THE HOMECOMING
"Are you trying to cheat me?" said an exasperated Vrushali.
"Believe me putri...these are the sweetest mangoes of Aaryavat!" counter stated the fruit seller, silently praying for his victory against this stubborn adamant lady.
"Come on Vrushu! Buy them quickly...I can't bear this scorching heat anymore!" interrupted the boisterous Mrigakshi, Vrushali's cousin.
"Okay... I'll buy them and if..." Vrushali paused midway and listened, never before had she listened so carefully.
The market place din of Champanagri was unusually loud to make out any specific noise, but these distractions were no match for her unbelievable power to concentrate. The sound was a familiar one-the sound of the clattering of a horse's hooves and by each passing minute it became clear and distinct.
No sooner had she heard the noise than a silhouetted figure of a man on a horse back emerged from the opposite side of the road. Vrushali's eyes couldn't believe it; she could not feel her surroundings her entire focus was on the approaching figure. She had imagined and re-imagined this instance so many times in her mind that it felt like a dream! "Radheya" she said softly, in an inaudible voice.
The man on the horseback had a solid gold armor on his chest which glistened like molten gold in the sunshine and this was enough for people to understand who he was. All the people were awe-struck and amazed as they looked at this charming man. Few young maidens who stood in the corner of the adjacent shop started whispering and giggling. The face and the eyes of the rider shone with an unnatural gleam which was inexplicable and it was enough to attract the attention of any passerby.
His eyes were fixed towards the horizon on the opposite side and the horse moved quickly towards that direction. The horse swished past Vrushali and she remained there still frozen-like an ice. She closed her eyes and captured the whole blissful moment in her heart.
"Vrushu?" said Mrigakshi and shook her a little, "He's back!" shrieked Vrushali, jumping out of joy, her heart leaped out of excitement and she hugged Mrigakshi tightly who was completely bewildered by her strange behavior.
Vrushali clutched her cousin's arm and started running towards their home. "Putri!...your mangoes!" shouted the fruit seller from behind but she turned a deaf ear to all that was happening around and in an instant they were out of the fruit seller's sight rushing towards their home.
Mrigakshi kept asking Vrushali the reason for her sudden excitement all along their way but all she did was to smile shyly.
She had waited for this day for so many years and finally the day had arrived. She counted each day since his departure and finally her Radheya had arrived. She just hoped that god had also listened to her constant prayers for the success of his mission of finding a teacher and becoming the best archer of Aaryavat.
On their arrival at home, Vrushali saw that his horse was already stationed in their stable yard and Shon, Radheya's younger brother was feeding and taking care of him, but she couldn't spot her man anywhere. Poor Mrigakshi who was out of breath and panting, breathing heavily did not miss to notice the desperation on Vrushali's face and gradually she understood her cousin's state of heart-her hopeless love for the eldest son of their neighbours Radha & Adhirath, Radheya...
"Vrushu...he's gone inside the house!" said Mrigakshi, "What?" Vrushali was taken aback by her reply and she turned completely pink. "Well it was not hard to guess you see" replied Mrigakshi and then continued in a hushed tone "We'll see him later...let's get inside before our mothers see us!" Both the girls exchanged a secret laugh as they went inside the house but the redness on Vrushali's cheeks didn't go away easily.
TO BE CONTINUED...😊😊
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