Chapter 11

On the next day, George wore the same Indian clothes and got out of his room few hours after the sunrise.

He saw from the balcony a weird scene: everybody inside the palace was throwing colored powders to others, singing and screaming happily.

George saw also the royal family playing with their servants; Ann was very joyful, covered of different colors. Milady was trying her best not to be sprayed. Krishna and Chandramukhi were throwing colors especially on each other, sometimes they even hug each other, as Holi also is a significance of love. And finally Sundarta was playing, spraying and completely happy that she was laughing and dancing spontaneously with the rhythms of songs.

The latter saw the British prince accidentally. She asked him by signs to wait for her there until she arrives at him. She passed fast through people, and secretly took some gulal.

When she finally arrived, George noticed that her hands were hidden behind her back. He was about to ask her but suddenly, she raised them, threw the colors on his face and screamed in Hindi: "Happy Holi!"

George was still shocked with the surprise while latter seized it to rub his cheeks with her colored hands to color them better.

"Thanks, I suppose…" he answered, barely opened his eyes, afraid that some of the powder gets in them. And apparently he understood what she said in Hindi.

"You must join us!" She advised him.

The latter chose the red colored powders. This color symbolized love…

She walked toward the balcony and stood there. The prince joined her. Silence spread between them and finally Sundarta announced: "At sunset, I'll dance in front of my parents. They invited you and Ann to join them."

"You'll dance?" He questioned.

"Yes; it's a tradition of the palace. They say that I'm the best dancer in the kingdom." She explained.

"Um… I'm in!" He agreed. "Perfect!" She expressed her happiness. Then, she finished the conversation before they both came back to the festival with a Hindi sentence: "Don't worry… It's the Holi."…

***

After that big Holi celebration, a half hour before the sunset, the brunet king and his wife came first to the celebrations courtyard in the palace: this courtyard was composed of a large sofa with a light canopy, and in front of it there was a large decorated space for a dancing group and around it there was a place for the musical band. Of course, this courtyard was surrounded with extra rooms.

After, the royal couple sat, Milady came and sat on a normal chair next to them. Finally, the servants brought an extra sofa similar to the other one for Ann and George. And they put it next to Milady.

A few minutes later, the female musicians came in from the large courtyard through a large door. Then, a soft Raga - another type of guitars - music began from the band, and some female dancers came in and started dancing calmly. Finally, some male dancers with loud voices entered and their best started glorying in Hindi the courage of Krishna and the wisdom of Chandramukhi, and thanking the British guests for their visit, to witness the greatness of Michor.

Finally, he began singing, informing in his short song that Sundarta was about to come now, with her beauty, jewels and her simple attracting dancing steps, to tell the love story of Krishna and Radha.

Once he finished, he stepped back and disappeared while his men just stood in front of the band, waiting for their next step.

The door got opened, and Sundarta, with a simple light pink Lehenga choli (type of saris) similar to Radha's, walked slowly, surrounded by some dancing women.

George's heart began to beat strongly when he saw Sundarta's huger beauty.

Everybody took her place. And the soft Kathak (traditional Indian dance) began…

The song in Hindi was telling the same story of Radha and Krishna. But Sundarta, during the entire dance, was looking only at George, as she was imagining herself with him instead of the God and the Goddess.

Only Milady noticed the exchanging looks between The Adopted Princess and the British prince, and knew that there was something special between them. However, she decided not to mention it to their parents. On the other hand, Ann's eyes were terribly focused on her daughter: she was thinking how Samantha would be if she kept her, and if she raised her. From the moment she realized that she was pregnant with her, she completely had regretted the day she met her unknown beloved "James". And now, when she saw her fatherless daughter who became a princess in a strong kingdom, the most beautiful of all, the best dancer and the wisest person among the king's counselors, she regretted her regret when she had her, and felt that she was the luckiest mother of all the time…

The dance that took a quarter hour was over. Once Ann realized it, she stood up and clapped loud, very proud of her daughter and very impressed by her perfect performance which transferred the feeling of love of Krishna and Radha to them. George seized his godmother's appreciation to Samantha and so he stood up, clapped and smiled.

That smile made Sundarta trembling, and falling more in love with him. But she got herself, and replied to them, and to the Indian couple who also followed them, with a Salaam...

***

At night, The Adopted Princess was looking at her mirror, still wearing the Lehenga, combing her hair, smiling with dreaming eyes, heard knocking on her door. She already recognized the coming person: it was Milady.

She ordered her to come in, in Hindi. Cook got in and closed the door while Sundarta didn't even look at her. The handmaid squatted next to her and asked her, in English, foxily after few minutes of studying her: "Sundarta… I noticed something weird was with you today… when you were dancing…"

But the princess kept staring at the mirror, and answered indifferently: "I don't know, Milady… I don't know…"

"What's going on between you and George?" Milady interrogated insistently.

"Nothing… I just fell in love with him…" Sundarta replied, still indifferent and looking at the mirror.

Milady got shocked. She didn't know really if she must get happy or sad. Her deep feelings knew that this instant love had a hidden danger behind it. She didn't know the cause of this anxiety but she realized that she ought to be happy for the girl she nursed. So, she murmured, managing a smile: "Well that's… hum… that's pretty amazing…"

"It is…" The Adopted Princess added, with a soft tune.

"Why you're still wearing your Lehenga?" Cook wondered.

"Because I still feel the love emotions that my body resulted in it… because I still feel the beating of my heart beaten when dancing for my love in it… because I still feel every tremble I had every time my love looked at me with his green eyes in it… George loves me too…" She dreamingly explained.

"And how do you know that George loves you too?" Milady asked.

"Eyes never lie…" she answered. Then, she turned to her nanny and she announced with a smile: "Finally, I have my own Krishna…"

***