Woven

Faith.

The evening aarti had just finished and Seetha was busy serving Roti to the people gathered in the temple.Every Thursday free food was served to the poor in the Kali maa temple.This was a tradition that has been kept up for generations.Even in their present condition the villagers continued the tradition and actively contributed to it.

Seetha sat ,leaning on one of the pillars at the corner of the temple.She dipped her roti in dal and chewed absent mindedly.Her thoughts were all over the place.She was thinking about her future,her goals,the revolution,she was thinking about the new person in her life-the charming british man,whom she had got very close to over the course of the past few weeks.She however made sure their relation remained purely platonic.But with every moment she spend with him ,she felt her resolve weaken.Their was obvious attraction between the two of them,but she couldn't let temporary infactuations get in the way of fulfilling her goals.

"Hey can I join?"

Seetha turned around and was surprised to see Richard sitting behind her,his legs folded.

"You missed the aarti" she complained.

"I'm sorry,I had to take care of something important" Richard said stealing a piece of roti from her plate.

"Hey!" Seetha complained.

"Tastes good,did you make it?" he said ignoring her protests

"I did make a few,but they are the not so round ones" She said lifting an oblique shaped roti.

"They are not that bad" Richard said suppressing a laugh.

"Stop mocking me" She said slapping his forehead.

"So how is my student progressing?"Richard asked licking the leftover dal from his fingers.

"Pretty well,I think I'm ready to move to the next piece"

"Not so fast,remember practice..."

"Makes you perfect!!!I know,But I have been stuck on it forever."she wined

"Let's see maybe I will teach you a new piece this week"

Seetha got up grinning and slapped her hands together.

"Okay so do you want to go somewhere else?If you are free?" She asked

"Sure I'm free for the rest for the rest of the day"

They walked out of the mandir and towards the little hill behind it.The tiny steps that lead to the hill top were were crooked and broken at places.Seetha climbed the steps swiftly while Richard's hard leather boots made it difficult for him.By the time they were atop the hill,both were panting.

The hill top looked barren except for the few thorny bushes that lined it's exterior region.

Since their childhood,the hilltop has been Seetha and Ranjan's favourite place.The duo would spend hours and hours here,chatting about everything from movies to the carnival to their daily lives.Seetha had never come to the hill with anyone other than Ranjan,not even Savithri,it was always their 'special little place'.However,though she had only known Richard for a week,Seetha felt like she had known him forever.She felt like she could trust him the way she trusted Ranjan.

Seetha couldn't help but feel a little guilty for not letting Ranjan know she was coming to the hill with Richard.

"I'll let him know later"Seetha assured herself.

"I thought... about ...what you told me" Seetha said inbetween heavy breaths

Richard cocked his brow.

"About educating the villagers" That caught Richard's attention.

"I think it is important we educate them,for their own good ,but..." She paused and carefully observed his reaction.

"Go on" he urged.

"It's not easy to get them to do so.The only thoughts in their mind is that of survival,we need to change that"

"How?"

"By gaining their trust,I can tell them the importance of education,but they are not going to send their children until and unless they feel safe"

"How do we do that?"

"I don't know.Do something so big that they will be forced to trust you"

Richard stayed quiet deep in thought.She was correct,but what was it that could help gain the trust of the villagers?He kept thinking.

"Look Richard,I don't even know if what I'm doing is right i don't even know if what you are doing is just a façade to hide your true intentions"Richard opened his mouth to retort.

"Wait" She said raising her hand

"And I know I'm not supposed to trust you,after all your people have done to us,but I believe in you,and I'm not sure why but I think you genuinely care about us.So please just do not make me regret helping you.Because I cannot bare losing these people,they are all I have." Seetha's eyes brimmed with tears and she looked away.

Richard walked forward and gently held her face.the evening sun light had lit up her face,making her brown eyes sparkle.her lips were quivering as she sobbed.Her jhumka that missed a few stones,gently swayed with the wind.Her brows were knitted together,her forehead was beaded with sweat.Richard couldn't help but admire the beauty of the woman before him.

"Look at me" Seetha reluctantly levelled her gaze to meet his.

"I know how much you trust me and I will never break that trust,no matter what.I swear."Richard assured her in a soft voice.

Seetha smiled,nodding her head.