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Ballads Of Nirvana
Chapter 20
Part 2
“Thank you.” Were the two words she managed to say. “For saving my life and being there for me.” She whispered. He pursed his lips and only nodded, barely an acknowledgment, but then it was something.
“Come. Let me help you get on.” He extended his arm elegantly and she took it with a smile on her face. She sat with her legs on one side, beside her Agni who mounted Kuvalya and took the reins. His hands were wrapped around her as he did so.
Indriya felt her heartbeat raise slightly, but she had the situation under control, at least that is what she thought until they started to ride and she had to lean into him and felt his steady heartbeat on her forearm.
__________________________________
Agni found it hard to breathe suddenly as he felt the Princess lean into him. Her head rested against his heart. He was taking long breaths to calm his heart that threatened to run if he stopped doing so. Her scent hit her all of a sudden like rain on the thorn shrub. He could smell the scent of sweet pea as the strands of her hair calloused his face. He took it in, as much as he could as though he could never smell fresh air again.
Agni felt like he was dreaming when he saw her earlier, she looked like Tilottama who walked out of Indra’s court for a mere human like him. Especially the nose ring she’d adorned, he rarely shopped for gifting a woman and it was pure instinct that he bought it. She looked so stunning that Agni fought the urge to touch her, just to see if she was real. Even now he debated pulling the reins to stop abruptly just so he could feel her closeness.
He looked at her to see she was blushing profusely. ‘But why?’
And then the truth hit Agni like a rock, she could hear him think, ‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’
This couldn’t be happening, but then again she didn’t say a word even after listening to all that. She could hear her think and yet she kept quiet? Or was she just feeling cold?
Agni felt his cheeks heat up and he was glad she didn’t lookup. He felt her tense as they entered the forest. Agni slowed down the horse, and he could feel the throbbing of her heart. He smiled at the thought of why it was beating so fast and hard, and moreover so wildly. _______________________
‘Tilottama, Agni thought I was looking like the most beautiful woman in all the fourteen realms.’ Her gut tugged at the thought.
Indriya’s heart threatened her that it would tear out when mercifully, Agni stopped by pulling the reins, abruptly, she crashed into him with such force she thought that she both would fall but thankfully she regained her balance. He got out first and then he caught her at the waist and helped her get down (literally picked her up and put her on the ground). She didn’t want to speak, she knew if she did, she would speak gibberish.
“Here we are,” Agni said suddenly.
His gesture of ‘helping her get down the horse’ almost gave her a cardiac arrest. He literally picked her up by the waist and put her down on the ground, in the process she almost fell upon face first but that was thankfully ignored by both. Oh, if this went on her poor heart would get squeezed and she would die. She didn’t know why she was affected but she was, it wasn’t supposed to be something to give a second thought to but here she was who already imagined a hundred scenarios as to what would happen if they fell down together.
They walked into the forest for at least half an hour, the daylight almost vanished as the canopy covers grew denser. Indriya could smell the forest, she could almost taste it on her tongue, the dew that had settled on the tiniest of the leaves had still not left since morning and it was quite chilly in the forest. The birds of the forest almost seemed to chirp in greeting, the perfect symphony of the songbirds and the insects, she felt was the song of the forest was singing to her on her birthday. Soon enough they reached a clearing. It was the most picturesque sight as the stream of water flowed from the rocks above. One single syringe of water flowed peacefully and touched the water below. A serene, sparkling stream of water flowed onto the smooth eroded rocks.
It was a breathtaking view as the turquoise water nearly reached their feet and flowed slowly, as though it was a song of slumber and brushed past the bank as a touch of comfort.
This, she thought, will be the last best memory with him. A memory she will live to cherish all her life and that will sadden her whenever she would think of this man. This man, who won’t be more than a stranger with memories once she regained what he thought she had lost. He thought she had lost. The abyss near her heart somehow cut further deeper than she thought it would. But she realised she would lose to it, that she would be consumed by it if she truly lost him.
“Let us settle down shall we,” Agni muttered as he brought the satchel bag and emptied all its contents save for one item. It was intentional, she realised that he had hidden that one item because it was a surprise. And so she let it remain hidden. She thought this was surprising enough but he had more in store for her. He always seemed to have more in store for her, care, anger, concern and friendship. Perhaps more than just friendship. She didn’t know, she didn’t want to know.
Agni spread out a huge mat under the shade of an old peepal tree, she was surprised he bought books along with a generous amount of food.
“Books?” Indriya raised her eyebrows.
“Yes, another tiny gift, all my favourites. Maybe you would like them as well.” He casually shrugged his broad shoulders.
“I don’t read romance, Princey Popinjay.” Indriya purred.
“No, these are not romance, Princess. Romance is one of my favourite genres, not the only one.” He scoffed as he handed them over. Indriya read the titles of the hardbound novels one by one and picked up a Fantasy title. After reading a few pages Indriya forced herself to put the book down for Agni, she could have immersed herself in it but then he was here for her so she fought the urge for him.
“Don’t you think I already have a lot of this in my life?” Indriya asked, holding up the book with one finger inside to keep it from closing.
“Fantasy? If you're referring to me, then, yes.” He gave her a sly smile.
“Yes, of course,” Indriya said in a sweet tone playing with her hair and batting her eyelashes at him and he chuckled looking at her.
“Anyway, this place...how did you find it?” She asked.
“Aprameya showed it to me. I mean sure she did drench me with water as a punishment for summoning her in the bathtub.” Indriya raised her eyebrows and snorted, “Of course, not when I was not bathing. But she did help when I said it was for your birthday.” Indriya laughed, tipping her head back.
“Maybe you're not all that bad after all, Prince,” Indriya admitted.
Agni smiled at her in a way that would set most women running like their pants were set on fire. But she gave him a disarming smile too.
Indriya Vatsalya and Agni Tamas chatted merrily for what seemed like hours, the twilight darkened into hues of lilac, Indigo and gold. After completing all the snacks they had bought, Agni lit up a fire using some sticks he had found around. He surprisingly knew how to do all that work of survival even though he was born and raised a prince. But Indriya thought that it was survival for Agni, from the moment he was born till now.
He manoeuvred the leather satchel bag and took his last gift out, the turquoise violin gleamed in the firelight like the sea blushes when the rim of the sun kissed. Beautiful and vivacious. Indriya beamed at him, he was going to play for her and he smiled at her gently. A side of Agni she had never seen, she thought that if she might look at him any longer she would probably never go back to being friends with him.
He cradled the turquoise violin in his arms and held it like a baby, gently, delicately it was so opposite to how he held a sword. And he started to play. He played and Indriya closed her eyes listening to the melody like she was going into the depths of a sea, but then he suddenly stopped. She knitted her eyebrows and opened her eyes and she saw Agni staring at her, his nose a whisker away from hers, she gasped.
© YDR
Part 2
“Thank you.” Were the two words she managed to say. “For saving my life and being there for me.” She whispered. He pursed his lips and only nodded, barely an acknowledgment, but then it was something.
“Come. Let me help you get on.” He extended his arm elegantly and she took it with a smile on her face. She sat with her legs on one side, beside her Agni who mounted Kuvalya and took the reins. His hands were wrapped around her as he did so.
Indriya felt her heartbeat raise slightly, but she had the situation under control, at least that is what she thought until they started to ride and she had to lean into him and felt his steady heartbeat on her forearm.
__________________________________
Agni found it hard to breathe suddenly as he felt the Princess lean into him. Her head rested against his heart. He was taking long breaths to calm his heart that threatened to run if he stopped doing so. Her scent hit her all of a sudden like rain on the thorn shrub. He could smell the scent of sweet pea as the strands of her hair calloused his face. He took it in, as much as he could as though he could never smell fresh air again.
Agni felt like he was dreaming when he saw her earlier, she looked like Tilottama who walked out of Indra’s court for a mere human like him. Especially the nose ring she’d adorned, he rarely shopped for gifting a woman and it was pure instinct that he bought it. She looked so stunning that Agni fought the urge to touch her, just to see if she was real. Even now he debated pulling the reins to stop abruptly just so he could feel her closeness.
He looked at her to see she was blushing profusely. ‘But why?’
And then the truth hit Agni like a rock, she could hear him think, ‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’
This couldn’t be happening, but then again she didn’t say a word even after listening to all that. She could hear her think and yet she kept quiet? Or was she just feeling cold?
Agni felt his cheeks heat up and he was glad she didn’t lookup. He felt her tense as they entered the forest. Agni slowed down the horse, and he could feel the throbbing of her heart. He smiled at the thought of why it was beating so fast and hard, and moreover so wildly. _______________________
‘Tilottama, Agni thought I was looking like the most beautiful woman in all the fourteen realms.’ Her gut tugged at the thought.
Indriya’s heart threatened her that it would tear out when mercifully, Agni stopped by pulling the reins, abruptly, she crashed into him with such force she thought that she both would fall but thankfully she regained her balance. He got out first and then he caught her at the waist and helped her get down (literally picked her up and put her on the ground). She didn’t want to speak, she knew if she did, she would speak gibberish.
“Here we are,” Agni said suddenly.
His gesture of ‘helping her get down the horse’ almost gave her a cardiac arrest. He literally picked her up by the waist and put her down on the ground, in the process she almost fell upon face first but that was thankfully ignored by both. Oh, if this went on her poor heart would get squeezed and she would die. She didn’t know why she was affected but she was, it wasn’t supposed to be something to give a second thought to but here she was who already imagined a hundred scenarios as to what would happen if they fell down together.
They walked into the forest for at least half an hour, the daylight almost vanished as the canopy covers grew denser. Indriya could smell the forest, she could almost taste it on her tongue, the dew that had settled on the tiniest of the leaves had still not left since morning and it was quite chilly in the forest. The birds of the forest almost seemed to chirp in greeting, the perfect symphony of the songbirds and the insects, she felt was the song of the forest was singing to her on her birthday. Soon enough they reached a clearing. It was the most picturesque sight as the stream of water flowed from the rocks above. One single syringe of water flowed peacefully and touched the water below. A serene, sparkling stream of water flowed onto the smooth eroded rocks.
It was a breathtaking view as the turquoise water nearly reached their feet and flowed slowly, as though it was a song of slumber and brushed past the bank as a touch of comfort.
This, she thought, will be the last best memory with him. A memory she will live to cherish all her life and that will sadden her whenever she would think of this man. This man, who won’t be more than a stranger with memories once she regained what he thought she had lost. He thought she had lost. The abyss near her heart somehow cut further deeper than she thought it would. But she realised she would lose to it, that she would be consumed by it if she truly lost him.
“Let us settle down shall we,” Agni muttered as he brought the satchel bag and emptied all its contents save for one item. It was intentional, she realised that he had hidden that one item because it was a surprise. And so she let it remain hidden. She thought this was surprising enough but he had more in store for her. He always seemed to have more in store for her, care, anger, concern and friendship. Perhaps more than just friendship. She didn’t know, she didn’t want to know.
Agni spread out a huge mat under the shade of an old peepal tree, she was surprised he bought books along with a generous amount of food.
“Books?” Indriya raised her eyebrows.
“Yes, another tiny gift, all my favourites. Maybe you would like them as well.” He casually shrugged his broad shoulders.
“I don’t read romance, Princey Popinjay.” Indriya purred.
“No, these are not romance, Princess. Romance is one of my favourite genres, not the only one.” He scoffed as he handed them over. Indriya read the titles of the hardbound novels one by one and picked up a Fantasy title. After reading a few pages Indriya forced herself to put the book down for Agni, she could have immersed herself in it but then he was here for her so she fought the urge for him.
“Don’t you think I already have a lot of this in my life?” Indriya asked, holding up the book with one finger inside to keep it from closing.
“Fantasy? If you're referring to me, then, yes.” He gave her a sly smile.
“Yes, of course,” Indriya said in a sweet tone playing with her hair and batting her eyelashes at him and he chuckled looking at her.
“Anyway, this place...how did you find it?” She asked.
“Aprameya showed it to me. I mean sure she did drench me with water as a punishment for summoning her in the bathtub.” Indriya raised her eyebrows and snorted, “Of course, not when I was not bathing. But she did help when I said it was for your birthday.” Indriya laughed, tipping her head back.
“Maybe you're not all that bad after all, Prince,” Indriya admitted.
Agni smiled at her in a way that would set most women running like their pants were set on fire. But she gave him a disarming smile too.
Indriya Vatsalya and Agni Tamas chatted merrily for what seemed like hours, the twilight darkened into hues of lilac, Indigo and gold. After completing all the snacks they had bought, Agni lit up a fire using some sticks he had found around. He surprisingly knew how to do all that work of survival even though he was born and raised a prince. But Indriya thought that it was survival for Agni, from the moment he was born till now.
He manoeuvred the leather satchel bag and took his last gift out, the turquoise violin gleamed in the firelight like the sea blushes when the rim of the sun kissed. Beautiful and vivacious. Indriya beamed at him, he was going to play for her and he smiled at her gently. A side of Agni she had never seen, she thought that if she might look at him any longer she would probably never go back to being friends with him.
He cradled the turquoise violin in his arms and held it like a baby, gently, delicately it was so opposite to how he held a sword. And he started to play. He played and Indriya closed her eyes listening to the melody like she was going into the depths of a sea, but then he suddenly stopped. She knitted her eyebrows and opened her eyes and she saw Agni staring at her, his nose a whisker away from hers, she gasped.
© YDR
