LOVE: To Infinity And Beyond

"My anklet..!"

"May I come in?", Arjun joked standing at the entrance of Krishnaa's chamber... "Oh no Rajkumar... Can't you see that we Sakhis are really trying to have a good time?", Krishnaa shot back, pursing her lips to control her laughter. Arjun frowned and decided upon playing along. "Alright... I don't mind leaving, at all. Just that, I had something, which I supposedly came to return to its owner. But what can I possibly  do, when the owner herself denies my mere entry into her chamber...." Krishnaa frowned, this time. What did he have? "What is it?", she enquired curiously, just as Arjun had turned around to leave. "Nothing much.... We can sort that later... You ladies enjoy. I better go and have an interesting chat with Sakha...", saying this he left. Krishnaa was left baffled. She just could not recall, what thing of hers was there with Arjun...

That day, Kunti had arranged for a Arthanarishwara pooja, understanding quite well that the cold war was over. Arjun and Krishnaa had slept together in their chamber, after quite a long time. Early in the morning, the sunrays fell on Krishnaa's eyes, waking her up. Shegot up and to her utter surprise, found Arjun still sleeping late beside her, like a small baby bear. Krishnaa couldn't help but giggle a bit, but then she immediately bit her lip, controlling her giggles. The slightest of stimuli could wake Arjun up. She slowly got up from beside him and as soon as she was about to step out of the bed, Arjun pulled back on her wrist, making her fall on his toned chest. "Ohhhh... I see.. You stop giggling thinking that it may wake up your ultra-sensitive husband, and then you try to slip out from right beside him?? Is that how 'clever' you are??", Arjun said sarcastically with a smirk. "Let me go.. Oh great Gudakesha...", Krishnaa smiled. Arjun chuckled and then pulling her closer, added, "Never ever..." "Please.. atleast for now... I don't think my husband's trademark mighty memory has totally forgotten about the Arthanarishwara pooja arranged especially for the two of us, today??", Krishnaa mock-pleaded. "Oh yes...", Arjun's hold loosened, as he suddenly remembered. Krishnaa pushed him and freed herself. "Hey... you cheated!!", Arjun exclaimed. "Oh pity... 'Hey.. you forgot!!'..", Krishnaa mimicked him and ran away towards the snaan grah, giggling. Arjun exactly what he wanted to do now. He silently went to Krishnaa's dressing counter and fished out the Maang ka teeka, pearl necklace and her wedding ring. He then placed those on the dressing counter and went towards the snaan grah. He slowly moved the curtains from a corner-- Krishnaa wasn't there in the external chamber. He opened the door of the pool chamber silently, and found his ethereally beautiful wife in the poolwater. The light reflecting from the pool surface was glowing on her wax -like smooth skin. A few small water droplets were rolling down her bare back, as  her thin bathing saree covered her front. Arjun couldn't help but drool over this lady's more-than-divine beauty. He was luckily wearing only his dhoti , and he silently stepped into the water. However, Krishnaa immediately sensed his heat touch her through the water. She turned back and found him. She couldn't help a gasp escaping her lips. Arjun came nearer. Time as if stood still as the two stared deep into each other's eyes, till Arjun made the first move. 

As Krishnaa dressed up and was about to leave the chamber, Arjun brought her in front of the mirror. He took up the pearl necklace and put it around her neck, the maang ka teeka and the ring followed. Krishnaa turned around towards Arjun and hugged him. Both of their eyes moistened...

Arjun and Krishnaa arrived for the pooja , a bit late, though the pooja had waited for them, since it was meant exclusively for them. The pooja soon began and went on quiet smoothly. Kunti blessed the two. Just as everyone was dispersing from the pooja grah, a royal servant informed that there was a messenger from Manipur. Krishnaa and he were the only two, still left in the pooja grah.. Arjun immediately understood exactly from whom, and the very thought irritated him. "Tell him I can't meet now.. I am busy with my family...", Arjun said, almost shoving the  royal servant away. Krishnaa came up to him, "Arya, I think you should just hear him out once...", she tried to pacify him. "No way... They all know that the moment I left the place, I have cut all ties. I don't need to know whatever has happened afterwards...", Arjun defended adamantly. "Just once Arya. It can be something important..." "Nothing about them can be important to me any longer, Krishnaa... " , Arjun said curtly, about to leave. "It may also be something political...", Krishnaa threw the last weapon she had. Arjun turned back to her. Right. It could be something politically or economically essential. Krishnaa again came near him and whispered, "For me...", only for him to hear, and pursed her lips to hold back her smile. Arjun smiled back and nodded.

"Rajkumar, the Princess has conceived with your heir, and there was also news from Kalinga, that Princess Aarya has given birth to your son...", the messenger informed Arjun when he met him alone at the meeting chamber. This was the news Arjun just did NOT want to hear. He just nodded and added in a curt tone, "None of them are technically not my heirs, but the heirs of Manipur and Kalinga respectively. So I did not have been needed to be bothered about this...." Saying this, he gave a few gold coins to the messenger and bade the shocked and stunned messenger farewell.
"What was it about, Arya?", a curious Krishnaa asked Arjun, the moment he returned to the chamber at night... "Nothing such. You needn't worry dear...", Arjun replied indifferently, trying to close the topic before it even began. "I need to know Arya, though you needn't tell me..." . Krishnaa's reply baffled Arjun. He frowned. "I asked the royal servant who had let the messenger in. He told me about the news. I paid him, rather bribed him a bit, to not tell it to anyone else. He promised so....", Krishnaa said in a breath. Arjun came to her. Sitting in front of her on the bed, he looked into her eyes for a long long moment. Then he lay down on her lap. Krishnaa stroke his smooth hair while silence prevailed. "You didn't feel bad...?", Arjun asked after some time, his eyes straight into Krishnaa's. "I did, a bit. But then, they are after all YOUR children, and also CHILDREN. How can I hold a grudge on them longer than a moment...? I am happy for them, who got to be YOUR children, and also for those so-lucky ladies..." Krishnaa answered, winking at Arjun at the end, to lighten the atmosphere. Arjun stayed mum, once again amazed by this amazingly beautiful woman's amazingly beautiful heart. Reflexly, his hand reached up and he began caressing her cheek with the back of his index finger. Suddenly he remembered something. He sprang up , and straight out of the bed. Krishnaa looked at him, as shocked as she could be. "You remember, I have something , yours...??" , Arjun asked her enthusiastically, his eyes naughty. "Oh yes... What is it Arya...?", Krishnaa asked, as innocent as she was... Arjun fished out the payal from it's almost permanent place since the last three years. Krishnaa looked at it and remembered that he had taken it away with him, three years back. Her eyes glistened as she smiled and extended her hand to get it. Arjun immediately took it back. "My payal...!!", Krishnaa nearly shrieked and the race began. The two ran till finally both were out of breath and tumbled onto each other in the garden. Arjun held it up, as he lay on the garden grass, Krishnaa on top of him. Krishnaa extended her hand again to take it, and he immediately took the opportunity to switch positions. Krishnaa took a sharp breath. "I will return this to you... But on one condition..", Arjun whispered to her, bringing his face close to her ear. "What condition?" , Krishnaa asked in a small , trembling voice.. "I, so badly want to teach you an art...". Krishnaa looked at him questioningly. "The art of love making... Promise me you will be the world's best student ever..?", Arjun answered, his voice, hoarse and seductive.. Krishnaa blushed heavily as she lowered her gaze and slowly muttered, "Yes..."