Rain (The Quest Trilogy-Book Two) (17 page)

What he needed was a hungry, venomous snake. No, not a venomous snake, because a hungry snake could just as well turn on him. What was the name of that harmless lookalike of the Coral snake that Subodh had told him about? Yeah, Milk snake.

Rain groaned.

Where on earth was he supposed to go looking for a Milk snake now? That too, when the time he had left was precious little?

Rain took a few steps forward, slashing with his knife through several mice. They just burst into a cloud of black dust as soon as he cut through them.

This was no use. There were simply too many for him to go through. He wished he could somehow make a snake materialize out of thin air…

Rain’s head snapped up and his eyes widened as a realization hit him. His wish! He had a wish he could use! Quickly taking out the yellow jelly-bean and popping it into his mouth, Rain made a wish.

“I wish for a very hungry Milk snake.” said Rain softly.

A snake dropped at his feet out of nowhere.

“Yes!” exclaimed Rain. “Now go, eat your breakfast.” He said to the snake.

Rain could hear frightened squeals all around him and he strung his bow once more, ready and on alert in case she should take back her human form. It wasn’t necessary, for Murshi knew she was well and truly trapped. If she turned human again, Rain would kill her. And if she remained a mouse, the snake would kill her.

The snake reared itself for attack and flicked its tongue at the air around it. Then it launched itself forward and headed single-mindedly for just one mouse among the many.

Rain saw the mouse squeal and try to escape but the snake was a prized hunter. It had its prey between its jaws in to time and Rain watched it swallow the terrified mouse whole, wondering why the madwoman had chosen to die this way instead of the quick death that his arrow would have provided her. But Rain was grateful for the reprieve. Who knew what consequences there would be for killing another cursed creature?

Once again, Rain felt the sensation of being pulled through layers of energy and then he was standing outside beside the pond once more. He ran towards the tree where the little boy was trapped. The tree had almost finished swallowing him. Only his face was visible, sticking out of the black tree trunk.

“Am I too late?” asked Rain, fear clawing at his chest.

“No. You saved my brother just in time. The tree is dead. It has stopped swallowing my brother. We have to free him now, somehow.” said the girl.

Rain began to hack away at the tree with his knife in order to free the trapped boy.

“Thank-you for saving me.” said a soft voice from behind.

Rain turned to look. A pretty young girl was standing there, smiling at him.

“Who are you?” said Rain.

“I am Karima, the queen’s youngest daughter. Murshi had turned me into a lotus. I have spent the last year floating on the pond.”

“Princess!” gasped the little girl and fell into a bow. “This kind man killed Murshi, and saved my little brother, too.”

The princess looked at Rain with shining eyes.

“Don’t worry about the boy. I will send the palace soldiers here. They will free him in no time. In the meanwhile, as a reward for saving my life, I would like to give you this.” she said, making a sword materialize out of thin air.

“The sword of Halion!” exclaimed Rain, taking the sword from the princess’ hands.

‘Karima is a fairy?!’

‘Yes. And her mother is the Queen.’

“Is there anything else you would like to have?” asked the princess, looking down shyly.

‘Why is she blushing like that?’
Rain asked his Geeya.

‘Why else? You just saved her life. Now, she is hoping you will ask for her hand in marriage.’

‘No way!’

“Actually, there is. Princess, I would like …”

She looked up hopefully. “Yes?”

“A wisdom, please.” finished Rain.

She looked crestfallen. “A … a wisdom? That is all?”

“Yes. Just a wisdom.
Nothing
more.” said Rain firmly.

“All right. Here is one my mother always said to me. I wish I had taken heed of it. Mother always said, ‘Never underestimate your enemies, no matter how strong you are.’ How true it is, too. I underestimated the hate in Murshi’s heart when I went wandering alone in the forest. But now I am free. Thanks to you … are you sure a wisdom is all you want?”

Rain looked at his chain.  A glowing claw crumbled to dust before his eyes.

“Yes, princess. That will be all. Thank-you very much.” said Rain.

Then, before she could say anything more, he turned and ran … into the forest … and out of his Quest.

*****

CHAPTER 13

On his return Rain found Rainbow still present and Heart gone again.

Rain and Rainbow got along like a house on fire, alternately laughing and joking like best friends and at other times squabbling like long lost siblings.

The reason they had most of their fights was because Rain never lost an opportunity to tease Rainbow. And she, it seemed, took all jokes personally. Rainbow accompanied Rain and Subodh sometimes on their healing jaunts or just wandered off by herself at other times. She was the only person Rain knew of, who enjoyed her own company just as much as she enjoyed being with others.

“What’s your favorite thing to do, Rainbow? asked Rain, as they were returning from the forest after running an errand for Subodh.

“Play with colors.” replied Rainbow. “What’s yours?”

“Eat!” said Rain, patting his stomach.

“If you like to eat so much, you’ll surely like the anyfruit tree.” said Rainbow, going to help Subodh who was unsuccessfully trying to get an injured pigeon down from a tree.  

“What’s that?” asked Rain.

“You’ll see.” said Rainbow, climbing the tree deftly and getting the injured bird to Subodh.

*****

The opportunity to see the Anyfruit tree came several weeks later when they had gone deep into the forest to release a healed wolf cub that had been abandoned by its mother after getting seriously injured.

“There it is,” said Rainbow, “an Anyfruit tree.”

Rain looked in the direction pointed out to him. There was no tree there, only a puddle.

“I don’t see any tree. Just some water.”

“That’s not a puddle, silly. That’s the Anyfruit tree. Subodh, you can go back to the beach. We’ll follow later.” she said to Subodh. The old man nodded and hobbled off on his stick.

Rainbow ran towards the puddle and sat down beside it. She beckoned to Rain to come join her.

“Look inside.” said Rainbow, gesturing to the puddle.

Rain looked down and saw himself and Rainbow sitting at the roots of a great big tree. Wondering how that had gotten there, Rain looked behind him, but there was nothing. Confused, he peered into the puddle again and there it was, standing tall and proud behind them with its long branches spread out majestically.

“Fascinating!” said Rain, looking inside the puddle and then out at the place where they were sitting again and again.

“Now watch.” said Rainbow, putting a hand inside the puddle. “I want to have grapes.” she called out and Rain saw that the tree in the puddle was now laden with many different varieties of grapes. Rainbow effortlessly plucked a bunch from the reflection, and then drew it out of the puddle.

“Impossible!”

“Absolutely possible!” said Rainbow smugly, filling her cheeks with three large grapes.

“You can have any fruit you want from the Anyfruit tree. Just ask for it and dip for it.” instructed Rainbow, through a mouthful of grapes.

Rain picked out apples, kiwis, mangoes, even bananas and lychees.

“This is amazing! Rainbow, you’re the best. Anyone who feeds me is a friend for life.” he declared. Rainbow nodded happily, agreeing with Rain.

“Lesh go back now.” she chomped out.

“All right.” agreed Rain, lifting up his haul with both hands and then putting them all into his belt pocket.

He peeled a lychee and ate its soft flesh.

“Yum! Rainbow, ever since you’ve come, you’ve filled my life with color.” said Rain, smacking his lips with appreciation.

Rainbow stopped dead in her tracks and spun around.

“What did you just say?”

“Said you brought color into my life. Why?” repeated Rain, looking puzzled.

Rainbow gave a tiny gasp and there was a popping sound as the hair behind her head flew up.

The words flowed fast and furious from her mouth, as her eyes scanned his features wildly.

“Is that the meaning of my core name? Have you just discovered its significance? Are you my soulmate? Gosh! How do you feel? Do you feel any different?!”

She was clinging on to his shirt lapels now, hanging onto them for all they were worth.

Rain pushed her away gently. “Er …I feel perfectly normal?” He replied.

Rainbow gave another little gasp. “So do I!”

“Okay, just hold on a sec.” said Rain, trying to get the situation under control. “Traditionally, aren’t you supposed to find out the hidden meaning behind my core name at the same time that I figure yours out?”

That threw her off for a moment.

“Oh yeah … I am, aren’t I?”

“Mmhmm.”

Rainbow clenched her eyes shut, trying with all her might to concentrate.

“Well … your core name means … it means … I have no idea.” she admitted, looking dejected.

“Rainbow, where is your packet of deconfusers?” asked Rain, holding Rainbow’s shoulders.

Rainbow took them out and handed the packet to Rain. He took one of the small squares out, peeled off its backing paper, and handed it to Rainbow.

“Here. Put this back on. I’m sure it’ll help.” he said.

Rainbow looked at him through narrowed eyes, but complied.

“There, now isn’t that better?” said Rain, tapping her on the head as though she were a child.

He began strutting forward with Rainbow silently walking alongside, feeling confused.

Rain continued his ramblings. “So you thought …or hoped … that I was your true love. It’s understandable. I guess I’m more desirable than I realized. But that doesn’t mean …”

Unable to bear his egotistical gloating anymore Rainbow jutted a foot out in his path, tripping him.

“Have a nice trip, Rain!”

“Yaargh!” yelled Rain as he went tumbling down. Spitting mud out of his mouth he lifted his head to glare at her. Before he could get back on his feet, Rainbow had run off ahead.

“Coward! Come back and face me!” shouted Rain, running after her, but she was flitting between trees and he could not see her anymore.

He looked up and it started to rain all over the forest as far as the eye could see. She came out from behind a tree a minute later, soaking wet and glaring daggers at him.

“You play dirty, Rain.” she said, pointing an accusing finger at him.

“Give up?” he smirked.

Rainbow nodded slowly. “Now stop the rain.” she said.

“Say you’re sorry, first.

A lock of wet hair fell on his forehead and he reached up to brush it away.

“Please, allow me.” said Rainbow, quickly raking a hand through his hair and turning all of it grey. “There, much better now.” said Rainbow, looking at him appreciatively.

“What did you do to my hair?” asked Rain, looking at her suspiciously. When she didn’t say anything and started walking ahead gaily, he frantically removed a mirror from his belt and stared at his reflection, aghast.

“My beautiful hair! Turn it back, turn it back!” he demanded, half panicking.

“Are you sorry?” asked Rainbow.

“What? Are you crazy?!”

“Say you’re sorry first.”

“Arrgh! Rainbow!”

Rain lunged for her but she was too quick. She jutted a foot out and Rain went tumbling to the ground again.

“If you’ve repented, I’ll be waiting for you back at the hut.” she called, before turning and making a dash for the beach.

*****

Three months had passed and Heart was still to make an appearance, but Rain knew better than to give up on his friend this time. His faith paid off shortly thereafter when he found Heart wandering in the forest, apparently having lost his way again. They were sitting beside the hut and catching up when Rainbow came rushing out of the forest and straight towards them.

“You’ll never believe what I found!” panted Rainbow, holding her sides.

“You’ll never believe what
I
found.” said Rain, pointing towards Heart.

“Heart! When did you get back?” said Rainbow in surprise.

“Lost my way again and was wandering around close by. Luckily, Rain spotted me and brought me back.” said Heart, looking happy to be back among friends.

“You’ve been okay?” he asked Rainbow, who was still trying to catch her breath.

“Couldn’t be better.”

“So what’s the excitement all about?” asked Rain.

“I found unicorns! Back there in the forest! And I begged them to give us a ride. And guess what? They agreed! Heart, you come too.”

“Unicorns! I can’t believe it! Well, what are you guys waiting for? Let’s go already. We haven’t got all day!” said Rain, leaping to his feet.

A stout stick touched his hand and Rain stopped.

“Did you say unicorns?” rasped Subodh.

All three turned to look at Subodh. The old healer had never shown any interest in any of their previous expeditions.

“That’s what I said.” said Rain, eyeing Subodh curiously.

“Mind if I tag along?”

“Not at all. But we have to hurry, or they’ll leave.” said Rainbow. “Subodh, do you mind if I carry you?”

Subodh shook his head. “I don’t mind.” Rainbow bent forward but two strong hands landed on each of her shoulders, restraining her. Rainbow looked behind to see both Rain and Heart standing behind her, looking offended to the extreme.

“What?” said Rainbow, to the two strapping young men staring down at her.

“I’ll do it.” said Rain and Heart together.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and backed off to give them space.