Chapter 311

He held her firmly and the acrobats continued. He kept blowing fire out of his mouth and it was amazing to watch. He threw the fire stick in the air and did a somersault and caught ir right back when he landed. There was a huge applause. Right at that moment the waitress came over and cleared their table and seizing the opportunity he jumped on their table and continued to perform on the table. Diya was leaning on Akshar's shoulder and was looking up. So was everyone when one of the gorgeous women joined him. She did a triple jump and rolled over the floor and leaned on the table and jumped on and landed on his shoulder. There was nothing but silence as everyone was watching them perform. Some were amazed and some were scared. She stood on his shoulders and in such beautiful co-ordination both started blowing fire. When he did it on the left she did it on the right and it was beautiful to see them. One of employees came closer and handed her a couple of rings which she took gracefully while standing on his shoulders and him still blowing fire and balancing her weight on his shoulders. She started circling the rings and gently slid in on to her chest and kept balancing it and continued with the next one. In a couple of minutes she had both rings one on her waist and the other around her chest and fire in her mouth, everything on his shoulders. There were four such pair’s, couple on top of a table and couple on the floor. There was pin drop silence and a single clap broke the silence. It was joined by many others and everyone stood up and continued to clap giving them a standing ovation when the performers finished up with a bow turning in all directions. Diya wondered looking at the female performer, "Wow, she is so strong and yet graceful. Look at her muscles and the strength they have. She probably must have been training from a very young age." As if Akshar had heard her thoughts he said, "Look at their strength, I wouldn't go anywhere near these guys, well the girls too, with one kick I guess I would be in the hospital for weeks." Diya couldn't help herself but laugh.


They all took a seat as the lights came up and the announcer stepped it and said, "Now for the concluding part of Princess Turandot" and he stepped away. The lights dimmed and the spot light was focused on the stage. Princess Turandot was standing there with her face still covered and Prince Calaf stood in front of her at a distance. The king asked "Are you ready my boy? You know what you fate will be if you fail?" Prince Calaf looked up and said "Yes. I do". The princess asked the first riddle and without any hesitation the Prince gave the answer as "Hope". The Princess looked up for the very first time completely revealing her face and with the spotlight. From the scroll in which she wrote the answer, her assistants said, "He is right". The king smiled. Then she continued with the second riddle. It was interesting and everybody wanted him to answer correctly even though it was an act. There were a couple sitting on the edge holding their hands very tight, another praying. The show had such an effect everyone was in a kind of a trans. So were Diya and Akshar. They were sitting much closer to each other than they were in the beginning. Akshar had his arms around her and neither of them realized it. Calaf took a moment and then gave his answer. Immediately her assistants said "He is right. He is right again". The king was happy, but was worried that he might get the third one wrong. He looked at his daughter. The expression on the Princess was starting to change, very slowly. She demonstrated that she was an excellent artist and her voice modulation was superb. The authority in her voice that she had been showing through the story was slowly starting to change into fear for she didn't wish to marry and was scared that he might answer the third one correct. And as per her wish, that was made into a law she has to marry him. She walked closer to him and the third riddle. Calaf looked into her eyes and fell into his feet. He said, "Princess thy beauty is worth dying and your heart is pure as white as the snow." Diya was leaning on Akshar's shoulder and he was resting his head on hers. He had his arms around her and hers around his. The Princess said, “Stranger, do answer my question and not stall by talking to me about my beauty”. He looked up and looked into her eyes and said, “The answer is”. He paused and said, “Turandot”. The expression on Princess Turandot’s face changed.” Her assistants screamed,”He is right. Right. Right”