The Historic Muse

Chapter 3 - Strange Realizations

Only when she had left could Hiranya release the breath, he didn't even know he was holding. Every inch, every pore, every fiber in his body was afire. When he started moving towards the spot where the mystery woman was sitting just moments ago, he realized that he had a rock solid hard on. Gingerly, he hobbled towards the cave wall and took deep breath to calm himself.

Hiranya was not new to the lusts of the flesh. He had found his fair share of release and adventure between the legs of beautiful women. But this was different... Never before had he been turned on by the mere sight of a woman. And this strange vacant feeling in his chest as soon as she had left was unprecedented for him too.

For Hiranya, sex was sex...nothing more. And women were just a means to an end. He had known himself to be incapable of romantic entanglement. His uncaring nature had allowed him to always give his work top priority. The only sleepless nights he had ever spent were when he was working tirelessly, never pining away for an unrequited love. Love?! Hiranya wasn't sure why he even thought of this strange feeling as love...

'Is everything alright, my lord?' a tentative voice made Hiranya turn from the distant spot where he had lost sight of the vision in white. A young boy dressed in a simple dhoti stood in front of Hiranya, almost quivering with anxiety.

'Who are you?' Hiranya asked the youth.

'My name is Lakhan, my lord. Master Bindudev has assigned me as your personal servant. I am to help you with setting up your living quarters and serve you for all your needs. I am very good, sir.' said the boy in one breath.

Hiranya's lips quirked up in half a smile. The boy seemed eager to please.

'Tell me boy, did you see any woman around the cave dressed in white?' Hiranya asked the youth.

'I have seen many women wearing white today, my lord. The whole village is mourning the death of Master Sundarbuddh and hence dressed in white.' Lakhan informed Hiranya.

'This one had black hair and black eyes, but was very fair...like she is not from here.' Hiranya probed the boy again.

'That could only be Apsara, my lord... but i didn't know she was visiting the cave today. She has not left her house in days.' Lakhan seemed to get lost in his own thoughts.

'Apsara...' her name did justice to her beauty, thought Hiranya. And it tasted divine on his tongue. Hiranya once again got lost in a lustful longing for the beautiful woman...

'She is the daughter of Master Sudarbudd, my lord' Lakhan said abruptly, with a strangely hostile look on his face.

Hiranya returned his attention to Lakhan and narrowed his eyes. It seemed like the boy didn't want Hiranya anywhere near this Apsara.

'I see...Fetch my things from the chariot I drove here in the morning and bring them to my new living quarters, boy.' Hiranya instructed the boy.

'Yes, my lord.' Lakhan straightened a bit upon hearing the authoritative tone in Hiranya's voice.

'And once you are done setting everything up, report back to me with something to eat.' Hiranya commanded.

'Yes, my lord. What would you like to eat?' Lakhan inquired.

'Do not bore me with your questions. Figure it out yourself...now off you go! I have work to do.'

And with that Lakhan ran off to do his new master's bidding without any further ado. Hiranya smiled to himself, having put the youth in his place. The boy's protective instinct towards Apsara had spiked a sudden jealousy in Hiranya. This bothered him even more...

Whatever was happening with him...whatever that woman had done to him, it was not good.

At least the boy had distracted him enough to make him lose his hard on. Hiranya mentally shook himself and walked back to the inner sanctum of the cave. It won't do him any good if he lost his mind for a girl and failed to do the work he had been called here for.

*

After fleeing from the cave site, Apsara finally came to a halt at her house only. Her heart was racing and she had goosebumps all over her arms. A strange flush was creeping up her cheeks, like she was simmering inside. Hurriedly she pushed open the door and rushed inside, away from sympathetic yet prying eyes of the neighbors.

She felt ashamed of herself. Her Baba had only been gone for three days and she was shamelessly feeling anything other than grief. Tears of embarrassment rushed to her eyes and with a sharp wail, she ran towards her bed. What kind of a daughter was she? One look of that stranger had done things to her mind and body that years of wooing by village's most eligible bachelors couldn't do.

Overcome with guilt and grief Apsara spent hours crying in her bed. She didn't even realize when she slept off. When she woke up, it was dark outside and the whole village was shrouded in silence. It must be late in the night and everyone must have retired to bed.

She got up to get something to eat. There were guavas lying in the kitchen which her maternal aunt had brought on the day of the funeral. Apsara cut up a ripe guava and ate the first morsel of food in days. She had been famished but hadn't realized it until now. What had changed now?

Realization crashed down on her like a tidal wave. That stranger near the caves had jolted her back to life in a manner she had never anticipated. She was at the brink of depression and desolation, when those searing hazel eyes had pulled her in. As she munched on another guava, Apsara wondered who that strange man was.

She had never seen him around before so he must be new to the village. But who was he? And why was she affected by him in such a manner? Who was he to her? As she silently munched on her meager dinner, her wayward musings were disturbed by a steady tinkering sound coming from the caves.

Who could be working in the caves at this hour? Only her Baba used to work this late into the night... None of the other artisans every labored beyond their stipulated work hours. Who could have taken up her Baba's place?

Curious to find out, Apsara put down the remaining guava and decided to go to the caves. But her white sari was disheveled and covered in red dust from the caves. It would be inappropriate to leave house at night dressed in such a manner, so she changed into the nearest piece of clothing she could find.

The tinkering continued and Apsara stepped out of her house, determined to find out if she was merely hallucinating the sounds or someone had truly taken up her Baba's place.

*

Author's Note:

Hi Guys!

Thank you for reading this story about love, lust and inspiration. Apsara and Hiranya are in for a whirlwind romance and erotic exploration of their inner selves. Join them in their artful journey and please vote if you like their story.

Would love to hear your comments too!

PalS