2 For The Sake Of...

2:15 AM

The beautifully carved ebony encased wall clock was racing away. Its ticking was a constant reminder to him of his dispiriting test results. The porcelain dial, the gold-plated hands, the craftsmanship mocked him. He despised that thing, yet he looked at it constantly, as if his gaze could suddenly freeze its hands, or better yet, render it moving backwards.

It was noisy. And to add to his woes, the stillness of the night had further accentuated the noise which was starting to get on his nerves. His body felt like it was going to fall apart, piece-by-piece. His tongue felt stiff and dry. He wanted to climb on to his study chair, dislodge the darned thing and send it flying out the window. The thought of doing so gave him a mild sense of relief.

The view outside his window was so serene. A crescent moon hung quietly in the night sky. He wondered if anyone still looked up at the sky like him and thought about how he was doing at the White man's school. He wondered if Ma (Mother) and Dai ma (Nanny) were still thinking of him. He was sure of one thing though, that his father, King Amarendra, was deep in slumber. He had forgotten about his son, the gem of his eye and the sole heir to the throne of Makrai. The King hadn't been himself for quite a while now and he had known why. He had become a pawn in the hands of the White officer - the one whom the entire court had objected to having amidst them.

But the White officer seemed determined to stay. He had come to ask of His Majesty - The King of Makrai, a simple favour. He had heard excellent things about the quality of Makrai's produce and merely wished to conduct fair trade. He had gold, silk, porcelain and several precious artefacts that their Company had gathered from distant shores. He had also brought with him a translator - an Englishman who wasn't an officer but was fluent in a few local Indian languages and travelled with the company to aid their business.

The White officer had handed his father a large, boxy, present that was beautifully wrapped in fine Chinese silk. The King had been pleasantly surprised and had received the gift with great humility and gratitude. "As you can see, Your Majesty," the White officer had spoken in a modest tone, "it would be our privilege to serve you and your hard-working farmers, reap the benefits of our trading expeditions!" The King had looked to the translator who had conveyed the message clearly in Hindi, before bowing humbly with his palms together in namaste. A straightforward memorandum of understanding was to be signed soon enough, adding the Kingdom of Makrai to the official the list of allies of the East India Company in Central Provinces.

The King had then ordered one of his servants to unwrap the gift in the presence of the officer and had been overjoyed at the sight of a grand, wooden machine. It was slightly heavy, ornate and unlike anything the King or the courtiers of Makrai had seen before. It had roses, leaves and birds painted on its frame and had golden moving hands with sharp peaks that made a rhythmic ticking sound "What is this?!", he had asked the English Translator, with a great, big smile on his face. "It's a clock, Your Majesty. A device that tells time. It is like a mechanical sun dial or an hourglass that measures and displays the passing of time. I know that you are unfamiliar with this device, but it is easier to read than the hourglass. I can teach you how to read it if only His Highness would allow me. It is not as complicated as it may look," he'd assured him in a calm voice. The courtiers were bewildered at the sight of the clock and had lined up to examine it up close.

Devdutt was riding his pet horse in the courtyard, when he had first set eyes upon the foreigners. He had dismounted the horse and run toward the court but was stopped by the guards outside as the court was in session and children were not to be allowed inside unless the King had ordered otherwise. He had stared at the foreigners with his almond shaped eyes until the doors to the court were closed shut. In a few fleeting seconds before the large doors were pushed to a close, the White officer had stared back at him. His eyes were grey in colour and had seemed cold, even malicious.

2: 20 AM

The room was starting to suffocate him, and he was finding it hard to breathe. He was still in his uniform, battling nostalgia brought about by the clock that was given to his father as a token of friendship extended by Her Majesty - The Queen of England. The King had cherished it and had fondly passed it on to him as he was leaving to his new school. "This will remind you of your mother and me", he'd said with an uncertain smile and had quickly turned his face away from Devdutt.

As much as the clock reminded him of his father and mother, it reminded him of something else as well. His _ _ _ _ _ S E.

Hint: The reason for which anything is done, created, or exists