Miracle of Love - Avyukt Manasa

1. Rebirth

"That's my last wish" Emperor Avyukt said in feeble tone as he lay weak on the huge royal bed covered with the imported Egyptian cotton sheets. The only sound in the royal chamber was his labored breathing.

"Why? It's not like you have ever loved my mother." the crown prince questioned is sick father. The emperor has summoned him to rely his last wish, to bury the late empress Manasa's diary along with his dead body. The crown prince, Advait, didn't like it at all. His mother had suffered a lot because of this man's ignorance and indifference. The diary was his mothers last memory with him. And this old man wants him to bury it along with him? Not happening.

The old emperor opened his eyes and looked blankly at the ceiling of the chamber. Had someone spoken to him in the same tone twenty years ago, they would have been beheaded and their entire family would have been annihilated. But he has changed now, and he was aware that his son's anger was completely justifiable.

He had never loved his wife when she was alive. And when he finally wanted to love her, she wasn't with them anymore. He regretted it. He regretted neglecting his wife. Now, laying on the luxurious bed, waiting for his death, the only thing which accompanied him was his wife's diary, which only and only spoke about how lonely she was.

"This is my last wish" the emperor couldn't say any thing apart from this. Advait clenched his fists, his eyes turned red as he remembered how his mother would wait every single day for this heartless man.

"I am sorry Your Highness. But I cannot let my mother suffer because of you even in her death. I can't fulfill your last wish. You can behead me for my insolence." Advait declared and left the room, not before collecting his mother's diary from the bed side table.

A lone tear escaped from the corner of the emperor's eye followed by a self mocking chuckle. He deserved all this. In the pursuit of throne and power, he even forgot his wife.

He slowly turned his head towards the open window and looked at the orange and pinkish sky. The sun was about to rise. It looked the same as when his wife died, witness to all her sufferings.

I am sorry Manasa. If that merciful god decides to grant another chance to a sinner like me, I will learn how to love you.

Gasp.. The emperor's last breathe left his mouth. Only one face flashed in front of his eyes, image of his beautiful wife, during her funeral.

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Gasp.. pant.. pant.. pant..

Twenty two year old Avyukt woke up with a start, his black tunic drenched in sweat. His eyes wide as he looked at his surroundings. His chest still heaving up and down.

"W-What is h-happening? D-Didn't I die?" Avyukt looked at his hands. No wrinkles, but still calloused. He hurriedly got down the makeshift bed, knocking the pot of water beside the bed in the process.

He realized he was in a tent, and .. and it looked familiar. With the symbol of a lion with wings and a eagle head printed on the cloth, and a map laid out on the table, with various markings and was strategies on it.

"Your Grace. Are you okay? I heard some sound from inside." A gruff voice sounded outside the tent. Avyukt snapped his head towards the closed entrance of the tent. This voice sounded very familiar.

"Your Grace. Are you inside?" The voice sounded again, but Avyukt was too busy in his thoughts to reply.

Perhaps the man outside panicked, and hence barged into the tent, confirming Avyukt's guess.

"General Veerprathap" Avyukt whispered, still shocked to see the late general, who died in a war, alive and young.

"Are you okay Your Grace?" The general asked again, noticing that the prince looked somewhat shaken.

"What's the date today?" Avyukt asked, trying to compose himself and comprehend this weird phenomena.

"Today is the starting of month Chaitra and we will reach the capital in the next fourteen days" the general replied.

(Month Chaitra starts around March 21/22 and continues for the next 30/31 days)

Avyukt fell silent. He looked at the map carefully and realized that they were returning to the capital after conquering a neighboring kingdom. His gaze shifted onto the general again.

"How old is your son?" Avyukt questioned and the general furrowed his brows. Why did this question pop up all of a sudden? Nevertheless, he answered the question.

"Three years old, Your Grace."

"Ohh.. You can leave now general." Avyukt said and settled on his bed. The general gave him one last glance and left the tent.

"Is this my second chance?" Avyukt whispered as he dropped his face into his palms. If he wasn't wrong, and this wasn't a dream, then he is reborn into his twenty two year old self. Exactly six months before he married Manasa.

"Manasa"

Manasa was a princess of South, while he was the prince of the North. The place they were right now was very close to South. If delayed their trip, then he could stay here and meet her.

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"Manasa. What are you doing? Your father will kill you if he learns about this." a young girl whispered as she looked around to make sure no one was around.

"Act like nothing happened, and father will never know. Now move" Manasa said as she packed something into a small jute basket and motioned her maid to move aside.

"Your father is searching a groom for you. If someone sees you out this late in the night, do you even know what people will talk about you?" Her maid, Latha, tried to warn her but Manasa was not in a mood to care. She peeked her head out into the wide corridor and found it empty. It was late in the night, and everyone were sleeping.

"I will return before sun rise. Now go.." Manasa said pushed her maid onto the bed and covered her with her blanket. After making sure everything was right, she slowly made her way to the kitchen and sneaked out using the back door.