Chapter 2

In 1600, the East India Company was officially founded. And since then, EICo became super powerful and wealthy in trade. And with wealth, comes power.

Ed began already sending his son George, as a representative of the Great Britain, to convince kings of multiple kingdoms in India to sign commercial contracts; building factories and trade centers and in return the Indian king would obtain goods and rarities of the European market, such as silver…

***

At December, and at the end of the first half of the 18th century, George came back to London after trading with one of the Indian kingdoms.

Once he arrived in the morning of a cold day, he went to Kensington palace.

Edward was an old man, in his sixties. He was dark brown-eyed, "aggressive" and ugly faced. His eyes were lit with hatred and greediness…

The prince went to the throne room. He found his father busy dealing with some papers with his personal over-loyal bodyguard Leroy. The latter was a tall large muscled bald man in his 50s. No one had ever seen him smiling…

To attract his attention, George stood in front of Edward, and greeted him:

"Good morning, dear father".

"Good morning, George." The father answered, smiling to his son and then coming back to his papers.

"I already finished signing contracts with the last kingdom, father. The king is so happy to collaborate with us." George announced proudly.

"Well done, my son." The father approved, but still indifferent.

"But father, why are we exchanging our merchandises with India while our public needs them more?" The prince questioned.

Ed suddenly stopped the business with his guard, stood up and walked until he stopped in front of his son. He kept silent for a while then he answered him with his "evil" voice:

"First, Europe is selling horrible and expensive spices, while we can conquer them with buying perfect and cheap spices from "Spiceland"; India, and then selling them around the world, we'll become rich! Second, mind your business, my son; you're not ready yet to be the king of Great Britain."

"Yes, father…" George sadly replied.

The latter smiled to his son. Then he walked few steps toward his throne, stopped and announced:

"There's an Indian Kingdom in northern-India called Michor. It's a very large, peaceful and strong kingdom. And I'm sure that they're producing perfect spices and other merchandises like ivory, besides, they have a strategic place for factories…"

He came back to George and put his hand on his shoulder, and continued:

"I'd like you to travel this time to Michor, and to convince their king to sign as much contracts as you can…"

The king sat on his throne again, and then he ordered:

"Go now and get some rest. Few days later, I want you to be ready for the trip. And at that time, I'll give you the contracts to sign. Ok, my son?"

"Yes, father…" the prince answered, completely obeying his father innocently…

***

George knocked the door of Ann's room. When he heard a female voice saying "Get in", he did. And he found his nanny Ann sitting on a sofa and embroidering a white piece of cloth.

Ann didn't really change; she was still thin, her face just wrinkled and her brown hair turned to brown and white one although she was just in her fifties.

She looked at George and smiled, happy to see her "son" again after months of travelling. And to be honest, her smile made her prettier:

"George! You're back!"

"Mother! I missed you!" The godson replied spontaneously.

He got closer to her while she stood up and hugged her godson who was taller than her:

"I can't be better without you." Worthington replied. "Tell me; how was your long trip?"

"Good! It was great! The more I visit them, the more I love their food." George responded.

"I'm proud of you, my son. Sit, please." Ann added while she came back to her sofa.

George sat on the edge of Ann's large bed while the latter required him with a managed smile:

"So, George… when will you come back to India?"

"Few days later…" The prince explained, trying to avoid his mother's looks as he knew how sad she had got every time he left Great Britain.

"Few days later…" She murmured. "I'll miss you a lot…"

"Me too…"

Spontaneously, George announced:

"Mother, I'm travelling to an Indian kingdom called Michor. Did you hear about it?"

The old woman's smile disappeared, and her eyes lit…

The young man saw the sudden reaction of his godmother. He asked her: "Mom… Are you ok?"

But Ann tried to hide her reaction with a question: "Michor? Why?"

"Because my father asked me to go to Michor to sign the contract with its king, like the other kingdoms…" George explained.

Ann this time got a bigger shock; she murmured: "… Michor…Chandramukhi… Samantha…"

And this time, George got more worried about her; he asked again with an insisting accent: "Mom, what's the matter?"

Ann stood up but she was close to faint and to fall down. Her godson caught her and helped her to lie across the bed. Then he sat down again on the bed and asked her for the last time: "Mom, what's happening? Tell me!"

She said with a low voice:

"My son…there's a secret that I hid from everybody for a long time."

"What is it, mother?" He asked with an impatient accent.

"I… I already had a daughter…"

"WHAT?!!"

George had never expected that his godmother would hide such a big secret like this one. He spent few seconds shocked. His eyes were lightening as he was remembering all his life with Ann and how he never doubted that she might hide such a huge secret like having a daughter.

The latter saw her godson reaction. She asked him to calm down but he questioned her again: "You already "had" a daughter?!"

"Yes… I gave birth to a daughter three years before you were born…" Ann explained.

"And where is she?" He interrogated.

"I had to leave her… I can't tell you why… my Michorian friend adopted her…" she mumbled.

"Why?"

"I asked her that… if I passed six months and I didn't come back to her and to my baby, Chandramukhi has then to adopt Samantha…" She more explained.

"Wait wait wait…" George noticed something. "What's your Indian friend's name?"

"Chandramukhi, Chandramukhi Singh… Why?" Ann announced and wondered.

George stood up, and acknowledged after a few seconds of silence:

"Mother… Chandramukhi Singh is the Queen of Michor…"

Ann looked at him for a while then she suddenly stood up fast and caught George's shoulders:

"Did you hear anything about Samantha?"

"No, but they say that there's only one princess. She's called "The Adopted Princess"…" He added.

"Oh my God… Oh my God; my daughter became a princess…" Ann rejoiced. "George, Samantha is a princess in an Indian kingdom. Samantha is a princess!!"

"Mother… Michorians don't call her Samantha…" George responded.

"… What?" Ann muttered.

"Her name is Sundarta…" He explained.

"Sundarta?! That's a weird name… Oh! Right; maybe Chandramukhi changed her name when she adopted her." She mumbled.

"Sundarta means in Hindi "beauty"…" He answered her doubts.

"Wow… Well… I guess I asked the right woman to raise my daughter!"

George kept silent, while Ann got more serious, and she begged him:

"George, I need to go to Michor; I want to see my daughter, my Michorian friend and Milady…"

"Who's Milady?" He wondered.

"She was my maid. I asked her to stay in Michor to help Chandramukhi raising Samantha." She explained.

"I see…"

"I want to accompany you and to travel to Michor." She expressed her desire.

"Well, mother, I don't mind at all. But my father…" George reminded her.

"I'll try to convince him… and right now." Ann remarked.

Ann got out of the room with her big heavy dress, while George was still in the bedroom:

"Right now? ... Mother, not now; my father is talking to some ministers! Mom!"…

***