The Enchantress

Chapter fifty one

After that day, they had taken eight hours to reach Jejuri, where they were supposed to go next. The plan was to visit the Khandoba temple. As they reached, it was already afternoon and everybody was tired with the long journey, except Tara of course. She kept blabbering and being her cute self. Even Yuvraj was tired.

They decided to stay in a hotel again because it was quite late. The rooms were booked as Viraj, Mahamaya and Tara retired to one room, even though Aabha insisted that she could take care of Tara. Tara, immediately washed her hands and legs and slept on the bed, without eating or drinking anything, making Mahamaya worry. Tara had slept on one side of the bed so Viraj and Mahamaya would have to sleep together at the other side of the bed.

The rest of them had gathered again in the hotel's restaurant to have their dinner after freshening up, before they retired to their respective rooms again. Viraj changed his clothes in the bathroom while Mahamaya changed her clothes in the room, changing into a comfortable night gown, out of the saree and jewellery, only wearing light earrings, her glass bangles and her nuptial chain. 

Viraj deliberately took his sweet time to get out of the bathroom because he knew Mahamaya would need time to change the clothes. Once he was sure that he was in the bathroom for a good ten minutes, he came out, finding that Mahamaya had already retired to bed.

He came towards the bed and laid on the bed, looking at his beautiful wife, knowing she was acting of sleeping to avoid the awkwardness. To tease her, he glided his knuckles along her smooth milky fair waist, making her open her eyes with a gasp, giggling softly because that movement tickled her and she whispered, "Shh, our sounds will wake her up."

Viraj grumbled out, "I love her but she can't come between us. We are a newly married couple. Are we going to take her with us to our honeymoon now?"

Mahamaya playfully said, "Of course we will. Who else will take care of her if not her own parents?"

Viraj mumbled again, "Yeah, this girl will make sure she will have no more siblings."

This made Mahamaya laugh out so loud that Tara woke up and looked at them, puzzled. The truth was, the couple couldn't sleep together despite being married without taking blessings of these temples. Since Tara was with them, they were being allowed to or Mahamaya would have to sleep with Aabha tonight and Viraj with Vijay and Yuvjraj. Both knew that but were just teasing one another.

Mahamaya patted Tara, humming soft music and some marathi lullabies, helping her fall asleep again and since Tara was full of energy all day, she had fallen asleep soon enough. Mahamaya, once helping Tara to sleep, turned towads Viraj, her back towards Tara, looking in his eyes as she asked, "Did you find whatever happened yesterday in the temple odd?"

Viraj mumbled, "No, I didn't find it odd and here's why. I think the man must have been really stressed to have faced such problems. I don't believe we were to blame for it. I think it was just coincidence that we were there when that had happened."

Mahamaya nodded, not knowing what to say. She was disturbed with what she had seen yesterday. What did that really indicate? Or was she being superstitious and trying to find something in nothing. She then remembered that he had given that reaction because the Goddess had approved of their new names. Such approvals were rare and didn't always happen so even Mahamaya was surprised when that happened but why did he react to it so weirdly?

She took her mobile phone and opened google, before typing in, Sumati and Vishnuyasha. Her eyes widened with what she found and her hands shook. How could that be possible? She had just said a random name and it was coincidentally this. The Goddess had even went on and approved of it. She looked at Viraj, who was already sleeping. She sighed and turned off her phone, sleeping as Viraj pulled her to him, holding her waist. Mahamaya squirmed, never having someone so near her ever. 

Viraj said, "I know it must be uncomfortable but we are husband and wife. We need to slowly get comfortable with each other, mentally and physically."

Mahamaya knew he was right. So, she nodded her head and turned around, keeping her head on his shoulder as he smiled, pulling her closer too. Viraj felt like he was in heaven when he felt her soft body against his hard one. How could he get so lucky to have married her? She looked like some kind of Goddess! And even if looks were ignored, she was so pure and righteous from inside out.

Viraj felt his eyelids drooping as he had these thoughts, while Mahamaya had already fallen asleep before him.

The next day, they had gotten up and readied themselves to visit the Jejuri temple. Since they had woken up extra early, they could start the climb earlier with less crowd around them, giving them the early bird benefit. Thinking this, they left for the temple in their mini bus...