'The sun shines too brightly, the birds are chirping up a storm and the river, oh God! Why does it have to be so loud? And those clouds, will they carry my message to the Raja like they carried the yaksha's in Meghadutam all the way across the country to his wife in Mount Kailash? Then why do they float about and mock me thus?' Payal sighed as she rested her chin against the window sill. The brightness of the day only brought to life the deep, heavy darkness in her heart.
She looked down into the field. 'What now?', she thought. 'Why are those boys setting up a target there? Can't they find another field to practice archery in? No, no! I want to sulk and cry and moan today, in peace.'
She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on the cold window sill to block out every last ray of light. 'Good grief! Here they come, to ruin my day.'
She opened her eyes to see a file of young men each carrying an ornately carved bow walking into the field. They talked and laughed amongst themselves, princes and peasants alike, such was the rule of this kingdom.
The old archer, Druv, called out to them to fall into position. Payal groaned, 'Druv...Raja himself was trainer by him. This will be a long morning.' She sulked and sighed, rubbing her tired face against her arm.
"Prithvijit, why don't you come up and set an example for the others?', boomed Druv.
'Prithvijit! Huh? Who might that be?', Payal looked down and her breath caught in her throat.
A young man walked towards the target, his feet hardly touching the ground. Soft black curls framed his face and fell on his smooth forehead; his bare chest and shoulders radiated a cool, soothing glow. The rough dhoti, encircling his sculpted waist, could not conceal his muscular thighs which rippled as he walked towards Druv. Payal wanted to look away but she couldn't.
Druv handed him an arrow. He put it to his bow and pulled it taught. Payal gasped as the muscles on his arms and shoulders rippled in the sunlight. He turned his body slowly and locked his gaze on the target. She felt the tension in his bowstrings resonating in every muscle in her body. She held her breath as her heart thumped deafeningly. With a loud twang he let loose the arrow. Payal ducked below the window involuntarily as she heard it whiz through the air.
Suddenly, the whole field erupted with cheers. She looked down to see the arrow pierced deep into the middle of the target, quivering slightly. She felt a deep excitement welling up inside her. He was beaming at his friends with a triumphant smile.
Lost in the excitement, Payal didn't realize that she was in full view. For a split second, he turned his head up towards her. His soft brown eyes locked with her's and he smiled. She felt as if her whole body was on fire, she quickly dropped her gaze and smiled back, unable to bear the intensity of his eyes. She moved away quickly from the window; suddenly aware of her smudged kohl, her unkempt hair and her tarnished jewelery. She took a moment to steady herself and looked out again but he was gone.
She looked down into the field. 'What now?', she thought. 'Why are those boys setting up a target there? Can't they find another field to practice archery in? No, no! I want to sulk and cry and moan today, in peace.'
She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on the cold window sill to block out every last ray of light. 'Good grief! Here they come, to ruin my day.'
She opened her eyes to see a file of young men each carrying an ornately carved bow walking into the field. They talked and laughed amongst themselves, princes and peasants alike, such was the rule of this kingdom.
The old archer, Druv, called out to them to fall into position. Payal groaned, 'Druv...Raja himself was trainer by him. This will be a long morning.' She sulked and sighed, rubbing her tired face against her arm.
"Prithvijit, why don't you come up and set an example for the others?', boomed Druv.
'Prithvijit! Huh? Who might that be?', Payal looked down and her breath caught in her throat.
A young man walked towards the target, his feet hardly touching the ground. Soft black curls framed his face and fell on his smooth forehead; his bare chest and shoulders radiated a cool, soothing glow. The rough dhoti, encircling his sculpted waist, could not conceal his muscular thighs which rippled as he walked towards Druv. Payal wanted to look away but she couldn't.
Druv handed him an arrow. He put it to his bow and pulled it taught. Payal gasped as the muscles on his arms and shoulders rippled in the sunlight. He turned his body slowly and locked his gaze on the target. She felt the tension in his bowstrings resonating in every muscle in her body. She held her breath as her heart thumped deafeningly. With a loud twang he let loose the arrow. Payal ducked below the window involuntarily as she heard it whiz through the air.
Suddenly, the whole field erupted with cheers. She looked down to see the arrow pierced deep into the middle of the target, quivering slightly. She felt a deep excitement welling up inside her. He was beaming at his friends with a triumphant smile.
Lost in the excitement, Payal didn't realize that she was in full view. For a split second, he turned his head up towards her. His soft brown eyes locked with her's and he smiled. She felt as if her whole body was on fire, she quickly dropped her gaze and smiled back, unable to bear the intensity of his eyes. She moved away quickly from the window; suddenly aware of her smudged kohl, her unkempt hair and her tarnished jewelery. She took a moment to steady herself and looked out again but he was gone.
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