Daughter of the Mountains

Chapter 7

"Eeek!!" Gauri shrieked shrilly, as the spear swung dangerously close to her stomach. She whirled and leapt back, but her hand caught in her angavastra. For a moment, Gauri flailed with one hand, then wobbled and landed face down in the mud with a thump.

Agni, the Deva of fire, came up to her and offered his hand. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

"It is my pride that got bruised," she grouched.

Agni, clad in his usual attire of flaring orange and red, let out a deep laugh. He was no taller than Gauri herself, but had hair of burnished gold and brown, and his cheeks shone bright red above his smoky-gray beard. His gentle paunch belied his fondness for food; despite that his eyes were sharp and his spear-arm swift.

Now, he hefted her up and gently dusted her down. "Little flame, do not make so much noise while you fight," he told her, eyes twinkling. "Why, Mahisha would flee just from your roars. You will defeat no one that way."

Gauri shook her head, disgruntled. Agni's shoulders trembled with restrained mirth. "Come, we will stop here today. I daresay lunch will have been served by now."

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The dining hall was vast, dizzyingly so, with marble columns that rose up high, and a long table that stretched from one end to another. As far as she understood, the entire thing was created of Indrajaal, like all the rooms and statues. A little ways from the door, Usha rose up and waved her hand. "This way, Gauri."

Three months had passed since she started her lessons with the Devas. So far, she had only learnt under Agni – who taught her to use a spear – and under Surya and Vayu, who were her teachers in archery. She had managed to make a few friends as well, Usha and Nisha not the least among them.

Now, she settled between the sisters, and heaped rice on her plate. "Usha, Nisha, greetings."

Usha beamed like the gentle dawn whose goddess she was. "Namaste, namaste. I missed you at breakfast, but Hari said you overslept."

"I did," Gauri nodded, a little ashamed.

Nisha elbowed her. "You called me Nisha," she pointed out, upset.

Gauri rolled her eyes. "That is your name."

"Do you want me to call you Parvati?"

"...No."

"Good. Then call me Raatri."

Usha let out an exasperated snort and tugged at her sleeve. "Forget her. Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

The two sisters started talking at the same time.

"Hari thought you were doing rather well..."

"...So he decided the time has come..."

"...to see if you fit the other part of your destiny..."

"...or so he says. Too much foresight for one man..."

"...but then he is a Vishnu after all..."

Gauri let out an ungainly grunt. "You may keep talking, but, just so you know, I did not understand a word of what you said."

Nisha rolled her eyes. Usha waved an impatient hand towards the head of the table. "Look, Hara is here."

Gauri blinked. Beside Indra and Sachi sat a man she had neeve seen before. He was tall and pale, with long dreadlocks and, curiously enough, a snake on his shoulder. From afar, she had assumed he was some sage or other, come to the Devas. Raatri tapped her hand. "That is a Mahadeva, you know. Everyone calls him Hara, because they say he and Hari are closer than twins."