Chapter 4: Rich Girl and Stupid Mule

The village of Badari was a small hamlet in the hills miles away from Palampur. By the time Aditi covered a quarter of the distance, the flat plains of the fields were left behind and the land started sloping up into mountainous terrain.

She rode Aron at a steady pace, he was used to carrying her weight. But today she had some additional load. Two heavy sacks dangled on Aron’s either side containing books and stationery supplies for the new school. They alone weighed ten kilos each, Kanta Chachi had packed another sackful of samosas that would suffice not only the children but the entire population of Badari. Thankfully, Badari was only a small hamlet with about a hundred plus people, or Aron would have looked more like a mule than a majestic racehorse.

As if sensing her thoughts Aron whinnied in protest, making his displeasure known. I am a thoroughbred horse. Not a donkey to carry all this, he tried to convey his mistress.

“Yes, yes, I know.” Aditi ruffled his thick brown mane. She felt bad for him but she only had herself to blame for going overboard with the school supplies. “I'm sorry Aron. I know it’s a heavy load to carry uphill but it’s only a few miles. And you are a strong boy, aren’t you?”

Aron nickered in agreement. He was indeed a strong boy, but how many strong boys carried heavy sacks for miles? Strong boys showed off their strength by defeating their enemies or by carrying helpless pretty maidens in their arms. Aron could easily defeat his opponents on a racing track, and he had no trouble carrying Aditi on his back. But expecting him to carry three sacks of the load on a hot day was just too much.

He kept kicking and nickering, making his protestations as they went meandering through the mountain road. It was a road she had traveled often with her parents. They enjoyed this journey through the thick forest, it was calm, soothing, and quiet.

Today it felt a little too quiet, she could hear the sound of another rider at her back. A tick-tock of horse hooves sounded behind her in the distance. She couldn’t make out who it was, the dense shrubbery effectively hid the bends in the path. But she knew it was a single horse. She didn’t think much of it as many used horses in these hills. They were the only mode of transport available.

Shaking her head she focussed her mind on the path ahead. The further they went, Aron became more agitated. Deciding to lighten his load, Aditi reined in and got down to walk beside him.

It was nearly noon, and the heat was palpable even through the thick green forest. Her t-shirt stuck to her back and her feet were baking in her leather boots.

“Sorry Aron, no water here for you...” she mumbled when she looked around but didn't find any water hole for him. The horse whinnied in irritation. She offered him her own bottle but he snorted and turned his head away.

“Suit yourself!” Aditi snapped. “Why do you have to be so difficult? I’ll let you drink when we reach the next waterhole.” She took out an apple and fed him as a peace offering. He calmed down and graciously turned to offer her a ride. Sighing heavily, Aditi climbed up again. At this pace, it would be the night to reach Badari.

About half an hour later, Aron’s steps started faltering again. They were nearing a fork in the path. Straight ahead would lead them to the caves near the hilltop. Badari lay on the path to the right.

Aditi tried to turn to the right, but she underestimated Aron's agitation. His protests became more frantic.

“Whoa...Aron, Calm down,” Aditi somehow scrambled down and out of harm's way. He whinnied and pulled away, snapping the reins out of her hands. She watched him helplessly as he turned right and bolted into the forest, leaving her alone to fend for herself.

*****

“Wild horses should be shot down,” said a voice from behind her. “And people who can’t ride shouldn’t be allowed near horses. Especially girls.”

Aditi was too busy staring after Aron to heed the unsolicited advice. She couldn’t believe it. The silly old mule had done a runner on her, what was she supposed to do now? All she had was her mobile, which was no use in these hills. She’d lost her supplies, her water bottle, and Aron had taken everything with him.

Stomping her foot in annoyance she swore loudly, mouthing a few choice words she'd learned at the racecourse.

"That is not proper behavior for a young lady,” someone said again, but she was too occupied to notice.

“Aron!” she called, running towards the path he’d taken. “Aron, baby, come back...” She heard a snicker in the distance, but no one came back.

“I think that means he doesn’t want to be here,” said the annoying voice again. “Maybe he doesn’t like you.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion. Go away.” Aditi snapped without looking. Her eyes kept searching through the shrubbery for a gleaming chocolate coat but found nothing.

She was panicking now. Badari was still miles away. She didn’t mind walking, but there was no point going there without the supplies. She could as well turn back home, but she couldn’t leave Aron. He was somewhere in this forest. She didn’t know if he’d be able to reach Badari or home by himself. He might get lost and wander away. Or worse, he might slip and fall in one of the gorges. That would be the end of him.

“Aron, you stupid mule! Come back this instant!” Aditi screeched in the general direction of the forest. A few birds fluttered up from their peaceful perch and a few monkeys whooped in irritation. But there was no reply from Aron.

A sound of hooves behind her brought her back to her senses. She turned around. A man sat on a majestic black horse looking cool as a cucumber. It was someone she knew. Or rather someone she didn’t.

***** 

Aditi stared at the man, the stranger from yesterday. Sitting on his majestic black horse, he loomed over her like a demon from the dark ages. She had to crane her neck to get a better look. He was tall. One of the tallest she had seen. And broad. He was wearing faded jeans and a leather jacket. Even in this heat, his face looked pristinely cool. Rather stonelike.

"It's you." She said after some time, having found nothing else to say.

He cocked his head. "And it's you," he said with a faint sneer on his lips. "I should have known."

"What do you mean?" she asked, annoyed. It was turning out to be a bad day. First Aron and now this man, cooly commenting on her like a spectator enjoying some street play.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I just thought after yesterday's mishap, you would be a bit more sensible and stay away from horses. But I guess I was wrong."

She bit her lip in embarrassment and shook her head. "There was something wrong with those horses yesterday. They behaved weirdly. And Aron is my friend. He is not dangerous."

He raised his brow and his sneer became prominent. "I can see how good friends you are. He couldn't wait to be rid of you. Mind you, I don't blame him. I have been listening for quite some time."

Aditi's eyes widened. "So you were intentionally trailing behind while I was struggling with Aron!".

He shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "I'm always up for a bit of free entertainment."

She gave him a dirty look and muttered some more curses under her breath. It was all Aron's fault. She would never trust him again. But for now, she had to find him. Soon it would be too dark to see properly.

"So what are you going to do now?" he asked casually. "Your horse is gone and it'll soon be dark."

She didn't know. Badari was still miles away. And she was stranded in the middle of nowhere with this annoying man. Chewing her lips she considered her options. She could walk to Badari. That'll take her hours and she wasn't sure it would be safe walking in the dark. Then there were the beasts of the forest to consider. There were no wildcats, but they had plenty of wolves and foxes, not to mention the famous black bears. No. Going to Badari on foot was not an option.

Unless, of course, she had a better means of transport. Something faster, that's readily available. Her shrewd eyes fell on the horse. It was a beauty. Tall with powerful flanks, with a silky mane, and coat like sparkling water. A smile lit her face. Yes, it would do perfectly, if only she could get her hands on it.

"Umm...can I..?" she started hesitantly but faltered. It was unlikely that he would let her have his horse, especially considering yesterday's fiasco. His horse looked well-behaved enough, but what if it too went rough of her?

"Yes?" he prodded encouragingly.

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"Can I please..umm...borrow your horse?" she asked, looking hopeful. He didn't look like a bad man. He had helped her yesterday. It was entirely possible he would just hand her the reins and walk behind her like a true gentleman.

"Give you my horse?" His eyes widened with shock. "And what am I supposed to do in this jungle? Wait for eternity for you to come back?"

Did he just imply she would steal his horse? Her brow furrowed in irritation. "I'm not going to run away with your horse," she snapped. "I just need it to reach Badari before sundown. And you can come with me."

"No." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm already late. I need to get going." he started to turn his horse. "All the best with your search."

Her heart sank. Soon he would be gone, and that gorgeous horse with him. And any hope of finding Aron in this blasted forest. "Wait," she called and he stopped, eying her questioningly. "Where are you going at this time anyway? The caves are miles uphill, it will be night soon. And it's not safe to ride these paths at night."

He smiled mockingly. "Thank you for your concern, but unlike you, I can take care of myself and my horse."

She seethed. He was cocky, arrogant, and rude and all things men like him were usually supposed to be. He was also distractingly handsome, she noted but pushed that thought away. She needed him right now. Or rather, his horse.

"I need to go to Badari," she said after a brief pause. "And I also need to find my horse."

"So?"

"So I need your horse to go to Badari to get help to search for Aron." She finished her list and waited expectantly. It was the best way to find Aron. And possibly the only way.

"No," he answered without sparing a moment.

"No?" What kind of a man was he? Wasn't he supposed to help damsels in distress? Did she not look like a damsel in distress? Yesterday he'd saved her from falling. And today he was ready to leave her alone in this forest?

She contorted her face to make it look sadder, pitiful, and all things she could think of. She was not very good at acting, but she tried to imitate Mohit when he fell from his pony.

"Don't make faces. It doesn't suit you." He said dryly and she snapped back to her annoyed expression.

"Well, I need help. And I can return the favor if you deign to help." She crossed her arms and waited. He looked new here. Tourists always needed help navigating these hills. She could offer that much if he was willing to lend his horse.

"No." He replied after a prolonged deliberation.

She scowled. This was proving to be a waste of time. She should have already gone rather than dawdling here with him. "Why not?"

"Two reasons," he said in a bored voice. "A. I don't trust you to handle Eros. From what I have seen since yesterday, you can't be trusted with a docile pony let alone a willful stallion."

"Yesterday was just a freak accident!" Aditi stomped her foot in annoyance, nearly close to tears. How many times were they going to taunt her for yesterday? It was a freak accident, her first-ever fall. She had never fallen from a horse before, even when she first learned to ride. But what would this stranger know about her anyway?

"Look, you don't know me. I have ridden horses all my life. I can take care of myself. I won't fall again, I promise."

"I know you very well, Ms. Sharma," he replied coldly. "And I am least bothered with you. I am worried about Eros. I can't afford to lose him if he decides to bolt on you."

One, two, three...she counted up to ten. Then to twenty. It took her a while to calm down. So he knew her. Fair enough. Many people knew her around. And maybe after yesterday's incident, he took special pains to inquire about her. The thought gave her tickles but she ignored them stoically. He was just a jerk, more concerned about his horse than her. That was fine too. Maybe she would do the same in his shoes. It was indeed a lovely horse.

"And the other reason is that I don't want to waste any more time. I am already late because of you," he said calmly.

She balled her fists and ground her teeth. Never before in her life had she been insulted this way. Never before had she been refused by a man; a handsome man; a young, dashing, outrageously, provocatively, maddeningly handsome man. She scowled and shook her head. What was the matter with her? He was a rude oaf who didn't deserve those adjectives. And she needed to reach Badari and find Aron. Focus, she scolded herself.

"Please. I need help. It'd soon be dark. Aron might get hurt. I just need your horse to reach Badari faster. I'll return it tomorrow, safe and sound." She stopped for a breath looking for his reaction. He was watching her quietly, which meant he was considering. That gave her hope. "You seem to be a tourist. Badari is a beautiful village. You'll like it. And I can help you find a guide tomorrow. There's a Shiva temple on the hilltop and some other places you can visit."

His lips pressed in a thin line as if he was considering a very detestable prospect. Her hackles raised with each passing moment. He looked like the kind of man who didn't like impromptu changes. Meeting her, helping her, wasting time on her must be at the bottom of his touristy agenda.

"Fine," he said, relenting finally and her shoulders sagged with relief. "You can ride Eros."

"Thanks!" Moving forward she placed a small hand on the horse's side. Eros. Even the name was majestic. An excited shiver ran down her spine as she patted the animal. He didn't look intimidating like his master. Neither did he flinch when she stroked his silky mane.

She extended her hand for the reins and waited for him to get down, but he didn't move.

"Umm...may I have the reins?" she asked, a little confused.

"No," he answered nonchalantly. "You'll ride with me. As I said, I can't trust you to handle my horse."

Her eyes widened. "But...I can't..." she bit her lip in uncertainty. She hadn't given a thought to this possibility. She'd asked just for his horse, not for his manly escort.

He shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't care. "I love my horse too much to let a girl like you ride it. Decide for yourself. Or I'm leaving."

She stood staring at him, not knowing what to do. Moments passed in silence as he looked at her impatiently. Finally, he shook his head and reached out to take her arm. She was too flustered to think straight when his other arm went around her waist to pull her up. His cold leather jacket felt like a hard wall of iron against her clammy back. The sweat on her skin turned to tiny shards of ice as he nudged his horse forward on the path to Badari.

*****

She couldn't remember much of what happened after that. She was enclosed inside hard walls of iron, she couldn't even look around to see where they were going. The horse rode at a steady pace, not in the least bothered with her extra weight. She wondered if its master realized she was there, she felt so small sitting next to him. The path went through the hills, upwards, and onwards. At times he bent forward for balance, almost pinning her between him and the horse. At times she leaned back, almost disappearing into his broad chest. Her body felt icy and her brain went numb. The angry bees from yesterday returned humming even louder in her ears. Any thought of finding Aron or reaching Badari went out of the window. Here and now, her body and mind were, in this moment, with him.

Sometime after the sunset and orange dusk shrouded them. Birds returned to their nests chirping excitedly and the grass rippled with a cool evening breeze. She closed her eyes and inhaled, savoring the moment. There was something about it, something that made it special. She knew it would be gone soon. It would be gone the moment she let it go.

She heard a bustle ahead and finally came to her senses. Hours had already passed. They had already reached Badari.

***** *****

 

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