"Hello Taya have you been waiting for me?"

Said Stree hugging the tall and elegant Kinnar from behind.

Yakha was the third gender. Stree affectionately called him Taya. He/she was both a parent, mentor and bodyguard all rolled into one for Stree. Yaksha was the one who had protected and brought her up like her/his own child and was one of her most loved ‘person on planet earth’ in her own words and everybody around Stree knew that. Period.

Yaksha was all that she had missed in life a mother and a father and it was Taya who could give her the best of both worlds without being judgmental.

King Karna too trusted Yaksha more than himself and was convinced that only Yaksha could groom Stree into what he wanted her to be.

Yaksha has been King Karna’s bodyguard and aide for a long time and when ‘it’ happened he was the one to run away with Stree in ‘Vanasthan’. In the madness that followed after it happened Yaksha was the one who kept Stree alive. Though calm and serene it only took him a minute to flare up if someone spoke against Stree.

Though a third gender Yaksha was exquisite. In his earlier days as king Karna’s bodyguard the tough and masculine side of Karna was on display but since he took charge of Stree his feminine side evolved, his look softened and he grew his hair and changed his warrior attire to a more altered motherly look.

Yakshas most prized possession though was a ring that he wore with the word STREE inscribed on it. The sentiment was reciprocated strongly with Stree’s ‘YAKSHA” broach.

"Are you angry Taya?" asked Stree again.

"Does it matter?"

"No it doesn’t."

"Good then why do you ask?"

"Awww just that I was hungry and it is one of those days that I wanted you to feed me. Anyway since that is not happening as it seems and you don’t care I might as well go and catch up with Rudy."


And she starts walking towards the door.

Yaksha grabs her by the ear and gives it a twist,

"You naughty girl are you trying to emotionally blackmail me?"

"It works doesn’t it ?"

and the wickedness that Star witnessed earlier in the day emerges in a dimpled smile.

******

On the other hand Star goes back to his home and regrets instantly.

"Here comes the hero!" says his uncle. "Where were you the entire day? I thought you went to get some work but looks like you have been wandering around aimlessly."

"I’ll get it tomorrow."

"Wow so what are we going to eat today. I am sure you are full after eating your parents. Eat us now so that all our sins come to an end."

And he starts beating him with a stick and Star does not even utter a word. After some time he gets tired and leaves the boy to his own devises.

******

"I have always heard about the Vanasthan but never ventured there. What about you Rudy?"

"Me neither."

"Shall we ask someone?"

"Not a good idea."

And then Stree looks at Rudy and winks….

"No Stree absolutely not…"

"I am not going there with you…"

But then Stree always had her way…….

Next morning Rudy and Stree escape the eyes of the palace guards and leave for vanasthan. They reach there just around noon and start roaming around in the virgin woods. Rudy looks around and finally settles his gaze at Stree. For the first time he notices how funny she looks in a boy’s attire, her hair tied in a tight pony hidden beneath her jacket she almost looks like a boy except for her doe eyes….eyes shadowed with the reflection of her own lashes…so deep you can’t measure what’s beneath….this the only contradiction that gives her away as a girl.

He starts laughing to annoy her and Stree kicks some fruits and flowers his way. Rudy mocks her still and this irritates Stree even further. She throws at him whatever comes her way. The woods serving as a willing supplier of throw aways at Rudy. After a good hearty laughter session Rudy realizes the situation getting out of hand and calls for truce.

"Ok let’s do it this way I am going to stop laughing at you and start exploring these woods and you can come with me."

"Oh you mean let's do it your way. Why should I follow you. I will explore on my own says Stree and to Rudy’s shock starts running in a direction."

Rudy calls behind her but Stree keeps running till the voice behind her grows fainter and finally is no more.

After running quite a distance Stree stops and realizes her temporary insanity.

Yaksha would have called her a baboon if he had witnessed the situation. A perfect baboon moment thought she. Where is Rudy? It’s all so quiet here with not a single soul to be seen.

******

On the other hand…..

Yesterday’s beating was nothing. I can endure more (chuckle) What if they don’t give me food. What is Vanasthan for. Star knew every nook and corner of the forest…and every tree with fruits was waiting for him…….and then while he did the mental jogging and his footsteps carried him deeper in the woods…he looked up all of a sudden sensing someone alien around, making noises, stepping on the branches of long forgotten dead shrubs…who is it he thought and walked towards the noise….Oh my God…..it’s her!!!!!!!

This girl reminded him of a leopard the other day but today standing amidst his familiar forest she looked like a dark stallion, slender, graceful, amazing speed and he sensed a subdued wickedness in her that came to surface only when challenged.

He picked up a stick and approached her from behind….and silently creeping up to her whispered in her ears:

"What’s your name?"

Stree turned around in a quick movement that made her hair tumble out from the hiding and covered her beautiful features. Star mesmerized by what he had seen…. almost as if in a trance reached out and removed the strand of hair from her face…..and was breathless at the sight of those doe eyes…..but what made him feel less of a man was the absence of fear in them.

How dare she…she’s got to be scared…she is on her own.. all alone in the forest…she’z got to be scared….and I am Star.

Stree moved back a few paces creating a gap between them and held herself tall without uttering a word.

"What’s your name?" asks Star again.

No answer.

"What’s your name?"

No answer

"What’s your name?"

Still no answer.

"Stubborn aren’t you?"

And he whips the stick in his hand in a cross like manner in front like a sword and walks towards her repeating the same.

Stree realizes him coming forward and looking at him straight in the eye moves a few paces back.

"What’s your name?"

"What’s your name?"

"What’s your name?"

And again that rhythm in her movement and she turns around and runs. Star chases her with his stick in hand.

Where’s Rudy and who is this idiot? Where are you Rudy?

She runs real fast..throw the stick and catch up with her….she’s just a girl….No no. no no she’s not just any other girl…..damn good runner…..****

"Just tell me what’s your name and I will stop running after you."

Shut up idiot I am leading you and you are behind me. You will be defeated anyway thinks she.

Is she mad thinks Star or is she really that headstrong, all I asked was her name and it is then that he sees right in front of her, fallen trees blocking her way in a giant criss cross.

I can see the clearing beyond those fallen trees Rudy must be out there somewhere waiting for me.

"Hey mad woman STOP!"

Shouts Star from behind and it is precisely at that moment that she leaps like a leopard and flies past those fallen trees.

Star stops in awe of that sight…he had never seen or met a girl like her. His jaws hang loose and unaware of his own gestures ….he starts to clap.

On the other side of the trees Stree turns around in an arch in his direction and with a very measured stance with her left hand strikes off an imaginary insect from her shoulders.

Star gets the message…..and hurt……..shouts at her….

"Point taken! You are better than me but WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR NAME??!!"

From another direction a boy nearly their age comes running and shouts at her…

"Are you crazy Stree running around in the forest like that? You got me so worried."

Rudy does not see the boy chasing Stree and neither does she point out at him.

To his sadness Star realizes he had been dismissed, dismissed by STREE…..that’s her name and he gives himself a shy smile.

******

Just a few visible distance away stood Jibral awestruck by what he had been seen.

First he thought it was a boy running around like crazy in the woods or being chased by a wild animal but when the boy leaped across the log of woods and almost defying gravity remained suspended in the air, as if having wings, for some mili seconds and while Jibral was torn between calling his men and running towards the boy ‘the boy’ came down in a thud on the ground, and the beautiful unruly tresses became a brat across her being.

Jibral was done!

The girl as if in one of his dreams turned around striking something off her shoulder and stood straight while a boy from another direction came running up o her.

Jibral had been an excellent hunter since he was a teenager but this time around he was the one who was hunted.

He was on a scheduled visit to King Karna’s country Anga Pradesh - Monghyr.

The girl and boy walked passed him as he stood in silence and reverence like a statue. The setting sun turned the sky aglow with orange splendor and in that brilliant ‘godhuli’ sky the dark girl was the most exquisite creature he had ever seen or imagined.

After she had gone he sat down on his knees in a prayer and covered his face and sat quite still.

"What happened Sir?" asked his army chief Izhar worried something might have happened to their future king.

"Just thanking God, Izhar. I have been defeated by one of his angels."

*****

It was late when they reached the palace and the guards had changed but Stree knew all the secret places in the palace and around its fore walls, so they sneaked in from the orchard behind the palace and jumped on the walls from one of the trees and onto their horses that Stree had parked from before.

"When did you get them here?" asked Rudy surprised at Stree’s resourcefulness and planning.

"Since you were sleeping, dreaming of the adventure bro. Someone had to do the job of planning." (giggles)

"Right Stree!"

Said Rudy embarrassed realizing that he should have taken charge. He made a mental note of it and locked it in his grey cells, next time I promise Stree he swore to himself I will ‘be’ the big brother.

*****

Mani announced Jibral’s arrival to King Karna.

Announce his visit Mani and get the children ready for dinner they all must join us. Ask Yaksha to counsel Stree to attend these royal engagements. It is very important that it happens said King Karna and sighed, he looked so old and fragile thought Mani as he left the room.

******

"Where were you?" asked Yaksha.

"Oh Rudy and I were playing chess."

"Really!?" said Yaksha getting annoyed at Stree’s cooked up stories, but there were more important things at hand.

"Get dressed Stree, will you please…"

"But Taya…"

"Please."

"Ok I will."

Stree thought best not to argue with Taya and avoid suspicion on her whereabouts during the first half of the day.

Yaksha took special care at getting Stree dressed up and handed her the jewellery box.

"I don’t like any of them said she. Where’s the one I like the most?"

"King Karna is not going to like it if you wear that said Yaksha a little worried."

"But that’s my mom’s taya I can’t disown her legacy."

Yaksha gave it to her…..Loy’s emerald and Ruby ‘maang tika’ that now added to Stree’s beauty.

"How do I look Taya?" asked Stree playfully turning around.

Such beauty could only come from that womb thought Yaksha. Oh! The beautiful and innocent Loy…it was as if yesterday and he could still see her… he hugged Stree tightly and felt a lump rise in his throat …and the tears softened Yaksha’s pain…as he said, "Just like your mother Stree...like an angel without wings."

To be continued………

***********************************************

Kinnar : A Demi God, also means one that is not male or female

Godhuli : Dusk

Maang Tika : Maang Tika is an Indian hair jewelry that is worn on the parting of the hair in place of the red spot (tilaka or 'tika') on the foreheads of Hindu women.

PS : Ladies check google images you are going to love it J