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ONCEUPONATIME-5

For a moment she is goaded by the desire to mimic the birds.. fly off the cliff with arms out stretched.. Now Provoked by a strange impulse her feet inches toward the sheer rock-drop..

A few sharp bleats jolt her out of her hallucinate disposition... It’s a Ram. A mountain goat. It slithers down a crest with inherent ease and stares at her. Its neck bell tingling. The piece of twine around its neck has been severed. Ah! a Runaway Ram. Well it saved her life ! She smiles at it kindly as if anticipating a courteous reaction. There isn’t one. The Ram seems edgy. Maybe it escaped and expects to be caught. Well if it did escape, someone would be after it…

There is a barrage of small loose rocks as someone loses a footing and stumbles down. Then a howl of pain and a profuse discharge of expletives. A lad, a goatherd, lands near her with a thud and a cry. He wastes no time getting up, clutching his bruised foot and yelping like a .. a goatherd. And a stark naked one at that!

Now he sees her. He goes silent. Gulping his pain. He blinks his eyes repeatedly in disbelief. Don’t blame him. Its not every day or every month or every life time that a goatherd comes face to face with an angelic being on a secluded mountain peak. He manages to come to, and does the sensible thing, dashing to hide his nakedness behind the.. agitated Ram.

Princess MaJun is embarrassed. The goatherd is too. He stutters explanations, excuses and apologies..

She bursts out giggling. He continues to blabber holding on to the rebelling ram for dear pride. And the way he holds on to the Ram wasn’t helping his cause either. The Princess tries hard to stop herself chuckle. She fails. The hilarity of the circumstance makes her clutch her stomach and laugh till tears roll down her gleaming face.

The goatherd behind the Ram feels a lot worse before he feels better. She turns away from him to let him regain his composure. He is a little amused that he is the cause for such merriment in this pretty girl. When things subside he darts over the ledge and reappears dressed a little more modestly.

Ejshra, the goatherd’, he introduces himself proudly, as would a King.
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