You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter twelve

Prabhas leisurely made his way to where most of her family was. Once he reached, he noticed her sat down with Nithya on the floor as both of them helped make garlands at the temple. When he caught Mithrah's eyes, he winked at her to which she blessed him with an exaggerated scowl. Soon after Veeraiyandi came with a beaming elderly woman behind him.

By then Rana and Thara had also arrived together, both immersed in a conversation with eyes for nothing else. Everyone looked at the pair, some with curiosity but most with warm smiles aware of the blossoming love between the two.

Veeraiyandi handed the woman a bag with a new saree and a basket of poojai items to which she thanked him wholeheartedly. It was a tradition of their family to give away new clothes and poojai items on the first day of festivals.

As the elderly woman turned to walk away, Nithya suddenly leapt up from where she sat, her eyes lit up in recognition. "I know you!" she exclaimed in excitement. "You're the fortune teller aren't you? Please come and tell us our future!" She bounced on the spot like a child, holding onto the smiling fortune teller's hand.

The elder family members all laughed at her and turned around to continue whatever they were doing before. However, the younger members, although cynical, circled the woman as she sat down. Mithrah looked around to see everyone else also sit on the ground so she mirrored them and sat directly across the elderly woman who was beginning to make sketches onto the sand.

Mithrah leaned closer to Nithya who was on her left and whispered, "Doesn't she need to see our palms or something?"

Nithya shot her a look. "This is geomancy."

"A what?" Rana asked equally confused.

"It's the ability to make predictions of the future by making marks on the ground, sand, earth, or soil." The fortune teller answered, her eyes not leaving the ground.

Mithrah was strong with her faith in religion but fortune telling and such had always been a topic she was cynical about and her opinion didn't change as she watched the lines the woman was making on the ground.

Prabhas was sat right beside the fortune teller and he saw everything with amusement. Ever since his mother's death, religion itself was something he barely believed in. But regardless he sat down with the rest in curiosity of what the woman was going to say.

After a few moments of silence and exchanges of confused glances, the woman finally stopped drawing lines and analysing them. She looked at the mixed expressions waiting for her to say something. With a small smile, she began her predictions.

"This family will be blessed with good health and happiness in the days to come. This would be the time to seek new alliances and form a partnership for success and to make important career decisions. Joyous days are just on the horizon. This family will see smiles and laughter. There will be a union of love. Yet, the tears will follow. Dangers will arise. Those who are eager to see this family burn will try their best to bring the house down. But the Goddess will be there to guide you all in your prayers. The bad days will pass and the good will return." She finished with her eyes closed shut.

The same thoughts fluttered through the minds of most of them and that was the fact that it was a generic prediction. Mithrah amusedly thought to herself how anyone who knew this family knew they would always be in danger from Bhavani, no matter how many days of happiness they have. Yet the one prediction that had the biggest impact seemed to be the 'there will be a union of love.'

Prabhas was the first to look up at Mithrah who also happened to glance at him in that moment. Yet, it wasn't just them two. Thara and Rana had turned to look at each other. When Rana saw the small smile on her face, he confidently took ahold of her hand in his and felt the soft squeeze she placed on his palm.