It was the mid month of the spring season, which was the golden age in history of karnataka during 6th century. ..
Sun had fallen in to the mountain peaks , letting the moon shine to peep out indicating the impending dusk...
The windy breeze took the chance to tease the trees to tickle and they giggled. Consequently, the flowers fell over the royal path of the princess fort like an extraordinary flower carpet as though they welcome someone very special. ..
Drenching to the moon light, a silhouette on horse rode towards the fort entrance alongside the thungabhadra river. ..
The horse was racing as though she had understood her master 's urgency well. ..
" easy neela. .."
He spoke softly. ..attending his command, Neela slowed down. ..
Shravan aka shiv Pandav Vikramadhitya, the emperor of the vast Chalukian dynasty fondly stroked her neck. ..He jumped down and let neela to have some water in the river. ..
" neela. ..we are only some minutes apart. ..shall we go. .?"
Neela neighed and nodded her head. ...
Yes, all through these years the relationship between them grew bolder. ..neela had been his shadow no matter where he was. ..
With a pleasing smile, shravan approached neela. ..His smile was competing with the moon shine. ..on the brilliant milky white moon shine , shravan looked like a manmatha _the god of love and the most beautiful man in the world. ..
The sandal coloured silk angavastra tied around his waist charmed him to his position of the emperor. ..His shoulders were powerful and his arms rippled with muscles that flexed with his every movement. .
.His face was chiselled in clear lines added with moustache. ..a rope of lustrous pearls round his neck vied with the sparkle of the scars he had in the bare chest that he possess of the battles he fought with. ..
Years made him to be handsome yet strong. ..He had encountered so many bitter war fields to expand his dynasty. ..He was swirling like a wind through his duties as an emperor. ..Amidst all the odds his love for suman rose by time to time ...He had to stay away from her for political issues every now and then. ..
It was one such moment when shravan went to attend an administrators court at the farthest village of his dynasty. Being an responsible ruler, shravan didn't want to miss out anything that happens in his dynasty. hence, it was crucial for him to reach the far and wide of the vast Kingdom. ..
A week separation from his beloved wife made him to be exausted at certain point and he chose to return immediately. ..though the ministers refused his idea of returning at night, he started at once all alone with neela. ..
His mind raced, past the time to suman who would be waiting for his arrival. ..
As he reached the fort entrance, his face glistened like a diamond. .the enthusiasm to meet suman flushed over his veins rapidly. ..
The guard who stood at the entrance was alarmed to see a horse approaching the fort. ..after the litted bronze lamps, he understood that it was neela. ..
" neela. .? "
After seeing her, the guard was alert and opened the massive wooden latches. ..
He bowed reverentially at shravan. ..He was confused to see the emperor alone. ..as a ritual, there would be formal procession of the emperor along with the important ministers whenever he return back ..
At least, the royal drums should be played to announce the arrival of the emperor. ..
With this thought, his hands reached to the royal drum . but, Shravan's one gesture stopped him to do so. ..
" not necessary " He said with a smile. ..
Understanding his king well, the guard nodded respectfully. ..it wasn't the first time that shravan entered the princess fort like this. ..so, obviously it wasn't strange at the guard 's eyes. ..
" take care of her. .."
Sending neela to her stable, he headed towards the anthapura intrigued. ...
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" suman. ...Suman. ..."
His eagerness echoed through his voice that reverberated over the sculpted walls of anthapura. ...
Though the capital was at thanjavur, shravan opted the princess fort to be one of the personal forts of his ruling period. .vividly,this might be due to the connection he had with the princess of the fort. ..
Suman chose to visit princess fort at Shravan's absence in the capital. During his reign, shravan renovated and expanded the princess fort as he knew it's special place in his life. ...
" suman. ..."
His voice reached Suman's personal chamber. ...
Krithika and poorni who were arranging Suman's bed exchanged quizzical look at each other. ..
"Shravan. .?"
They sounded at one tone. ..
By the time, shravan reached Suman's chamber. ..His face turned down at a spark to see krithika and poorni instead of suman. ..
Krithika and poorni stood back and bowed with respect. ..
" krithika. ..where's suman. .?"
He didn't hesitate to inquire. ..
With a mischievous smile she pointed the brindavan. ..
Gleefully, he paced fast to the brindavan. ..
" poor shravan ..look at him. ..He is so desperate for her love. .."
They teased and giggled at shravan. ..
Shravan understood their sarcasm that hit at his back. ..yet, he was not in a mood to reply them. .. He knew that they were not wrong. ..He was desperate for Suman's love. ..this thought brought out a shyness yet joyful smile over his lips. ..nodding impatient, he walked to the brindavan. ...
It took some time for krithika and poorni to stop their sarcasm over shravan. ..
After preparing the bed, krithika added the jasmine flavoured oils to the bronze lamps. ..she anointed the soft muslin bed cloths with fragrances a bit extra as she know well where Shravan's enthusiasm would end at last. ...
Abashed , they closed all the windows and curtains of the chamber. ..the anthapura guards had been reallocated with another jobs carefully not to disturb shravan and suman 's privacy. ..
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Shravan neared the artifical lake he had created in the brindavan. ..He could hear the squawking of the parrots as they gorged on ripe mangoes hanging from the surrounding trees. ..
He threw his eyes around and found suman at the opposite side of the placid lake. ..
He stood awestruck at her devine beauty. ..her beauty was ethereal yet sensual, earthly yet devine. .her skin was fair and glowing. Her eyelids curved and half closed. ..perhaps, she's in a dream...
Shravan neared her and hid himself behind a tree trunk. ..
Her intuition might have awaken. ..Suman opened her eyes in a jerk. ..she looked around expectantly. ..
Crestfallen, she exhaled a deep breath. ..
" He is not here. If he has come the royal drums would have been played. ..may be it's my assumption. .."
She said herself and splashed the water at the Swans that glided through the floating lotuses and blue lilies. ...
" Hey. ..lilies. ..did you see him. .?If you see him just pass the message that his lady love was desperately waiting for him. .."
She spoke herself in a husky tone denoting her loneliness. ..
The very next moment, she felt his arms over her waist. ..lifting to him, he swirled her in the air until she gasped for breath. ..
" shravan. ..leave me. .."
"No. ..I won't. .."
Suman laughed at his adament. ..the emperor who made everyone to scare with his mere lift of his eye brow had been turned into a child at her love. ..
He made her to sit in the swing that was made up of the creepers. ..He nuzzled into her neck and sniffed the jasmine strands that were threaded through her lustrous black hair. ..
" I missed you a lot. .."
His lips smashed at her neck, speaking softly. ..His breath was calm as though he had reached the world's safest place. .
.
" I was longing to see you my love. .."
Saying so, Suman turned her radiant face at him. Dragging him to the graze land, she sat down nestling him to her lap. ...
Her hands carresed his cheeks fondly. ..
" how was the meeting dear. .?"
Shravan nodded with a smile. ..
" it went well my lady. .. now, listen to me. ..you look brighter than the moon I would say. .."
He said elf struck at her face. ..Suman though happy at heart, clucked her tongue annoyed. ..
" I know you well shravan. ..now a days you are telling too many lies .."
Shravan sat up swiftly. ..
He spoke tentatively, looking deep into her eyes. ..
" suman. ..no apsara from the heavens can match your charms. ..no wonder my desire for you remains unquenched and grows stronger by the day. ."
Suman couldn't drew her up and clung to him, closing her eyes in surrender. His lips descended on her bee _stung lips , filling with desire. ..
There was a loud gasp and then soft moans and murmurs, the sounds of young love. ..
The animals and birds hushed as they listened to their sringara rasa, the melodies of love. ..
But, the idyll was not destined to last long. ..
Guruji was approaching the hallway to anthapura with a message. .. His devastated demeanor volumed sound that he was not carrying a positive massage for sure. ..
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At last I could come up with the updates. .perhaps, this is the longest time I made all you to wait. ..so sorry for that....and thank you so much for your patience. ..now, I am waiting eagerly for your comments. .let me know what you think. ..
Please vote and comment as they are the energy booster for me. ...
Love,
Arulpirai. ..