Maheshwar and Aditya were seated by the river, enjoying the serene breeze and the setting sun. Maheshwar couldn't help but notice how distracted Aditya was. He wanted to know what was bothering him so that he could help him out.
"What happened? You seemed lost." Maheshwar asked.
Aditya took a deep breath before he spoke. "After the festival tomorrow, we shall be parting ways to move ahead in our lives. But can I ask you something?" Maheshwar nodded wondering where this conversation was leading. "Can I trust you as my friend, as my confidant, as my well-wisher?" He asked, looking into Maheshwar's eyes.
Maheshwar stood still for a moment before he replied. "You can always find me by your side, Aditya. This friend of yours shall always be there for you." Maheshwar spoke with a small smile. He pondered if he was making the correct decision. Aditya was a prince of Krishnapura and he was a â. Well that was a topic for another day.
"What do you want in return?" Aditya asked, making Maheshwar break into laughter.
"Me? I don't want anything Aditya. Friends don't expect anything in return for a friendship. It is a sacred relationship and by asking something in return, I shall only be destroying its purity." Maheshwar's words were true. They were two souls that needed each other, in one way or the other.
Aditya took a deep breath before he spoke. "I met a woman today. She looked like a damsel sent onto this earth." He said, his eyes holding a dreamy expression. Maheshwar's eyes widened listening to him.
"When did you meet her?" He asked, trying his best to mask his expression. But Aditya remained oblivious to everything around him as those eyes enchanted him to no end.
"I met her this morning. She was here when I came for my morning bath. You should have seen her, I am sure you would have been smitten by her." He spoke, making Maheshwar's eyes widen in shock.
"Are you in love with her?" He asked, cautiously, feeling helpless about the situation.
"Love? Maybe." Aditya was lost in a deep trance.
"Maybe? I hope it is not love. You would be foolish to fall in love with a woman at the first sight. And if it's just beauty that attracts you, then I can't help but wonder how right of a decision it is as a king." Maheshwar tried to talk sense into him.
"If it was not love at first sight then you should see the way she speaks; her words are a mystery, her gaze holds the secrets of a thousand tales, and her presence carries an enchantment that transcends mere beauty. She challenges me in a way no one has ever challenged me. All my life people have treated me for what I am and not who I am. But she, I don't think she gives a damn about me at all. After you, she is the only person who seems to be unaffected by my presence. If I ever have a chance of a soulmate then it is her."
He didn't want Aditya to fall in love with her.
He didn't want Aditya to fall in love with him.
He was that woman.
He was Meenakshi.
Meenakshi was Maheshwar.
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