Shiv - Shakti, The First Love Story - Dakshayani

As They Collided

From the moment Sati was born, she had Daksha wrapped around her tiny little fingers. Her ocean blue eyes could captivate anyone. Since her birth, the kingdom had prospired and everyone was happy and hearty. The people of Daksha's kingdom loved their little princess.

Sati was growing up in the palace of Daksha surrounded by love and riches. She was the apple of Daksha's eyes and he spoiled her like anything. She had many sisters but most of them didn't live there. She was the closest with her sister, Rohini who was only a few years older than her. Prasuti was proud of her daughter as she had excelled in everything she was taught. From studies, to dancing to archery, she was an expert.
She had grown up rather normally. Though she was Shakti, she didn't remember it and gradually Daksha forgot it too.

Years went by and Sati had grown into a beautiful young woman. Her fair, round face radiated like the sun. Her blue eyes held a fiery personality. She was determined and stubborn but also kind and gentle. Daksha couldn't be more proud of his daughter. Dakshayani was auspicious to him but she was rebellious and would very often break any rules that curbed her freedom and this led to the incident that he dreaded the most.

It was the day after her 21st birthday. The festivities were still going on in the palace. There were people everywhere and it was becoming exhausting to her . Sati was feeling suffocated so the moment she got a chance, she sneaked past the guards which wasn't new to her, took her horse and rode off. Sati loved going outdoors which her father didn't like much. He had always told her to stay within the palace walls but she wasn't one to obey. If she was restricted from doing something, she'd definitely do it. And Daksha knew about it too so after a while, he had stopped saying anything.

Sati's favorite place to venture out to was the forests. She always felt one with nature. She was riding through the woods towards the north. She hardly went that way because her father was wary of it and always told her to stay away from the north of the kingdom but when had she abided to anyone's words? She thought it was something new and went towards it.

She soon found herself surrounded by icy mountains and she was at the foothill. Suddenly her horse came to a halt.

"What happened Shwet? Why did you stop?" Sati asked. The horse only looked at her.

"I forgot you can't talk", she chuckled. The horse looked at her as if she was speaking alien. Sati was roaming around, looking at the strange place. It was cold but strangely enough, she wasn't shivering. The place felt familiar. It felt like home.

Sati was walking backwards, looking around when suddenly she bumped into something. Or more like someone. She lost her balance and stumbled. She was about to fall when a pair of strong hands held her. By reflex, she wrapped her hands around her rescuers neck. Her eyes were still closed. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at her saviour and was stunned.

Sati had never seen anyone like him. He was a tall, well built man, his muscular hands were holding her waist tightly. His eyes were brown, stirn but also warm. His body was covered in ash and his neck was adorned by a snake along with many rudraksh beads. He looked like an ascetic but she knew he was something more. She stared at him. So did he. There was a sense of familiarity in that man as if she had known him since ages.

After a while, he let go off her and she stood up. The man was about to leave without a word when she called him.

"Wait! Please wait!"

He turned around but didn't say anything.

"I am Sati. Dakshayani. Daughter of King Daksha and princess of Kankhal. I don't know who you are. I've never seen you before or been in this place but it feels so familiar, almost homely. I don't know what happened but I would like to thank you for helping me. Can I know the name of my savior?" Sati asked. He looked directly into her eyes and spoke.

"You don't need to know who I am or my name"

"Please I would like to know something about you." She insisted.

"I am nothing but everything is me. I am everywhere yet nowhere. I have no identity that I can give you because every identity is mine. This is no place for you, princess. Return back" he replied and left. But before leaving he had once stopped to look back at her. There was something strange in his eyes. A sense of longing and then left.

Sati was mesmerised. She stood there silently before the neighing of her horse brought her back to her senses.

"I know right Shwet. He was so strange but I cannot understand who he was. He is so... Special."

Sati rode on to her horse once again and went back to the palace. Unbeknownst to her, this was the moment that would change her entire life.