(Book 4) Hayden Mackay and The Fest of Vrindahina

31.1 Rendezvous

"Pruthvi! Pruthvi!"

Pruthvi's heart leaped up hearing Leena's ringing screams that penetrated tearing through the air. He unwillingly dropped his connection with Tyrell and lost his focus on his stone. He spun around and ran uphill towards the temple. He felt pushing himself beyond the endurance, his breath felt rasping and he hated himself to walk away to this amount of distance leaving her alone.

"You scared me half to death!" She continued shouting.

Pruthvi netted his brows in confusion. It sounded like a friendly warning, but she was still loud and sounded shaky. It took a minute or two finally reach the hilltop and he straightly headed towards trees where she had slept earlier. He found Leena standing against the person seemingly in black robes. Her hands were directed towards the ground, knees slightly bent, she was ready to attack with her newly mastered command.

"Gee! Calm down, Princess. Who would have guessed that in these crucial days a Samagraha could actually sleep?"

Hearing the voice, Pruthvi slowed down. He jogged upfront, and then gave a sudden halt to his momentum finally recognizing the voice. He now stood completely motionless right behind Leena, gaping at the profile of the person lost in the shadows. The short and green well known parrot circled in the air above the man's head. The man slowly walked nearer coming out of the shade of the trees, carrying a notable smile on his face. Surprise followed by fury lit Pruthvi's insides, as he finally got a proper look at the one he was forever indebted to.

"Shourya?" he said with a reproach, taking a step forward, "Have you been spying on us?"

"Oh no," he said, shaking his head. He lifted his hand up, letting the bird sit on his finger. He slightly leaned over and whispered in its ear. "Go!"

Maruti might hardly have ever looked so discreet and quiet. Lack of Nazira to pet it seemed to have depressed it immensely. Pruthvi watched it in skepticism when it silently flew over and glided down to sit on his shoulder.

"Aren't Hayden and Nazira returning day after tomorrow?" Shourya said, and then pointed his finger at the parrot that had it head buried in its wings, "Just trying to unite the lost friends."

"You sound pretty sure about their return," asked Leena, her voice shrill.

Shourya scoffed. "It's Hayden Mackay. Shaytan Rup might kill himself unable to bear his curious mind."

Pruthvi gently caressed his sister's bird realizing that it had come close to him for the very first time. Two days and a night had to yet to elapse before he got to see them-Hayden, Nazira as well as Tyrell. A month might not have seemed a long time, but now, at this moment it felt like an eternity.

"How do you know we are still here?" He asked, incredulously.

Shourya gaped, his eyebrows slanted inwards. "Even after you knowing very well about me, you still have that tone of surprise," he said, sounding insulted, "Wasn't I the one who sent you here in the first place?"

"Yes," Pruthvi answered, glancing sideways at Leena who didn't once look at him, "That happened more than two weeks ago."

"Oh, I know about Panchayat's notice," he said, calmly, as if it was a matter of indifference.

Leena's mouth dropped and she looked at Shourya, desperate and bewildered.

"Damn!" Pruthvi exclaimed, before she could, "Is there anything you possibly wouldn't know? Hayden judged you so right, you are...omnipresent and...know-it-all."

"Well, say thanks to him for me." He smiled mischievously. "Anyway, I just wanted to lend you Maruthi, and tell Nazira I miss her." His smile faded, and he barely seemed to contain his eagerness. "Now that I am here-Pruthvi, what did you think about my request?"