Sabari Parinayam

20

The sweet smell of the amruthapani bananas tickled her nose. Sabari pulled the pallu of her sari and spread it out in between her hands ready to receive what the queen was offering. "Is it a special day?" she asked. Earlier this morning, Sabari was summoned to meet the queen at her private audience hall, a comparatively smaller decorated space where in the queen held her own audience with the palace's working staff. Given the location Sabari assumed her duties were being changed. Hence, she was pleasantly surprised upon seeing the king and Partha when she arrived at the queen's hall. Baskets of fruits, flowers and silver ware were placed on one side.

"It is." The queen smiled. The king stepped forward too. "You do not how happy it makes me, that my best friend had finally found love. And, that he feels the need to wed. Come Partha." The king summoned his friend closer. He placed a gold chain around Partha's neck. "My gift to you for giving me the news I had given up hope on."

Sabari stood in silence. Partha had never spoken of marriage till now. But, why was that surprising? What else did she think will happen? He loved her and had made that obvious for quite sometime now. She loved him too and very much so. Much more than she thought possible.
Just that, marriage was not something she had envisioned.
"I don't understand what is happening, king Jaya?" She asked, even though she knew exactly why Partha was being congratulated.

Partha began to answer when the queen stalled him. She answered Sabari's question
"Partha approached the king with a desire to marry you. Now, everybody in the palace know that you two have affection for each other. So, the king has agreed to the proposal."

Sabari was still in a daze "The king agreed?" She said.

"Yes. The king is the gaurdian for any person without a family. With matters of marriage the king has to be approached to seek permission." The queen frowned, noting Sabari's expression. "What is the matter Sabari? Is this not what you want?"

Sabari looked at Partha. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

"Sabari..."

Sabari lowered her head "I cannot.." she said and hurriedly left the room, deaf to Partha's call.

This time the king stalled Partha "What happened?" he asked his friend, as the queen followed Sabari into the garden.

"I do not know." Partha was shell shocked. This was not something he had imagined, at all. Did they not discuss marriage yesterday? Did he not tell her that at this point that all he wanted was to marry her and lead a family life? What happened between yesterday and today?

"Please don't make me marry him? Sabari cried as the queen caught up with her.

"But Sabari..." the queen saw Sabari cover her face and cry. She led Sabari to a bench and sat her down. The queen sat quitely for a couple of minutes and spoke once Sabari looked up "The king will not make you marry him, if you do not want to. But, we most definitely would want to know why." The queen reached for Sabari's hand and held it comfortingly. "It cannot be that you do not like him? The whole palace knows that the both of you have affections for each other. All of us cannot be wrong." She explained, hoping for an answer.

"He wants to have have kids with me." Sabari cried.

"And you don't?" The queen asked.

Sabari began to sob harder "I cannot have kids!!"

"What do you mean?"

"I had an accident, many years ago. A very bad one. My father died. Even I was not expected to live. But I survived. The doctors had told that I can never have kids. I don't have a womb!" The anguish in Sabari's eyes, tore at the Queen's heart.