It was nearly midday and the villagers were thronging the massive Raizada Orchard, choosing their fruits and filling their homely baskets with the wares.
This time, as was not the usual custom, they had brought their children along so that, if there was a possibility that the Lords would permit them, they could have a glimpse of the child (who was, unfortunately, forbidden from alien sight until the Ceremony was over).
Unaware of this wish of the villagers, Lady Anjali sat in an armchair in her birthing room, her child held close to her bosom.
As she nursed her child, she looked across the room at the sunlit window above the bed and was reminded of the last Orchard Summer Sale which was the first time the Gupta daughters had found themselves wandering to the gates of the Castle and had consequently triggered the course of events that made this entire tale.
Smiling thoughtfully, she looked down at her child who was suckling milk in her sleep.
"My little Princess," whispered the young mother lovingly, "My beautiful gift."
It was expected that Lord Arnav, as was his regular routine when it was time for the annual Summer Sale, would leave for the Industry or for the town, away from the clamour and crowd of the villagers in his territory.
But his family and servants as well as the villagers were astonished to find him, walking about in the Orchard, his hands smartly clasped behind him, observing them and even responding with a nod to those villagers who bowed to him as he passed them by.
Under the First Lord's meandering inspection, the villagers had all chosen to be quiet, and the parents or elder siblings would whisper caution to the younger children to curb their restless loitering about in the Orchard.
It was at this moment that one of the children, from the Village cottage that Lord Arnav had visited when he had stayed the week at the Gupta's place, came towards him and timidly lifted up her basket to the First Lord towering before her.
Surprised by the gesture, Lord Arnav looked down and was astonished on finding what the basket held. Within its crest were a dozen pomegranates, freshly plucked with drops like dew fastened on the red rinds, presumably wet from a thorough wash.
The little village girl bowed to him, still holding the basket before her as her parents stood behind her, their expressions expectant and wary.
Lord Arnav's acute ears had to strain to pick out the mumbled words of her feeble voice, "For the Princess born to the lovely Lady Anjali..."
For a moment, he could only stare at the basket and at the white ribbon on top of the little girl's bowed head. At the same time, he realized that the crowd had turned suddenly silent, children and elders all motionless and watchful.
He looked up and read the anxiety on the parents' faces. He looked down at the girl, static in her spot, still holding the basket before her as a relentless offering.
Lifting his hand, Lord Arnav reached for the basket and the girl looked up in innocent joy as she let him take the basket from her hold. Behind her, her parents' beamed in jubilant relief.
All of a sudden, as though they had been waiting for the signal, every villager in the Orchard courageously prodded their children forward towards where Lord Arnav stood in the middle of the Orchard and a multitude of little heads approached him, holding baskets laden with red, bright pomegranates.
Lord Arnav swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and blinked his strangely moistened eyes as he looked around at the sea of little heads bowed to him, their little hands lifting up their gifts for the "Princess" of the Castle.
He had looked over his shoulder to the children behind him, when he lifted his gaze and caught the presence of Kushi in the crowd, dressed in a sunny yellow gown.
There were women surrounding Kushi, thanking her by words and by hands held, but Kushi's eyes were only on her husband, for his gaze of gratitude and surprise was her biggest reward.
She watched with growing pride how Lord Arnav patted the heads of the children in acceptance of their gifts, occasionally offering to shake the hands of a few excited young lads.
Few minutes later, turning about, Lord Arnav walked through the little crowd and emerged into the crowd of women.
On realizing the First Lord was in their proximate midst, the women withdrew, bowing, leaving his way unobstructed to access his wife.
Stepping towards her, Lord Arnav took her hand, his eyes on her face.
A teardrop slid down her cheek, and she whispered, "I though I'd done it for Di, but I realize now I did it for you, my lord."
"And this is for you," said Lord Arnav and then, he turned around, his arm around the back of his wife's waist and addressed the crowd.
"Dear children, kind ladies and respectable men of the South and North Villages," his voice rang loud and demanding across the wide Orchard, turning all heads and bringing all villagers to huddle before him in awe of being addressed directly by the First Lord.
Kushi gaped at him. A man who NEVER stayed for the Summer Sale, because he hated crowds of villagers, was here greeting them in person!
His face betrayed no emotion as he stood tall and let his firm words sweep across the garden air, "I would like to personally...thank you. For coming here every year for the Summer Sale and sharing in our bounty. For being considerate enough to bring your children along with you for this year's sale."
"Sire, we bought them for Lady Anjali's sake!" called out a daring villager from the crowd.
Kushi froze and looked worriedly at Lord Arnav, afraid he might fume that someone had interrupted him while he was speaking.
But she was astonished to see Lord Arnav's eyes lighting up as he looked over the crowd, "Indeed, it is for my sister's sake too, that I wish to thank you in return. For having nurtured these fruits in your beloved gardens, cultivating them close to your homes, close to your hearts... You grew these fruits not by water and sunshine but by loyalty... and love."
Pray, someone prick me with a needle so I will know these words are not from a dream I am having, Kushi found herself wishing in the middle. Can this really be the man I married?
She bit her lower lip, for she desperately felt like crying and laughing all at once.
Lord Arnav resumed his speech, not knowing that, beside him, his wife was struggling to keep a straight face.
"But I know the one I must really thank is the 'mind' behind the manifestation of this gift," here he turned to Kushi, "my wife and her ruthless eagerness."
Forgetting herself, Kushi giggled at the comment and then felt so embarrassed by the sudden attention of the crowd and the speaker upon her that she awkwardly attempted to step back. But Lord Arnav's arm was still around her back and he pulled her closer to his side.
His hand's hold firm on her hip, he continued to address the crowd, "I know many of you are disappointed that I did not invite you to my wedding which was, for reasons of that moment, decided on justifications and conducted in haste. But I would like to rectify that communal negligence by inviting you to the North Temple for tonight's ceremony of my niece's Amphidromia where you will not only be able to personally hand over the gifts and wishes to my sister and her child but you would all be accorded as witnesses of the Ceremony."
An excited murmur erupted in the crowd at the proclaimed invitation and Kushi couldn't help but stare at her husband.
Unabashed, he looked at her, "What is it?"
Kushi frowned suspiciously, "Who ARE you?"
Lord Arnav chuckled and then, forgetting where he was, leaned in and kissed her on her cheek.
Blushing red, Kushi frowned at him, "It is forbidden for the First Lord to take such liberties in public!"
He only smiled and then leaned closer to her ear, "Thank you... my wife."
"They have brought what?" Lady Anjali sat up, astonished.
"Pomegranates, my lady," Surabhi the cook replied, "Freshly sown, tended and grown in their own gardens."
Lady Anjali forgot all about the tea that was on the table before her.
"My lady," Surabhi bowed politely, "Your tea will turn cold. If you will finish it, I could take the tray away and let you resume your dressing for the Ceremony."
Lady Anjali looked at Surabhi, "Do you really mean the Villagers grew pomegranate trees in their gardens for... for my child?"
"For you and your child," corrected Surabhi.
Lady Anjali was overwhelmed and felt tears rise in her eyes.
She got on her feet.
Surabhi stood alert, "My lady, your tea!"
Lady Anjali was restless, "Have they gone back to the village-? Are they still in the Orchard?"
"My lady, they-"
"I must see them- I must thank them-" She made to move for the door.
Surabhi interjected, "Master Arnav has done that for you-"
Lady Anjali halted midway, "Chotey? Was he here for the Summer Sale? Had he not gone to town?"
"No, my lady," said Surabhi, leading her mistress back to her armchair, "He was in the Orchard the entire time. He even gave a speech on your behalf to them and then he and Lady Kushi personally invited the villagers to tonight's Ceremony."
"These are too many causes of elation for a day!" Lady Anjali sank into the armchair and spoke in a daze, "I can't believe... the villagers? Pomegranates? Chotey?"
Surabhi lifted the neglected teacup and saucer, "My lady, if you will find your calm through your tea, maybe you will begin believing its all for real."
Lady Anjali took the offered tea, "Surabhi, what is happening to this home?"
"Good things, my lady, good things," winked Surabhi, and then the cook's gaze of admiration fell on the child in the crib who smiled in her sleep, as though the angels in her innocent dreams were telling her the story of how all of Arhasia had loved her even before she had been born.
Veer Hanuman
Kumkum Bhagya
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