Page 212 - Musings 2020

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The Story

Divya Kapur 2017A3PS0283

“Papa, why didn’t I ever meet Grandfather before this?”, Mia asked. She was sitting on the
passenger seat of an old Honda Civic. Her father, who had been silent throughout the journey
till now, looked at her from the corner of his eyes. He must have seen something in her
bright, sparkling eyes that made him soften his face. His tense posture relaxed, but only a
little.

“Why do you ask, sweetheart?” he inquired absentmindedly, focusing on the empty country
road.
“All my friends would tell me about how their grandpas and grandmas buy them chocolates
and sweets and candies and munchies. They all~ have two grandmas and two grandmas. I
don’t even have a single one! Not fair, papa!” She huffed, crossing her arms.

Her father, James, smiled fondly at his daughter’s antics. “Why Mia, am I not enough for
you? I buy you all those things. And much more.” “But Papa! It's just the two of us! And no
one else! Not a Mummy, Not a Nana, no Granny, no Granddaddy, no nothing!!”

James looked as if he wouldn’t answer. A few minutes went by and he didn’t look away from
the road past the steering wheel, the wind coming in from the open windows rustling his hair.
Disheartened, Mia started sulkily looking outside at the passing scenery.

It was a whole bunch of wheat-corns adorning the path. The sun was blazing above them, the
weather was hot and sticky. They had turned off the AC a while back because there wasn’t
enough fuel in the car and they had yet to cross a Fuel Station. Birds were chirping and there
were far too many flies buzzing around.

Slowly, her attention was caught by trying to swat a fly on the dash. She was so intent on her
task that she barely heard James when he said, “Wanna listen to a story, sweetheart?”

“Yes!” All moodiness and upset at her father’s reticence pushed aside in favor of one of his
stories. In Mia’s solemn 7-year old opinion, her father was the best storyteller ever. She loved
how he took her to fantastical places with Kings and Queens and golden Princesses and
flying Elven Princes with their Dragons and so much more.

James smiled wryly, “I warn you, it’s a long one. But we have got time. Still wanna hear it?”
“Yes, Papa!”, was shouted out a bit impatiently this time.
“All right, here it goes. Hmm…..how should I start again…….

A long long time ago, in a world ruled by a stone-hearted tyrant, there was a little Prince. His
father was the King and raised the little Prince to be like himself. He would say, “In this
world, there are only those who conquer and those who are conquered. And you, my son,
shall not insult your lineage by being the latter.”

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