𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐇Ā𝐕𝐀

CHAPTER 26

The rays of the morning sun fell over the face of Dhisana making her slowly open her eyes, as they took their time to adjust to the light.

Blinking a few times, Dhisana became a little more aware of her surroundings as she found two arms wrapped around her. She looked up and saw Manvendra who was already looking at her.

Seeing his face up so close in the morning, a red tint appeared on her face, as she realised she was still leaning back on him. Dhisana sat straight up, a little embarassed, a little shy.

"Were you holding unto me like that the entire time ?" She asked, in a demure tone.

"You would've fallen if I hadn't." He said monotonously.

"Don't tell me you were awake the entire night holding me !" She said with worry, thinking she caused him much inconvenience.

"I have a habit of staying up at night." Manvendra said.

"But why ?" Dhisana asked curiously.

'Nightmares.' He thought, "Duty." He said.

"But aren't you a prince ? What duty makes you stay up ?" She asked a little confused.

"Border security. I constantly travel from one place to another for inspections." He said.

"Must be a tough life." Dhisana said sympathetically.

Manvendra just nodded, although it was indeed a tough life being always on your toes but it was better than the life at Hastinapur amongst some treacherous cousins. But he didn't want to tell her about them, not just yet.

His eyes fell over the Yamuna river which could be seen at some distance, Manvendra gestured his horse to halt, the Ashwarohis too stopped.

"We shall set our camps here." Manvendra said.

"As you say, Aryaputra." Ashwasen said and then looked back at the Ashwarohis and began giving them instructions.

"What place is this ?" Dhisana asked looking around curiously.

"Varanasahrya." Manvendra said getting off the horse, "The Yamuna river is near, you may go there to freshen up. I shall send someone to buy some clothes for you." He told.

Dhisana frowned at him, which made him confused.

"Is something wrong ?" He asked.

"You're not coming with me to the river ?" Dhisana asked.

"Do I need to ?" Manvendra asked.

"Ofcourse." She said getting down the horse, "What if someone eyes me ? What if an animal comes ?" She asked folding her arms.

"Nothing will happen. Besides I have to make arrangements here." Manvendra said.

He began to walk away but Dhisana grabbed his arm and stopped him, causing him to look back at her.

"Don't you want to accompany me ?" She asked.

"It's not so. I stay away from this part of the river." Manvendra said.

"Why ? Is it unsafe ?" Dhisana asked.

"If it was I wouldn't have asked you to go." Manvendra said.

At that Dhisana tilted her head, a small smile appeared on her face.

"Aren't you Aryas modest ? But I am no stranger but your wife. Come now." She said.

"Go with her Aryaputra." Ashwasen said coming towards him, a silly smile on his face looking at the newly wedded couple. "I shall make arrangements for clothes and everything else." He said.

"Thank you, kind Arya." Dhisana bowed her head at him and then looked at Manvendra, "Now come !" She said pulling him along with her before he could protest further.

Manvendra had started to feel uneasy, because she was taking him further into the forest, the very same place where he had gotten cursed during his Gurukul days.

His eyes looked around the surroundings, the plants, the trees, the flowing river, they were all too familiar to him, for they repeatedly kept appearing in his nightmares.

Now walking through this path once again, for him it was as if he was being made to relive that day, those nightmares once again.

"This place seems nice." Dhisana said.

Manvendra sighed closing his eyes, unknowingly she had brought him to that very same place, where that doomed incident took place.

Smilingly looking around, Dhisana who was still holding unto his arm pulled him into the river with her. The water was cool and soothing.

The princess of Mlecchas looked at her husband, his eyes were closed and his face was stoic.

"You can open your eyes." Dhisana said, but Manvendra just shook his head a no.

"Trust me. It's alright." She said, although she didn't knew the agony being experienced by his mind, her words were enough to make him open his eyes and look at her.

"I didn't know Arya men could be so shy." Dhisana said with a giggle.

Manvendra remained silent as he watched her moving her hands in the cool water, happily swaying around the river, it seemed as though she was playing with Yamuna delightfully. For her it was a new found freedom, which she couldn't experience back home.

The turning of her face to glance at him, and then turning her gaze away with gentle bashfulness, her lips curling in a shy smile, her playful gestures and the sound of her restless bangles which could defeat the sound of swans, all of these made Manvendra forget about his agony for a moment.

Observing her like so, he again felt something fluttering inside his chest, it seemed to be giving a slight burning sensation, and not in a painful way. It felt like the mellow warmth of the sun during winters.

'What is happening ?' Manvendra thought as a frown appeared on his face.

"Let's go." He said abruptly.

"What ?" Dhisana looked at him.

"I said let's go." Manvendra said hurriedly getting out of the river as Dhisana kept looking at him with confusion as to what happened to him so suddenly.

"Wait for me !" She said as she too came to the edge of the river and got out.

She was about to hold his hand but he left before. Did he just leave behind his newly wedded wife like so ? She thought.

'Maybe he remembered something of importance.' Dhisana told herself and followed him behind, 'But what can be more important than one's wife ?' She wondered.

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A/N

Tum paas aaye yun muskuraye
Tumne na jaane kya sapne dikhaye
Ab to mera dil jaage na sota hai
Kya karun haaye kuch kuch hota hai

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