Beauty and the Beast

20

The tribal festival had begun. It was done in the honor of Baramma. The Chenchus had gotten themselves ready for the travel. Crossing the whole forest to reach the river Krishna. On the banks of which the Goddess had taken residence. 

Chenchus had gathered honey, edible roots, bunches of bilva leaves, wild flowers, herbs, edible barks, and little bit of meat.

They weren't very knowledgeable but the sages who stayed there were very pleased to see them all gather to visit Mallana and Baramma. They would sing the folk songs about the two deities and play drums all the way to the forests.

Nidhi and Padma began to look for their friend. Searching for her through the forest, they found her very comfortably curled up by the half-lion deity. Far too close than they had ever Chenchita with anyone. Not even themselves. Sleeping peacefully by placing her head on his shoulder and wrapping the uttariya around herself.

Narasimha noted their presence as they hurriedly moved to wake up Chenchita. If anyone else was to see her like that, it would cause a huge scene. "Don't jerk her up awake. It isn't nice."

"Saami, if anyone else sees her like this, everyone is going to point fingers at her."

He nodded and moved to look at her as she held on to him very tightly. His heart complained at having to wake her up from the comfortable embrace but he slowly patted her to wake her up. "Umm... Amma, koncha sepu podukoni..." She complained moving a bit more closer to him. The two women put a hand over their eyes.

"Chenchita, seriously get up before someone sees you sleeping with him." Padma exclaimed.

That reached her ears and the shot up hurriedly. Finding herself very tightly embracing him.

"Um..." She stuttered like a rabbit caught by a tiger.

Sighing loudly, Narasimha got up and cracked the stiffness within his muscles due to staying in the same position whole night so as to let her peacefully sleep.

"I..." She looked at the white uttariya completely covered in dirt. "I'm sorry about that..." She said.

"Chenchita, the festivals are beginning. The Chenchus have gathered every to go to Krishna nadi vottu." They whispered to her, "We need to go quickly."

"I... I'll have to go. It's already late and I should have been already ready by now." She said and hurried away with her friends. Narasimha just watched her quickly run off towards the Penta.

He took a bath by the river and found Shesha and Garuda talking with Vishwaksena and Tumburu. When Vishwaksena saw him, he instantly got to his knees and bowed down. "Swami, accept my greetings."

Narasimha nodded his head. "Nice to see you here, Vishwaksena. I presume everything by Swarga is fine."

"Yes. Everything is fine. Just that all the Devas have been asking when you would return to Vaikuntha. Indra Deva has been saying that it is odd that you choose to live in these forests like this. Even I have been wanting to ask, Swami, this place isn't completely set for you to stay. These temporary hatched roof and these caves are quite unusual for your residence. We should quickly return to Vaikuntha along with Amma." Vishwaksena gathered to courage to say all of it seeing the peaceful and calm look on Narasimha's face. Or else, there was no one to dare to speak to him other than offering greetings.

"I will come when I feel it is alright, Vishwaksena." Narasimha answered and walked past the commander.

It wouldn't be a simple thing to explain to them that perhaps he might always stay here on these hills.  

He turned around knowing that his priya had arrived by his hill. "Would you not come to see Baramma?" She asked. 

"I hadn't been invited so I didn't really think about it."