The Village Girl

Chapter Eighteen - [Aaryan]

Weeks of nothing but bliss had passed. There was never a time in my life that I was happier and every day I prayed to the gods that I could give Seetha the same kind of happiness that she seemed to be giving me.

I had written a letter to my father, reminding him of my decision to marry Seetha and confirming that that had not changed. I also informed him that once the situation in the West had settled, I would return home only to prepare for the official engagement. I had made up my mind. This was the woman I was going to marry and my nothing would change that.

My father's response was prompt.

Though he reminded me to focus on the mission at hand, he gave me his blessings and informed me he would begin the preparations as soon as the West calmed.

"Your confidence in your love for this young woman brings me a sense of satisfaction," my father wrote. "However, upon your return I ask that you bring a copy of her birth chart. If her family does not have one, bring as much information about her birth as possible. It would bring me great peace to know for certain that the gods favor this marriage as much as you do."

Birth charts. A simple document based in the stars which was recorded right at birth.

I frowned when I read it.

It was custom to compare charts before marriage. Marriages often only went through if the charts were compatible. The alignment of the stars during my birth must match with the alignment of her stars during her birth.

Of course, I did not doubt the gods at all... however my father's words did worry me. I could argue with my father for as long as I wanted about my decisions... but I could not argue with the charts. If the charts said no... it was a no.

I tried to shake the thought.

How could I fall so madly in love with a woman who was not meant to be mine? It would be a foolish trick played by the gods, and I knew my gods did not play tricks. I had faith. I trusted them.

And so I responded to my father, accepting his request and thanking him for accepting mine.

And I also accepted his request for me to focus more intently on my job. I did not want to take my father's trust and acceptance to granted.

Unfortunately this meant I would be seeing less of Seetha. The men of the fort needed to be train and I did not trust others in doing a good job in that more than I trusted myself.

It was after the sixth day of not seeing her that a warrior rushed over to me as I wiped my sweating face with a towel. We had just finished training and training on the sixth day of the week was always intensive.

"My Prince," the young warrior bowed low. "There is a girl here to see you. We denied her request however she demanded it," he hesitated. "She claimed that you would not be pleased if you found out we turned her away."

My eyebrow rose.

"Do you want us to send her off?"

"No," I found myself smiling. "I'll go to her."

When I reached the entrance of the fort, I saw Seetha standing there alone, a large basket in her arms.

The moment she saw me, I saw her smile grow a thousand times in size.

"That is her," the warrior said.

"I know," I left the warriors side and walked to her. "What are you doing here?" I asked, ignoring the curious gazes of the men around us.

"Food!"

We returned to my bedroom together and the first thing she did was gape in awe. "If your room here is this big, how big is your room back at home?"