The Village Girl

Chapter Eleven - [Seetha]

When my tears had dried and Maadu had finally fallen asleep, I stood up, deciding that it was time that I went to sleep too. My eyes were tired and swollen and my heart was aching. Plus, tomorrow would be a new start for me. If my desire to speak with my mother about marriage actually went through... then everything would change almost instantly.

I was eighteen.

That was old in my mother's eyes.

My sisters were both married off at sixteen, my brothers at nineteen.

I knew my mother was eager to have me married to someone, before I became, what she called, an "old maid" which no man wanted to marry.

After blowing out the candle that my brother had lit, I opened our little barn's door and was surprised by the chill. It was a cool night... cooler than usual.

The thought of whether or not Aaryan was riding home in this chilly night flashed through my mind, but I ignored it. Instead, I closed the barn door, pulled the hanging end of my sari around me to keep me warm and picked up the basket which I had left at the entrance.

But just as I lifted myself up, I heard something that sounded like a horse.

I held my breath for a moment, trying to hear it more clearly, and realized that it was coming closer and closer. Suddenly, the sound stopped.

I took a step forward, realizing that it was coming from behind the barn.

I felt a fear rush through me.

The last time I heard horses this close to my home was when I was a child and our village was under attack. I wondered if that was why there were more warriors than usual occupying the streets of our little village. Were we going to be under attack?

I froze again when I heard a thud, as if someone had gotten off the horse, and then quick footsteps coming in my direction.

I prepared myself to scream, to warn my family. That was the best I could do.

But just as I took that breath, a man was in front of me.

I blinked, feeling the breath I had taken be knocked right out of me as I dropped my basket in shock.

I barely recognized him at first... but it was Aaryan.

He wasn't in his usual simple tunic, nor was his hair tied back into a stubby ponytail. He didn't look like a simple warrior today.

He was wearing the loveliest kurta I had ever seen in my entire life. It was a rich royal blue colour that fell to just below his knees but had an embroidered cream waistcoat with a short collar that was raised. The sleeves were also a royal blue and were long, but were pulled up to below his elbows and the trousers were a clean white.

Even at the most grandest of events, the most elegant kurta my father and brothers owned was a simple white one. It was the only one they owned, and the kept precious care of it. Aaryan's entire outfit made my families richest of clothes look like rags.

He didn't wear much gold though, aside from simple gold earrings, a simple gold chain, and that one bangle which had caused so much trouble over the last few weeks. And his hair was combed back, though looking slightly windswept, strands of hair falling over his face.

And on his forehead, he had a crescent moon shape drawn on in red, both of the ends pointing upwards.

He looked like a prince now. He really looked like a prince.

I was lost for words as he stared at me with an odd look of exhaustion.

And then a strange embarrassment ran through me. Here I was, standing in front of the most beautiful man in the world... and all that I was right now was a mess.

My eyes were swollen, my hair was a mess and I was standing in front of him in a hideously old sari which I was previously sitting on the barn floor with while my cow rested her head on me.

But that was besides the point.

Despite the chill of the weather, I felt my body go warm. "What... are you doing here?" I asked. "Aren't you supposed to-"

"I could give you whatever you ask for," he suddenly said. His expression was hard and unreadable. "Anything in this world could be yours, I'm sure you've considered that, yet you still deny me?"

I began holding my breath. I wasn't scared... but I was nervous. What was he going to do? Yell at me? Or maybe insult me before he left? Did he want to have the last word?

"You are a fool," he said.

I let out my breath, preparing for the worst.

"But let me tell you something," his face suddenly softened. "In my entire life, I can swear to you that I have never asked for anything of importance. I have never truly desired anything. It may have well been because of the fact that I already had everything from the moment I was born, but aside from this kingdom and the people in it, everything that I do have is useless."

I was confused by his words, not knowing where he was going with this.

"I do not need the silks that I own, nor do I need all that gold. None of it is important. But do you know what that means?" He asked. "There is nothing I care about. I have no real meaning to my life. All I have that is truly my own is the title of Prince and the skill of a warrior."

"That's not nothing," I said, still not understanding what he was trying to tell me.

He ignored me. "What is it that you dislike about me?"

"I don't dislike you," I said quickly.

"Then it is simply my title?"

I hesitated.

"That's one of the two things that I do have. And of the two things I have, that is the one that I did not chose for myself," he said. "Why are you making a decision based off of something that I did not choose for myself?"

I bit my lip, not even knowing what I was thinking anymore.

"Forget about the fact that I am a prince and hear what I am about to say as a man being honest with you."

I was frozen, but after a moment, I forced out a nod.

"I will take care of you," he started. "I will do everything I can to take care of you. Not because you need taking care of or that is my duty... but because I want to do that for you. I want you in my life. After meeting you, I cannot go home now and marry a simple women. And..."

My heart was racing and my entire body was warm. I couldn't believe he was saying this to me... and suddenly things were becoming a little clearer.

He took a step closer to me and now he was right in front of me, only inches away. "And... I want you to be the reason I come back home," he said. "I am a warrior. I leave for battles and wars and training all the time, but never have I felt a push to stay alive so I could go home. In my mind, I always assumed that I would die for my country. But you have made that change."

I let out a breath.

"I want you to be my reason for wanting to stay alive and come home. To you."

I couldn't believe he was saying this to me, so I hugged myself, not knowing what to say back. He wanted me to be his reason to live? I could not believe that I had left such an impression on him, but at the same time he seemed completely sincere.

This made me realize how deprived of love he must have been. I had heard the Queen was cold... but cold enough to raise a son who did not have anything to live for except maybe his country? I had so many reasons to want to stay alive. My mother, my father, my brothers and sisters, even my in-laws and my nieces and nephews. And of course... Maadu

I feared death.

I feared leaving behind the people I loved most.

I feared not being able to answer questions I have always wanted answered.

I feared being lonely once I was gone.

And it was this fear that made me love my life. I had a challenging life, yes, but I loved it and the people in it nonetheless.

I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to not feel that way.

He was a prince, yet... like he said... he had nothing of value. I had more than him. More of the important stuff, at least.

And here I was... fearing him for the things he didn't have.

He stepped forward again, even closer to me than before, and took one of my hands in his. "I have to leave," he said. His voice was suddenly softer and kinder and when I looked up at him, he was looking at me with a look that screamed longing. "This will be the first time that I will have to leave you," he continued. "So... give me a reason to come back," he said. His lips were so close to mine that I thought he would kiss me.

But he didn't.

And, after pushing away my last bit of fear, I pulled my hand away from his and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. I felt his shoulders relax beneath me as he hugged me back. His embrace was tight and warm and when I pulled away I saw him smiling.

He pulled that bangle of his off of his hand and slipped it onto mine once more. "This is yours now," he said to me, before taking that same hand and pressing his lips against it. "Just as I am yours."

I felt my cheeks warm up because of his words.

"I will never change you," he said. "I will keep you happy."

"Then first prove to me that you will keep your word," I said.

He tilted his head to a side.

"Go home... and then come back to me as soon as you can," I said. "We can speak more and make promises once you return."

He let out a soft laugh before embracing me again. He held me for some time, but as soon as I saw a light go on in my home, I pulled away quickly. "You have to go," I practically hissed in a panic.

"Why?" he asked.

I picked up my basket before pushing him as hard as I can. "My family can't know yet!"

I heard him chuckle, but he did as I said, jumping back onto his horse when he reached him. "I will be back," he said. "Wait for me."

I nodded, smiling at him.

And after a moment of just looking at me, his horse reared back and they were off.

"Seetha?'

I turned around quickly, seeing my confused brother at the door of our home, a candle in his hand. "What-"

"Coming!" I said, running towards him with my basket.

"I heard a horse," he said when I reached him. "Who was that?"

I simply shrugged, walking into our home... heart fluttering.

He was leaving... I should have been sad. But I wasn't.

Maybe it was because I was so sure that he would come back.

He would.

I was certain of it.