Chanakyan's love

Fifteen

Chanakya

So far, we haven't met with any attacks on Gowthami. Even so, we were very careful and accompanied Gowthami to her college in numbers. We can't let our guard down. Perhaps, they are waiting for us to do that and they might advance just when we become quite loosened with our safety measures.

Hence we safeguarded Gowthami closely and kept an eye on the college entrance all the time. Even in home, we were extremely vigilant. And it's now been a week since the last attack.

Gowthami doesn't know about the assault threat that the foe claimed to cause to her and so...she is not being understanding. She keeps asking her dad to let her outside. But Ayya and Amma was adamant in locking her within the safe cage of their home.

Gowthami was resentful on me as well, for I hadn't aided her roam outdoors. What could I do? It's Ayya's order. Besides, I don't want to take any risks with her well-being.

If I told her about the real reason behind our tight precaution, she will realize the seriousness of the situation and behave accordingly. However, Amma asked us to conceal it from her, afraid that Gowthami would become horrified.

She doesn't want her daughter to learn that creeps are out to hunt her, which, I don't think is a appropriate idea. She may get frightened, but she needs to be aware of this impending danger. It'll make her be more watchful of her surrounding. But I'm bound by Amma's words. She requested us to not break this horror to her.

At the present, it's a day off for Gowthami and she's trying to speak with me from the morning itself. But the circumstances didn't favour us.

However, in the noon, when Ayya and amma leave to their room to take a nap, Gowthami signals me to meet her in the backyard.

When I reach there, Gowthami speaks up, "Let's go out!" I shake my head, dismissing the desperation in her eyes. "No, it's not safe," I say in a strict tone but she hisses in annoyance.

"Chanakya...I'm not going alone but with you," she nears me, with a pleading and sensual look in her face. She's trying to lure me into agreeing to her. She's striving to seduce me...

It's humour inducing.

I mean, she doesn't even have to try. I'm always tempted by her. But I know where to draw the line. And at times like this, I can't let my desire take over.

"Chanakya...please...see the weather, it's cloudy, I want to take a bath in the pond," She touches my arm and crashes her body against mine.

"That's not going to work, Gowthami," I place both my hands on her shoulder and part her from me. "You are smarter than this, Gowthami. We've never been so concerned about your safety in particular but now we're...just think about it," I give her a clue but she doesn't seem to comprehend it.

"Po..." (Go) She pushes onto my chest and wrathfully walks away.

Sighing, I move to the front of the house and smoke a cigarette. "Did you fight with her? She was going up the stairs angrily," Jagan questions as he comes out of the house with a vessel of water.

"She wants to go out but I refused," I shrug my shoulders slightly and he nods his head, understandingly.

Forthwith, we carried on with our routine. I did a rounds in the Village and found none suspicious, then I went to my home.

This is prompting me feel restless, eventhough it should have made me relaxed. It was uncanny, similar to a calm before a storm. Why aren't they attacking us? Are they planning something huge? Something we can't handle?

We need to gather more men. The people who works under Ayya amounts to around sixty. The regulars are ten to fifteen.

I should contact the other men and keep them alerted. I was doing that when I received a call from Hari. He said that Gowthami was missing!