The Blessed Pratibimb: Chapter-3
Before he could react she was out of reach. He looked at his shaking hands, he just couldn't register 'why she was afraid of him? Does she thought he gonna punish her? Or maybe she simply didn't like him...' thoughts of his were getting out of control but Adhrit put his hand on his shoulder as he said, "You should talk to her."
He nodded and as he sat on his house he said, "Let's hope I can win."
Adhrit just smirked and said, "You will, Maharaaj."
He nodded and Megh started to the temple with his full speed. He was not sure if he would be able to calm her or not. But one thing he was sure of was that, he will make her smile no matter what. Her tearful eyes were too much for Arihant. Due to circumstances of his childhood he had never seen any girl closely. So, a girl or moreover a female except his mother, for him, was a mystery or basically a creature that should be protected.
He has never seen or heard any girl fight like that. He was mesmerized by her moves and her excellency in sword skill. She sure was an exception but he never wanted her to be hurt and her tears were proof that something deeply hurt her. He wanted to take all her pain away. Due to her exceptional skills the respect in his mind for her increased. She sure deserved more than what she was given. He wanted to give everything that she deserved. With that in mind he pulled his horse in front of temple. He went in and bowed to Devi Adi Shakti. He said, "Hey Devi she is your shadow let me have permission from you to meet her and give me enough strength to give her smile back to her."
As he was praying some more Mina came there to offer the prasad to him. He accepted it and said, "Devi, can I ask you something?"
She smiled and nodded as he started, "I wanted to ask, where can I find I-"
But he was cut off by Hina cried, "Mina!"
They both looked at her as she was gasping for air and she looked like she had seen a ghost. As she was gathering every air molecule she can, she said, "I-Isha..."
Mina asked worriedly, "What happened to her?"
Hina replied, "She locked herself in her room and refuse to come out. High priest won't be returning back till tomorrow."
Without thinking anything they both ran towards her room. He silently followed them without getting noticed and saw her room's entrance. He said to himself, "She must be very hurt. But why...?"
Both Hina and Mina were trying their best to open the door, they were trying to talk to her, but seemed like she just didn't want to listen. He sighed and went to the garden and looked here and there. Seeing no one he climbed unto the window which was open. There he saw a miserable site which he never wished to encounter. He found his love in her room crying her eyes out. She looked so miserable, so helpless. He went to her and tapped on her shoulder. Tears in her eyes were blocking her vision and she cleaned them only to find Arihant in front of him.
She stood up and bowed saying nothing. He started, "Isha I never meant to hurt your feelings. What is that that's making you this sad?"
She kept looking down without any word. He sighed and said, "Maybe I can help you know."
She looked up with only anger and pain floating in her eyes. She said, "You can? Really? Then change the fact that I am a Brahmin or become a Brahmin yourself."
He frowned and asked, "What are you even trying to say?"
She looked down as a fresh stream of tears started to flow from her eyes, she said, "My Gurudev have said that I will marry the guy who will defeat me."
His eyes went wide with surprise a new wave of happiness started to flow in his whole body. He looked at her from head to toe and asked, "Really? That means you will be my wife?"
"NO!"
Shouted Isha as she backed away from him. She looked at him with hateful eyes, "I am a Brahmin and you're a King, a Kshatriya. I cannot marry you! That's against society rules."
Saying that she fell on her knees and started cry her eyes out.
On the other hand, Arihant was shocked to an extreme extent. Those words pierced his heart into million of pieces. He was so excited hearing that but now he came to know he cannot marry her? Just why? Why cannot he marry the girl he like? He have never heard something like that. He sat down to her level and put his hand on her shoulder. He used his thumb to raise her chin. As she looked in his eyes, they were holding tears of pain, happiness and contentment. He said, "Isha, don't worry, marriage will happen only when the groom would be ready too."
She kept looking at him and he continued, "I will not marry you."
Though the words in the sentence were only five, but he felt as if each word was like a chain on his heart. He breadth were heavy and calm and his heart suddenly felt cold and empty.
But Isha, her eyes filled with hope and new happiness. She said in a cracking voice, "R-Really?"
He nodded shortly with tears forming in his eyes. She wiped her eyes and stood up saying, "You are greatest king! You really are greatest!"
He smiled while looking at empty floor. 'Sure the greatest fool' he thought. While she was swimming in her own happiness. He stood up in his own thoughts. She said, "Oh pardon me. I didn't even asked you for water or something. Would you like to have anything?"
He went to the window and said, "Maybe later."
As he jumped out and went to his Megh, his eyes just couldn't stop leaking and he just kept going back to the palace without looking back. His heart was getting heavier and heavier with each step, but because of his promise, because of his love he just couldn't look back. 'Maybe first love is meant to be broken.'
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Adhrit was waiting for his brother's return in his room but it was getting too late. The fact that the king is not in the palace could leak anytime now. But suddenly he heard footsteps coming and saw his brother entering there. He was in anticipation to what happened so he asked desperately, "So when are you getting married?"
He went to balcony and started looking at the stars. Adhrit thought his brother was being shy as he followed him and asked him, "So, should I tell mother or you want to her on your own?"
Arihant couldn't look at his brother as he replied in a small voice, "Adhrit, first love is never meant to work."
Adhrit was out of confusion right now, he just couldn't understand what his brother meant and asked, "What do you mean?"
Arihant said, "She is a Brahmin brother and I am a kshatriya. We are never meant to be."
Adhrit debated, "But brother, you're the king and it goes all by your saying."
She smiled sadly and said, "In my world Adhrit, in my world it is. But her world, her world revolves around her family and their reputation. I cannot force her in my world."
Adhrit started, "But brother-
Bug was cut by Arihant saying, "No Adhrit, I can't force her. It wouldn't be love to force her or make her bend towards me. Love means freedom brother and I want to give her every freedom. If she doesn't love that okay, it doesn't affect my love towards her. This is the fact Adhrit I will love her for the moon and back even if she doesn't love me back."
Although it felt way to much sad for Adhrit he knew his brother won't budge from him prescription. So he thought maybe he could help him a bit. As he was about to leave Arihant said, "Adhrit, brother, don't you make any move that would hurt me."
By this Arihant meant clearly Adhrit to stay away from Isha or her family. He knew his brother would try to convince her and he didn't wanted his love to be force at any cost.
He added, "Let me enjoy my own love. After all waiting patiently for your love is also another form of love. So what if it's a bit painful, it is always lovable."
Adhrit just sighed and nodded and went to his own room. He was furious, not at anyone but at the situation. He took a heavy breadth and said, "Oh Lord Shiva, do something. My brother has got his name after you, now you help him get his love like you got your Ardhangini, Maa Parvati."
With that he went to his bed and the whole palace seemed to dim it's light along with Arihant's heart.
Days passed and become week. Weeks become months and since that day Arihant never intentionally or unintentionally crossed Isha's way. On the other hand Isha, she completely forgot about him. It was nightmare for her so she just washed away all her memory and started to live her normal life. But she didn't know what Strom was heading towards her life. All her dreams of perfect life were about to shatter, with just one dream she was about to do the biggest mistake of her life...
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Ardhangini: Other half (for female)
Maa Parvati: Wife of Lord Shiva and main form of Kali.
Maharaaj: Your majesty.
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