Return of the Asuras |Lesbian Story| (The Sequel)

Chapter 11

The war finally tore me away from the arms of my lover. Amarisa wept amidst her well wishes. Her face was reddened like a plucked lotus, which made my own heart constricted with sadness. We held each other tightly as we'd had such a short moment of married life together. Now I had to be apart from my wife, and neither of us could know what would happen afterward.

Amarisa raised her eyes to meet mine. I saw they were ruddy from her long secret weeping. She knew she should never cry on the day of our departure. What else could she do with the fear and distress now mounting inside her heart? What would she do with all the worries she could not express in words for they might bring bad luck to me?

Before our army marched out of the Victory Gate at the break of dawn, I went to my mother, who had come to see us off despite her frail condition. I kneeled at her feet and bowed as she hugged me and blessed me.

"May your enemies run far away from you. Wherever you may go, many will attend, serve and protect you, surround you on all sides," she said and kissed my forehead.

All the avatars came to her later, kneeling beside her, asking for the same blessing. I watched her stroke their heads and chant the same mantra of protection, but I could already imagine that she would later sob bitterly to herself. She was like a mother to everyone, and the thorns of regret had plunged into the depth of her heart.

I held her again, trying to send a message with my embrace that she shouldn't blame herself. Ravana would sooner or later sack the kingdom, and all lives would perish. Not even gods could stop him, and the vision that Indra had me glimpsed would turn into reality. She had done the right thing.

I hugged Amarisa one last time before we left. Not until the trumpets were blown and soldiers came to escort me that I forced myself to release her.

At the Victory Gate, everyone was in his or her finest armors. They carried their weapons of choice: swords spears, and bows. A handful of handmaidens also accompanied us, yet the whole time I did not see Kesar.

After King Jayavarman mounted his gold-cloaked elephant, the other kings and ministers and their princes also mounted theirs. Queen Indradevi already settled inside her golden carriage. In front of us, I could see the innumerable red and gold sunshades as the troops lead the escort. Then came the bearers of flags and banners and the musicians, following by the other palace attendants. Some of the maidens also carried lances and shields as the soldiers. There were roughly four to five hundred thousand. The journey was proceeded by the generals and royal guards riding chariots drawn by horses and oxen with more than one hundred parasols flecked with gold.

When the horns and war drums sounded, we began to sally forward. Gajasimha, the lion king, swayed as his heavy feet thumped on the dusty ground. Sitting atop his back, I let myself sway with him. People stared at us in awe. The other spectacular mount beside mine was Morokot's gigantic rhino, which she brought along. All the avatars were in their celestial armors, riding on horses and chariots. I had to admit that they looked like gods.

From a distance, the marching army would look like a long body of a serpent going through the path. It was all hectic and full of cheers, but also with a trace of subtle despair. I saw a woman running after her husband, giving him a package of food she had prepared. I saw crying children and sad elderly, waving as we went slowly out of the city. Some of us might not return, or maybe all of us. The heartbreaking thought turned my stomach into knots.

I looked back at the direction of the palace. Its unwavering golden peaks and towers glimmered in the sun. I caught a glimpse of my beloved wife. Amarisa was standing by the gate with my mother. They held each other, looking at us. I waved at them as they grew smaller and smaller until a curtain of fine dust hid them out of my sight.