| Baahubali | Official Updates & Discussion Thread #27 | - Page 107

"M..ma..ma.. Ed.. edo.. Ann...ttt..tan..nndi"

Huh! Devasena felt so irritated! And here comes the dramaqueen.

"Amma what amma? Vadu votti amaykudu thalli. He is such an innocent fellow"

Well Devasena could not agree more. But she had to unravel this mystery. She was sure that the person standing in front of her was no Moddhu. So she decided.

"Adi Choodam! Basavanna ni pilipichandi. Let us see! Call for Basavanna!"

And then she went to her Bava's chariot and got an Eeti and threw it to him. And he caught it right on. She smiled. Today she will know who this Shivudu was in real.

But she was growing so irritated with this Dramaqueen.

"Cheepurapulla kuda patuko telini amaykudu chethili inta pedda eeti ichi nilapetarenti? Why have you given such a big spear to a person who doesnt even know to hold a broom stick?"

She smiled as she saw Basavanna racing and coming on the path where she made shivudu stand. She also saw something in his eyes. She was so sure that he would do something.

"Adi chooste Eddu.. Veedu Chooste moddhu.."

She signalled her soldier to shut the Dramaqueen up as she watched and observed Shivudu actions. He was not letting his eyes away from basavanna. Devasena was sure that he was going to stop Basavanna.

But instead, he turned to her. The moment his eyes held hers, she saw something in them. Like a promise. She did not know.

But next moment, the spear fell from his hand and Basavanna hit him throwing him out of the path. She signalled her soldier to catch BAsavanna and ran to shivudu.

And why won't this Dramaqueen shut up? What was he saying about the Maharani who would marry crippled Shivudu? Can't he see that he is just injured and not broke his arm.

But she couldn't stop herself from thinking that she was the reason for this state of Shivudu.

There were many other ways to find out if he was warrior or not. But she had to chose this?

Shivudu was brought to his quarters. And again this Dramaqueen was doing his drama! For a moment, when he pulled Shivudu with his injured hand, why did she feel her heart beats racing in fear? And why did she felt it so right when she let Shivudu's head fall on her heart?

Why did it feel so right? Yet not so right? Why couldn't she see him in pain? May be guilt? She did not know.

"Yuvarani Meeru padathara?"

That Dramaqueen uncle of Shivudu asked. She glared at him. Was he really asking her to sing lullaby for his nephew? Whom did he think she was?

But then she heard him sing asking who would care for his nephew, the moddhu, the orphaned.

And that did something in her. She herself being an orphan, knew the pain of not having a mother to sing to sleep or to not a hva father who could show you the world at the same time keep us safe.

She did not know, what made her do what she did. But in Gopika poornima where they should have been happily singing about Krishna and his leelas! She was instead singing a lullaby and got caught by her Vadina.

But she felt so satisfied when she saw him asleep on the branch!

But she also felt agitated. He was sleeping on a branch. What if he injured himself?

She could not get past that thought. Escaping the teasing glances of her maids and Vadina, she rushed to the garden where he was still sleeping on the branch.

She looked at his face very keenly. He looked so innocent as he slept. And the smile on his face.. Happa! What was that smile? What was it doing to her?

She was about to touch him, to wake him up. But something made her hesitate. At that moment, Shivudu opened his eyes and looked at her. For a moment she could feel her face warming up. Darn that man and his intense stance.

But she composed herself and looked stern and frowned? Was he smiling?

"Yu.. yuvarani?

He called getting down from the branch. He slipped and she was about to help him when he stood up on his own. Not showing her tension, she maintained her stern glare.

"What are you doing here? Ikadem Chestunav?"

Again did he smile?

"A..adi.. M..meeru.. Jo..jola pada..ra.. N..nenu nidra p..po..poyanandi.. That you sand lullaby.. And I slept!"

He said. She couldn't help the flutter in her heart looking at his oh so innocent smile.

"Is this the place to sleep?"

"A..Adii"

Devasena silenced him showing her palm. He pouted cutely. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Noppi ela vundi? How are you feeling?"

Again smile?

"Mee.. paata.. Lo.. Naa.. N.. neppi.. Maayam.. Aa.. ayipoyindandi. You sang and my pain vanished"

Devasena understood that he understood. And his smile said the same. Now she was so sure that he wasn't any moddhu. But a very nice man. She smiled. She did not want to test him anymore. Because she knew he was not some spy. And she knew that her trust has never been misplaced.

"Velli paduko!"

She said and turned.

"A..Attage Yu.. yuvarani"

She heard him say. And this time she definitely heard a smile in his voice. She too smiled and walked away from there.

The moon in the sky stood as witness the the blossom of first love of Devasena to a Moddhu.. No.. An innocent warrior.

And the end😉