Love Across Time

Ninety

-𝓔𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼-

Six months had crawled by since the searing shame of Dyutsabha, each day a battle against the ghosts of the past. Yet, a rare sight graced Aanya's lips, a fleeting smile, a flicker of warmth directed solely at the gentle swell of her abdomen. Her fingers, usually clenched tight with suppressed emotions, traced a tender path over the burgeoning life within. It was as if she held a silent conversation, a whispered promise to this tiny spark of hope nestled deep within her.

Suddenly, the urge for fresh air overwhelmed her. Stepping outside the confines of their shelter, a gust of wind tugged at her hair, carrying the scent of impending rain.

"Aanya, where are you going?" Arjun's voice, laced with concern, broke the quietude. The sky above was quickly turning a brooding grey, the first fat raindrops threatening to burst.

Aanya turned, her response a silent pivot of her body, the direction she intended clear. There was a coldness in her eyes, a wall she had erected around her heart that no amount of coaxing seemed to breach.

"Panchali will be worried if she doesn't find you upon her return," Arjun persisted, a flicker of hope igniting in his chest. He knew, even in her current state, Aanya wouldn't intentionally cause distress, especially not to Draupadi.

"Just some fresh air," Aanya replied, her voice a frigid whisper, before disappearing into the gathering storm.

Arjun's breath caught in his throat. "Wait a moment, at least," he pleaded, the urgency in his voice betraying his fear for her well-being.

Aanya spun around, her glare sharp enough to pierce the darkening sky. A flicker of irritation, a response even if laced with negativity, sent a jolt through him. It was a sign, however faint, that she wasn't entirely shutting him out.

She shook her head, a silent defiance, before disappearing once more, deeper into the woods. Arjun couldn't help but follow, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He understood her need for solitude, her silent battle with the storm within. Even a glare in his direction was a step forward, a flicker of life in the desolate landscape of their relationship. As the rain began to fall in earnest, a cold curtain against the oppressive heat, he followed at a discreet distance.

Aanya, her movements imbued with a deliberate slowness, took a path that wound around a cluster of trees. It was a clear attempt to test his patience, to send him back frustrated and defeated. He understood. The anger simmering beneath the surface needed an outlet, and he was the most readily available target.

He followed silently, his steps light on the rain-soaked earth. When she reached a particularly low-hanging branch, she paused, a sly glint in her eyes. Instead of ducking under as any sane person would, she held the branch steady, its leaves brushing her hair. Then, with a swiftness that belied her condition, she darted past, leaving the branch to whip back with a vengeance.

Arjun, anticipating her move, easily sidestepped the flailing branch. He could have pointed out her childishness, the futility of her attempts to push him away. But he held his tongue. He knew this was a dance they needed to perform, a twisted waltz of unspoken emotions.

He continued following, a silent observer in this storm of her making. Perhaps, he thought, with a pang of hope, this was a form of communication, a way for her to express the turmoil within without resorting to words. He would play his part, offering his silent presence, his support, until the storm subsided and a path for true forgiveness could be revealed.

Aanya pushed on, the rain drumming a relentless rhythm on the leaves above. Memories, vivid and bittersweet, flickered through her mind like lightning against the darkening sky. There was a time when she reveled in the rain, its cleansing touch a balm to her soul. But today, it offered no solace, only a cold mirror to the tempest raging within.