Note: Italics = flashback/thoughts
"You used MY troops?"
"It's for a good cause!"
"It doesn't matter! You can't send MY troops, without MY permission!"
"Since when did I need to ask you?" replied Arthur sardonically. "You know I'm right, love."
Chandra hit his approaching hand away. "No, Arthur. You're wrong. You've always been so."
Arthur stepped back frowning. "I wouldn't say that – look at what I've done to this land of yours! Ha! You were so backwards, Chandra, so left out from the world. Don't you understand…I introduced you to the world. Look at the reforms I've made – the young ladies of your land would jump into their husband's funeral pyre! What a waste of a life! How could you even let that happen?"
"It's not a law" replied Chandra through clenched teeth. "It was done to prevent the ladies from being raped by the invaders, and it was voluntary, Arthur. Not unlike what your people have done here."
"What about the education?"
"Don't forget, it was my people who came up with the numbers and practiced ancient science."
Arthur held her firmly by the shoulder. "And that's where your problem lies – you don't live in the present. You're still stuck in the past, Chandra. And I would appreciate it if you were more… obliged to what I've done for you."
"I want my troops back, Arthur." She hissed.
"Not going to happen, love." He murmured, pulling her into an embrace. She tried to break out, but she was far too weak for him.
"I don't hate you, dear" he whispered into her ear. "Everything I do will eventually be for your good, you'll see. As the British Empire shines, so will you, the Jewel in my crown." He kissed the top of her head softly.
"Arthur! We need food!" she cried. "We can't afford to harvest any more indigo!"
"Nonsense! We need all the plot we can get for cultivating indigo! It's bringing in great profits!"
"But you're buying them at meagre prices! With that income, they could never repay the loans that your people forced them to take to buy the materials for indigo harvesting!"
"They don't need to!"
"Arthur" she stepped in front of him, "I can't let this happen-"
With a swift movement, Arthur's deft blow broke her nose. She kneeled, and then bent over double, biting her lip in order to not scream. She looked down at the blood trickling down and staining her blouse.
"I know what I'm doing." He replied shortly, looking out from the window to the workers in the fields below.
It hadn't even been five minutes since Arthur left, and Chandra was feeling claustrophobic already. True, Arthur's visits had ben lessening recently, with this war in hand, and she felt relieved. Of late, his visits seemed purely one-sided, concerning only of things that he wanted. But, she still missed him, at times.
When Arthur is nice, there's no one I'd rather be with.
Pulling her shawl tighter over her shoulders, she walked through her gardens, stopping at the one with the most memories.
"What's this?" Chandra asked, mystified. Arthur looked a mess, his hands caked with soil and his knees covered in dirt.
He looked up, beaming. "I'm planting a plant."
"Arthur, did you check where you were planting it? I don't want you to ruin the patterns-"
"Oh, no. I checked with the gardeners and the architects. They told me this place would be okay."
She walked up, curious. "What plant is it, anyway? There's no dearth of anything here."
Arthur got up, rubbing the dirt off his hands and knees. "Done…isn't she a beauty?"
"It's a rose, Arthur. We have plenty here."
He looked at her, his eyes bright. "It's an English rose. You don't have them here. I've checked."
Chandra stepped forward and gently sniffed the rosebud. It had a sharp, sweet smell – one that she liked very much. "I like it, Arthur - very much. It's beautiful."
"Like you, my lady" he whispered, and when she spun around, puzzled, he gently caught her and kissed her softly.
"Take it as a present from me to you."
Chandra smiled to herself. She wanted happy memories like this, rather than the one she had earlier today. She gently broke a rose in full bloom off, making sure to not damage any other bud nearby. As she brought it up closer, to get that intoxicating whiff, she heard someone clear their throat behind.
Startled, she turned around, clenching onto the rose tightly. In front of her was a tall man, with clear blue eyes and fair hair neatly combed. He was dressed in military attire, but it a foreign uniform.
"…Yes?" she managed to steady her voice as much as she could.
"I'm looking for a…Chandra" he replied, shielding his face from the sun above.
Chandra gulped, and hoped it wasn't all too noticeable. "I a-am she."
The stranger stepped forward, and handed her a piece of paper neatly folded. "My name is Ludwig."
Her hand stopped mid-air, and she drew it back sharply. "What business would you have here?" she demanded tersely.
"I have been" he looked around, as if to make sure there was no one around.
"Arthur isn't here, is that's what you want. None of his people either." She snapped.
He looked back at her, and offered a faint smile. Chandra took in a sharp breath.
"I have been…hearing this recently, Miss. "
"Like what?"
"There have been rumours of you wanting independence, India." Chandra straightened, hearing her formal name after a long time.
"I…we, yes, we believe that would be much beneficial to the world."
"I-I…don't quite follow."
Ludwig gave a slight laugh, and Chandra felt slightly less in awe of what Arthur had been touting as "the enemy" in recent times. He seemed just another nation – nothing that could not be fought against, or defeated.
"Without India, the British Empire would be at…let's say, quite a disadvantage. India as a nation could prosper and our own interests would be met. He continued.
"What interests?" she asked sharply, all question of etiquette out the window at that point.
He shrugged slightly. "A weaker United Kingdom is always in our interest."
Taking the paper from his still extended hand, Chandra read the message with a slight frown. Looking up, she spoke "but I have no troops at this point. Arthur-"
"We understand." He cut in sharply. "If you just give us…permission, we can work around that particular problem"
She nodded. "I understand…but why do keep saying 'we'"
He graced her with one of his half-smiles once again. "I have a friend I would like you to meet…he might be of great help. That would only be if you agreed to work with us, though."
What was it they would say? An enemy's enemy was a friend, right?
She nodded. "I would like to meet this ally of yours."
Nu-uh! She did not agree to work with Nazi Germany, did she?
...she did. But, no. I'm not glorifying them in any way.