Hello back with another small OS I wrote after a song gave me inspiration and how its lyrics fit Abhiya in my mind so well đ đł hope you all like it!
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-1919-
âThe orchids have bloomed. Theyâre still your favorite, right?â
With this faint murmur, a small bouquet of white orchids, whose stems were tied neatly with a red ribbon, was placed on the grave of an old woman who passed away only a few days ago. The ground was still freshly dug into, headstone still shiny and polished. He came after the funeral service ended, for some quiet and some time with her.
Thatâs all they were lacking, time.
The funeral itself had been a quiet affair. It was attended only by a few neighbors and a caretaker. For most of her life, she lived alone, in a cottage on the outskirts of town. It was close to the forests. She always mentioned the place being so special to her that she couldnât live anywhere else. No one could understand the sentiment, except for him.
Her special visitor crouched and stared at the headstone, fingers glossing over the engraving of her name, before standing and leaving the home of the dead with a wistful smile. It was getting a little too late for his presence to be considered normal. He had done this many times before, but it never hurt any less. One look back, just one.
Donât make me wait too long, jaan.
The clouds gathered above as he walked home, and began to pour rain as if the sky was mourning along with him. This was a common occurrence whenever she passed, and whenever they met again for the first time. He stared at his pale reflection in the puddles forming at his feet, frozen in time, cursed to wait and wait for his beloved only to never be able to be with her for more than a few years. She could not walk with him, side by side. It was too dangerous.
I promised you I would always be happy, but itâs starting to get unbearable, without you.
She was the only respite in his dark life. Only her memory persisted so strongly in his mind and heart. Their story started in Pandher, back in the late 1700s. She was born a princess, and he, a poor stable boy. It was remarkable to him how their paths crossed and entwined at the time. Like a red string of fate kept them bound together, no matter the circumstances.
Her name was Maithili back then.
When he was a boy, he had once saved one of the kingâs generals from a wild horse, by taming it before the latter was trampled and injured. That general was impressed by his skill at such a young age, and asked him for his name and if he wanted work, seeing the cloth bag of food scraps now on the ground. He took the offer readily, and began to work at the palace, simply for better pay.
Until I met you.
He remembered it as clear as the night sky. It had rained on his first day. While he was feeding the horses, he heard the stealthy chime of anklets behind the corner. That was the first time she voluntarily went into the stables, just to see who the new boy was. Otherwise, she didnât like horses and would do anything to get out of riding lessons. They were about the same age. She didnât have many friends, as she was forbidden to converse with commoners, and longed for the kind of companionship she saw other kids her age have.
âWill you be my friend, Abhayendra?â
Her question came a few months later. He recalled being flustered at the time. The princess of Pandher wanted to be friends with him? Out of all people, him? Reluctantly, he agreed. There was something about her that he couldnât say no to.
He was the one to teach her horseback riding, and sometimes they would flee the palace grounds together in her pretense of training on more realistic terrain. Horse races were a common activity that they enjoyed together. She would always win. Sometimes he let her win.
And how could he forget the day they confessed their feelings for each other? He remembered that day quite fondly, followed by the long night that they intimately shared in each otherâs arms. She always smelled like white orchids, her favorite flower. It was a dream worth living. He had made plans to ask for her hand, or elope if things got out of hand. But before he could reveal it himself, someone else caught wind of their relationship and informed the king. Seeing such a relationship as a disgrace to their kingdom, they were both sentenced to death, to be burned alive in an old hut outside the kingdom. Names wiped away from historyâs pages.
He didnât expect to survive it.
He was saved, but he wasnât human anymore. They told him he was now a blood-drinking beast known as a vampire. But the rest was tuned out, as he was mourning the loss of his beloved. For years he had wandered the earth, getting used to living alone and in his new form. When the fire died out, he had searched amongst the ashes, finding the necklace he gifted her, still pristine. He kept it with him ever since, to pretend she was there when she actually wasnât.
That necklace remained in his coat pocket. He buried his hand in that pocket and weaving his fingers with the chain, reminiscing.
Pandher wasnât the end of their story. He met her again, 25 years later. He had no doubt it was her, just with a different name and family. The pull was still there, and ever strong. They crossed paths while he lived deep in the forests nearby her village. She had gone to fetch water from a river one night, only to be attacked by a wild animal on the way back. He had saved her by killing it, and told her to run away. After that night, he couldnât help but go looking for her.
ButâŚ
He kept his distance, knowing that his secret could end up harming her. But fate played its games, and brought her back into the forests with the intention of finding and thanking him for saving her. He kept his back turned during every moment of conversation, knowing that if he looked at her, everything would crumble and he wouldnât be able to stay away any longer.
âHave weâŚmet before?â
âNo. We have not.â He said, coldly.
He knew she was stubborn. That never changed. She became curious about him, and made every effort possible just to see him. Even she couldnât understand what drove her so much to do this, just that her heart ached whenever she saw him. He felt familiar, no matter what he told her. Soon, they would fall in love again and share some moments of happiness with one another, until she found out about his secret. He tried so hard to control himself, but the bloodlust of a vampire always got in the way. He almost made her his dinner, more than once. It became a necessary habit. If she found out his secret, he would wipe her memory. They would kill her if they found out that she knew, and he didnât want that for her.
Otherwise, he held onto the hope that they could be together for as long as he could. But it never lasted that long. Something would always force them to separate, and there hadnât been a single time where he didnât wipe her memory.
And she never married in any of her lives. Her soul still remembered him, and refused to become anyone elseâs. In every life she had, they met, fell in love, and parted. She lived alone after, and died alone with his lingering memory in her heart.
-2010-
Affixing a bloomed orchid in his suit pocket, Abhay adjusted himself in the mirror. He stared at the photos and drawings on the wall, one for each life he spent with her. After cameras were invented and commonplace, they always took a photo next to the lake where they first confessed to one another, even though she couldnât recall its significance. Sometimes, if she fell asleep during their time there, she would murmur those memories to him as dreams.
If only these images werenât soâŚ.fragmentedâŚ
He let his fingers fall from her face in the most recent one, and wiped a tear from underneath his eye. He checked his watch, finding himself late. Abhay Raichand was not known to be late, and of course no one would believe the reason why if he ever was. He grabbed the small gift box, car keys, and an umbrella, before heading out.
He was invited to a lavish party tonight, at the residence of an old business partner that made his acquaintance quite quickly. It was his and his wifeâs anniversary, naturally the crowds would be a larger than usual one. A plus one was mentioned in the invitation, but he came alone. He hadnât found her just yet.
âAbhay, where have you reached? The cake is about to be cut.â
He laughed, as if he was going to partake in eating the cake that would be there.
âI am here. Just parking.â
âGreat! Weâll be waiting.â
He hung up and stepped out, feeling drops of water fall on his face. He was right in his prediction of it possibly raining.
Good thing I brought the umbrella.
The umbrella shrouded his face from those close by. The rain began to pour, and the wind began to blow harshly. As many of the guests rushed inside, yelling and pushing, one girl stayed outside, spreading her arms out like wings and taking enjoyment out of the late spring showers. The droplets caressed her face and fell gracefully into the soil. Something about these rains, they brought her immense joy. She twirled and twirled in a soulful dance, eyes shut. Her sandals were kicked off, lying in the grass somewhere behind her.
âPiya! Come inside, you're going to get sick!â
âOh come on, Panchi, donât spoil the fuââ
She stopped, accidentally walking backwards a little too far and bumping into Abhay. It looked like she was apologizing to him, but he could only hear the rain fall around them in the beginning.
âIâm so sorry, I didnât see youâŚâ
She thought she had scared him, given his expression. But he was in slight shock, as he always was. Fate always surprised him with her arrivals. His eternal yearning had paused for another handful of years, if he was lucky. Extending his umbrella, he softly smiled without a word, giving her cover. His heart ached while hearing her profusely apologize, no matter how much he shook his head and said it was okay. She couldnât answer her own question as to why her cheeks burned bright red upon looking at this stranger. Her heart ached when she laid eyes upon him. That smile he wore, it held so many memories and so many mysteries. She felt like she had seen him somewhere before this, but couldnât pinpoint where exactly.
âHave weâŚmet before?,â she asked.
Abhay lost himself in her twinkling eyes once again, and chuckled, shoving one hand into his coat pocket, weaving his fingers with the chain of her necklace. She hadnât changed a bit.
âWho knows? Perhaps we have.â
The rain continued to fall, and neither moved their feet.
I missed you, jaan.
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Song link: https://youtu.be/djKdPZiJdvA
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