Lekha (Completed)

Lekha 37

After we had traveled a little distance from the estate Rudra's mood seemed to have lightened up.

"I will ask the carpenter to make a mounting block for you, so that you are able to mount the horse on your own" he said trying to make conversation. I simply nodded my head, a bit unsure about this show of friendliness.

"Please sit straight don't slouch. Right from your ear to the heel the whole body should be in a straight line" he said after sometime had passed and I had started to relax a bit and slouch. I immediately blushed pink to be caught on the wrong. It almost felt like I was failing Suraj as a teacher by not remembering his lessons so needed to justify that it was my fault and not his.

"Suraj sa had explained to me the importance of sitting straight. I just ..." I left the sentence incomplete as I saw him frown at the mention of 'the name' from my peripheral vision. I mentally slapped myself for forgetting about not taking Suraj's name in front of him.

We kept on moving in silence for a few minutes when he grabbed my reins and made my horse come to a halt along his. I looked up at him in surprise.

"I am going to be repeating a few things which you might have been told before as I still consider you to be a novice. It doesn't mean that I am underestimating anyone. It's never a waste to hear a lesson being repeated " he said it slowly as if I was a child keeping his voice neutral.

I realized that he had said it all without taking Suraj's name. I looked the other side and simply nodded.

"Today we will practice stopping a horse in motion. You have to learn to give commands using voice modulation and also using pressure from your body".

He sounded quite professional and was a good teacher but I missed the companionship of Suraj.

My stomach rumbled as the sun came overhead and I blushed at the thought of Rudra having heard the noise. I had had only a small breakfast in the morning as I was too nervous to eat.

"I think it is enough for today. You can try trotting back to home from here" said Rudra keeping his face passive, saving me the blushes. He kept on instructing me on the way back. I was a bit disappointed that though we spent so much time together we never talked anything personal.

When we reached back he helped me down which was even more electric then before as I came sliding down beside him. I looked up to see if he too felt the same. He stared at me keeping his face blank studying me. It seemed like eternity as we stared at each other, none ready to make a move. My mind seemed to have gone into that happy land where no thoughts entered except for those beautiful chocolate brown eyes I loved so much.

"Rudra sa ... should I take the horses" I heard the stable boy exclaim from somewhere. Rudra was the first to look away towards the boy and responded something as I stood there stunned in awkward silence. I wondered what he must be thinking about me.

"Let's go "he said and I followed him meekly with my head down lost in my own thoughts.

I was greeted by a sly smile from Lajo but thankfully she didn't say anything. I wasn't ready for twenty questions right then.

My life seemed to go fairly smooth after the first awkward ride. Though Rudra wasn't overtly friendly but we had got into the student teacher routine. I felt him observing me many times specially when Suraj was around. Those were the only awkward moments where although there was nothing between Suraj and me I felt like being watched over. I would almost feel guilty if caught even glancing at Suraj.

Considering the physical aspect of the things, the contact between us became nonexistent even if there was such a thing only from my side and my perspective only. He had got the mounting block the very next day. The stable hand held the horse's head while I mounted the first time with Rudra guiding me. The next time he asked me to mount on my own while he watched at a distance to make sure that I didn't fall. I didn't want him to take me to be a girl who was too dependent on others so though I was a bit scared the first time I had to mount up on my own I sent a little prayer and was successful. It also made me realize that maybe he too was wary of the touch so got the block made as a priority.