-Prologue-
Mr Ahluwalia cried as he watched his son's funeral pyre burn, his son hadn't deserved to die this way. He should have died as a hero, a martyr, not with the accusation of being a traitor. Almost nobody had attended the funeral, no one had wanted to be associated with a traitor's family. It made Mr Ahluwalia worry about what the future had in store with them, how could they all survive this hatred and alienation?
He wiped his tears and then stared past the pyre, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. There on the other side of the fire, stood a young army officer, tears in his eyes. The young man was saying something, as if talking to the fire, but Mr Ahluwalia couldn't make out the words. Then the officer saluted and abruptly walked off. Mr Ahluwalia wondered whether he had imagined it, certainly he hadn't expected any of Navin's friends to turn up today, so who was this man?
His question would have to wait to be answered, but the sight of that one officer who had come to salute his son gave Mr Ahluwalia a hope that had been missing for months.
A hope that one day Navin's lost pride and honour would be returned to him.
Four years later...
The entire academy was abuzz with gossip. Nothing this exciting had happened since... well, since they arrived in the academy a month ago. Sure, that wasn't a very long time, but anything which distracted the cadets from their tough drills and boring lessons was welcome to them.
The news had spread quickly and in less than two hours, every single cadet and faculty member knew.
Captain Rajveer's wife was coming to KMA.
**
The gossip had been spread by an orderly who had heard Captain Rajveer discussing it with Brigadier Chandook. Once the news spread around the orderlies, it was only a matter of time before Suriji found out, and from there to Lolita, Dr Shalini and the rest of the faculty. The cadets found out when Pooja Ghai heard Suriji telling Dr Shalini, and then it spread among them too.
'I didn't even know he was married.' Ritu told Shalini, sounding slightly annoyed at that fact.
'Don't sound so put out, Ritu.' Shalini told her, 'I know he's the cutest member of staff here but honestly you should've realised by now, didn't you see the ring on his finger?' Shalini made it sound like it was completely and utterly obvious.
'But he never said anything!' Ritu told her, she couldn't believe that the brief on Captain Rajveer hadn't mentioned he was married. How was she supposed to do her job without the proper information?
'Did you ever ask him if he was married?'
'Well, no. But he should have told us!'
'Look Ritu, Captain Rajveer is a very private person, you should know that by now.' Shalini told her. 'He never talks about himself unless he had to.'
Ritu was just glad that Shalini didn't know the real reason for her annoyance. She would have to plan her next steps carefully now this wife of the Captain's was arriving'
**
Raj waited at the bus station nervously, there was still thirty minutes until she was due to arrive and he still couldn't work out how he'd gotten himself into this mess.
That was right, BC.
BC had noticed that Raj appeared to be very popular amongst the female cadets, it had only been a month since the first year cadets had arrived in KMA, and already the Captain had received who knows how many love letters and cards.
It had all become a bit too much and BC was sick of it, he needed discipline in his academy so he had called Captain Rajveer into his office.
Raj hadn't known the reason that he was being called in, and had sat there waiting for BC to say something.
'Captain Rajveer, I'm sure you've noticed that you're rather popular among the female cadets.' Brigadier Chandook had pointed out.
'Uh, yes Sir.' Raj had answered, not quite sure where this was heading. 'I try to discourage it but''
'I know it's not your fault Captain, but I thought that perhaps we could have a little heart to heart talk.' BC told him.
Raj had immediately become more alert, 'BC' and 'heart to heart' should never occur within the same sentence in his opinion.
'About what, Sir?' Raj asked, suddenly nervous about what the Brigadier was about to bring up.
'Well Captain, I was wondering why you hadn't settled down yet.' BC told him, 'You're already a Captain and your career is going well, you're handsome, smart, and well settled. When are you planning on getting married?'
'Well, uh, Sir'' Raj had fidgeted uncomfortably, this was the last conversation he wanted to be having right now.
'There isn't any lack of females around here, Captain, and most of them like men in the army. I'm sure if you were to find yourself a girlfriend, then the female cadets would pay less attention to you and more attention to their studies.'
'I'm sorry, Sir, but I can't do that.' Raj had told BC, hoping that he would drop the subject.
'And why not, Captain?' BC had asked him, frowning slightly as if to say he was unhappy with how Raj had responded. 'I can't order you to do it, but if the female cadets continue to remain distracted in this way then I'll be forced to request for you to be reassigned from this academy.'
Raj panicked. It was important to his mission to remain here, not only to catch the spy and protect the triggers but also because it might be his last chance to prove Navin's innocence.
'Because I'm already married!' Raj blurted out.
The room was so silent that you could've heard a pin drop.
'Why didn't I know that?' BC asked him, amazed at this piece of information.
'Well, Sir, we had a very small and private wedding. I didn't feel it necessary to inform anybody.'
'Then where is your wife now?' BC had asked him, slightly suspicious 'Why isn't she with you here?'
'Sir, she's still finishing her medical studies, I thought it would be wrong for me to interrupt her education by asking her to come here.'
'Don't be ridiculous Captain, there is an excellent medical college here in town that she can gain admission to.'
'But Sir, I''
'No ifs or buts, Captain!' BC told him, 'I want your wife here at KMA by the end of the month or I request that you're posted elsewhere.'
Raj had wished that he could have thought up some lie, but the truth was out now. There was nothing more he could do except call his mother-in-law and ask her if her daughter would agree to join him here. After two days she had called him back, saying that his wife would be there in a week and that they were already arranging to transfer her admission to the local college.
Raj was understandably nervous, he hadn't seen her since their marriage two years ago. He hadn't even talked to her since then. He had no idea what she thought about him or whether she was happy to be coming or not.
Raj was shaken out of his thoughts by the arrival of the bus, and he stepped forward, searching for her face in the crowd of passengers exiting. She was one of the last ones to come out, her steps hesitant, almost reluctant.
There, with one suitcase in her hand, stood Naina Singh Shekawat, formerly Ahluwalia.
His wife had arrived.
***
Well that's it for today guys! Comments please!
Edited by andreamcl - 16 years ago
