Little Joys- From The Epic Ramayana

A Prayer for Love's Truimph-II

-Much before the pre dawn ritual began-

Shrutkirti sat by the window, her hands gently threading jasmine into a garland, her mind wandering as the soft evening breeze played with her hair. Shatrughan walked in, his footsteps quiet but unmistakable to her ears.

"You’re always so quiet when you come in," Shrutkirti said without turning around, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"Is it my stealth, or are you just too lost in thought?" Shatrughan teased, coming closer to her, his warm presence making the room feel cozier.

She turned to look at him, her eyes twinkling. "A bit of both."

He further inquired, "You’ve been out all day. Are the preparations for the festival going smoothly?"

She nodded, his gaze softening as he saw the garland she was making. "Everything’s on track. But you, my dear, seem to be making preparations of your own." He sat down beside her, picking up one of the delicate jasmine flowers from her lap.

"It’s for the offering to Mata Parvati tomorrow, I wanted to make my own garlands" Shrutkirti explained. "But now that you’re here, I suppose I can spare a little time."

"For me? What an honor," he said playfully, taking her hands in his, stopping her from threading more flowers. "You’ve been working too hard, Kirti. Let me help."

"You? Making garlands?" She raised an eyebrow, amused. "That I must see."

"Don’t underestimate me," Shatrughan chuckled, taking the thread from her hand. "Just because I don’t make garlands every day doesn’t mean I can’t."

She leaned back, watching him fumble for a moment as he tried to weave the flowers together. "You’re doing great," she said, trying to suppress a laugh as one of the flowers slipped out of his hands.

He grinned, looking up at her with a mock defeat. "Alright, I may need some guidance from the expert."

Shrutkirti leaned forward, guiding his hands gently. "Like this. Be gentle, but firm."

"Just like you," he murmured, causing her to blush.

They worked together in comfortable silence for a while, the garland slowly taking shape. After a few minutes, Shatrughan looked at their creation and smiled. "I think we make a pretty good team."

Shrutkirti nodded, her heart swelling with affection. "We always have."

Shatrughan looked at the flowers garland with exaggerated seriousness, pretending to study them as if they were the most complex puzzle in the world. "The key is... patience."

Shrutkirti watched him, her smile softening. "It’s not just about patience. It’s about intention."

He paused, looking at her curiously. "Intention?"

She nodded. "These flowers are for the divine. It’s about the care we put into it, not just the end result."

A thoughtful look passed over Shatrughan's face, as if her words resonated more deeply than usual. He continued weaving the flowers, a hint of mystery in his eyes.

"You’re always so thoughtful," he said, glancing up at her briefly before focusing again on the garland. "I admire that about you."

Shrutkirti noticed the slightly different tone in his voice but chose not to comment. "And I admire your determination, even if it’s just for flowers."

"Well, let’s just say I’m preparing for something else," Shatrughan said with a small, secretive smile, his hands working steadily.

"Preparing for what?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.