My Days in Mahabharat

Perspective of raindrops

The tip tap of horses' hoof syncs with my humming. Among the five gaits of the horses, we are at the walk part.

A snowy white, strong and mighty horse whose mane resembles snowstorms when he canters. An umber brown, well trained, brawny and black maned horse who had witnessed many battles.

We are not far from the Indraprastha palace but not too close as well. The weather, was unpredictable today since morning. The setting sun's golden rays in the dusky sky are like racing breathlessly to fall on the ground, on the ochre soil and the lush grass. But far away, not too far, those grey coloured velvety clouds are invading the clear blue sky and in some time will overcast it.

Just like his has done to me.

The nature in this time is beyond beautiful, it can't be described in words. And yet I try. Pull out all the aesthetic and appropriate words from my vocabulary bank to describe it, trying to give it justice. Sunsets and dusk have become my favourite part of the day, since we started to come here, not for leisure jaunt of course but to collect flowers for my evening venerations. The flower valley which had daisies, daffodils and periwinkles was on the western side of the woods we are moving in.

"I wish you'd sing the lyrics of the song you're humming." Arjun's voice intervenes my melody. "You want to know?" I question gazing at his handsome face structure directly. He's handsome, and he's someone like the nature I try to describe as much as I can.

"No, I don't want to!" he sarcastically answered and then his arm reached to pluck a few leaves from the branch hanging in our way. "With all pleasure, I'd love to know" he further adds staring at my face as if waiting for me to sing.

"Someday, maybe never ever!"

Arjun raises his brow now, probably in amusement and then he laughs throwing those leaves at me. He looks godly in all his senses.

The lustrous curls flowing in the evening breeze, fortunate golds around his dusky chiseled frame, ivory silk compliment him in every way and his beguiling face, is intoxicating when he smiles looking at me.

"I actually don't know anything about you and I want to know everything about you" He speaks in a glee, adamant like a child to learn new prospects.

I can imagine him, in Guru Drona's hermitage. An eleven year old, Prince Arjun as a student whose thirst for knowledge can never be quenched. The outcome- greatest archer of times, Arjun.

"You're free to ask anything and everything my love, I mean my Arjun, ugh- I intended to say Arjun!" I fumble again. Despite all these years, he still manages to give me frissons and collywobbles that I become a lovesick teenager. He furrows his arched brows and smirks with his lips.

"That's fine. I've this effect on women. I'm jesting. I know that's how you speak in your time. Calling me love doesn't actually have a love context behind it. But let me think of a question now"

He gazes out at the scarlet sun in the sky veiled by grey clouds motioning to annexe the fragile yonder. They are moving with us as our Purple and Saibya walks endeavouring to gallop their paces but averted from doing so.

Life itself is a race so you don't have to rush dear horses, especially for me, not at this time.

"Let's begin, shall we?" he clears his throat briskly, "One word question answers, agree?" he asks not likely to take no as answer.

I incline my head tucking a curl which crawled on my face behind my ear ending up trapping the hair strand in the carnelian earning. He follows this action of mine unblinkingly.

"Red color suits your complexion" he speaks, and I notice him scanning me from head to toe. Was he trying to flirt with me? Or what should I call it now? Isn't asking for a promenade kind of flirting in this time? The basic red silk lehenga I'm wearing is unplanned and entirely accidental choice to wear today. Perhaps, all happens for a reason. "Thank you" I say not meeting his eyes because I can't withstand them at times. Thats too deep. And was I so much in love?

He clears his throat again, shaking his head a bit gently. "So, shall we begin?"

"As you wish" I reply with a courtesy.

A faint thunder reverberates in the entire arena followed by swift and cool breezes. The sky is already in a waxen overcast as we look up simultaneously.

"Your favourite bird?" ignoring the ambience he presents the first question.

I mean he did start from colour though, too much for a Prince and talking stage, but here it is. I am still thinking for an answer because nobody ever has asked me about my favourite bird before.

"Pigeons, doves, peacocks, sparrows-" he stops my words with a nonchalant gesture. "A bird? Anyhow, I take that you love every bird" he smiles tightening his hold over halter ropes.

"Your favourite color?" he asks instantly. There we go.

It looks like he is mentally prepared with the questionnaire. This query requires no second thoughts. "Red!" I say with a delight my lips in a cheshire grin.

Did I see a smirk again? Yes. He smiles with a smirk lacing his lips, tugging the halter rope and Purple moved a tad too closer to Saibya. Or was it the other way around?

I can smell his scent of Petrichor, the smell of the sand when the first raindrop strikes its claim. What else do you expect from the sun of Indra? "I shall pretend it's not because I just gave you a beautiful compliment" he tries to suppress his loop sided grin in the most civil manner.

"Obviously not what you take that to be. Red has always been my favourite color" I snap back tilting my head and straightening my back. "Aah, I agree. Those weird clothes you were wearing when I found you lying on the banks of Mata Ganga were also in the same colour" he looks haywire on the ground to reminisce the memory.

So, he remembers. My red colored cherry printed night suit.

"Your favourite season?" his another question jolts me from my trance. "Springs and summers" I gladly answer. However he looks at me as if I said something unbelievable, mumbling the words as he strokes the scruff of Purple. "I thought you like rains"

I look up at sky which was pitch grey and chalky now. It may rain anytime soon. "Maybe, but I don't prefer the mud and humidity and the-" He raises his toned arm beckoning me to halt.

"So, you love soft rains" It is more of statement than assumption or correction.

"I think yes. I love the scent of the earth when the rain falls down" I reply to him, looking at him, looking at me.

And then I see a subtle red colouring his cheek, he bites his lower lip and then moves his horse closer to mine. "You may take it as if I'm trying to impress you but I've been told I smell the same. The scent of earth when rain falls down."

A few drops of rain start showering. We look upwards together. "Now I'll definitely think you're trying to impress me"

The blue sky was clear as a satin now, the overcast flowing away towards the eastern direction. The cool breeze sensitise my skin and he laughs. He says, "By all means. A man would be fool to not try to impress you. But I don't wish to give you any idea, I hope you know? I'm just, you know-" he halts and takes a deep breath.

"I know" I just say. Because I had to.

"See, this is the soft rain. We actually forgot to get you flowers in questionnaire. I apologize, you get some from the palace garden. I'll ask the gardener. For now, before the rain gets heavy lets head back to the palace" he says flapping the halter ropes in a click. I do as he said following his actions.

Two horses gallops inside the city with the speed of lightening. Something is there. Something.