Love you forever

Chapter nine/ back to safety

"I want you. All of you. Your flaws. Your mistakes. Your imperfections. I want you, and only you." — Unknown

Far from the jungle
At the entrance to Kundalgad

Sleep was far from his eyes. But it was nothing knew to him. He was use to spending many nights on watch or on the lookout. Although it was very safe here in Kundalgad, but still danger roamed around. There were many wild animals in and around the jungles surrounding them.
Yesterday evening Agni Kumar had come with a message shortly after he had come home. He had passed on a new set of orders from the chief and left. The chief seemed more troubled then usual. It was not the first time that Rudra had got stuck in bad weather. Then why this fear. Rudra was the best amongst them. And he was always very careful.
Maybe it was not Rudra, but the fair Gaura. Ahhhh....the Vaidyaraj, he had seemed so afraid. And rightly so, as the father of any beautiful virtuous lady would be. And Kaka had been  clicking like a mother hen. The old guy had never married, and as such he no children of his own, maybe he was seeing Gaura as his daughter. It was good to see him worry for someone other than Rudra. Everyone knew of his love for Rudra. He had even taught Rudra most of what he knew, but then there was no doubt that Rudra had repeatedly proved his worth to all, in every field. He was not the best for nothing. He was not the best because he was the chief's son. Naaah!! He was the best, because he simply was that good. But the fair Gaura! She was aptly named, she was like the goddess Gaura,  beauty and strength personified. So she had managed to get under the tough hide of his. Hmmmnnn...she was no doubt such that anyone would fall under her charms. He who was so in love with his wife, he!! had been spell bound each time he had been near her. Why that evening when she had performed instead of Sambhava. She had seemed like goddess Shakti herself, her every move a pleasure to watch. Then that day at the conference hall she had walked in like a princess. She had held his attention as she had everyone else's there.
"Daiwat, chief Aare has sent us......" startled Daiwat turned to see three men standing in front of him. Ahhhh....Bika, Kusha, Kinshuk....Rudra' closest friends.....the chief has done well...

Nodding to the men waiting silently in front of him in the early morning light, at the entrance to the village, in the shed next to the bridge. At this time except for the two guards on duty and them there was no one about. It was still raining, although the intensity of the rainfall had lessened. A small fire was burning nearby. They went and sat down, to wait out the rain, at the moment the cliff side road was extremely treacherous, but they were trained and used to this terrain, they would cross over anyhow.

"Daiwat!......."

They all turned at the sound of the call. Seeing Kaka standing there they all got up in respect.

"Kaka!!....." Daiwat called out. Kaka turned back to look at some one standing behind. As though a signal, the person came forward. They both entered the shed, the second man came forward and removed the blanket he had covered himself with. It was Vaidyaraj, Gaura's father.

He looked at Kaka, and they both silently looked at each other, without uttering a single word, then they turned to looked at the young men standing in front of them.

"Vaidyaraj has something to say to all of you."

Kaka addressed them all.

Vaidyaraj stepped forward, looking uncertainly at the men in front of him. Then he removed a small bundle and held it forward to Daiwat.

"Please take this, it is something to eat......for them......"standing there hesitatingly......

Kusha came forward and spoke....

"Don't worry Vaidyaraj....we will not come back without them... Rudra is the best warrior of our village, and better then anyone I know of. He will not let anything happen to Gaura.