The room was still dim and chilly when I opened my eyes, the only thought that crashed through my mind was I was going away, once again. I turned and twirled on my bed, thinking about my life ahead. How will I be able to endure here, I had this question running through my mind since the day I arrived here. It would upset me, and I would feel something stuck inside my throat that would not go inside, the fact that I was fragile.
Thinking about all of this I shut down my eyes, sleeping for a bit until someone would wake me up to go.
The atmosphere was still dark when I once again opened my eyes, but it was unexpectedly lit up when he came there. Krishna.
"Nihira, you are not weak sakhi." He said standing there in front of me.
"Oh Krishna, I am. I feel alone." I said water replenishing my eyes.
"Sakhi, living alone is a part of life. You have to face it one day, or the other. And thus you will learn to live with it." He said, his voice was calm and comforting. I listened to him with all of my senses committed to him.
"And Sakhi, you are not weak. It's just you have never given yourself a chance. I know you are strong, stronger than anyone else. But it's just you who have to know this and give yourself a chance. Don't get dependent on each other. Run for opportunities. Grab this one. Dronacharya is the best guru you could ever ask for."
He finished off and gave me a serene smile fading into the deep haze around me. And shortly I was awake. Again. I sat on the bed folding myself into a hug.
"You are on your kid," I said getting up to gear up for the day.
* * *
The whole palace was in hustle and bustle, people were running around scheduling for our farewell, and I stood there on my balcony in the chilled morning, the sun had already been up, yet the pine forest around and the marigold gardens were shrouded in mist, the light rays fell upon my bare skin making me shiver in cold. I stood there on the balcony hoping that he would come once again to the river shore. And he did.
As my gaze fell upon him, an instant of flattering liveliness came into me, a smile spreading over my lips and my cheeks turning red. I watched him from a distance as he took a dip in the water, he took a while coming out from the river which frightened me a bit. He came out from the river, delivering his prayers to Suryadev heeded by his daily ceremonies. Thereafter he leafed his hair letting all of the excessive water fall onto the ground. He draped his shawl around and moved back into the pine forest.
And I stood there, unmoving and addicted. For it was the last day I saw him here. As he might go away when I would return. Dismay crammed my heart and a feeling of hopelessness engulfed me. I hauled back into my room, with sorror in my heart of not knowing him, for he might have been someone I'd like to meet one day.
I had already packed my belongings and Devpriya Didi was still packing her's. I strolled through the passageways, saying goodbye to each one of the workers there until we were called downstairs for the pooja. I proceeded with walking down the aisle instead of going down. The corridors were empty and I could hear someone calling me from a distance, recalling the voice which was Bhratashree calling me down I began running towards the temple.
Running at my fastest speed possible, to evade any morning speeches I crossed my room, and saw Devpriya didi was already down, I ran down the stairs and then through the corridors of the palace, I still had to cover a distance to reach the temple.
As I turned to the left, I unexpectedly bumped into someone, hard and tall. That ultimately led to losing my balance, as I almost fell on the ground before someone held me through my wrist, with their strong muscular hands making me sway in the air. I closed my eyes in terror and I could feel their hands upon my waist as he grabbed me once again through my waist to get me up correctly.
I bumped into his chest when he pulled me tightly. A decent fragrance captivated me. Opening my eyes, I looked up to see who exactly was this person who almost made me fall to the ground. As I looked up my eyes met with his light brown eyes, which had black eyelids and a fair complexion. He had an astonished reaction all over his face and he drew breath heavily.
He instantly loosed his grip making me get away from his grasp. I looked at him from a distance, he was a young man wearing an orange dhoti and Rudraksha mala around, he had a cotton cloth tied upon his forehead and his hair was wet.
"What is this, don't you know how to walk?" I said holding my wrist, which he held earlier which had concocted a reddish mark over there because of his tight hold.
"What-you were the one who bumped into me." He said in a deep heavy voice, his expression altered suddenly and he had anger composed all over his face.
"Excuse me-? You almost made me fall." I said making a face showing how dopey I was.
"You fell? I didn't see so-" he said looking here and there in a Scacastic manner.
"I said almost," I recited loudly.
"Whatever." He said traversing me and going away. I stood there with a surprised reaction. I turned only to see him walking towards the temple.
"What a stupid man he is," I spoke out walking towards the temple, the mood was already ruined and the damage was done to the body. I walked slowly towards the temple seeing Mata, pitaji, Bhatashree my sisters along with Gurudev and that stupid man I bumped into.
As I came closer everyone looked at me, and that man stood near Gurudev, I had nothing to say. I was late and that had unsettled Gurudev.
"Nihira what made you come so late into the pooja." Said Pitaji. I mashed my lips together having nothing to say, my eyes met with his he stood there with a blunt expression, as if he had never seen me earlier or had not bumped into me.
"Ah-I was late in getting up. I'm sorry." I said thinking of the best excuse I could make in this situation.
Before anyone could speak I heard Gurvdev speaking up.
"You have to change this habit of yours to get up early. This won't be allowed in the Aashram Nihira." He said in a serious voice.
"Ji Gurudev," I said hanging my head down.
"But Nihira was up at the right time pitaji. I had been searching for her for a long time, ask her where was she." Said Devpriya Jiji out of nowhere.
"Nihira-is this true." Said mata.
If eyes could do fortes, my eyes would have already killed Devpriya Didi. What she wanted from me. Why was she like that, I had started hating her. I sniffed glancing here and there, hoping someone would help me to get out of this situation.
"Maharaj, can we continue with the pooja, we are already late-?" Said that man. Which made me look in his direction, seeing him already looking at me. I once again mashed my lips trying to hide my smile.
"Oh yes yes, come nihira and Devpriya." Said Maharaj.
The pooja had been done, and I was giving Prashad to everyone, including that weird man. When Gurudev spoke.
"Maharaj as you've already known by now, he's my son Ashwattama." He said tapping on the shoulders of his son. Who joined hands in respect to everyone.
"Pranipath Maharaj." He spoke in his heavy voice. And I rumbled my eyes at him mimicking his words in my mind Pranipath Maharaj huh idiot.
we were bidding farewell to our parents. Devpriya didi was crying into Mata's arms and Aarya and Kirti were escorting her. I stood there on the stairs, looking at all of them with a sad smile on my face.
Peeking here and there, I saw four horses standing at the exit, which made me look at them with a baffled comeback. Oh please God don't say we are going upon these horses. I thought and then looked at Ashwattama who stood near the horses clearing one of them, which I presumably belonged to him.
"It's time to go Devpriya." Said Gurudev getting done with her drama.
We bid farewell to our parents, and sitting upon the horses, went far away into plains, miles and miles away from here. With a new and refreshing start. And mine was already wrecked by this man called Ashwattama. I sat on my horse named Megh, meaning Rain, eventually beginning our two-day journey upon him.
* * *
We proceeded on our journey, I could see mountains getting away, as we moved toward the foothills. The slops were risky filled with mud and waterholes. Megh would walk unevenly on the slants scaring the shit out of me. I would shake here and there clasping the seat tightly. I saw Ashwattama's horse walking just beside me, he stood there with comfort and contentment.
"Don't worry you won't fall here." He said walking side by side with his horse.
"What do you mean by-you won't fall here," I said to him in a rude comeback.
"Huh, or you might fall, because there is nobody to hold you now." He let out. I opened my mouth a little in shock, what he meant by you don't have anyone to hold you? What an idiot.
"You are so annoying, Ashwattama," I said making faces and rolling my eyes from him.
"Well, thanks." He replied.
Hello cudies! How are you all ? I hope this chapter was interesting and you liked it. This is just the beginning of their story so hold on and read along😉😉
Fact : Guru Drona's aashram was loacted somewhere in the west presently in Haryana in Gurugram. And it is therefore called 'Gurugram' not gurgaon.
And Hastinapur was located somewhere near NCR in doab U.P and Indraprastha in new delhi. During the medival times delhi was called Indraprastha. 👍
I hope this helped.
Thankyou so much for reading :)