Bahubali ones shots

Insecurities (Avantika/Shiva)

He reached there at last and there she was sitting near a tree still in her clothes from the war. She looked lost in thoughts her fingers tracing her mask that he had found near the waterfall. That time seemed like ages away. So much has happened since then.

He started moving towards her and was surprised to know that she did not realise at all that he was there. What is it that was troubling her so much.

'Avantika?'

Avantika's POV

I sat down under a tree totally dejected. It was almost as if I had lost my purpose in life. For so long my only purpose was to help Rajmata escape from that hell hole. Then Shiva came and loving him and taking care of him became another purpose of my life. Now I have lost both of them. I picked up the mask that basically became the symbol of our love. How can a man love someone so much just based on a plastic mask I would never understand.

'Avantika?' I heard his voice that brought me out of my reverie. My heart thudded loudly in my chest. Has he come to tell me that he doesn't belong to me anymore. Or maybe he has come to take me back to the palace. I don't know which one of them I actually want.

'Shi...' I froze realising that I had no right to call him by that name 'Maharaj' (King) I said my insides hurting from addressing him so formally. I went to my knees bowing my head in respect with my right hand on my heart.

'Avantika utho ye kya kar rahi ho tum' (Avantika, get up! What are you doing?) he said pulling me up by my hand confusion swirling in his eyes.

'Aap humare Maharaj hai. Aapko izzat dena humara kartavya hai' (You are my king. It is my duty to give you the respect you deserve.) I tried to say confidently.

'Agar hume izzat deni he hai toh ek Maharani ki tarah do, humari hone wali patni ki tarah do, praja ki tarah nahi' (If respect is what you are concerned about then, respect me like my wife, not like my subject.) He said agitation lacing his voice.

'Par hum bhi toh praja he haina' (but I am your subject) by now tears were swirling in my eyes. I could see the pain and disbelief in his eyes over my words.

'Nahi! Tum wo ladki ho jiska chehra dekhe bina he hume usse pyaar hogaya tha. Jisse humne jab pehli baar dekha toh ehsaas hua ki krodh bhi kisi par itna haseen lag sakta hai. Jiske aansun hume bechain kar dete hai or jiske ek baar kehne par humne hazaron senikon ki bali chadha di'
(No! You are not just a subject but the woman who ruled my heart even before I saw her face. Who made me realise that even anger can look so enthral. Who's tears make me restless and on whose orders I killed thousands of soldiers)

'Avantika hume nahi pata tum ye sab kyo karri ho par tum humari ho tabhi hogayi thi jab tumne humse hamesha pyar karna ka vada kia or hum jo humara hai usse apne se kabhi dur nahi hone dete' (Avantika, I don't know why you are acting this way, but you are mine. You became mine the moment you promised to love me forever, and I don't let the people I love go away from me.) He said determined

'Shiv..Maharaj hum..' (shiv... king I...) I tried to speak but he cut me off

'Shiva! Tumhare liye hum sirf Shiva hain. Jab hum miley the toh hum khud bhi ni jante the ki hum kon hai. Tumse pyar karne wala shiva tha Mahishmati ka Samrat nahi.'
(Shiva! I am only Shiva for you. When I met you, even I didn't know my true identity. The person who loved you was Shiva, not the monarch of Mahishmati.)

I swallowed the tears that were again forcing there way out.

'Shiva hum ek sath nahi hosakte. Aap ab ek rajya ke Samrat hai or hum sirf ek...'
(Shiva, we cannot be together. You are our king and I am but a...)