Ashwaki: waiting for Ashok

Four years later...

"Dhruv! Dhruv Maurya, you come here this instant!" My voice raised at my son, as he ran around the place with his muddy dhoti, splattering dirt all across the spotless floors of the palace which had just been cleaned.

"Coming mother!" He ran up the stairs like a bolt of lightening and came back down, no less faster.

I stood there with my hands on my hips.

"Sorry mother, I was just getting this." He raised a sword which was in his hands.

"A sword?" I asked him questioningly.

"Yeah - don't you remember? I have my sword fighting and blind fighting lesson with uncle Sushim."

"Oh yes, I remember very well..." I said quietly.

"Err - take care of yourself! Don't over work and remember to eat your f..." before I could finish, he ran off.

I shook my head. "That boy. Never even rests."

Suddenly, I spotted a small boy coming up the entrance steps. I paused and watched him come up innocently.

Every time I saw him, my blood went cold; every time he spoke, it reminded me of that cold, winter's day in which my definition of 'love' didn't seem credible enough to be recognizable for myself.

A flashback of the horrible incident played like a continuous video tape in my mind:

"Please Kaurvaki, love him like your own, give him all the happiness you can on my behalf. I beg to you. I bless your soul with countless wishes and I'm sure you'll treat him just as if you would treat your own son."

With this, her eyelids bashed together, and her soul floated into the air, almost visible to my eyes, and her body became lifeless.

"Good morning, mother." The boy's voice made me jump out of my thoughts.

I nodded with a faint, uncomfortable smile.

With this, I walked away, leaving him clutching a book tightly to his chest.

"Kaurvaki?" Rani Dharma's voice came from behind me.

"Oh, good morning." I said, stopping with a huddle of clothes around my arms.

"How's Dhruv and - and Krishna?" She asked, barely above a whisper.

"Good." I replied, trying to make a huge fuss.

"Getting on all right with managing the two kids? They really get along well."

"I wished I got on with his mother that well." I turned away, feeling my eyes pricking.

Rani Dharma sighed uncomfortably.

"You tried. And you were enduring enough." She rested a hand on my shoulder which made me feel slightly warmer and calmer.

"Anyways, how's Ashok?" I sniffed, changing the subject.

"He's alright. I expect he'll be back sometime this week after his meeting with the minister."

"I haven't seen him for months, is he - is he coping with Ahankara's loss?"