The Blessed Pratibimb

Chapter-9

Adhrit and the girls tried their hardest but couldn't found Isha anywhere. They searched the whole forest, city, temple and even the palace but it seemed as if Isha just disappeared in the thin air.

Arihant was impatiently waiting for the return of his lover. The winner was already announced. It was a street girl, she served her king with her food. Arihant nodded at her to show the respect and her smile costed a million gold coins. But right now Arihant was in some other world.

Suddenly the tent's door opened and in came a huffing Adhrit, Mina and Hina. Arihant looked at them frowningly, but when Adhrit looked at him with shame and pain. He understood that he haven't found her. He stood up without thinking anymore.

Before someone can stop him he ran out of the tent, even without looking or listening to Adhrit and girls. He went straight to the temple, checked her room. Check every room in the temple. Went to the city, where everyone bowed to him but he his eyes only searched for Isha, which was nowhere to be found in the city.

Then he moved to the forest, searching every leaf and branch, but in vain. He was looking for her everywhere like a thirsty seeks water in the desert, but all he could find was dry sand. The sun was about to set, his legs were on the shedding and lungs were on the fire. But he was nowhere near to stop.

Seeing him like this Adhrit's eyes started water. He couldn't see his brother in such a desperate state. He felt so helpless this time. He couldn't hold his tears anymore, he let them go freely.

Suddenly he felt someone's hand on his shoulder, he looked back, only to find Mina there. Her eyes were watered too, pain and guilt floated in her eyes as she came in front of him. She said, "I can understand your helplessness."

Adhrit only looked at the ground, he said, "I have never seen brother in such a despair. I have seen him sad, guilty, upset due to deaths in the battlefield. But I have never seen him in such a pain and the agony is that I can't help him."

Mina nodded, understanding his pain, she said, "We can't do anything in this Adhrit, it's their love. We are no one to speak here. That's why love is called the f*******n fruit. Pain is it's gift and tears are jewels. That's the eternal truth."

He nodded agreeing with them.

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Arihant was crazily searching for his love, when he heard Megh's neighing. He went to that direction. Soon after he entered the stable. He saw a smiling Isha feeding Megh and Bali.

It was the food which Isha have prepared for the competition. She was having a blissful smile on her lips, she looked so content. So do Megh and Bali.

They were dancing around her and she seemed to enjoy it.

Seeing her smile like that a relief washed over Arihant. He let out a breath which he didn't know he was holding. He stood there behind the door seeing his love having a beautiful smiling time.

Soon after Isha stood up from her place, embracing Megh, she said, "Okay, now enough fun Megh, I got to go."

Hearing this both Megh and Bali stopped at there places. She started to collect her pots. But Megh and Bali both started to neigh again, but this time it was sad for sure. They were trying to stop her from going away.

But she smiled and said, "What do you two want now? Look it's already this late, I have to do pooja too. Let me go, so that I can come back tomorrow, okay?"

Hearing this they stopped and Isha smiling collected all her pots she was about to go but she said, "Don't be upset now, I'll be back tomorrow."

Hearing this Megh and Bali both neighed loudly showing their happiness. She started to laugh at them and their emotional changes.

With that she went away leaving two very content horses behind.

After she left Arihant came to Megh and Bali. His eyes were holding tears of pain, shame and guilty. He left his lover in despair only to find her in pure bliss. He thought she would act like a immature girl and would try to do something wrong. But she on the other hand acted like a blissfully content true lover.

He started to caress Megh and said, "Megh I think I am a fool, I though she would act like a silly girl, but I never noticed how much she has grown up."

Megh nodded completely understanding what he was talking about. He came down to his head and pressed his head on Arihant's forehead to show it's okay.

But Arihant's eyes just left the tears, which were nowhere near to stop.

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Mina and Hina reached the temple at the time of pooja and saw high priest there. They thought this is the end of their secret, but then they saw Isha coming there with plate of puja. Their hearts were washed with relief now and they finally let out the breadth they didn't know they were holding.

Priest saw them and said, "Why are you two standing there? Com're it's time for Puja."

They nodded and with joining hands they stood in the lines, and Isha starting reciting mantras. Both Hina and Mina were confused as what was the main change there in her words, voice or attitude, but her vibes felt content and peaceful. She seemed too much in bliss.

After puja she started to distribute the prasad and priest asked her, "Isha, dear, where were you during the competition? Why didn't you showed up?"

Both Mina and Hina were shocked as to how he knew this? They thought they would get in trouble for sure now. But Isha, she just smiled and said, "Father, the street girl you saw winning, she was from a very poor farm and her parents really needed the money. Her mother and elder sister are sick and she needed urgent money to win for their treatment. So I shared my food with her and decided not to participate."

Hearing this not only priest, but Mina and Hina also were surprised. They didn't know this. Priest's chest puffed more with proud and he said, "Oh how thankful I am to Devi Maa to bless me with such a boon. Dear your mother would be really proud of you."

Isha nodded and said, "Father, can I ask you for something?"

He smiled and replied, "Ask for anything Isha."

Isha said, "I miss mother too much these days, I wanted to spend some time with her like other girls, but since she is not here, I would like to go to hill and play the flute with her favorite melody, only if you agree."

Priest understood what she meant and replied, "No one can stop a child to meet their mother, then who am I? Tonight is full moon, go on the hill along with Mina and Hina."

She smiled and hugged him. Hugging her back he said, "Daughter, you really are a blessing. I bless you with a boon ask for anything."

Isha smiled and replied, "I'll take it when the time comes, for now give me permission."

He nodded and she looked at Hina and Mina. She said, "Should we go?"

Hina nodded but Mina said, "But I haven't eaten anything..."

Priest burst out laughing at her comment and soon Isha and Hina joined too. Mina on the other hand smiled looking at their happy faces.

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After the dinner Isha was ready to go along with Hina and Mina. She took her flute and moved to Hina and Mina. Isha said, "Now can we go?"

Hina nodded but Mina said, "But tell us where have you disappeared to?"

Isha smiled and replied, "Lets reach our destination first."

They agreed and they started their journey. But Mina had something else on her mind. She sent her white pigeon to Adhrit with a letter.

As it reached the Adhrit, he was in his room studying new political matter. He saw a white pigeon and by the breed he understood it's a letter pigeon. He took pigeon and found a small chit attached to on its leg. As he opened it, it read-

Adhrit, it's Mina, no time to explain. Isha, me and Hina are going on the highest hill. Meet me there with the king.

~Mina

Adhrit practically ran to Arihant's room only to find it empty. He check every place in the palace but couldn't find him.

He though there's no use for this, he must visit the girls maybe they are in some kind of danger.

So he went to stable, only to find a unconscious Arihant, near Megh. He ran to him and check his nerves, which were properly working, he checked for any injury only to find nothing. He took some water and spray it on his face.

Soon after he started to come back to his senses. Black dots soon changed to the clear vision. Adhrit asked in a pure worried voice, "You okay? I found you unconscious here."

Arihant just nodded and without replying anything. Adhrit understood that he didn't want to talk about it, so he just shrugged the topic with, "Mina has sent us the letter. All the girls are on the hill top. We need reach them."

Arihant asked anxiously, "Why are they there? Are they in any danger?"

Adhrit just shook his head saying, "I don't know brother. But I know that we need to reach them as soon as possible."

He nodded and both the brothers sat on the their horses. Arihant said, "Megh, Bali, you need to be on the full speed it's about Isha. I know you both love her too. So we need to reach her as soon as possible."

Both the horses neigh at the same time and they started with there full speed towards the hill top.

After some half an hour, Isha, Hina and Mina finally reached on the hill top. Isha sat on the stone near the chasm, facing the moon. Hina and Mina sat in front of her on the small stones. They were a blissful peace in the air, but Mina broke it by, "Where would you leave then?"

Isha smiled as she noticed, Arihant and Adhrit coming. She welcomed them saying, "You took a bit long. Did Arihant was sleeping?"

Seeing her like this all of them were shocked. They didn't expected her to know all about this. For Mina, she was shocked to see Isha so casually welcomed them there. For Adhrit and Arihant, they didn't know how she knew that he was sleeping and for Hina she was shocked to see the boys and thought Isha was also a part of some kind of plane they made leaving Hina alone. She felt a bit heart broken but didn't show.

Isha smiled and said, "No need to be so shocked, Mina, I had already seen you send letter to Adhrit. As for Adhrit and his majesty, it was obvious for him to sleep after a long and tiring day."

They all nodded accepting her explanation. Isha said, "You all wanted to know where I was gone to and why?"

They all nodded except Arihant who though he already knew. She said, "I was gone to Megh and Bali to feed them and why so shocked your majesty was there too."

Arihant looked at her with a questioning look and she said, "I love you, your majesty, how can I not feel you when you're so close to me."

He looked away hiding his tears but Isha said, "I was gone from competition, not because I was unhappy or sad or something like that. It was complete opposite of that.

I am so happy to find a love like you."

She looked at Arihant with so much love and continued, "I used to think, love is mere exchange of feelings. So I never paid attention to it. But the day you defeated me, I knew that I have lost my heart also, but I never accepted it. But then my Guru told me to marry you for people's wellbeing. Then I though my love would be success not only for me but also for society.

But all these times, I never loved you. Sometimes I loved the guy who defeated me, sometimes I loved the thought of us being together helping society. None of them carried the purest love.

But when you hugged me I understood that how much you loved me.

With those tears in your arms I let go of any fear, pain or anxiety. I let go of all my egos. I dissolved I, me, myself and become pure love. I become you.

This love is not for society's wellbeing, or for some blessing, or for some other reason. It is love, only to be loved.

I love you, my king, my majesty, my lover, my Arihant, my love."