An Eastern Seduction

Chapter Five

Jake peered through his airplane window, moments before touchdown. A jumble of psychedelic specks approached rapidly, like a moving kaleidoscope. Yes, this was India. He could see it humming with colourful activity. Soon he would be immersed in it.

A blast of scorching summer heat greeted Jake and Samantha as they stepped out of the plane at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. It felt like a stifling sauna, laden with humidity and high temperature.

Having cleared customs and immigration, the twosome picked up their baggage and made their way out to the taxi-stand.

"Now what, Jake?"

"I'm not sure, but for starters, I'm going to find us a five star hotel. I just hope they will accept cash without too many questions. Credit cards will make tracking us down far too easy. Jake wiped his sweat-soaked forehead into his sleeve and continued, "Once we are settled in, I'd like to share what I've pieced together with you. We can then move on to some concrete strategy planning."

Jake whistled down a black and yellow, three-wheeler auto rickshaw, puttering and sputtering on a little scooter engine.

"Best five star hotel."

"Yes, sahib. Me take you to the best. And if sahib want tour or anything, me get it. Sahib rent me for day or whole week, if he like."

The drive through New Delhi was quite an experience. The main road was divided by a garden island throughout its entire length. Flowers in an array of colours were intermingled with dancing fountains, arranged in various patterns. The cabby mumbled in his broken English - something about colourful lights doing nightly shows with the jets. Jake and Samantha noticed that the burst of vibrant hues didn't just end there. It extended to the clothing and jewellery that adorned the native women and children - different in form, style and texture, but consistently brightly coloured.

The actual display of means ranged from extreme poverty and destitution, to an obscene amount of wealth and grandeur. While the rich areas boasted homes closer to palaces than residential units, the slums showed dilapidated sidewalks, inhabited by children squealing and frolicking amidst heat, dirt and squalor - right beside mutilated beggars. Despite their living conditions, their bony faces displayed generous, toothy smiles.

As the road wound around the belly of India Gate and made its way through repetitive city segments, Jake discerned that the metropolis appeared to be divided into little communities - complete with schools, housing, shopping and workplaces. According to the rickshaw fellow, it was arranged to facilitate travel by foot, bicycle, or any other means of transportation - all sharing the streets with equal rights. Jake found the traffic density and chaos to be mind-boggling.

Being bombarded by the eccentric, Jake thought to himself, so this is the city where the beautiful, enchanting and powerful Princess Shanti Choudhry lives - the woman who holds the key to settling the age-old feud between the last two royal Rajput dynasties. But her time is about to run out - just as soon as her twenty-first birthday, or the recovery of the infamous signet ring.

Jake resented Norman's involvement in such an omnipotent game, since it had indirectly dragged innocent lives into it. But knowing the thrill his own viscera were experiencing, he could certainly understand why. At times, he almost felt envious of what Norman must have experienced - an intimate involvement with Shanti, influencing history, and being married to Samantha. A jolt of excitement made Jake's spine shudder when he compared it to his own banal existence - up until now that is. Yes - he was definitely going to enjoy the exhilarating ride, however perilous.

The little three-wheeler putt-putted its way into the majestic driveway of The Oberoi Hotel. Flags from at least a hundred different countries garnished its neatly pruned border.

Jake paid the fare, and a generous tip, and asked the cabby to return at ten the following morning - for an entire day.

The cabby folded his hands together in a prayer-like fashion, and said, "Namaste, sahib. Sunil be back tomorrow."

Sharply dressed bellboys secured Jake and Samantha's luggage and piled it onto fancy brass trolleys. The duo was then ushered into an opulent marble lobby - dressed like a tropical garden - with waterfalls and flamboyant floral arrangements. Fine Tabriz carpets dressed the walls and floors alike. Jake couldn't fathom the time and labour that must have gone into such precise, intricate detail. While enjoying the Indian splendour, Jake noticed that the hotel managed to be westernized enough for familiarity. It certainly wasn't the pristine India he had hoped to travel one day. Then again, plenty of adventure lay ahead of them, despite their comfortable accommodations.

As Jake arrived at the check-in counter, the receptionist inquired, "Will that be a queen-size bed with a suite, or a king-size bed?"

Right up until that moment, Jake hadn't even contemplated the rooming situation. The very thought of asking his travel companion made him cringe. Samantha saw his hesitation and bailed him out by suggesting they take the queen-suite option - to conserve funds.

Following their speedy check-in and freshening up, Jake knew that he needed to apprise Samantha of everything he had learned.

Ensuring a comfortable position on the couch, Jake presented the extraordinary account of Norman's involvement in the Far East situation.

The tale began with the recent tension that had been plaguing the country, with various groups vying for prominence - the Rajput royalties being a case in point. With the few regal families remaining, cohesion had become a greater priority than competition - to keep them from becoming extinct. Dynasties that at one time were constantly engaged in conflict to prove supremacy one over another, now tried to establish harmony, using marriage alliances and iron-clad betrothal agreements. Needless to say, they were taken very seriously, with no viable options for nullification. But the late Mr. Norman Fairchild tried to challenge the very core of such an arrangement - perhaps the most compelling one at that, because, if unfulfilled, it could create history.

The contract in question was initiated for the unification of the last of two equally powerful purebred Rajput dynasties - the Choudhrys and the Ranas - who had always locked horns in proving sovereignty over each other. Their age long dispute had continually disintegrated the blue-bloods - secondary to mixed marriages with non-royalties - because neither was willing to put aside their differences and marry into the only other family in their class. That is, until twenty years ago, when Princess Shanti Choudhry and Prince Ranjit Rana were born to their respective lineage, on the same day. It was seen as fate reaching out her hand, to give the ruling class Rajputs one final chance at self-preservation.

A decree proclaimed that on their twenty-first birthday, Shanti Choudhry and Ranjit Rana were to be married. Grand festivities celebrated the betrothal that was to unite the two progeny.

The National Museum of History honoured the importance of the occasion, by pledging the royal Rajput seal to the bride and groom, in the form of a signet ring. It was to culminate the joining of the two royalties into a single imperial realm.

The colossal agreement further outlined that if either party was to back out, they would inadvertently give over to the other all rights to dominion - as designated by the signet ring - thereby completely aborting their own status, and future claims as royalty. For obvious reasons, nobody remotely suspected that either child would selfishly go against it.

The betrothed couple was not allowed to as much as see each other until their wedding day. The elders believed that matters of the heart were bound to stand in the way of proper upbringing and education, not to mention compromised standards. They felt that there would be time enough to fall in love after the wedding was a fait accompli.

Samantha interrupted the tense story by inquiring as to how Norman's article fit into any of it.      Jake explained that the article had nothing to do with the enraged reactions against Norman or Allen. It was one of several like it that continually dress the papers - written by various journalists - in the altruistic hopes of using exposure as a weapon to free people from bondage. There are so many of them that they don't even flinch an eyebrow anymore, least of all motivate murder. Jake concluded that the article was merely a cover-up to keep her innocent to the lethal information.

Jake went on to describe how Norman met Shanti - meaning `peace' - while working on his doctorate on Indian studies. Norman's path repeatedly crossed Shanti's, who was trying to familiarize herself with the history of the Rajputs.

Norman's fascination with Shanti grew intensely as he discovered the woman who was brighter than anyone he had ever met, but still naive and innocent at heart. She could win any debate and quote history and politics with an unmatched zeal. Yet she remained totally unaware of the sensual power she possessed over any man who laid eyes on her.

Despite the various women who fancied Norman, he fell hopelessly in love with the one forbidden fruit - a woman betrothed to another man. This carried grave implications.

At first he loved her privately, from afar. But then his unrequited love almost became an obsession. He had to have the virgin who was being saved for another.

It wasn't long before he became unable to keep it to himself. He made his love known to her. He toyed with the impressionable princess's feelings in trying his best to convince her to leave the barbaric bargain behind - in favour of sailing away to a life of true love and passion with him. Knowing she couldn't really do that to her people, Norman went as far as promising to steal the signet ring for them, exchanging their sovereignty for her hand in marriage - something they themselves had done, in a manner of speaking.

Samantha inquired about what made Shanti the kind of woman who had the power to change the future and make men lose their minds.

Jake replied that Norman had characterized her as having the wit of Solomon, graceful moves of a jaguar, timidness of a kitten, and the charisma of Cleopatra. Physically, he described her as having long, shiny, brown hair that gave a hazel reflection to her light green eyes - cat's eyes, as they're known in these parts. Norman also talked about her straight and dainty nose with a brilliant diamond shining off it - almost as attractive as the dimple on her chin.

Jake paused to look at the freckle on Sam's nose and the dimple that graced her chin. As he gawked at his object of desire, he couldn't help but notice the fear that plagued her eyes. Jake decided to break away from the story, to give Samantha a brief distraction.

Holding her chin gently in his hand, he kissed her dimple and smiled. "Sounds kind of like this little gem." Jake noticed Samantha's face flush. But in as much as he wanted to scoop her up in his arms, and make love to her right then and there, he didn't dare make the first move - in light of her response to his previous advance. It was up to her to make it happen.

Samantha's full lips started to tremble as she pressed them against Jake's sensual mouth. Feeling her desire, his tongue began tracing them delicately, whetting her appetite. Samantha responded by reaching down to feel his pelvis. Her exciting touch shook his spine as he realized that his unfulfilled dreams were about to transcend into a satiated reality. The thrill of the moment closed his eyes and sent shivers through his body as he let out a big moan, tilting his head backwards. The undulating movement through his body pushed his erection harder into her hand.

"Are you sure about this, Sammy?"

Samantha replied by unfastening his shirt buttons and blowing on the perspiration that glistened his erect nipples. She then proceeded to lick his firm, muscular chest. Her tongue travelled along the thin midline of hair - leading the way to the generous mat of curls that announced his phallus. Her hands shook as she tried to undo the buttoned fly on his white linen shorts. Their soft texture and loose cut revealed the excited member that rippled within. Samantha's arousal peaked as the fabric fell to the ground, making Jake's vulnerable organ available to her - to do with it as she pleased. Samantha indulged it by consuming it like a melting ice-cream on a hot summer day.

Being totally taken by her ravaging lust, Jake untied the little straps that held up her sundress. As her garment also fell to the floor, her soft sumptuous breasts got perky, her nipples darkened, becoming taut with excitement. Jake took them, one by one, into the moist cavern of his mouth, teasing them with his strong tongue. He remembered the day before when she brought her body to complete gratification, and hoped he would not fall short of satisfying her with the same intensity.

Jake's muscular arms, with veins throbbing within them, carried Samantha to the firm, queen-size bed. He placed her across its width, her hair dangling off the edge. Every inch of her body was covered in goose-bumps, despite the obvious heat. Jake began devouring her - licking, sucking, kissing everything that came in his path. His mouth finally landed at the bare film of cotton bikini that clung to her seat of throbbing tension. One swift pull and the obstacle was torn off her flesh. There lay the exuberant split fruit, liberally framed by soft, dense coils of hair, displaying its desire to be partaken of.

Jake salaciously indulged the little soldier that stood firm, guarding her gates of paradise. As he felt her tense and vibrate from the excitement of the upcoming rapture, he entered her. Slowly and rhythmically he thrust into her - trying to give her the unhurried pleasure of tantric sex - alternating focus between the yin and the yang. His staying power amazed her. He had the vigour of youth made for hours of enjoyment, but without the initial delirium that ends things too quickly. Jake persisted in satisfying Samantha's hunger until she couldn't hold off anymore. She lifted her hips against his, engulfing him deeper -and allowed them to convulse into a simultaneous climax.

For the next hour, Jake and Samantha lay undisturbed in each other's arms, relishing what they had just experienced, drifting in and out of the inevitable delicious exhaustion.

Samantha finally broke the tranquillity and giggled, "You have got to stop telling me bedtime stories, Dr. Alexander. One never knows what the tension can do."

Jake pulled her closer, wishing to melt their bodies into one, evaporating the gap that could identify them as two. Intoxicating kisses punctuated his loving pillow-talk, capturing the tenderness of the moment. But as luck would have it, the venomous intrusion into their otherwise perfect relationship returned to overtake Jake's mind.

Jake stared at Samantha's beautiful eyes that looked up at him in awe, and said, "Shall I complete your story now?"

"I really wish that there were no story at all, but since that's just wishful thinking, we might as well finish with it. We need to move on to figuring a way out of this mess."

Jake continued, "Since Norman was a very bright man, and an obsessed one at that, he convinced Shanti that he would do whatever it took to bring them together. Being a man of his word, driven by a major goal, he somehow managed to steal the signet ring from the museum. It was the only way he knew to get her to betray her ancestors, since the ring would ensure they were not robbed of their royal lineage on her account. Norman had hoped to keep it hidden until after the negotiations had been completed, but, unfortunately for Romeo and Juliet, they didn't even make it that far.

"An informant told Norman to get out fast, knowing that the Choudhrys were after his blood. Allen convinced Norman to take the advice, since Shanti had already disappeared without a trace. Rumour has it that she is still locked up somewhere within the Choudhry mansion... As for the Ranas, they are enraged over the missing ring - ready for war, if need be."

"How did Allen get involved in all of this?"

"The smell of adventure and justice drew Allen from thousands of miles away, under the pretence of helping his best friend and his charming love, Shanti."

"But why did he have to get me mixed up in a selfish one-man feud against an amicable, benign arrangement?"

"Sammy, the taste of living on the edge can make any man's head spin. We do things without thinking, and sometimes screw up - not knowing how to get ourselves out of potentially lethal situations. Allen probably just made a poor judgement call, under intense pressure and acute time restraints. I don't think he himself appreciated the magnitude of the ordeal he had stepped into. To him, it was probably just a silly arranged marriage."

"What happens now?"

"Now, we both take the rest of the day to read Norman's memoirs, to figure out where he might have hidden the omnipotent signet ring... because I strongly believe, that is the purpose behind us being scared off, half way across the globe."

"And if we find it ?"

"We'll worry about that if and when it happens. My hunch is that the only way out would be to get the Ranas and the Choudhrys together, and hand over the ring to the police in their presence - absolving both dynasties of culpability. Any other way could backfire and make their animosity worse than ever, with them deflecting blame on each other. I just hope it works - freeing us."

With that statement, Jake walked over to his briefcase and removed bundles of paper - neatly separated by ribbons wrapped around them like gift packaging. He handed half to Samantha and kept half for himself.

Raising the thumb of his right fist, Jake declared, "Here's hoping we get lucky."