Coming back to the ashram, I saw much commotion there. Students were already up doing their daily chores. I felt lethargic, and getting up early made me douzy, I extended my arms to release some indolence, the sunlight was warm making the atmosphere cosy, and I wanted to sleep then and there. I studied my eyes around the ashram, to look for Gurudev. Incapable to find them, I determined to go inside my tent and sleep once again for a while.
Marching towards the tents, I saw Duryodhan and Ashwattama Coming from the opposite direction, but my eyes were fixed on him, he looked distinct now. I felt a hasty bounce in my heart when I saw him, I stood there staring at him like a fool, he walked and talked with his best friend, Duryodhan. He wasn't wearing that silly orange cloth upon his forehead that he usually wore, his pink lips held up a faint smile upon them, and his cheeks were turning red, what are they even talking about I thought-
"Nihira-" a voice interrupted me from far away, I peered towards Devpriya didi, and unexpectedly Ashwattama and Duryodhan too looked at Devpriya didi, who stood there with a new earthen pot in her hands, along with tushti. She had a pale utterance on her face, and that upset me from my hair to toe.
"W-What-?"
"Where were you since morning, least you can tell and go." She said placing her hand upon her slim waist, her eyes were crammed with kajal, and she looked gorgeous when she acted dramatically, I could see Duryodhan and Ashwattama staring at her continuously. Three of them were primarily of the same age, then me. I was the smallest among all, except Nakul and Sehdev.
"I-I went to the lake to refill the pots," I said mashing my lips together.
"Refill-? I could not see any pots here and the one kept in the kitchen is not there, tell me now where were you." She said with more acting and a severe tone in her voice.
"Oof-forget it, let me just go and sleep," I said in frustration, all of them glanced at me with utmost disarray, as I strolled towards the tent.
"Why is she behaving like that?" Let out Devpriya did, I could sense her perplexed stare from behind, transversing Ashwattama and abruptly the soft part somewhere in my chest began to jump and a shudder went down my spine, crossing Ashwattama I felt distant, he glanced at me through the corner of his eyes and I strolled away ignoring him, strongly.
* * *
"Nihira, wake up" I heard a faint sound in my dreams, as I lay upon the soft green grass around a lake with him, and his fingers brushing my hands.
"Nihira-" someone called once again, I looked here and there to look around the citation, the luminous sunlight dwelled upon my face.
"Oh God Nihira, Gurudev is calling you-" A sudden splash of water fell upon my face, I woke up immediately all wet and saturated in water, my hair came out unkempt and I peeked at everyone in the tent who gazed at me with most traumatic looks, I rumbled my eyes through the tent Devpriya didi stood in front with a bucket of water in her hands, Tushti escorted her with almost erratic expressions, and then there was none other than the troublemaker Duryodhan, There he stood, with bitterness, fury and all of those synonymous of anger written upon his face.
"You seriously slept,-" said Devpriya didi, with her hands upon her waist and her pallu tucked in, her loose hair was coming out and she made an awestruck face glancing at me, meanwhile I sat there, befuddled with almost no clue of when did I sleep after coming from the lake-did I just dozed off-well yes!
"Now, go and get ready because you've been summoned by Gurudev, I don't want you to sleep again so dear Duryodhan, it's your responsibility to look after her." She said turning around to address him, she stared at me with bellicosity in her eyes, whereas Duryodhan gave side eyes to her, when he was almost on the rim of speaking out, she spoke again, meaner this time.
"And Duri think up for a better plan to save her-" she spoke, ultimately cut off in between by him.
"Did you just call me Duri-seriously?" He said in a traumatized reaction, his eyes because small as he looked at Devpriya all stunned and baffled.
"You have a long name to speak, so I just shortened it." She said departing the tent followed by Tushti, who gave me a serene smile and then darted towards Duryodhan, and her smile became wider, giggling all her way out of the tent.
"How are you handling her-she's so annoying and dramatic and irritating and-" Duryodhan spoke, I didn't want to tell him or react to his words but he sounded funny.
"Okay whatever, just go out dear Duryodhan,-" I said in a teasing waking up from
"Yeah, tell her not to use this 'Dear' word upon me." He said loudly exiting the tent. A smile extended upon my lips as I looked at Duryodhan.
How silly these boys are, unable to accept the love given to them but it's something they crave for, just not able to express it. I giggled remembering Duryodhan's face but my mind took me back to him, and his shining face. He must have been unsettled by my actions, probably. I remembered Gurudev calling me, and now I must go outside before it's too late.
* * *
You are triivadaanam late, Nihira." Spoke Gurudev in a profound tone, his hands were folded back and he stood in front of the big banyan tree, with some other students, i hung my head down, still a bit sleepy. Devpriya Didi was standing beside me, squashing her lips.
"I'm sorry Gurud-" Before I could speak up, he suddenly cut me off holding his head up.
"No apologies are needed, I just want you to clean up the stable before lunch." Said Gurudev walking back to his usual seat and continuing with his teachings.
"I-what-stable-" I said all baffled, I looked at Devpriya didi who made a disgusting face, and her eyes were crammed with tenderness as she gave me a disfavored smile.
"I'm so sorry for you nihira-you have to clean the horse stable. And that's so awful." She said backing off and making a weird face, she went away doing her stupid girl behaviour where whereas I stood there with all chaos dwelling upon my face.
What a day, I would never sleep now. I hate this!!!!
The horse stable was a lot farther away from the tents, and it was sparsely located encircled by trees and grass, there were many horses inside the table. Approaching it I could now breathe in how horrendous it smelled, there was fodder all around with horse shit and dirty water, mud and whatnot! I took large steps to avoid any contact with silt. It was all marshy, the ground was starting to sink, my feet were already replenished with mud and hay all over, and my clothes were damp.
"It can't be that bad-nihari, it can't be that bad, you can do it." I let out almost on the urge to vomit.
halfway through the cleaning, I began hearing some voices approaching, some silly boys chuckling and someone talking about Dhanurvidhya and some unreasonable conversation upon The Pandavas, I halted listening to their conversation.
Those people stood behind the stable, gossiping without having any clue of me being there.
"Bheem won't die until we push him into the water, or add some poison into his food." Came up the voice.
"Oh, shut up are not killing him." Came up another.
"We can just leave all of these things on Mamashree instead." Came another voice somewhat familiar.
"Hmm, I just can't wait to meet Mamashree." Came up the voice, and now I immediately recalled it to be of Duryodhan. I stood there motionless listening to their conversations and being horrified by the things that the other person spoke.
"Ashwattama, you are truly my best friend, and I promise you once I will become the crown prince, I'll make you the king of a state-trust me." Said Duryodhan. Was Ashwattama there too, my eyes broadened hearing his name.
"I trust you, Duryodhan." Came off his voice. The voice was not apparent as it began to fade.
I walked more towards the mud wall as they might be going away from the stable, walking fastly towards the fence the ground was slippery, and my leg suddenly stuck into the marshy land making me fall on the surface, all the way into the combination of damp hay, mud and shit. All of my weight landed upon my leg, and my clothes were all doused in mud.
"Ouch-" I cried out loud.
"Help me-" I said once again, clung between the horses.
Duryodhan, Dusassan and Ashwattama came in front of the stable, looking bewildered and finding the source of the voice, they just heard.
No no no no they can't just see me like that.
I lay down, coating my mouth with my hand and instantly removing it, because of how dirty it was. I was behind all of the horses and they could not just see me. I lay down and I could see their legs. They walked here and there to look around.
"Who's there-" questioned Dussassan loudly.
I stayed quiet.
"Did you all hear the same voice as me." Continued Dussassan.
"obviously Dussassan." Said Ashwattama.
"But there is no one around." Said Duryodhan.
"Let me just go and check inside." Said Ashwattama.
No no no no-
"It's all muddy here, leave it." Said Dussassan.
"No, let me just have a look around." Said Ashwattama.
This man won't listen to anyone.
I could see his footsteps looming as he began nearing me, my heart began to bump out loud as I didn't want to get caught cleaning a horse stable all saturated in mud especially stuck inside it. It would create havoc in my life, and how I've always been a silly symbol out here, I closed my eyes hoping that he'd return but He came nearer and nearer and then-
"Nihira-????" Came his voice.
"Um-hey!" I said with almost no but every utterance on my face.
"What are you doing here?" He said with vast eyes and gaps between his words that swam me like the most shunned statement of my life.
You just embarrassed yourself nihira.
"Nothing just having a good time," I said in a sardonic tone.
"Huh-?" He said.
"Drauni, who are you talking to-" and suddenly Dussassan interrupted him coming inside. He stared at me with wide eyes and I just laid there down drenched with mud and shit.
His gaze began to fade as a smile appeared on his face, followed by a laugh that ripped off every inch of my soul.
"What is she doing here, in a horse stable." He said laughing.
"Can't you see I'm stuck?" I said loudly.
Ashwattama walked towards me, giving me his hand whereas Dussassan won't stop laughing. He looked at me with a confectionary yet unnatural look. He had something in his eyes, and he nodded at me, asking me to take his hand.
"It's all messed up here, you'll get the dirt," I said almost on the impulse to cry water filling my eyes as I squeezed my cheeks, trying not to cry.
"It doesn't matter." He said. That made me look up at him, into his eyes full of emotions and they were dreamy, my heart began to thump more ferociously. He didn't blink looking into my eyes drawing and breathing diligently, and neither did I. As we both kept on looking into each other's eyes way more intimate than words could ever be.
"Nihira." Said Duryodhan.
And he suddenly woke up from the ground, avoiding any eye contact any further, he backed me. As he faced Duryodhan. His face changed he looked more white and pale.
"What's taking you so long? Get up Nihira." Let out Ashwattama.
"I-I can't. My leg hurts." I said trembling with my words as I tried to wake up but fell eventually because of the excessive weight that fell on my right leg.
"Try to get up, it's nothing." Let out Ashwattama.
"Ashwattama, I can't," I said staring at him with outrage all over my face.
"Did you hurt yourself nihira-?" Questioned Duryodhan.
"Yes, kind of," I said trying to get up all by myself.
"No that's okay, if you can't. Drauni can carry you to the ashram." He said, with some tease in his eyes and a faint smile spreading over his face.
"Who-?" I questioned.
"Your-ah-Ashwattama." He said slowly.
I peeked at him, and he evaded any kind of eye contact. I could feel his eyes upon me, but he looked away. I drew breaths heavily, scouring for an excuse. I gulped the feeling inside thinking of a way to speak.
"No that's already. I can manage." I said trying to get up once again.
"I can see- youu can't." He said, and suddenly implying towards Ashwattama, who stood motionless at the moment incompetent to comprehend the situation.
"Go ahead, Ashwattama. She's in pain." He said compelling him to walk and carry me. Whereas I had nothing to emit at the moment, I was filled with remorse and shame.
He walked closer to me, and once again our eyes met but this time I looked away, a sudden astonishment went down my body as his rough and hard hands touched my body. An explosion of butterflies elicited in my stomach and I could feel the stars around me, the moon the planets and the universe began to revolve around us, as he held me in his strong arms I laid head upon his bare chest, and he walked out of the stable, and I just pretended that I didn't survive at that moment, but actually the moment made me realise what living means.
Hello!!! Happy New Year my cudies! I hope this year brings joy success and happiness that truly matters. Thank you all for being an important part of my 2023, I hope you'll be there my 2024 as well, and I hope I'll not make you bore out of my stories.
Let's just connect on Instagram: @so.poeticc
Also, vote for the face claims of Nihira.
MADIRAKSHI AS NIHIRA
POOJA HEGDE AS NIHIRA