Tara: "Malini!"
Before the situation could become any more confusing, two servants came running from the opposite end of the street.
They stopped in front of Tara, breathing heavily.
Servant 1: "Lady Tara! Where have you been?!"
Tara opened her mouth, already preparing an embarrassed explanation.
Tara: "Well, you see, we—"
The second servant immediately smacked the first one on the back of his head.
Servant 2: "What kind of question is that?! She's the head of this expedition! She must have been busy somewhere!"
The first servant rubbed his head.
Servant 1: "I was only asking!"
Tara quickly straightened her back.
Tara: "Oh! Yes, yes. Exactly. I was working. Very busy. Extremely busy."
Malini looked at her.
Aryav pressed his lips together.
Kavya turned her face away.
Tara continued before anyone could contradict her.
Tara: "Planning. Important planning."
The second servant bowed.
Servant 2: "My lady, the governor of Haridwar has suggested that the expedition attend a worship ceremony before departing the city."
Tara blinked.
Tara: "A worship ceremony?"
Servant 2: "Yes. A grand worship of Lord Ganesha, to seek blessings for the journey and the success of your mission. Everyone has already gathered at the central temple."
Tara looked at the empty road.
Then she looked at the servant.
Then at Satyadhara.
Tara: "So... that's why nobody is here?"
Servant 2: "Yes, my lady."
Tara's shoulders relaxed.
Tara: "Oh."
A short silence followed.
Tara: "That makes sense."
Malini folded her arms.
Malini: "You thought the entire expedition had abandoned you."
Tara: "I did not say that."
Aryav: "Your face did."
Tara: "Everyone, we're going to the temple."
She turned around immediately.
Tara: "Lead the way."
The servants bowed and began walking.
Servant 2: "Please follow us. The ceremony is being held at the central temple of the city."
The Central Temple
The central temple of Haridwar stood among the busy streets, its stone entrance decorated with fresh flowers and colourful cloth.
The sound of bells reached Tara's group before they entered the courtyard.
As they approached, they saw members of the expedition gathered outside the temple. Guards stood near the entrance, while servants and merchants waited in small groups. Several priests moved between the shrine areas, preparing offerings.
Tara slowed her pace.
Tara: "Everyone is here."
Malini: "Yes. Everyone except the people who were sleeping."
Tara gave her a sharp look.
Malini: "I said nothing."
Inside the main temple hall, multiple deity statues stood along the walls, each decorated with flowers, lamps, and offerings.
At the centre stood a large statue of Lord Ganesha.
The statue was seated upon a decorated platform, its trunk curved toward a plate of sweets. Marigold garlands hung around its neck, and small oil lamps flickered at its feet.
A priest sat beside the statue, holding a brass plate with a burning flame.
The Trade Minister, who had been speaking with several merchants, noticed Tara's arrival and immediately approached her.
Trade Minister: "Oh, Tara! You're finally here."
Tara offered him a polite smile.
Tara: "Yes. I was... occupied."
Trade Minister: "I imagine so. I was informed by a messenger about the new convoy arrangement you designed yesterday."
Tara's expression brightened.
Trade Minister: "You must have been busy planning the revised formation."
Tara: "Ah, yes. Definitely. I was late because of that."
Malini slowly turned her head toward Tara.
Aryav looked down at the floor.
Kavya covered her mouth.
The Trade Minister nodded with complete sincerity.
Trade Minister: "Of course. Such preparations are important."
Tara gave Malini a quick glance that silently demanded her cooperation.
Malini looked away.
The Trade Minister pointed toward the priest seated beside the Ganesha statue.
Trade Minister: "Go over there. The priest is waiting. Offer your prayers and ask for the journey to proceed smoothly."
Tara: "Yes. Thank you."
She turned toward the shrine, followed by Malini, Aryav, Kavya, and Satyadhara.
The Blessing
The priest looked up as Tara approached.
He was an elderly man with a long white beard, calm eyes, and the composed expression of someone who had spent decades observing the hopes and fears of travellers.
He motioned for them to come closer.
Priest: "Come, children. You have a long road before you."
Tara and the others bowed their heads.
The priest began the ritual.
He sprinkled holy water before the statue, placed fresh flowers near its feet, and offered incense. The flame in his brass plate moved slowly as he recited the prayers.
One by one, the members of Tara's group offered flowers and bowed before Ganesha.
Tara joined her hands and lowered her head.
Malini stood beside her, praying quietly.
Aryav and Kavya followed, both unusually solemn.
Satyadhara remained still for a moment before bowing deeply.
The priest moved the flame before each of them. Afterward, he applied sandalwood paste to their foreheads and gave them a few grains of blessed rice.
When the ritual was complete, Tara looked up.
Tara: "Revered priest, we ask for your blessings. We will be travelling through the mountains, and we hope the journey will be safe and successful."
The priest smiled gently.
He looked toward the temple entrance, where the distant sounds of the city mingled with the ringing bells.
Priest: "A traveller may pray for a road without stones, but such a road does not exist."
Priest: "What is meant to be shall happen."
Tara: "Why do you say it like that?" she asked, her voice suddenly uneasy.
The priest smiled faintly.
Priest: "There is nothing to be afraid of. Something that becomes a trouble for one person may become the means of survival for another."
Aryav: "How is that so?"
Priest: "Think of the traveler. He wishes for a journey without hunger. He wishes that his food never runs out, that his water never empties. Yet, eventually, he will need more."
He gestured toward the road beyond the temple.
Priest: "And that is why there are people selling food along the trade routes. Their livelihood depends upon the traveler becoming hungry."
Aryav listened quietly.
Priest: "The traveler also wishes for his cart to reach its destination without a single problem. He wishes that his wheels never break."
He gave a small smile.
Priest: "But wheels do break. And because they do, there are men along the roads who earn their living repairing them."
Aryav: "That is starting to make sense…"
Priest: "You are all praying for a smooth journey. But perhaps, somewhere along the road, a merchant who sells food is praying for more travelers to pass his shop today."
He paused.
Priest: "Perhaps a wheelwright has offered the same prayer, hoping that a broken wheel brings someone to his door."
Tara looked toward the road outside the temple.
Priest: "So do not think of every hardship as something that exists only to bring suffering. The world is not arranged so neatly."
Priest: "One person's misfortune may become another person's livelihood. One person's decision may alter the life of someone he has never met. A merchant thousands of miles away may never know your name, yet the choices you make today may change whether his caravan prospers tomorrow."
He looked toward Tara.
Priest: "That is how closely people are connected. No one travels alone, even when the road beneath his feet is empty."
Tara remained silent for a moment.
Priest: "So pray for strength. Pray for wisdom. Pray that your decisions do not bring needless suffering."
His expression softened.
Priest: "But do not ask the gods to make the world obey your wishes."
Priest: "What is meant to be shall happen. What matters is what you choose to do when it does."
The group slowly left the area where the prayers had been held.
The sounds of bells and chanting faded behind them as officials, servants, guards, and other members of the expedition began returning to their designated vehicles and positions.
The courtyard that had been crowded only moments ago was now gradually emptying.
Tara walked alongside Malini, with Aryav and Kavya a few steps behind them.
Aryav folded his hands behind his back as he walked.
He was quiet for a while.
Then he sighed.
"Though the priest was right…"
Kavya glanced at him.
Aryav continued.
"We just wanted to hear that nothing would go wrong."
He looked toward the road ahead.
"Even if someone else's life depends on us facing those problems."
Kavya nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah."
They continued walking.
After a few moments, Kavya spoke.
"Actually…"
Aryav looked at her.
"After hearing what the priest said, I started thinking."
"What?"
Kavya lowered her voice slightly.
"Aren't we also ministers simply because the previous Emperor was assassinated?"
Aryav's expression became more serious.
Kavya continued.
"The new Emperor didn't trust many of the ministers and people in the palace. So he replaced them with us."
Aryav was silent for a moment.
Kavya looked down at the road.
"If the previous ministers had remained in their positions, we might never have become ministers at all."
Aryav thought about it.
"Well…"
He looked at her.
"If you say it like that, then everyone occupies a place that could have been occupied by someone else."
Kavya looked at him.
"That doesn't mean we're bad."
Aryav shrugged slightly.
"Someone else could have been standing where we're standing. But we're the ones here now."
Kavya smiled faintly.
"That's almost exactly what the priest was talking about."
Aryav sighed.
"I know."
A few steps ahead, Tara stopped walking.
She turned around.
"Quiet, both of you."
Aryav and Kavya immediately looked at her.
Tara pointed toward the waiting carriages.
"Just return to your carriage. We have to go."
Aryav straightened.
"Yes, Devi."
Kavya nodded.
"Yes, Devi."
The two turned and headed toward their designated carriage.
Tara watched them for a moment before turning back toward her own.
Malini walked beside her.
"They certainly became philosophical after one prayer."
Tara sighed.
"I know."
She glanced back at them.
"And we haven't even left the city yet."