"Pilichara Thalli?"
Kattappa stood in front of Sivagami with his head bowed. Sivagami frowned. It had been weeks since Kattappa had come to her with anything. 3 weeks precisely, since Bhallaladeva was crowned as King of Maahishmati. But could she blame him?
She couldn't think of it. He was the promised slave of throne of Maahishmati. Whoever sits on it will command him if or not he is happy about it. When it was Baahu sitting on the throne, it was happy occasion for him. Now.. She doubted.
"Yes Kattappa! I hope I do have some rights of mine still as Rajmata to order you something!"
Kattappa just sighed. He knew that she was right. She was still the Rajamata. But yet nothing was the same. He was not the happy loyal to the Throne anymore. He was now a mere slave trying to take the weight of it on his old shoulders.
"What is it?"
His tone was non committal. Well, he was supposed to answer the king's beck and whim, not Rajamata's! But for past 25 years she was the one who has taken it upon her head to save the throne and kingdom. She deserves this much. But there was something else going on his mind thinking about Baahu's decision and the way he confided it in him than his mother. It was worth the question.
"I want you to look out for Baahubali"
"The king is already on the same work."
"But I am asking for a good reason with intention of getting good outcome Kattappa"
"I am to do what King orders Thalli"
"I know! But I want to know beforehand. It might do good to the kingdom if you could do this Kattappa! Remember you are promised servant of the throne! Not the person!"
Kattappa bowed as he knew that she was right. He was promised servant of the throne and he was to save the throne for good. Even if it was against the king? He will have to think about it!
DEVASENA! GET BACK HERE RIGHT THIS MOMENT!
His voice bellowed in the whole caves as he watched his wife paying no heed to his words. Everyone around looked up from their chores so that they can view the unusual yet the usual now episode.
Raasi nudged Paartheeba and raised her brow in question to which he just shook his head chuckling and pointed to their queen who was striding towards.. WAIT.. STRIDING TO..?! Really?
"Rani Devasena! See where you are going!"
Devasena turned to Paartheeba and glared at him as if she would burn him down to ashes.
"Do you think I am blind? Naaku kallu unnayi Paartheeba..!"
"But you are going to..!"
"I am going where I intend to. Will you stop me?"
Paartheeba stuttered and shut his mouth but his eyes wandered to their king who was now standing at the entrance to main caves with his hands on hip and glaring at the queen. Paartheeba raised his eyebrow to him only to get a grunt in reply!
Amarendra Baahubali was never this frustrated not exasperated in his 26 years of life! Damn this woman who had the capacity and the bone in her to do the same to him! Out of all women in the world, did he have to fall for her?
Amarendra chuckled at that question as he knew it had only positive answer. This was the one woman in the whole world who managed to capture his heart and held it captured forever and after!
But for now she was succeeding in annoying him. Well after he annoyed her off course. He strode behind her keeping pace with her.
"Devasena! Why are you pouring fire on that poor man. He was pointing out.."
"The obvious!"
She finished heatedly throwing a look to him. Oh man! He has obviously rubbed the wrong side of his wife! Damn! Last time he managed somehow from her throwing him out of their bedchamber with little success. This time?
"Devasena!"
"Don't you Devasena me! Whom do you think of yourself? You will tell anything and can escape as you are the great Amarendra Baahubali? Well listen to me! I have had enough of your high handedness."
"As if I ever had chance with you!"
Amarendra muttered only for Devasena to hear him and glare at him. Amarendra tried giving his best charming yet Poor-me look which obviously did not work on Devasena!
"Alaga!? Take all the chance in your life for all I care. For now just leave me on my own!"
Amarendra hung his head. Devasena felt sorry for him. But he was at disadvantage. He was the one who brought up the situation!
It all started a few hours ago when Raasi came to them with their evening drinks and permission to make dinner. As it was the day off for them in the week it was a routine to cook something special for everyone who worked hard all the week and usually when she is there in the caves, she was the one to finalize the special dish.
"Raasi! Who is the in charge of Kitchen?"
"As if you don't know in all time you spent here?"
It was Devasena who answered him raising her head from the sword she was inspecting. Amarendra tried to maintain his expression as he found his wife so cute at the moment frowning through her inspection. Anyone will be intimidated by that but him? No chance! He tried to contain his grin as he turned to Raasi and winked who nodded her understanding.
"Just praising a good handiwork Devasena! I don't find any wrong in that!"
"Praising another woman in presence of your wife does sound wrong!"
She came back gritting her teeth making Amarendra want to laugh out loud. But he had control of steel! But he gave a victory smile to Raasi that made the woman swallow a chuckle.
"Smiling and winking at another woman when wife is sitting beside you will make it a crime enough for you to spend your remaining days of your life counting stars and sweating under sun!"
Raasi choked and looked at her queen who never even let her eyes away from the sword. Then how..?
"Don't work your brain too much. Just get the Kaajikai and Poornala Laddu done for tonight."
"Oh you people know to make such dishes too?"
Amarendra interjected with tongue in cheek annoying his wife more. She placed the sword back on its holder and turned to him glaring.
"What do you mean? That we don't know to cook like civilized people?"
"Nope! Just that you don't seem to eat them offer implying, you don't have the practice to cook them.. may be?"
"Raasi can cook almost anything! And We save such authentic dishes for special days and eating them daily will make us lazy and addicted to them"
"Aha! That was one good excuse.. But my matter of concern is you knowing to cook!"
Devasena frowned. Amarendra smirked.
"Why is it a concern?"
"Well, for instance, your hands are more used to swords than ladle?"
"How did this come from Today's special dish to me knowing to handle ladle Amarendra?"
She asked with her hands on her hip! Amarendra shrugged.
"Accept that this wild cat does not know how to cook!"
Devasena huffed! This man was hell bent on destroying her mental peace.
"You are really going to regret this!"
Saying she turned and marched out and as suspected a few minutes later he heard Veera squealing and galloping out of the caves into forest. Raasi turned to her king with a scowl. Man her people were so protective of her.
"Don't worry. She is just riled up Raasi. She will be back Raasi!"
"Yeah! The last time Maharaja said that only to drag back Rani Devasena stating that she had poisonous snake in her arms! Will you take the risk this time?"
But before even she could finish her sentence Amarendra was almost running out of the caves already whistling for Basha who squealed and came galloping to him as he entered the stable gates. He mounted and soon was behind Veera! But where he found Veera and Veera's mistress shook him completely. He thought that there was nothing more in his wife that could surprise or shock him! How wrong was he?
"Veera! Devasena?"
He asked as he dismounted from Basha. As soon as Basha was free of Amarendra he went to stand beside Veera who angrily moved away. This made Basha snort and nudge Amarendra making him miss his step.
"I understand ra Basha! Women!"
At this Veera squealed standing on her hindlegs in warning. Basha came and stood beside Amarendra letting his nose inside Amarendra's cloak!
"Basha! You traitor!"
He mumbled as he gave sugar treats to Basha who snorted. But Veera did not budge. Basha had to do a lot convincing and at last Veera got her treats from Amarendra when a nut fell on his head making him grunt that had both the horses snort happily!
Next nut fell in between Veera and Basha that made both squeal. Amarendra looked up to see the source of the nut fall but before he could do, Basha pushed and ran away to a far place with Veera on his tow. Amarendra scratched his head and looked up again as a nut fell again on his shoulder this time.
"Amma! Deva.."
His wince and call stopped in the middle as his jaws hung to the floor. Because what he saw was so.. He shook his head and closed his mouth gritting his teeth!
"Devasena! Akkada em chestunnav! wait! How did you even get there in first place?"
Because his wife was sitting there on the top branch of a Blackplum tree enjoying the ripe black plums! Amarendra stood under the thick tree looking up at her with his jaws hanging.
"Why do you have to follow me everywhere I go?"
Devasena looked down at him still hanging her legs happily sitting on the branch trying to hide her anxiety.
"I am your husband remember? It has been 2 full moons with a Ammavasya in between since our marriage!"
"I very well remember the moment we were married. The reminder was not needed."
"Will just get down. Do you even realize you are the highest branch of the tree?"
"I climbed. So I am well aware!"
She said biting into the next plum. But something was wrong Amarendra noticed. Because he could see her eyes narrowing, looking around and she tried to keep her hands busy and did not look at him. He thought of all possibilities for her tension when she was happily enjoying plums dangling her legs from the top branch of this wild tree in the thick forest! And suddenly it clicked.
"Deva?"
"What?"
"Do you know to climb down the tree?"
At that soft question Devasena choked the plum she just managed to bite on and looked down at him. Amarendra chuckled looking up.
"Do you know you are one impossible woman I had fortune to meet and get to know!"
"And you are one stubborn man I had the fortune to meet and Marry! Now will you keep standing there? Leka pothe edaina chestara?"
Amarendra's eyes danced in merriment as they met Devasena's angry eyes. Still she was the beautiful even with angrily flushed cheeks, red nose and glaring eyes. Amarendra shook his head at his own love sick thoughts and removed his cloak.
He checked the branch and climbed after testing its capacity to hold him. Then calmly but in a good speed reached Devasena! Devasena looked at his movements with wide eyes. He was climbing tree like a tiger. Confident and strong. God, her husband had the best biceps any man could have and she had to acknowledge that being grown up with men almost all her life. Within blink of her eyes he was beside her.
"Won't you welcome your husband?"
She jumped at hearing his voice next to her. He was in branch behind her leaning into her from it. She slipped and her eyes went wide knowing the she is going to fall. But her husband's hand went around her waist and held her to the place only to realize that he was more close to her that his breath tingled behind her neck.
"Careful Deva! I want a warm welcome that will lead to many things. And you falling down and breaking your neck is not among them."
His voice was laced with light smile that made her smile too. This was all bad. She was supposed to be angry with him. But her husband had Charms. And Man he used it well.
"So Devasena! Won't you share your treats with your husband?"
She tried to maintain her anger and tried to stuff a plum in his hand. But he refused shaking his head. Devasena scowled. With a naughty smirk, he got a plum, wiped it and placed it on her lips. Devasena opened her plump lips and he placed the ripe fruit in between her lips.
She was about to swallow it but he just shook his head and let her hold the half. Before she could know what he was about to do, he leaned in and bit the other half from her mouth letting his lips caress hers. Devasena gasped.
Amarendra straightened as he enjoyed the fruit and winked at her making her eyes go wide.
"Sweet! But I rather enjoy my personal ripe plums better."
He said looking at her. Her cheeks warmed up much to his satisfaction as he knew that he was the only man who could see this woman blusk like this. But she recovered soon.
"You came here all the way for this?"
"Can't deny! You are distracting!"
And he laughed as one of the nut his wife collected from the fruit landed on his chest.
"Are you planning to get down?"
"That Depends on you! You want to get down or just sit here and enjoy the fruits?"
He eyed her lips suggestively making her go more red. She was about to take one more nut when he knew that he should not push more.
"put your arms around me!"
He said as he hung on the branch. That one moment Devasena's heart stopped. But he assured her and asked her to put her arms around his neck and cling. She still was not very sure as she did what he asked. Soon both were hanging from the top branch with Devasena clinging to his neck. Her breath hot near his neck curve. The testing moment!
"I would prefer this more if this was our personal chamber than wild forest"
He groaned and said in gruff voice. Devasena who understood his plight chuckled throatily. She was well aware of his reactions.
"leave those thoughts and get us down Amarendra!"
"Yes. Before I do something.."
"Amarendra!"
She admonished.
"Seri Seri!"
And he swung to next lower branch with her hanging to his neck and slowly both came to lowest branch. But as Devasena was closing her eyes she did not notice. A thought came to his mind and he smiled.
"Devasena! Take your arms off. My neck is aching."
"WHAT? But?"
Her sentence was cut when she felt her hands lose her grip on his neck. Because they were getting slick with sweat. Why oh why? She felt her hands give away from a hanging Amarendra. She squealed as she flew for a second only to land on the mud too soon. She looked up and saw that Amarendra was hanging one foot above on the lowest branch. Just one foot. And he had the atrocity to laugh. She stood up and glared at him with her hands on hip. But it had no effect.
"Devasena! You are one unique exasperating woman who knows to climb up a tree not climb down. Who knows to distinguish the metals of sword but nothing about jewels. knows about authentic dishes but knows nothing about kichenette!"
"You are one unique annoying man who knows nothing about.. NOTHING!"
She completed not knowing what to say. She huffed and whistled to Veera who came squealing with a angry Basha on her tow who nudged Amarendra. She was about to mount on when she felt herself hauled and mounted on the Black stallion with her husband's front pressing to her back.
"Good to know that my wife thinks I am annoying"
He chuckled and let Bhasha gallop with Veera following his guide to the caves. He carried her to their dark bedchamber only to have her push him and stride out angrily.
This was how he was standing here and Devasena standing there.
"Devasena!"
"I will not hear one more thing! Paartheeba see to it. Don't let him have his way this time. He is one wicked man!"
Paartheeba shot apologetic look to his king as he knew that his queen will rip him into pieces if he did not do so. Amarendra just shook his head as he saw Devasena striding to..
Devasena chuckled and all the heads there turned to their queen who now looked anything but a queen. Naayaka too chuckled.
"Enti Amma?"
Mahendra asked as he saw both his mother and the man with Avantika slowly chuckle.
"Your father always had this unique desire to rile me up and get his way"
"He always succeeded baiting you Rani devasena"
"She was no less"
Came Kattappa for his daughter's support. Devasena smiled. Mahendra smiled too.
"Meeru Nanna.."
"He was one man who could put up with every hell I made and still managed to stay by my side. He was man of his word."
Mahendra smiled admiring his father and looked Avantika who smiled at him from his mother's side.
"But fate played dirty always!"
Naayaka said and Kattappa sighed.
"Avunu Mahendra! And this time it was far than dirty!"