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Mere pass aao	By : Zanshi Category: +M to R > One Piece Views: 1576 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't make money with my fics and I don't own One Piece or any of the characters they all belong to Oda-sensei, but I have a lot of fun using them C:

Chapter List
- 1-Prologue
- 2-chapter one
- 1
- 2
Mere pass aao

Chapter 01

Bombay harbor, around 1890

Starting with the first sight of the Indian coast in the wee hours of the morning, the crew had been busy preparing everything for the landing. For hours, the men had been bustling all over deck, controlling hawsers for the last time and preparing everything for the arrival. Now, after the sun neared her highest peak, the bunch had finished their work and had some time to relax, before the actual docking. That was when the customers would let them of course, but for the moment everything seemed to be in order and no one wanted to check on their belongings kept in the cargo compartment.

Small waves were crushing against the SS Britannia’s hull, spraying pasty froth high against the pod and over the ship’s rail like a fine, salty mist as she passed through the crystalline waters. Even during these hours of the day, the air was already heavy with humidity and nearly scorching on the skin. The occasional breeze, which tried to fight off the intense summer heat, smelled like the tangy saltwater and kelp, as well as the more exotic scents of rare spices, which were loaded on the docks. It was an intoxicating and slightly nauseating mix that was most likely unique in the whole world. And the Earl enjoyed every second of it. Leaning against the guardrail, a cigar in his mouth, he took in the amazing sight before him. Not that he would have been picky about it. After weeks on sea, without the opportunity to do some kind of work, everyone would be overjoyed at the sight of land. Sadly for the time being he was reduced to be just another passenger and not a commanding officer, as much as it annoyed him. And so he had been condemned to the boredom of leisure. But that would be over soon.

With a hint of excitement on his strong features, he watched as the liner made her way for landing, with the languishment of an old lady, announcing her arrival with a thunderous howl from her foghorn. Wanting to take a good look at the unfamiliar anchorage, Smoker shielded his eyes against the angry glare of bright light. It wasn’t an easy task with the sun glaring from above and being reflected by the sea but also by the whitewashed buildings of the captaincy office. But he managed after a while. The harbor looked like it was kept in good shape, from what he could make out from it. What was sure though, was that the place was bursting with activity.

Cranes and winches loaded thousands of massive freight boxes to their respective cargo transporters, which were ready to bring the often expensive shipment into diverse parts of the world. The workers were cavorting over the wharfs, busy and diligent like ants in their performance. Colorful clad merchants were selling their goods on small market stands, trying to make good money out of the tourists. Their loud cries of advertisement mingled with the merry chatter of the travelers and acquirers, as well as the harsh shouts from the employees working for the port or boats, doing their jobs. Similar to how it was back in England, the nobleman though with a tiny smirk. What was different though, were the colors. There were shimmering fabrics on the booths, waiting for buyers. Huge bales of it were wrapped tightly and securely, lying on the docks, so they could be shipped to other countries. And of course the vibrant clothes of the natives contrasting to the duller shades of the garments the Europeans wore. Bright fruits and multihued spices were decoratively placed in large wooden baskets or on the booths, waiting to be sold. This all combined with the loud noises and the countless flavors tinting the air; the salty and fishy hues of the sea; the odors of the spices and herbs and of course the human perspiration, was a blow to the senses. It was an overwhelming experience and many women, standing on deck or even on land, weren’t prepared for it. Smoker watched them with some kind of extenuated interest, as their husbands or other male relatives were trying to prevent them from fainting, or in some cases tried to wake them up again.

This, he thought, was exactly why he was of the opinion that ladies should stay at home; doing whatever feminine things they were usually doing in their bowers. And no, he didn’t mean women in particular, only those fragile wallflowers, which populated the tea parlors and fashion stores, back in Britain. Hell his cousin Hina would have a feast day with those missies over there. But then, and here a real smile graced his thin lips, she never claimed to be a lady other then when she thought she could gain something out of it. Any other time she could and would be as stubborn as a mule about disobeying the stiff rules, compressing the women in the Victorian society. Thankfully she had finally given up on finding him a new wife. A spouse… damn that thought actually made him shiver despite the warm weather. He was fed up with arranged marriages, thank you very much.

The high-pitched, horse cries of seagulls jarred him out of his acherontic thoughts and drew his attention back towards the marketers. The astute birds were busy trying to steal some pieces of fish from one of the traders, who shooed them away with angry cries. But he was too fixated on the animals in front of him, to realize that others were much more successful in their deed, using their fellow gulls’ distractions to fill their stomachs. A slight jolt, passing through the large liner, indicated that the landing was finished and made him turn away from the show. From now on it could only be minutes till the passengers were allowed to leave the ship. The aristocrat took his fob watch from the breast pocket of his jacket. Fourteen minutes past ten. They actually made it in time, impressive. Putting the old timepiece back again, he went to fetch his luggage and made ready to disembark.

~*~

“Sir, please give me that!”

“Sahib, please, you shouldn’t carry that on your own, please!” *⁾

Annoyed the white-haired Englishman shooed the persistent footboys with their pleading looks and fast hands away. He gave a flying rat’s ass if carrying his own suitcase was considered an affront. He had been in the service of her Majesty’s navy for far too long to do otherwise. And so he only fastened the hold on the handle made his way down the gangway, ignoring the outraged looks he got from the other travelers for his offending attitude. Right now he had more important things to consider than to mind those snobby people. Like: where he was supposed to go right now. Damn it. Wasn’t there someone supposed to wait for him here? His brows set into a deep frown, he took in his surroundings. If it was possible, the place was even more crowed than earlier. Flocks of citizens pressed into every direction in order to get somewhere and nowhere in particular, pushing and shoving against each other in order to get there faster. Sweat, barely concealed by some cosmetic products, mingled with the other odors in the harbor’s air, forming a near tangible cloud over the place.

A bit at a loss about how exactly he should approach from here, the lord tried to figure out where to go. Looking around he tried to find a known face in the crowd or something akin to that a sign for example. Anything that could point out which action he should take next. His height gave him an advantage over the average guy, but the chaos in the busy port made it hard to detect some clues, even for a man of his training. Well it was unlikely that he would come to a conclusion by simply standing around gaping at the scenery like some half-baked recruit. With his mind made up, Chase pushed his way through the mob to the general direction of the office buildings. There, he hoped, would be someone who could help him. He silently cursed his superiors for not giving him some concrete orders or at least some information about how he could find his host once he had reached the colony. He also cursed himself for not asking such a simple question. He could only blame it on being anxious about leaving Raymond alone. But that sounded like some cheap lie. Oh well it was too late to lament about it anyway. It was time to find a solution.

He was just about to enter the quarters when he realized a movement out of the corner of his eyes. Instincts, trained to perfection over the years kicked in. Whirling around he managed to grab the hand that was about to touch him, mere inches over his body. Steel-grey eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at the appendage’s owner. What he saw was a bit surprising to say at least. The extremity belonged to a, right now, very frightened looking young man, who couldn’t possible had hit puberty yet. Alarmed eyes watched him from behind thick glasses, while said hand and the rest of the lad’s body were shivering in fright. The overall image the kid broadcasted was as harmless as a newborn lamb, but then, burglars often knew how to play that part well in order to get out of a tricky situation.

“Lord… Lord Lincolnshire?”

Thieves usually didn’t know whom they were robbing blind though, especially not, when the supposed victim was half across the world on a semi-secret mission, which made the man curious about the whole thing.

“Yes, that is me.”

The boy looked relieved at that, well as relieved as one could appear if he was still shaking in dread. Bowing awkwardly, his hand still in the tall gentleman’s death grip, the Hindu started talking:

“Oh thank the almighty Shiva that I have found you my lord! The honorable Sachiv Bandāra sent me to find your Lordship and bring you directly to his estate.” *⁾

He gave the Earl an unsure smile, before he continued:

“If it is at your convenience Sahib, would you please follow me? And… may I have my hand back, please?”

Smoker looked at the young man before him and wasn’t sure what to make of him. The fair hair hinted towards European descent, but his English, while good enough was tinted with an accent which hinted towards an Indian heritage, as did the lad’s deep tan and black eyes. The nobleman opted to ask the kid’s employer about that later. For now he was happy enough to get away from the harbor without anymore unnecessary fuss. Letting go of the boy’s arm he nodded his approval:

“Very well, lead the way.”

~*~

Dust was twirling between the large wooden wheels, as the carriage drove though the streets of Bombay. Leaning back against the soft, green damask upholstery, the sallow nobleman let the impressions of the unfamiliar city sink in. It was a bit like back in London, he thought looking at the buildings. Sure the architecture was different, but it was clearly inspired by European ideal and somehow it practically screamed British to everyone glazing at it. The roads here were wide and open, but they were also bustling with life which made them appear much smaller than they actually were. The vibrant saris of the local woman, walking towards the shops and markets, were competing with one other for the onlooker’s attention, each more colorful than the next. Even the multilevel houses on each side of the streets seemed to be painted more vividly than those back home. Or maybe it was simply the lack of factories around here, which polluted the air back in England with their thick, black smoke, putting a dulling film over everything, he mused. Oxcarts, full with local specialties or simple everyday goods, were directed towards the bazaar. The animals’ low-pitched moos were accompanied by the jingling sounds of the large copper belts adorning them.

Besides the few coaches making their way trough the town, there were also horse-drawn railways and rickshaws, shoving through the pedestrian filled lanes as they were transporting their passengers to whatever destination those had in mind. Cows, holy to the natives, were lying lazy in the middle of the street, blocking the traffic. Back home, Chase pondered, they would have been shooed away, or brought to the next butcher he though with a grin, but not here. Here the people simply skipped around the languid beasts, not wanting to disturb them and even the European governance that had ruled this land for so long now, hadn’t managed to change that. Shaking his head in disbelieve, he got a good breath of the local air. The frail scent of blossoms, which decorated the bovine wasn’t enough to disguise the nauseating odors of rotting garbage and human excrements, which exuded from the open sewers. He tried to ignore the stench, but it wasn't an easy task. It was hard to believe, that until a few years ago, before the new canalization had been finished, the same problem had been prominent in London too. But he still distinctly recalled the smell and all the dirt. And the diseases caused by it… granted those he remembered more from the stories his late parents had told him, but they still managed to shock him.

The moment they left the inner city and then the slums behind them, those dark thoughts were quickly forgotten though. Outside the metropolis it was like they had stepped into a different world as wide planes of green and shallow hills greeted them. The foul stench that seemed to represent the town was soon replaced by a much cleaner aroma; fresh and slightly sweet with the musky undertones from the horses in front of the carriage. The commodore pulled the rim of his cylinder further down onto his face, successfully shading his eyes from the sun beating down on them with merciless intensity. The golden beams were warming the air to near unbearable temperatures, causing him to sweat and the cloth to cling to his body as a result. The wanly man embraced the sparsely set, greenish shadows cast from the high trees lining up the trampled dirt road, which were only fragmentary interrupted by patches of light. They offered a brief, but welcomed cooling for his overheated skin. Using his handkerchief to wipe off the dampness from his forehead and neck, he let his eyes wander over the beautiful landscape. Here and there dots of flowers in yellow, orange and red were sprinkled over the meadows. Sometimes there were some scrubs too, but usually it was just the soft sea of emerald, towered by the impressive trees. A small forest not far from the road especially caught his interest, something that wasn’t lost on the servant:

“This one is sacred to the Hindu your Lordship. It is said in one of our books, the ‘Bhagavad Gītā’ that Lord Krishna had sung praises on the Banyan tree… and I am boring you, am I not my Lord?” *⁾

What was that supposed to mean, a tree? There had to be more than one plants, given the gathering of boles and the massive, deep green canopy he saw. Taking his eyes off the beautiful view, the Earl looked at the very nervous young man on the coach box. He really wasn’t too keen on learning about this pagan religion, which was still practiced by most of India’s citizens. But it was always good to learn more about a potential enemy. And the more he knew, the easier it would be for the White Hunter to get his prey:

“On the contrary lad… go on, tell me more.”

~*~

The drive towards Gopan’s estate had taken them longer than Smoker had originally expected. And so, lulled by the steady shaking and swaying of the wagon, as well as the oppressive temperature, the sallow aristocrat had managed to doze off for some time, before a sudden jolt going though the coach woke him up with a start. Stretching as well as he could in the confined compartment; he tried to get rid of the fatigue still fogging his mind. It seemed that he’d woken up in time to see his host’s entire manor its full glory. The ivory marble, which was used for the neo-classical building was shimmering slightly golden under the light of the early evening sun, as was the fine, fair sand used for the mansion’s approach. From what he could make out, there were countless pots with exotic flowers and greenery positioned along the road and on the stairs leading to the manor’s entrance. Palms and magnolia trees towered above the small shrubs and flowerbeds edging on the sides of the lane. Some of the larger plants were overgrown with vines of a species the earl didn’t know, not that he had a clue about most of the multicolored blossoms and crops, growing here, but they sure were a beautiful sight to behold. *⁾

It actually didn’t take their cart long to reached the property’s large circular turning area after they had passed the wrought-iron gates. The spherical space was decorated with numerous flowers and a full-sized, but considerable plain fountain in the middle of a round patch of grassland. Well it was plain, when you compared it to the complicated patterns of stucco and carvings incorporated into the manor’s facade, columns and balconies, which gave the whole building a near surreal quality. The delicate, diaphanous works looked like they would break under the slightest of pressure, but they were indeed strong enough to support the burden weighting on them. The late afternoon light, illuminating the building, threw shadows through the complex outlines of the various adornments, painting marvelous ornaments onto the walls and lawn. Transfixed the Englishman observed those bizarre designs, which seemed to move on their own, encouraging the onlooker to get lost in another world. He was only half aware of the fact that the warm and humid air was filled with the scents of numerous plants and freshly mowed grass. The steady thumping and rattling of hooves and wheels was now accompanied by the twittering of some birds nesting in the bushes, as well as the humming of countless insects flying from one blossom to the next. Some of them were an entirely different meal though. With a sigh of resignation, Smoker gave up on waving away the gnats, which were flying low over the territory, trying to suck every drop of his blood. Blasted critters!

Trying to ignore the buzzing next to his ears he concentrated on the house again. There was already a small assembly of servants awaiting them. One of them, a young man with a long blond ponytail, opened the carriage’s door the very moment it stopped before the stairs leading to the main entrance, bowing deeply while doing so. The trained staff was obviously ready to anticipate his every wish. Which currently only adhered to a strong drink and bringing his luggage to his rooms. But there would be more use for them later, after all servants tended to know more about gossip than their masters did, so the nobleman would have a little talk with some of them soon… With that thought in mind, he got ready to greet his host. Who wasn’t waiting outside, normally that would have surprised him, as it was more or less a standard back in Britain. But Coby, the boy who had brought him here, had tried to explain some of the local customs on their way here, so Chase knew what to expect and with what traditions he would need to deal, for now. *⁾

Correcting the fit of his hat he climbed out of the small coach, which was no easy feat for a man of his seize and build, but he managed in a semi graceful manner. Then, with his usual confident stride, the lord passed the flight of steps and the two-storied pillars, which carried the awning of the main entrance. The sandstone stairs were spotless and, like the garden decorated with brightly colored flowers in ornamental jars. More of those were placed on the well sized porch he noted, before he went though the wide opened double door. Inside he looked around the large, white painted foyer where he was greeted by more personnel, greeting him respectfully. In their front stood a slim woman dressed in an orange and brown sari. Her dark, straight hair was nearly hidden under a yellow head scarf, which only left her chin-long fringe visible. With a warm smile on her pretty face, she took a few steps towards him, before she started to circulate a silver plate in front of his face a few times. He could see some burning sticks on the platter as well as some variety of food. The countless golden bangles adorning the clerk’s arms moved against each other in a melodic jingle, while she finished her deed. Afterwards the woman lowered the dish on one hand and dipped a finger of her other one into a petite pot, filled with what seemed to be red powder. Curious Smoker let her press said finger against his forehead, which was quite an accomplishment for a lady of her size… well actually for most people. The Earl of Lincolnshire was with his six feet eight by far larger than the average man could ever hope to be after all. Grateful that his driver had explained the greeting ceremony to him, the nobleman let the woman do as she pleased. He would have done so anyway. With the fairer sex it was usually the best method to avoid complications and unnecessary headaches, as he knew from his marriage and from dealing with his cousin. *⁾

“Namaste, Lord Lincolnshire. We are most honored to have you stay in our humble home. I am Makino, the housekeeper. If you wish for anything, please let me know, I will…”

The attendant didn’t manage to finish her sentence as she was rudely interrupted by a loud, young voice from the upper floor:

“Oh it’s a guest! Whoa… he looks visarpī!” *⁾

Astonished as well as irritated, Chase looked upwards from where the exclamation had come. There, leaning dangerously far across the richly decorated mahogany banister, was a lanky youngster who sported a mop of short, black hair. He was staring down at the newcomer with large, coal colored eyes, which were locked on the pale, strange man, who in turn glared at the boy in sheer annoyance. The female servant, seemingly not amused and more than a bit embarrassed by the lad’s behavior, gave her guest a strained smile:

“Please excuse his rude manners my Lord. This is Lokesh; he is the master’s grandson. Really my boy, is this a way to greet an honored guest?” *)

The housekeeper asked the kid with a stern expression, while her voice was still gentle, the commodore noted, but he was trained enough to detect the toughness hidden behind motherly concern. That woman knew how to handle her protégé that much was clear. Sure enough the young man gave her a rueful look before he joined them in the lobby soon after, still fixated on their visitor.

“Vaha saphēda hai, Makino!“ *⁾

“Lokesh!”

“Ehmm… sorry! Why are you white?”

There was a deep intake of breath, shortly before the sound of a hand smacking a seemingly empty object. Bowing deeply the female servant apologized again for her uncouth charge, while said youth rubbed the back of his head with a pouting, uncomprehending expression. Closing his eyes and counting silently to ten, Smoker only nodded. He was too tired to deal with this. Damn, he never had needed a strong drink this much...

“Never mind… where is Gopan?”

“He’s in the study; please follow me your lordship. ”

Relieved that the noble seemed not to mind the young master’s antics too much, Makino escorted him to the study, where the older Bandāra was already waiting for him.

~*~

“Laanat hai, you sure are pale, even for an Englishman. ” *⁾

Was the first that slipped off Gopan’s tongue when he became aware of his visitor for the first time. Oh he had heard stories of the ‘White Hunter’ of course, who hadn’t? The man was a legend of his own among the British army and navy. But the Hindu hadn’t thought that the pseudonym was meant so… literally. Perplexed he could only stare at the incredibly light complexion of the gentleman in front of him. Not aware of the furious vibes coming from the other guy.

Before Chase could answer to the grey-haired chap’s outburst and not in a polite way, the Earl could hear a faint slapping sound. Turning his head slightly towards the general direction, he saw a very distraught housekeeper, who had brought her slim hands in front of her face in shame. This action, however, couldn’t hide her embarrassed look, neither did it any good to mute the quietly mumbled ‘I am sorry, I am so, so sorry!’ which she repeated constantly. Taking pity on her, the commodore once more chose to ignore the offending remark, even though he wanted to make it clear that he wouldn’t tolerate such behavior. Well he would wait until the next occasion of inappropriate manners. For now, he contended himself with a cold glare, which was accompanied by an icy:

“Good day to you too, sir”,

Not that the other one noticed the frosty undertone. The elderly fellow was still too mesmerized with the foreigner’s appearance. It was again a well placed hit from Makino that forced her employer to show at least some resemblance of formality. Nursing his head sheepishly, Gopan at last managed a polite bow to honor his guest. Nodding her approval, the woman sauntered towards the door:

“I will bring you some tea, or do you prefer something else, sahibs?”

”A brandy or scotch would be nice, if you have.”

“Of course my lord.”

With this the servant changed her path and instead went over towards a finely crafted rosewood cabinet standing in one of the corners. The erythroid wood was decorated with delicate chasings made from bronze. Behind the double glass doors stood, precisely lined up, dozens of crystalline decanters filled with exquisite spirituous beverages, shimmering under in the fading light like liquid gold. Choosing one bottle, the dark-haired maid swiftly filled two goblets with Brandy. Smiling gently at them, she served the chalices on a plate, before she left them with a final bow.

“Well then, let us drink to a successful mission my lord!”

Grinning at the white-haired lord, Gopan raised his glass in a salute, the nobleman repaid with one of his own.

“Well said sir. I have a few questions regarding said assignment and I might need your help and expertise. My superiors regard you very highly, so I hope that you can assist me.”

“Of course, of course, but for now let us enjoy our drinks before we talk about such profound topics. Later I will assign one of the servants to show you your suite my friend.”

Sipping a small mouthful of the alcohol, Smoker let the aromatic and velvety flavor wash over his palate. This was a really good year he noted; maybe he should get some bottles of it for his own home? With this thought in mind, he took seat in one of the comfortable leather armchairs standing near the windows. The dark upholstery creaked softly under his weight, as he took in the room’s decor. Most of the furniture was clearly inspired by European ideal, but the workmen had still managed to capture a small part of the Indian culture in them. Ever so often the murky wood was decorated with traditional carvings or the fabric was showing some native patterns. Mahogany and rosewood dominated the room and a faint scent of beeswax was noticeable in the air. Orange light was filtered through the ceiling high arched windows and painted bright stripes on the otherwise dark parquet. All that was missing was a fireplace and you wouldn’t know that you were in fact in one of the colonies instead of Britain, the lord thought wryly. Taking another sip from his liquor something caught his interest. Placed decoratively in front of the large escritoire was a tiger fur. The tawny pelt was an impressive sight, as it shimmered like silk in the evening sun. He could feel a surge of excitement taking hold of his body as a though hit him. Maybe there would be some time for a hunt of a different nature? With a slight smirk, the lord turned his attention back towards his host:

“Very well.”

~*~

It was a wonderful evening, full of life and beauty and under this illumination the garden seemed to be taken directly out of some old fairytale. So why was it that each step he took felt like it added more burdens onto his shoulders, dragging him down? With an almost silent moan, the youth looked at the large wooden doors in front of him as if his personal doom awaited him behind them. He shouldn’t feel like this. Not when he lastly came home after a semester of absence. But he couldn’t help it. The future that unfolded before him was like a giant lead weight, dragging him down. Not that he could help it. Everything was decided already and all he could do was stand there and endure it with a false smile, hoping against hope that the gods might change this path in the last moment. That thought brought a wry smirk to his full lips. Yeah, like that would ever happen…

Shaking his head to chase away the dreary notions, he sighed again, really this wasn’t helping. With that he opened the heavy door, leading to the mansion’s lobby. Carefully he looked around. Everything looked like before he left for university. The white walls were adorned with pictures of Indian landscapes and on the massive black walnut sideboards, which stood on each side of the great room, were large bouquets of seasonal flowers, filling the lobby with their enticing scent. There was a new carpet on the marble floor however. The colorful piece of finely woven silk hid most of the pattern the tiles formed. He briefly wondered why it had been put there. Then a thought hit him. It was more than likely that Makino had placed it there in hope to prevent his little brother from running around the house in full speed. Testing his theory he tried to move the carpet slightly with his foot. As expected the fabric glided smoothly over the even stones. A grin lit his face. The idea behind it was good, but their adorable housekeeper had forgotten whom she tried to stop with this. The youngest member of the Bandāra family would only see this as another opportunity to cut a caper. The freckled boy’s smirk widened. Hopefully he would be around to see that.

A distant sound disturbing the silence caught his attention. Damn, he had gotten sidetracked! Quickly he looked around again. There was still no one to be seen. Good, he hated all the commotion the servants made whenever he came back. So this time he had ‘forgotten’ to inform them about the fact that he would arrive a few days earlier than usual. This should give him enough time to sneak up into his room unnoticed and to have some quite time for himself. Something that didn’t happened often when he was here. His family was quit demanding and even though he loved spending time with Lokesh and their friends, right now he didn’t feel like facing anyone. Maybe later he would sneak into the kitchen and sweet talk the chef into giving him a snack, but first he wanted a nap.

Tired from the long journey he rubbed his eyes. Damn going from his college to Varanasi and then back here again sure had been straining! Oh well, at least he had been able to pull it off. Thankfully he had excelled at his studies this term, so his professors had seen no reason why they shouldn’t allow him to leave a few days early. If luck was on his side, they wouldn’t contact his grandfather either, in order to check the story about the older Bandāra being sick, the youth had given them as an excuse for his need to leave premature. The last thing he needed was for Gopan to know that his grandson had attended the funeral of a man he hated with passion. Amber eyes narrowed at the thought. It was strange he thought that the head of his family felt so strongly about Newgate. Normally his gramps embraced everything British with a near childlike enthusiasm. But whenever the name Newgate had been mentioned, the only reaction he got was a furious stream of screams and curses against the other man, so he had stopped inquiring. And Edward… well the fellow had either been too nice to say something about it, or he hadn’t known the reason behind the hatred.

The memory of his old friend and the deep sorrow his death had brought was still fresh in the adolescence’s mind and it hurt thinking about the merchant. Gripping the handle of his suitcase tighter, the boy started to climb the wide stairs up to the second level where his suit was located. The polished wood gleamed under his bare feet as he made his way up, while the scent of beeswax and freshly cut flowers were swirling around him. Not that he was really aware of it, by now he was too distracted, too trapped up in the tangle that were his thoughts to notice much of his surroundings, so he was caught by surprise by the loud shout from below. Nearly stumbling over one of the steps, he startled out of his reveries.

“What are you doing here?”

~*~

They had talked for hours about the general political situation in the colony, the facts concerning his assignment and some minor rumors, but when he had been an offer for a second glass of the well aged brandy, Chase had politely declined in favor of getting some rest. And so his host had let him back through the mansion’s library to spacey entrance hall, where The housekeeper, alerted by the bell pull her master has rung in order to get her attention, joined them there only seconds after they had entered. It was only after Gopan stopped, mouth opened slightly in shock and staring towards the flight of stairs that the Earl realized something was off.

“What are you doing here?”

Confused at the outburst, Smoker followed the man’s gaze and accusingly raised finger. There, on the entresol where the stair parted towards the east and west wing, was a young man clad in traditional Indian clothing. Obviously shocked by the landlord’s loud voice he whirled around and gawked at them with wide eyes and a guilty expression on his handsome face. During his twisting lad’s grip on his bag had slackened and it fell onto the steps with a loud, clattering noise, before it slithered down a few paces. Grey eyes followed the slide briefly, before he brought his attention back to the intruder. Even with the distance between them, the Englishman couldn’t help but notice the fine, inky strands of wavy hair, which fell charmingly around the bronzed face, accenting high cheekbones and handsome features. Intrigued he observed the younger man more attentive. This was why he detected that one of the youngster’s hands was clamped tightly around the banister rail, the knuckles stood out white from the otherwise bronzed flesh. While the trespasser tried to find his voice, the landlord lost his patience:

“Well... I am waiting pothaa.” *⁾

A look of defiance flitted over the tanned features but it was quickly replaced with stoic calm, which appeared to be well practiced. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, the lad finally dignified the question:

“Last time I checked I lived here.”

There was a slightly sarcastic undertone in the boy’s voice that made the commodore’s mouth twitch in amusement. That one had fire, so much was clear. He didn’t know who the adolescent was, but it was a pleasant alternation that it wasn’t himself who was the mark of rude comments. Leaning back against the door frame, he watched the two natives. Out of the corner of his mind he could also see that the maid had a worried look on her face while she was rubbing her hands together in a nervous gesture, her dark eyes fixed on the disputants. He wondered if the kid might be her son. If that was indeed true, he sure dared a lot, offending the master of the house like this. But somehow Smoker knew that there had to be more to it…

“That’s not what I meant and you know that very well.”

Now the two men were glaring at on another, before two sighs to be heard in the large room. One was one of irritation and the other of resignation. Then:

“I am sorry baaba. My semester had ended early and I hadn’t wanted to trouble you. So I thought nothing about coming back here on my own. Please forgive me.” *⁾

The older Hindu’s features soften at hearing the statement, whoever the lad was, Gopan valued him highly, even though he seemed to have trouble to express it appropriately, the nobleman noted with interest. Nodding his approval at the newcomer, the grey-haired Hindu turned towards his guest:

“This is a lucky day that you are able to meet my whole family so soon after your arrival my friend. I didn’t expect the boy for another day or two. This is my grandson Ashwatthama D. Prakash! Come down and meet Lord Lincolnshire!” *⁾

His grandson? Hmm… but they had different surnames. Was this some cultural thing? No, certainly not. Maybe the kid was the child of Bandāra’s daughter or illegitimate? Oh well he would ask later, discreetly of course, no use in offending his host over something trivial like that. Not a man of many words, Chase simply nodded in greeting as the youth made his way down. This close, he noted the flicker of interest in the amber colored eyes as the youngster looked him over. Strange, up till now the Earl had only seen Indian’s with black eyes, maybe a dark brown. That tawny hue was something else though. It picked his interest and made him wonder about the boy’s heritage even more.

When the younger man stood in front of their guest, he gave him a wide, warm smile that seemed to brighten up the whole place, before he pressed the palms of his hands together in front of his face and gave the other a polite little bow:

“Namaskar my lord, it is a pleasure meeting you.”

Smoker wasn’t sure but he could have sworn that he hear the housekeeper give a small cry of ‘yes’ but that might had been his imagination. She sure sported a proud smile at her young master’s well-bred behavior though. Oh well after he hadn’t gotten insulted by this one, he might as well play along:

“Good day Ashwat.. Ashwathm.”

Not used to the Hindi language, the nobleman stumbled rather ungraceful over the foreign name, which earned him a derisively raised eyebrow as well as a small smirk from the young man. Damn, that little brat looked as if he enjoyed seeing the older one embarrassing himself. Then, as if he suddenly remembered etiquette again:

“Please don’t bother; I am well aware that our names must be difficult to pronounce for you, especially when you’re not used to them. There might be an easy solution though. Given my grandfather’s zeal for the British culture, we did not only grow up bi-lingual, but he also gave us English names along with our Hindi ones. Aren’t I right baaba?”

The bronzed adolescent quickly looked at his grandfather, who nodded as if to confirm the announcement, before he turned back to the nobleman. His previous devilish smile transformed into a friendlier one again, as he looked at the white-haired man:

“So… if it pleases you, you may call me Ace your lordship.

The European didn’t even really realize that he took the outstretched hand; he was still too spellbound by that smile. Something told him that the kid was used to getting his way and that this grin of his helped a lot with that fact. The commodore also couldn’t quite shake off the feeling that he was in trouble, even though he didn’t know why yet. But for now he was simply grateful for the offer, so Chase nodded in agreement:

“Thank you. I will make good use of that proposition.”

He gave the youth a tiny smile of his own, something that didn’t happen often these days. Gopan seemed to like his grandson’s idea as well, at least when the loud, heartfelt laugh was an indicator for it. The old Hindu got in between his guest and his grandson, not being aware that with this, he broke the handshake the two still maintained:

“That’s a great idea pothaa! Ace it is then. As for me my lord, please call me Garp. It’s the name I got from my friends while I served in the army. As for my other grandson, his English name is Luffy.”

With a huge grin he turned towards his housekeeper:

“Makino, quick tell the cook to make us something to eat and get Lokesh will you? It is time to celebrate!”

With a bow the woman hurried away. It wasn’t until she was way out of sight that the old man seemed to remember soothing:

“Oh… wait she was supposed to show you your room my lord… oh gods what did I do. Please wait I will call for another servant!”

Already he was on his way to one of the many bell pulls allotted through the mansion, when a hand on his arm stopped him:

”Don’t worry about that. I will show lord Lincolnshire to his suite. I gather you planned to give him the grand one?”

The elder one’s face lit up at the suggestion:

“Yes it is. Thanks boy. My lord, I will see you shortly for dinner. Till then try to rest a bit. And Ace, you take good care of him, yes?”

Not waiting for a reply, he made a sharp turn and disappeared though the set of doors leading towards the library and the study. Sharing a long, slightly pained look with their visitor, the young man made a gesture towards the upper floor, which was accompanied by a tiny smirk:

“Well then my lord, it looks as if I am your humble servant. Please follow me.”

After getting a slight nod, he took for an affirmation; the boy started climbing the stairs, trusting that the other would follow him. Half way up he stopped so suddenly that Chase nearly crushed into him. With a sheepish grin, the freckled youth sidestepped the aristocrat and quickly picked ups his suitcase again, before he went upstairs. It was only when Ace passed him for the second time that the Earl noticed that the bag was purple with a green tiger pattern on it. He shook his head in disbelieve before he followed the youngster, this family sure was strange…

TBC

*) Sahib = form of address or title place after a man’s name or designation; used as a mark of respect (it is actually an Urdu term (register of Hindi), which literally translates to "Owner" or "Proprietor")

*) Sachiv = minister, counselor

*) This story is as much a fanfic for my most favorite yaoi couple ever, as it is a cultural journey. I love India and hope that one day I can actually visit the land and see all those things I will mention in this story. So I fear you have to live with the fact that I am a history and mythology freak and thus will integrate some facts and legends into this tale, sorry^^ But don’t worry, I will try to make it interesting and not like some history lesson back in school :’D (ergo: I will keep the facts at a minimum and will only use the places as stage for this story^^)

The “Bhagavad Gītā“ is and old Hindu scripture if you’re interested in it, you can find a better description here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita

*) I was mainly inspired by the marble palace in Calcutta, but I fear I lack the ability to describe it accordingly (besides it would take by far too much time to do so and I made a few changes) :’D (http://www.tsalontour.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Marble-Palace-Kolkata.jpg)

*) While it was fun looking up fitting names for Ace, Luffy and Garp, it makes the story too complicated. So everyone else will keep their original name. For the other three, given that Smoker is the guest and also superior to them, given his title and such, they will offer him to use easier names (a.k.a. their original ones), which I will use from then on.

*) I know that it’s usually just: ‘Namaste’ (or more formal: Namaskar / Namaskaram) accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest, but yes I am a Bollywood fan and according to some texts I’ve read it’s actually a very respectful way to welcome a guest. So I guess greeting a noble Englishman would be done like this in colonial India. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong^^ if you’re interested in the ceremony and its origins, you can find it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarti

*) visarpī = creepy (at least according to my dictionary :’D)

*) Lokesh D. Bandara (Lokesh = King Of World; Bandāra = monkey)

*) Vaha saphēda hai = He is white (again according to a dictionary; I don’t know Hindi, so if I make mistakes and I am sure I will, please correct me^^)

*) Laanat hai = damn

*) pothaa = grandson

*) baaba = grandfather (courteous)

*) Ashwatthama D. Prakash; Ashwatthama = fiery tempered; Prakash = light
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