Dusky Moonlight

Chapter- 7(1)

Rathi followed Aadhiyan who's walking too fast for her speed. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked.

"Don't ask, you'll know once we go there," he replied.

"Okay but why you're walking too fast?" she asked and he stopped.

"I am not walking fast, try to say that you're walking too slow," he said since he doesn't like it if someone complains him.

"And don't talk useless things keeping the actual matter in your heart," he told and that boosted Rathi's confidence to ask him what she actually wanted to.

Before she could proceed, he started walking inside the farm. The sound of chirping birds and the smell of fresh greens made Rathi look around in delight. Rolling up his sleeves, Aadhiyan picked garden scissors, diggers, and basket on the shelf at the entry.

"Come with me," he told.

"That's what I am doing and I'll do even if you won't ask me to," she muttered.

"What? What did you say?" he turned to her narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing, I just said yes to follow you," she faked a smile.

Aadhiyan kneeled on the mud to cut the tomatoes that are ready to harvest. Rathi stared him closely, she watched how he flips his hair that fell on his face and how his eyes examined it before putting it in the basket. She wanted to smile at him but she controlled. She felt he is interesting to watch without having any idea about how dangerous he is and his intentions are.

Suddenly Aadhiyan turned to see her and Rathi changed her face stern. He waved her to sit and Rathi did hesitantly.

"You're confused?" he looked at her.

Rathi nodded her head. "How did you get hurt?" she asked pointing his hand.

"Finally you asked," he chuckled letting out a sigh.

"You'll get hurt when you stand against nature. But I am not someone who easily gives up so as a result, I got this," he said simply and continued to clean the weed that has grown near the plants.

"But it's nothing, all I concern about is you. I want you to be alive," hearing that Rathi's heart started racing for the second time in the day.

"You're telling this because I will end your curse right?" she asked. She knew he needed her for his needs, it hurts, at the same time, she felt happy that at least she is helping someone in her entire life.

"Yes, you're right," his small smile faded in his beard face thus making it with no expression.

It's hard to hear that from him but Rathi accepted his honest reply. She wanted to know what type of curse is that and how he got that and whether these are all real?

"Why did you fainted last night? Are you that scared?" he asked before she could start on her queries.

"I don't know why," she didn't tell the truth.

"I am worried last night." He blurted.

"When I came back to the shore, I felt something odd and ran straight to see you. You're unconsciously lying on the floor and didn't wake up at all to my shouts. I carried you to the room then you came back to conscious but again you fainted without having your food. I thought you're tired so I didn't try to wake you up."

"Oh," she huffed knowing that he didn't change her clothes.

"Then I changed your clothes and made you warm," he told like hearing her thoughts and Rathi's eyes shot open in shock.

"You changed my clothes? I thought your grandmother did," she squealed.

"My grandmother can't even stand straight then how can she do; I did," he sniggered.

"Why did you do that?" she scowled.

"You're all wet and shivering in the cold. I don't want you to become sick," he reasoned.

"Don't worry, I am going to be your husband after a week and you'll see me naked and I will see you naked. It's not a big deal," Rathi looked him unbelievable hearing his blunt reply.

He got up and moved to pick the onions, "But before marriage that's unacceptable. Don't you have any other woman here?" she asked.

"Sumaya and my grandmother are the only women in this place."

"Das's wife?" Rathi asked.

"She died," he said.

"What about your mother?"

"I said there's no one. It means they are all no more," he finished annoyingly. Rathi's face becomes swollen hearing his cold tone and looked down.

Rathi got up to leave and Aadhiyan pulled her hand, she stumbled on him and he held her hand strongly and closely. So they ended too near and he insanely ruining her senses by looking at her intently.

"I don't take anything to my head and I don't have any sort of feelings for you. So don't exaggerate and now don't go," he said and Rathi gulped to see him. His breath wafting on her face giving goosebumps on her skin.

"You need to do something, that's why I take you here," he told and headed to get a plant sampling. From the texture, Rathi found it's a mango tree.

"If someone passed away, we used to plant a tree in the memory of them. And that will be planted only by their close relative. Mostly husband will do that, but Shankari had only you so you need to plant this." He gave the plant and took her to the place where they usually do that. It's more like a tree-cemetery. The air was blowing hard and the place is eerily silent. The sun is covered by grey clouds and at any time it will start raining.

Aadhiyan dug a hole for the plant and Rathi saw there are a lot of trees and some are looked too old. She placed the plant and closed the gap with the mud, after watering she got up with teary eyes.

"Did my parent's also here?" she mumbled.

"Yeah your dad is here," he said and showed the neem tree beside.

"Shankari planted this," he added.

Seeing that Rathi can't control her tears. She started sobbing closing her mouth.

"How did he died?"
"I don't know," he said without seeing meeting her eyes and moved out of the place.

Rathi went near the tree and placed her hand on the rough wood. "Why did you die giving me this life?" she asked and tears trundled her cheeks.

Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes using the end of her saree. Rathi walked to the house leaving Aadhiyan on the farm, He didn't stop her and continued his work to finish it off before it starts to rain. The dark clouds followed above her head and once she reached inside the living area the rain started pouring. She cried sitting on the chaise for her parents, she not even knows how they looked and didn't share any memory with them yet she cried because she couldn't get those things and now she has no one by her side to rely on.

Rathi doesn't know what this life is? All of a sudden she is introduced to people who controlled her life for all these years. She doesn't have a mind to think much about her life and agreed to come with him but now she is feeling so afraid. What will a twenty-year-old girl who doesn't have much knowledge to read people will do than crying?

When she was letting out her emotions, Aadhiyan placed his hand on her shoulders and she turned to meet his face. He knelt before her and gazed her eyes welled with tears.

He pulled her waist to hug her and Rathi felt uncomfortable to hug, "Soon you'll be free from this pain," he whispered near her ears and Rathi got a small comfort by his words but didn't understand what he actually meant.

"To Truly say, you looked so beautiful last night," he said and Rathi pushed him away hearing that.

She bit her lip trying to not laugh yet she couldn't control her blushing. She peaked him and saw his charming eyes observing her in a very charming way that could attract her in a thousand more ways.

"I don't know how long we will be together until then I will make your days memorable," he assured. Rathi's lips stretched in a small smile looking at him but she doesn't know that Aadhiyan has sparked that affection for him in her mind at the right moment.