Originally posted by: proteeti
Jambavati
She looked at the glowing amber gem in her hand and back up at the doe-eyed man standing at the gate of their settlement. He looked tired.His yellow robes were spattered in dirt. Still, his face spelled relief. With an arm outstretched, he took a step forward. Instinctively, she backed. The gem slipped from her hand, and he picked it up. Will he leave now? Why did he have to come at all, and make her so vulnerable, only to leave so soon?! She thought, her mouth dried.
She watched in apprehension as King Jambavan, her father, rushed close, clutching the hand of her crying little brother. “Who are you?! How dare you enter my kingdom?!” The man smiled. “You do not recognize me, do you?” His eyes twinkled. The gem was still hidden in his palm. It sparkled through his fingers. They no longer were separate. Jambavati rubbed her eyes in disbelief.The mysterious ever-glowing gem seemed to have lost it uniqueness as a brighter aura emanated from him!
“Well,” he said, breaking the chain of her thoughts, “I must take your leave now, Sir. I need to get back to my place with this Syamantaka gem. It has wreaked enough havoc in my life, I just want to get it back to its owner.” Jambavan snatched the gem from his hand and threw it to Jambavati who promptly held it close to herself. Well, now you cannot leave.
He slowly shook his head, still smiling. “This gem belongs to Srimanta Satrajit of Dwarika. He had lent this to his brother Prasanta, who was killed by a lion in the forest which took that gem with it. I’m assuming you are the one who killed the lion and brought the gem back here. I thank you for safeguarding it, but I must take it back now.” Jambavan’s face contorted in rage. “Finders keepers, young man. This is the last chance that I am giving you to escape. Leave my land and never be seen again!” The man sighed, “Fine. At least lend me the gem, so that I can show it to my countrymen and then bring it back?” “I have no interest in this gem! It’s a gimmick for you foolish humans!However, it is my property now and I have given it to my children to play with.I will not snatch my child’s toy for a mere human! You will have to fight me to take it!” The man’s face hardened, “Well. So be it. “
Jambavati watched, the gem still clutched to her heart, as her father dueled the dark-skinned man. Before she realized, night had come. Both warriors paused their battle to pay obeisance to Gods of the evening. As she brought the holy water for her father to perform his rites, he instructed her to bring some for the young man as well. As she offered the pail, he clutched her hand. A little too long.
Twenty-eight days and twenty-eight nights passed by as Jambavati watched in amazement. The two men continued to fight. She was low-key a little afraid as well. She had never seen her father unsure on a battlefield but this time, he clearly struggled. Finally, on the twenty-ninth day the man had Jambavan,the King of all bears, on his back. Bewildered, she saw a strange kind of recognition flash across her father’s face as a blinding light filled their little cove! She couldn’t discern the figure that was outlined in the light beam or the lilting words that rang but she clutched the wretched gem closer to her heart, praying.
A wave of relief washed over her as she saw the man gently lift her father up as he weakly beckoned to her. Quickly she went up close to them. Jambavan gently took her hand and placed it in the man’s palm along with the Syamantaka gem. “This, my dear, is Prince Krishna of Dwarika. Place him on the same pedestal in your heart as our Lord Sri Rama! Since you are the most precious gem in my treasury and you also bear his Syamantaka, I hope I have your consent in offering your hand to him?”
A wave of something unknown swept over her. She felt her eyes welling up, her knees shaking as he looked at her shyly. Nodding coyly,she slowly removed a pearl necklace and tied it around his slender neck, ready to follow him to his land.
How is it? 😳
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