Love you forever

Chapter two/ she was meant to be his

"I choose you. And I'll choose you over and over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I'll keep choosing you." — Unknown

Late in the night........
It was a sharp contrast, the stillness of the night from the loudness of the day. The world was fast asleep, relieved after the heat of the day. After the hustle bustle of the day, the quietness of the night was a welcome relief. The moon was high up in the sky, a round white orb, shining against the darkness of the sky. It seemed to be calling out to him. Telling him to wake up! To go! As though he should be somewhere.....But where!! ......He looked around, all the boys were sleeping deeply....pushing the thin sheet, he had used to cover himself with aside he sat up. Every thing was so still, .... as still as the darkness around it. Grey spots marring the pale whiteness of the moon. Sleep was alluding him this night and his mind seemed to be hallucinating, imagining nonsense. Normally he found it difficult to sleep when away from the village but this night the reasons were different. He was a soldier and as such always on guard. He took his responsibilities seriously. They had made their camp in one of the corners of the courtyard, right next to the side entrance. The high wall on two sides making it easy for them to safeguard their goods. With the city packed to the hilt with people from all over, thieves too were running around rampantly.

But all his mind seems to be interested in dwelling on was that delicate foot swing from the side of the cart. The anklet making soft musical sound as it swung about. Had he imagined the music playing..... Then a hand sliding out from behind the flap of the cart, thin yellow glass bangles circling tiny wrists. Such a soft and delicate hand..... It was poetry in motion.... Hmmnnn.....This hand was.......

Just then Ballu's heavy arm swung over, as he turned to face Rudra's side, disturbing his musings, bringing him back to the present..... All of them Ballu, Bika, Kusha, Kinshuk were sleeping around the carts. Ballu, who was sleeping next to him, was snoring as though there was no tomorrow. Pushing his friend's arm aside not too gently he got up, too restless to go back to sleep. He looked around to see if anyone was about. Taking a careful scrutiny of his surrounding he started walking, wanting to get away into the open, away from the crowded courtyard, where there was barely any space to move around with both man and animal in full force. There was a large mashaal burning on both sides of the gate, and a guard was standing next to the gate, keeping watch. He did not stop Rudra or question him, he was not interested. He simply turned to the other side to watch.

There were trees growing in abundance in the open grounds. Towards the city side of the ground a few people had set up camps under the trees. But further back where the trees grew more densely nobody was around. No one had ventured so far ahead it seemed.

Turning away he made for the stream that flowed nearby. It seemed a good place to go to. As he came to the edge of the trees near the stream, he could feel the coolness wafting off the flowing water. Taking a deep cooling breath, he stretched out his arms, maybe he could lie down here somewhere on a tuft of grass and get the sleep which had been avoiding him till now. Large stone and boulders lay on the stony banks of the rivulet. Seeing a small patch of grass beyond the rocks he moved towards it, it seemed a good place to rest in. But then he stopped, he was sure he heard a soft sound, sure enough he saw a movement to the right of him from the corner of his eye..... there it was! a tinkling sound! he realised that someone was already there, before him, standing next to the boulder. He turned to go, maybe he could find some other place to go and sit.... He did not wish to be disturbed or to disturb whoever was there. He was turning, when something, some instinct made him glance up. It was a woman, she was standing in the water next to the boulder. So still as though a stone statue. The moon light was falling on her, creating beautiful curves and hues...she was very near to him, so near that he could see her side profile very clearly. Her head was covered in a thin shawl, he could not see much of her but she felt familiar...he started to turn again letting her have her privacy, but again as though something was compelling him to stay, he stopped and looked at her again. She delicately shrugged off the shawl from her head, then turned and while facing him, she sat down on the flat stone. He could see her very clearly now......Aaahhhhhh....he took a deep sharp breath in...she was beautiful!.....stunning!....she was sitting with her face facing up to the moon, a blissful smile lightening her delicate features...Then gracefully she shrugged the shawl off her shoulders. He stood still, unable to take his eyes off the scene unfolding before him.