Sojourn : mahabharata's era

CHAPTER 4 : Ashwattama

The room was still dim and chilly when I opened my eyes, the only thought that crashed through my mind was I was going away, once again. I turned and twirled on my bed, thinking about my life ahead. How will I be able to endure here, I had this question running through my mind since the day I arrived here. It would upset me, and I would feel something stuck inside my throat that would not go inside, the fact that I was fragile.

Thinking about all of this I shut down my eyes, sleeping for a bit until someone would wake me up to go.

The atmosphere was still dark when I once again opened my eyes, but it was unexpectedly lit up when he came there. Krishna.

"Nihira, you are not weak sakhi." He said standing there in front of me.

"Oh Krishna, I am. I feel alone." I said water replenishing my eyes.

"Sakhi, living alone is a part of life. You have to face it one day, or the other. And thus you will learn to live with it." He said, his voice was calm and comforting. I listened to him with all of my senses committed to him.

"And Sakhi, you are not weak. It's just you have never given yourself a chance. I know you are strong, stronger than anyone else. But it's just you who have to know this and give yourself a chance. Don't get dependent on each other. Run for opportunities. Grab this one. Dronacharya is the best guru you could ever ask for."

He finished off and gave me a serene smile fading into the deep haze around me. And shortly I was awake. Again. I sat on the bed folding myself into a hug.

"You are on your kid," I said getting up to gear up for the day.

* * *

The whole palace was in hustle and bustle, people were running around scheduling for our farewell, and I stood there on my balcony in the chilled morning, the sun had already been up, yet the pine forest around and the marigold gardens were shrouded in mist, the light rays fell upon my bare skin making me shiver in cold. I stood there on the balcony hoping that he would come once again to the river shore. And he did.

As my gaze fell upon him, an instant of flattering liveliness came into me, a smile spreading over my lips and my cheeks turning red. I watched him from a distance as he took a dip in the water, he took a while coming out from the river which frightened me a bit. He came out from the river, delivering his prayers to Suryadev heeded by his daily ceremonies. Thereafter he leafed his hair letting all of the excessive water fall onto the ground. He draped his shawl around and moved back into the pine forest.

And I stood there, unmoving and addicted. For it was the last day I saw him here. As he might go away when I would return. Dismay crammed my heart and a feeling of hopelessness engulfed me. I hauled back into my room, with sorror in my heart of not knowing him, for he might have been someone I'd like to meet one day.

I had already packed my belongings and Devpriya Didi was still packing her's. I strolled through the passageways, saying goodbye to each one of the workers there until we were called downstairs for the pooja. I proceeded with walking down the aisle instead of going down. The corridors were empty and I could hear someone calling me from a distance, recalling the voice which was Bhratashree calling me down I began running towards the temple.

Running at my fastest speed possible, to evade any morning speeches I crossed my room, and saw Devpriya didi was already down, I ran down the stairs and then through the corridors of the palace, I still had to cover a distance to reach the temple.

As I turned to the left, I unexpectedly bumped into someone, hard and tall. That ultimately led to losing my balance, as I almost fell on the ground before someone held me through my wrist, with their strong muscular hands making me sway in the air. I closed my eyes in terror and I could feel their hands upon my waist as he grabbed me once again through my waist to get me up correctly.