Anuragaanjali ~ The Eternal Love ✅

Chapter 14 : The Hot Weather

Whispers of the Heart

The moon hung low in the sky, its soft silver light spilling across the royal palace of Hastinapur. The night air was cool and crisp, yet warm in the way that only a shared moment of intimacy could make it feel. The world outside seemed to fade into the background, leaving just Arjuna and Aaradhya within their own sacred space, wrapped in the silence of understanding and the depth of their feelings.

Inside the royal gardens, beneath a canopy of twinkling stars, Arjuna and Aaradhya strolled slowly. The golden petals of the night-blooming jasmine swayed gently in the breeze, their fragrance filling the air with a sense of peace and beauty. Every so often, Aaradhya would glance up at the heavens, her eyes tracing the constellations, but her thoughts were firmly on the man beside her.

The closeness between them was undeniable now. It wasn't just in the way their hands brushed or how their gazes held meaning in every shared glance. It was deeper, a bond woven from trust, shared laughter, and quiet moments like this. They were no longer just two people caught in the ebb and flow of their lives; they were two souls tied together by something powerful, something sacred.

"I never thought I'd find peace in a place like this," Aaradhya said, breaking the comfortable silence. Her voice was soft, filled with the warmth of contentment.

Arjuna smiled, his deep voice carrying the same peace that had settled over them. "Hastinapur is full of history, of great moments—both of triumph and of sorrow. But I feel it's in the quiet, in these moments we share, that I find true peace."

Aaradhya looked up at him, her heart swelling with love and admiration. "It's the same for me. These moments are when I feel the most alive, Arjuna. When I'm with you, it feels like time itself slows down, and everything else fades away."

He stopped walking and turned to face her, his eyes searching hers, as if he could read the depths of her soul in the quiet of the night. Slowly, he reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The touch was gentle, tender, as if he was handling something precious, something sacred.

"Aaradhya," he murmured, his voice low, almost reverent. "There's no place I would rather be than here, with you."

Her breath hitched at his words, her heart racing. She had always known that there was something special between them, something that neither of them could fully explain. But to hear him speak those words aloud, to know that he felt the same way—it filled her with a deep, unshakeable sense of belonging.

She stepped closer, her body almost instinctively moving towards him. "I feel the same way," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "When I'm with you, Arjuna, it's as if the world stands still. I can't imagine my life without you."

Arjuna's hand found hers, their fingers entwining, fitting together as if they were always meant to be. "You are my heart, Aaradhya," he said, his voice steady and full of emotion. "My soul has always known you. I didn't realize it until now, but everything I've done in my life has led me to you. This—what we share—is what I was always meant to find."

Aaradhya's heart fluttered in her chest. There was no room for doubt anymore; she could feel it in every fiber of her being. Their love was undeniable, as real as the earth beneath her feet. She stepped even closer, closing the remaining distance between them.

Without another word, she reached up, cupping his face in her hands. Arjuna's gaze softened, his eyes locking with hers. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty in that moment—only the certainty of their love and the quiet understanding that this was where they were meant to be.

Slowly, she leaned in, her lips finding his in a kiss that was soft and slow, but deep with unspoken promises. Arjuna responded immediately, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her close. His lips moved against hers with a tenderness that made her heart ache, as though he was pouring everything he felt into that simple act of love.

The kiss deepened, gentle and unhurried, as though the world outside had ceased to exist. It was a kiss full of longing, full of everything they had both been feeling for so long. When they finally pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other, both of them breathless, their hearts racing in unison.

"Aaradhya," Arjuna whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "There's nothing in this world or the next that could ever come between us. My heart, my soul—they are yours, now and always."

Aaradhya smiled, her hand tracing the outline of his jaw, her thumb brushing over his lips as if she couldn't get enough of the feel of him. "And you, Arjuna, are my everything. I never knew love could feel like this, but now that I've found it, I can't imagine my life without you by my side."

He kissed her forehead gently, as though sealing a promise, before stepping back just slightly, but still holding her close. His gaze remained locked with hers, and for a moment, they stood in complete silence, letting the gravity of their love settle between them.

"I never want to let you go," Aaradhya murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"And you won't," Arjuna replied, his voice firm yet tender. "Not ever."

The moment felt timeless, like something carved into the very fabric of the universe. But as the soft sounds of the night filled the air, the world around them began to intrude once more. There were battles to be fought, duties to fulfill, and a kingdom that demanded attention. But in that quiet corner of the palace, none of that mattered.

For in this moment, it was just Arjuna and Aaradhya—two souls bound together by love, by fate, and by the quiet understanding that no matter what the future held, they would face it together.

Arjuna leaned in once more, brushing his lips against her temple in a gesture of love so profound it felt as though the very stars above them had blessed their union.

"Together," he whispered.

"Always," she replied, her voice steady with conviction.

The wind gently whispered through the trees, as though echoing their promise, and the stars overhead seemed to shine just a little bit brighter. In each other's arms, Arjuna and Aaradhya found their peace, their love, and the certainty that, together, they would always be enough.