Siyanshi: My beloved

19

The beautiful princess of Mithila, adorned in expensive ornaments with her signature gold dress with pearls embroidered and red dupatta sat peacefully in the gardens on the swing which was made specially for her by her husband when she first came to his mahal as his Rani.

With her eyes closed she hummed the tune to herself as her swing swayed. Her fingers tapped to the sweet rhythm of the Veena played by her husband infront of her.

"Did you enjoy that Rani sa?" Arjun asked as his tune came to an end. Siyanshi hummed in response, her eyes still closed as the swing swayed front and back.

Arjun stood from his seat and made place infront of his wife as he stopped the swing. He lightly lifted her chin up and kissed her forehead to which Siyanshi smiled and opened her eyes.

"Sit with me, my husband." Siyanshi took his hands in hers and made him sit besides her in the swing. With her feet Siyanshi once again pushed the swing and made it sway. 

"You seem to enjoy this swing more than my company, my dear wife." Arjun said light heartedly. "We had a swing back home in Mithila." Siyanshi said. "Yes, I remember. Whenever I passed by your pavilion I could I always see you in the swing..... which is why I think you love the swing more than me." Arjun said.

Siyanshi rested her chin on his shoulder as she spoke. "I have always enjoyed the swing ever since childhood. Back home, ever since a child baba used to push the swing high up in the air for me. Back then it was only me so it felt abit lonely and empty. But now I have you to sit besides me, be alongside me all the time. I no more feel lonely or empty since I have you in my life now. This all is perfect to me." Siyanshi said holding his hand as she admired his features.

Arjun just smiled listening to his wife. "I'm glad to hear that...... so is it safe for me to assume that I'm more dear to you than the swing?" he asked to which Siyanshi slightly chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder.

Arjun looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled. Siyanshi closed her eyes as the swing swayed back and forth.

"Kakashree! Kakashree!" Siyanshi opened her eyes when she heard Pradyumna. "How did the boy find me? I made sure to completely vanish for the day, that even the das, dasi and soldiers wouldn't know of my whereabouts." Arjun said.

"Why is that so my husband?" Siyanshi asked smiling knowing Pradyumna was very much like his father and her  husband would have no escape from him. "I said I would teach him a divya astra. But I've been busy recently and couldn't teach him. But now he's persistent that I teach him today." Arjun explained.

"Busy? I don't see you busy, my husband." Siyanshi said as Arjun had been with her all day long ever since yesterday. "Ofcourse I'm busy. I'm busy adoring and serving my wife right here." Arjun said.

"Kakashree! there you are!" Pradyumna who entered the center of the garden exclaimed seeing them together. "Pranipat kakishree. How are you feeling today?" Pradyumna said. "I am all well, thank you for asking Pradyumna." Siyanshi replied.

"I had made sure that nobody knew where I was today. How did you know?" Arjun asked. "Simple. I myself had no idea where you were." Pradyumna said. "How did you find me then?" Arjun asked. "I had asked everybody, from every das-dasi, soldiers, kakashree, kakishree Panchali, bua Subhadra, Rajmata but nobody knew. So I instead asked for where chotti kakishree was and like that I found you." Pradyumna explained. 

"Why don't you go and teach him now swami? He has been running around the whole Indraprasth just to find you." Siyanshi said looking up at her husband. "Chotti kakishree is absolutely right! It feels like she is the only one who understands me!" Pradyumna said dramatically making it clear that he was Kanhaiya's son.

"But what about you? You will have no company. And didn't you say you liked being with me just few minutes ago?" Arjun said clearly not wanting to leave her side. "And kakishree, didn't you tell me that I'm your favorite? Even a little more than my pitashree? Please, please, please say kakashree to teach me." Pradyumna said.

"I do have other company, swami. And mata had called me to visit her in an hour or so." Siyanshi said. "What will you do in that hour, priye? You-" "I will stay here, playing the swing." Siyanshi was quick to cut him off.

"I really do feel like you love the swing more than me." Arjun said as he got dragged away by Pradyumna. "Oh don't be silly kakashree! Choti kakishree is fond of the swing but loves you and only you immensely. Now let's go." Pradyumna said dragging his kakashree along with him not noticing that his words has brought a red hue over their face.

*****

Siyanshi laughed at something her husband had said as she made the garland. Arjun just sat there smiling, his eyes focused on his wife infront of him while his two brothers; Bheem and Nakul stood in a distance watching him with an amused expression.

"Pranpriye?" Bheem said as he looked at Nakul pretending to be Arjun. "Would you like to listen to the veena? Or should I help you in your task?" he added. "No need, arya." Nakul too played along.

"Are you sure? Should I tale you back to our chambers to rest?" Bheem continued. "No, arya. Let me do my work." Nakul said facing away playing his role. "But priye." Bheem made one of many lovesick expressions that Arjun makes around Siyanshi which they make fun of alot resulting them to burst out in laughter.

Their laughter had caught Siyanshi's attention but didn't bother Arjun since he already had a hunch on what their topic of laughter was.

"Arey! Arey! Arey! Siye!" Arjun held her hand softly when Siyanshi had managed to prick her finger when she was distracted. "It's nothing arya." Siyanshi said despite feeling the pain. "Yes, yes, nothing why is why you hissed in pain." Arjun said in a scolding tone quickly taking her hand in his as he inspected her finger. "Back in Mithila you had the whole household on the top of your head when you had managed to prick your finger while embroidering." Arjun said.

"You heard of it?" Siyanshi said abit embarrassed. "It was hard not to when your mother had rushed to the garden to find a marigold to crush and apply on your wound." Arjun said. "It's only because the previous one was..... kind of a bad case. But this one is just a small prick." Siyanshi said as Arjun put her finger in his mouth to stop the bleeding.

Siyanshi watched her husband's handsome face which had knitted eyebrows in worry which amused her very much. Arjun noticed her amused expression and raised an eyebrow. "Anything amusing, my wife?" he asked to which Siyanshi shook her head as a no and Arjun went back to what he was doing.

After making sure that the bleeding had stopped Arjun still had her hand clasped in his. "I have heard from maa.... about how sensitive you have been to loud noises, tone of voices and even such injuries and physical pain." Arjun said. "I worry for you...... alot.... more than alot."

Siyanshi's expression softened upon hearing his words. "I am afraid that when the time comes the pain of childbirth will be too great for you or.... maybe unbearable. I have heard that many women complain about childbirth and it's pain.... many have had complications as well..... I fear for the risk you are taking for bringing this child to the world." Arjun expressed his concerns.

Siyanshi just smiled as rested her forehead against his.