Avalekha had already reached Nilgiri Hills. She introduced herself to the High Priest and the High Priestess.
The High Priestess welcomed her into the Temple. The convoy that came with her was sent back to Naimisharan.
Avalekha searched for Vani who was sitting on the stairs watching over the village down in the valley. She looked quite dull and weak. She was not eating her favourite food. Her nose could still smell the food that was being cooked somewhere in the village. She could only smell it but not eat it.
"Auh!" she sighed.
"Vani," Avalekha called her.
She did not hear when Avalekha called her since she was busy smelling the food.
"Vani?" Avalekha yelled.
Vani turned and looked at her for a moment and turned back to smell the food again.
"Huh! Ava?" She turned again and looked at her with surprise.
"Sis Ava, is it you?" Vani asked.
"Oh, my dear. Vani what happened to you? Why are you so pale and dull?"
It was only this question that made Vani cry streams of tears. She told Avalekha everything that had been happening to her.
"I...can only smell it...waaaa!.... My mouth waters.....Waaaa!..... Someone is making ladoo in the village......uwaaa!."
"I don't smell anything," Avalekha said.
"It's coming down from there. How could you not smell it?" Vani said.
She pointed far far away somewhere into the valley and wiped her runny nose to hiccup woefully.
"You can smell it here?" Avalekha asked Vani.
"Why? Can't You?"
Avalekha was startled. Vani had an unmatched smelling sense since childhood when it came to food. But, it was something beyond human capacity to smell something being cooked far down into the valley from the hilltop.
When the two were watching down the hilltop from where the smell was coming the High Priestess came to them with two female sages. Vani saw her and greeted her by bowing down.
"Avalekha, when do you wish to start your penance?" The High Priestess asked in a motherly voice.
"As early as possible, High Priestess."
"Since you have already done penance for many years, you are already familiar with the rules. Get yourself ready for it."
"Yes, High Priestess."
Vani put her hand on Avalekha's shoulder to console her. Avalekha gave her a poker face. She wondered as to how Vani was able to hold back on food.
Because Vani was determined to get herself a few handsome husbands.
Now, Avalekha had also decided to ask for three husbands as her final wish. Both of them were happy imagining their wishes in their minds.
The High Priestess chuckled and left them with their daydreams. The sages followed her into the temple.
Soon after, Avalekha started her penance again. It wasn't going to take long for her to complete her penance since she had already done it before. But, Vani still had to go a long way. She was not able to leave her cravings for food yet. It was the first step for starting a penance.
●●●
Not long after the festival of Autumn Equinox, a meeting for Naimisharan and its surrounding villages in the Kingdom was ordered by His Highness Aatreya in Naimisharan to discuss demon attacks in Kalighat and Pirpan. So, the Chiefs of different villages arrived at Naimisharan.
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Blessed With Five Husbands
FantasyDhani prayed to the Lord for twelve years to get a husband. The Lord granted her wish. But instead of one she got five. Aatreya, Bali, Mithun, Manan and Aanan are the five brothers, who are her destined husbands, who will shower her with love. She...