Vishnupriya

14

Vishnupriya laid on her bed staring at the wall absent mindedly as the sun rose and the birds started chirping bringing her out of her thoughts.

She sat up on the bed and sighed as she got off to leave the room and gather her belongings so she could go to the Yamuna to take a bath with her sakhis.

She walked infront of her friends as they talked and laughed walking just a few steps behind her. "It's cold. I hope he hasn't woken up yet or else he will be cold." She wondered. Her mind was always occupied with Krishna all day long, while she worked, while she laughed, while she cried her mind always lingered on him. And at night she either dreamt of him or spent whole night thinking of him once again wondering when he will come back.

"Is his duvet warm enough? Is it covering him properly or did it slip off by accident in his sleep? If so then did anybody placed it back properly? Patrani Rukmini and other maharani sa much have done it. But what if they were busy and couldn't afterall it must be cold for them as well and it's hard to wake up from a warm and cozy sleep in such early cold morning." Vishnupriya thought as she walked.

While she was busy in her own deep thought she bumped with somebody on the way causing er belongings to fall along with her.

"Sakhi!" Vishakha quickly rushed towards Vishnupriya along with the other. "Are you okay?" she knelt down besides Vishnupriya. "Are you hurt anywhere?" Rangadevi asked kneeling down besides Vishnupriya concerned.

"No, I'm fine." Vishnupriya said as she looked up to see the person who she had accidently bumped with, it was dark morning so she couldn't see the person properly but she could tell that the person was tall and was wearing a lehenga. Her sakhis helped her stand up.

"Forgive me, devi. I wasn't careful enough and bumped into you. I hope you aren't hurt." Vishnupriya said joining her hands infront of the woman and asking for forgiveness.

"Hurt? You were the one who fell-" Vishakha whispered to Vishnupriya. "Wait- Who are you devi? We have never seen you here before." she questioned.

"Ahh, yes. I am new here devi. I am one of the maids who will be serving the pandav kumaras and their mother in Varnavrat." the woman said. "I hope you aren't hurt, devi. Afterall it was my fault as well that I wasn't watching where I was going." the woman added.

"Not at all." Vishnupriya shook her head. She looked at the woman infront of all who was almost four-five heads taller than her. It was dark so she couldn't see her well but nonetheless she offered her a smile.

"The journey must have been exhausting to you. Varnavrat isn't that far, just 3 more kilometers then you shall reach your destination. If you are here then I guess the Pandav rajkumars and Rajmata Kunti are here as well?" Vishnupriya said.

"Raj Purochan said that the palace is still under construction so till then Rajmata and Pandav kumaro shall reside in a temporary home. They are still on their way here, as their servant I arrived a little earlier to know the situation." the woman said.

"I see. You must be tired after travelling all the way from Hastinapur to Varnavrat and now here. Do you want to join us?" Vishnupriya offered. "Join you? Where?" the woman asked.

"To the Yamuna, to take a bath." Vishnupriya said. "N-no. I-It's okay. I already took a bath earlier. Please go ahead." the woman stammered. Her stammering made the gopis laugh.

"If you say so then. We shall get going." Vishnupriya said and the sakhis started moving. "Wait- you didn't say your name." she turned around halting the woman in her steps.

"Brihannala." the woman replied. "It was nice meeting you, sakhi Brihannala. I hope to meeting you more often." Vishnupriya replied. "By the way I am Vishnupriya!" she said as she continued walking away.