Love you forever

Chapter five/ a new life

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet." ― Plato

That I have changed
Since I first saw you
That I don't recognise myself
Is so true.
I know not the depth
of my love for you
But I carry you
in my heart

"Gaura my child!! We must hurry! It is getting better dark. Kaka is taking us to the chief! Our fate is now in his hands. Come we must be on our way."

So saying Baba and Kaka climbed into the front of the cart and Baba picked up the reins of the bullocks.  Sangini and I climbed in from the back, and we were on our way with a loud click.  Sangini quickly scuttled to the front of the cart. Excited to see the place they were going to be staying in. Seeing Sangini's attention elsewhere, she couldn't help moving back to the edge of the cart.

Holding the back flap aside she looked out, hoping to see him one last time before they left. He was still standing there on the same spot looking at my receding cart. I could not help looking back, unable to take my eyes of the lone figure, watching him till we took a turn and he was visible no more. I wanted to run back to him, look into his eyes again.......

"Gaura!! Look!"

Sangini's awe filled voice finally caught my attention and I mustered up enough enthusiasm to keep her from asking any questions in front of Baba. I did not want Baba to notice my sudden attraction for a complete stranger.

I crawled to the front to see what had Sangini in such raptures. What I saw just took my breath away. A high mountain wall was surrounding the valley we were in. The majestic beauty had us spell bound. This was a beautiful place no doubt.

I was curious now to see this new land, it seemed so different. Although Kaka was extremely talkative he had not said much about his village. I had assumed it was like any other village, what could be so different about this one. That, it offered us sanctuary was more than enough.

"Kaka!! You did not tell us that your home was so beautiful!"

Gaura chided.

"Gaura, dear! That was quiet remiss of me, but we as a habit don't talk about our village to anyone one.  We don't allow strangers into our valley. Our remoteness as well as our anonymity has kept us safe."

"But Kaka you got us here?"

Sangini's innocent question made everyone smile.

"Yes dear! But you all are not strangers to me. At least your father is well known to me and I can vouch for him. Then again I am simply helping a dear friend."

He told Sangini gently.

"So now that we can stay in your village, you have to also tell us all about it. You will tell us about your village?"

She asked persistently, a sweet innocent pleading look in her eyes.

He smiled and nodded. Pointing to the high mountain that was following them on the right side, he spoke" this entire valley is our home. We are on a plateau, which is surrounded by a deep gorge all around it. There is only one entry into the village, where we just came from. We are simple farmers, most of us. There, ahead, just up the road are the fields. God has blessed us with fertile soil. We grow enough to feed ourselves comfortably and to trade with too, for things that we can't grow or make here. Those mountains there to the right, well! They stand like a wall, against the harshest of elements, and below them we have cultivated some of the land into orchards for ourselves. The rest, the remaining part of the land below and most of the mountain top easily a few hundred acres of land is still a jungle. We like to leave as much of the land untouched as possible. We cultivate only what we need. And the jungle gives us more than we require.
Up ahead on the left is our village, and further ahead are the fields, that I told you about. I will show them to you tomorrow. For the safety of our village we even have a small army, who safe guards our lands and also maintain law and order in the village. Rudra is the chief our army. He is to be our chief later on, when our present chief his father decides to retire."
There had been pride in his voice when he spoke about his village, but now when he spoke about Rudra, it was pride and love. What an exceptional man he must be, to have earned such unconditional love of such a man as Kaka.