Miracle of Love - Avyukt Manasa

3. In the lake, under the moon

"Anna..." (Brother) Avyukt called the boat man who was sleeping in his boat. He was panting as he ran to the boat after tying his horse away from this spot. 

"Do you want to go the other side? You might have to wait a little. That girl will come after sometime." The boat said drowsily.

"Oh.." Avyukt said and settled in the boat. He saw that the boat man was sleepy and thought of getting out some information. He needed to know why Manasa was roaming out this late in the night, without any guards, hiding.

"Ahem.. Why is that girl taking so long? Does she always take a lot of time?" Avyukt asked, sounding casual.

"Hmm. She will be gone for two three hours, and return back before the sun rises." The boat man replied, making Avyukt raise his brows. What could she be doing in this forest this late in the night?

"Ahem.. Brother.. This is for you." Avyukt said and gave him the cotton pouch full of gold and silver. The boat man, who was sleepy a few seconds ago was now wide awake and gawking at the pouch after seeing it's content.

"I need a small help."

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Manasa returned after an hour. Her steps didn't make any noise, and her face was still covered except for her eyes. She glanced at Avyukt who looked extremely happy sitting in the boat.

Manasa was about to get onto the boat when the boat man got down. She stared at him confusedly.

"Ahem..Girl. This is my nephew. He will safely drop on the other side. I will not be here for next few days, but my nephew will take my job here." The old boat man lied without any conscience as he hid the bribe inside his clothes.

Avyukt tried his best to keep his expression neutral when he saw Manasa's brows furrow. "But.. You didn't recognize him when we came here." Manasa pointed out.

"It was so dark, I didn't see his face properly. I asked him to wait here. Hahaha.." The man laughed making Manasa purse her lips. She was reluctant to trust him, but the old man walked away, leaving her standing alone on the bank.

"Ahem.. We will get late." Avyukt reminded her, making her sigh and step onto the boat. If possible, Avyukt would have smiled ear to ear, but he bit the inside of his cheeks to not look creepy.

Avyukt soon started rowing the boat, his gaze fixed on the girl opposite to him. His hands were itching to hug her. He had a lot of things to tell, but this moment with her felt so surreal and he didn't want to break this with his words.

He still remembered the first time he saw her. It was during their first night. She was scared of him, and didn't dare to look into his eyes. He was drunk when he entered the room. He should have asked if she was comfortable in a place, or complement about how beautiful she looked that day, or assure her that he will keep her safe. But he did none of them.

Instead, he told her that any form of emotional attachment with her will become a weakness for him, will hinder him from getting the throne. He shamelessly asked her for a son in return of a happy and carefree life.

Avyukt's eyes stung as he remembered his words that day. That was the first and last time she had raised her eyes and looked into his. He didn't know what she read in his eyes, but she lowered her eyes and simply nodded her head.

"What are you looking at? I am getting late." Manasa's voice reached his ears, making him realize that he had stopped rowing the in the middle of the lake.

"Your eyes are beautiful" Avyukt commented, and when Manasa was about to say something, he again cut her off with his words. "And I am sorry." Avyukt said and Manasa felt the pain in his voice. But her priority right now was to reach home before someone notices her absence.

"Sir, I don't know what you are apologizing for, but can you please make it quick. I am in a hurry." Manasa requested, and Avyukt finally understood that she would ended in trouble if she didn't reach home time.

"We are here.." Avyukt said after sometime when they reached the bank. Manasa released a sigh of relief and hurriedly got down of the boat with her basket still tightly held in her hands.

"Thank you sir." Manasa said and left without sparing any glance at Avyukt. Avyukt sighed when he saw her silhouette disappear. He wanted to follow her, but decided to first sort out emotions which were all over the place before meeting her again. Thinking this, he turned the boat to go back.

"Sir.. wait"

Avyukt stopped after hearing Manasa's voice behind him. She seemed to have ran back here. "Here. I forgot. I am sorry." Manasa stretched out her right hand to give him two copper coins as the fare for the trip.

Avyukt looked at her fair slender hand and stretched his own to take the coins. "Thank you." He said and Manasa left.

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"Your Grace. Where were you all the night? We were worried when we found your horse tied up to the tree." General Veerprathap questioned when he saw Avyukt dreamily walk towards them.

"Oh.. right.. So. From today, you will all sleep on the trees and I will guard the place in the night. And no one.."

"But prince. Why can't we sleep in tents?" The general questioned, exasperated at the prince's impudent demands.

"There might be snakes or wild animals roaming around General. What if they attack you while you are sleeping" Avyukt replied and the General started to doubt if this was really their prince or some imposter.

"But your Grace, isn't that the reason why we put tents and fire?" The General countered. Sleeping on trees so that they can escape snakes? As if snake don't know how to climb trees.

"What is your problem General? If sleeping on trees is so uncomfortable, then you should have told me earlier. I would have sent you back to the capital." Avyukt snapped, and the General shut his mouth. The others too kept quite after seeing their general stop arguing with the prince.

"Alright. And everyone will take regular baths. No one should smell bad" Avyukt instructed and took a small clay pot from their belongings. Everyone looked at what the prince was doing.

The prince took a knife and made a small rectangle shaped hole into the pot. He admired his work for few good seconds before taking out the two coins Manasa gave him and dropped one into the pot. He tied another to the cloth around his waist.

When he was satisfied with what he did, he turned around, only find his companions jaw dropped expression. No one expected the rich prince to make a piggy bank and start saving a copper coin he earned from who knows where.