The heartless conqueror

Monk

"Aummm.....Shaanti.....Shaaanti....Shantihee..."

Her eyes were still closed, but she felt her head rest down onto the earthly floor, and her palms touch the ground as she bowed down. 

She regained her composure and slowly blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the light. The chants were still going on by some.

She turned her head to meet the gaze with penetrating dark eyes.

Kaurvaki gasped, though his expression remained the same, a hint of amusement twinkled in his normally neutral face.

"You know", Ashok said, "I should be the one surprised."

Kaurvaki was back to composure. Her eyebrows furrowed together, and she frowned. "You've awaken."

She could almost see uncertainty or surprise flicker in his eyes, but they became dull once more. 

"No, I'm asleep", he said dryly.

Kaurvaki resisted rolling her eyes, and stood up, Ashok remained seated. She became confused and stood there waiting. 

He didn't budge and glanced around with a bored look.

After a while it started becoming awkward, and Kaurvaki fidgeted, shifting the balance on her feet. "Um...aren't you going to come?"

Ashok looked up at her, "And why would I do that?"

She huffed, "Clearly you are wounded", she brought her hand out pointedly. "As far as I could figure, you didn't just wake up, you probably wandered around a good bit! Now come, it isn't only wrong, but very rude to just get up and walk off like that!"

Ashok looked mildly surprised at her outburst, Kaurvaki was too as it dawned on her that she acted out of character.

Finally he stood up. "Next time, make sure to whisper, people are meditating here, it's rude you know."

She stood dumbfounded as he walked in front of her. This was making her very furious, and to her embarrassment, some people were clearly showing discomfort at the commotion, she looked down shamefully.

Ashok turned his head back to her, "Well, are you coming?"

Her expression stiffened, and she made sure to walk in front of him. She  was supposed to lead the way. She didn't like the feeling of being rendered speechless. It made her feel insecure, it made her frustrated. Whenever the other girls teased her or started getting onto the bullying side, her simple statements slowly made them leave her alone. But this youth couldn't be a bit considerate!

"Kaurvaki."

She looked up to see the monk in orange robes, and his kind eyes had crinkles at the side when he smiled.

She gave a half-smile. "Greeting Guru Ji", she bowed.

"You just came from meditation?"

She nodded.

His gaze shifted to Ashok who stood near. The monk smiled kindly, "You have woken young man! I was wondering where you were!"

Ashok looked bored. "What happened? Why am I here?"

Kaurvaki wanted to scoff! The ego of this youth! He has been tended to, and instead of a hello or thank you, he decides to be rude.

She tried to send him a glare, but he didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he ignored it.

The monk didn't get effected by it, instead he chuckled warm-heartedly. "Well, that would definenitely be a good question at your state! Kaurvaki didn't explain."

Kaurvaki stammered, "I...uh--"

"No, she didn't say", Ashoka replied.

She frowned, "I was going to..."

The monk told him to come, and they went back to the room that Ashoka had been treated in.

The monk instructed Ashoka to sit back on the platform, and he started instructing Kaurvaki to prepare the herbs to rebind his left shoulder, then the monk explained to him.

"Well, as far it goes, some of the monks were walking by, and you were found in quicksand! Though it is quite astonishing as it seemed very severe, but you had clung onto this tree that actually nearly thrashed your left shoulder!"

She noticed Ashoka stifle a wince at the reminder of his shoulder.

"Anyways", the monk continued, "We brought you here, and surprisingly though the wound seemed very dangerous, you had a string immunity that made you recover quickly!"

Ashoka raised an eyebrow, "How long have I been here?"

"Only two days. Kaurvaki here helped much, she seemed to have known you?"

Ashoka glanced at her, then he turned to the monk. "I'm very thankful that you helped a stranger like me, tell me what I can do to repay you!"

He sounded sincere, though he looked otherwise.

The monk shook his head, "Young man, helping a fellow human being is one's duty, this is not some great act needing a reward."

Ashoka wanted to object, but the monk caught onto this and said, "Plus, we are Buddhists, there is nothing materialistic that we seek."

That is when it dawned on Ashoka. He looked at the man's robes, then recalled the chants.

He looked at Kaurvaki.

Buddhists?