Rapture (Love Shots Contest)

Always With You (Round 1)

(Set in Ancient India, during the rise of Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta Maurya, who while expanding his empire, came into conflict with Selucus Nikator, the general of Alexander The Great, who held the North-West territories of India in 305 BC.)

“Can you see him yet?” Sitara’s mother-in-law asked her and she shook her head as a reply. The soldiers who had gone to fight in the great battle led by the king were returning home victoriously. Family members of the soldiers were eagerly waiting for the arrival of the army. They had been camping here, ever since they heard the news that the king and his army men were returning after successfully conquering the Indus Valley region of the Seleucid Empire.

Bali, Sitara’s husband who too had gone to the war, was a chief of one of the contingencies in the army.  Sitara could not wait to see him for it had been a month since she last saw him. Bali and Sitara were married for only a week, before he was called by the commander-in-chief of the army to fight in the war. She had begged Bali not to leave her, but he had told her that serving the king was his foremost duty. So in anger, she had told him that she hates him just while he was about to leave.

But she did not hate him. She loved him. She had fallen in love with her husband, the very minute she had seen him. They were together for such a short-time that she could not say it to him then. But before coming here, she had already decided that she would confess her love to her husband as well as the good news.

“They are here” a little boy shouted in excitement and Sitara smiled.  He was here. Her Bali was here and she couldn’t wait to see him. Standing on her tip-toe, she craned her neck, searching for her husband among the crowd but could not spot him yet.

She watched as children of the brave soldiers ran towards their father’s the moment they saw them; mother’s hugging their sons, wives embracing their husbands who had returned home after a month long war. But she could not spot her Bali yet. She looked around, everywhere. Her eyes searching for her tall husband, but where was he? Suddenly she heard a loud cry and when she turned her head to look, she saw an elderly woman dropping down on her knees and crying for her son, who had lost his life in the war. Sitara’s heart went out for the lady in grief.

“Did you see any of Bali’s friends?” her mother-in-law asked and Sitara shook her head. Once again, her eyes scanned the crowd for Bali. When she saw a tall man, her heart fluttered in joy, but landed with a thud, when she realized it was someone else. She jumped in fear when she heard a cry of another woman. Her heart thudding in her chest, she walked ahead to search for Bali. She prayed to the lord, just like she used to do from the past one month, for her husband’s safety.

A shiver would run down her spine, whenever she would hear the cries of the women and children who had lost someone dear to them. There was a sea of heads of different people, yet she could not see Bali. But, when she spotted Gopal, Bali’s childhood friend, she immediately ran towards him.

Gopal, was kissing his children’s cheek and grinning widely, but the moment his eyes collided with Sitara’s dark ones, the grin faded and he turned as white as milk.

Sitara froze in her tracks when she saw the change in Gopal’s expression. Gopal had not needed to say the words, for Sitara already knew what had happened to her Bali in the wretched war.

Her whole body ached as a hollow sensation kicked in. She stood there, staring at space as people walked past her. Her heart throbbed in pain and nothing could make it go away. Her whole world had crumpled down within seconds. It was only when the salt of her tears touched her lips; she realized that she was crying. Dimly she was aware of the loud sobs that quivered her mother-in-law’s frail body. When a hand was placed on her shoulder, she gasped and jumped back in fear.

“Sitara” Gopal’s wife called her, but Sitara shook her head and ran. She wanted to be alone. The painful wails of others, who had lost their loved ones, echoed the pounding in her ears. Sitara kept running, away from the crowd, to wherever her legs were taking her.

Midway, her legs felt wobbly and she crashed on the ground on her knees. Throwing her head back, she sobbed loudly. The very little moments she had spent with Bali flashed in her mind and she cried louder every time she recalled them. She loathed herself for telling she hated him. She couldn’t even ask for his forgiveness. Her heart swelled with so much hurt that she wondered why it did not burst yet. She knew was not strong enough to go through this

Sitara came to a stop near an edge of a mountain cliff.

An hour ago, while she sat alone grieving for her husband, she realized that she did not want to be alone either. She could not live in this world without the man she loved so dearly. There was nothing in this world worth living and so she decided to end her own life and join her husband in death.

Just while she was about to take a step, she felt a presence next to her. An invisible presence asking her not to do this. However, Sitara chose to ignore it. Closing her eyes, she smiled, happy that she would be with her husband soon.

With that thought, she took the plummeting step.

Sitara was lying on the ground, when she woke up. Slowly, she sat up and when she looked at her surroundings, she realized that she was in a garden. While she stood up she felt someone’s gaze on her and as she looked, her eyes gleamed brightly when she saw Bali watching her, with a smile in his face.

“Bali” she whispered and then flung herself to his arms. When she felt his arms around her, she closed her eyes in pure rapture. “It’s really you” she said happily after pulling away.

“It is me” he told her gently.

“Where were you? I have been looking all around for you” Sitara complained and Bali smiled.

“Why were you looking for me?”

“I wanted to say sorry to you. I don’t hate you, I…” Sitara began breathlessly but Bali cut her off before she could tell him she loved him.

“I know” he said with a tender smile. “You know? How?” she asked with wide eyes.

“Because, my love, sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eyes” he explained and Sitara sighed. He was right because in her heart, she too could feel his love for her.

“That is not the only thing I wanted to tell you” she said and he looked at her in confusion. Smiling, Sitara leaned closer to him and said, “You are going to be a father soon.”

Bali grinned and then cupping her face, he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. “You made me very happy” he said and Sitara’s heart fluttered in her chest. “But you cannot stay here, my love.”

“You are here. Where else would I be?” Sitara frowned.

“You have to be with our child and watch him grow up” Bali said gently.

“B-but what about you?” Sitara voice was wobbly.

Bali held her hand and entwining their fingers, placed it over her heart, “I am right here, always with you” he assured and smiling Sitara closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, she was still standing on the edge of the cliff. Lowering her head, she looked down and placed a hand on her stomach. Bali was right. She had to be strong and be there for their child. She would shower all the love she had in her, for their child.

She moved her hand to place it above her heart and knew that Bali would always be with her as an invisible presence.

Taking a deep breath, she turned and started walking to her home.

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Word Count -1370