"Someone save my child!" Everyone went out on hearing a woman's high pitched wail.

"What happened?" Saranya's father asked the woman who must be in her mid-thirties.

"When I was fetching water from the river," she spoke through hiccups, "My son fell into the Kumbha." Everyone looked at the Kubha river but the current was too strong for anyone to take a risk to save the child. Suddenly everyone attention went to the sound of someone jumping into the river.

"I wonder, who has the death wish," Saranya looked at Surya when he spoke these words. She hadn't realised when he came outside and was standing so close to her.

"Seriously?" Saranya laughed bitterly, "I don't think a guy who went all snotty face before a Gandharva should comment on someone who's courageous."

"Oh! I get it. It's the same Nikunj, the great Gandharva slayer," Surya bit his tongue, "I'm so sorry for hurting your feelings but if your boy keeps letting his heart lead the way, throwing his brain at the bottom of Kubha, he'll get killed soon."

"Listen," Saranya's throat was croaky, "Just stop with your death talks. Please don't speak something so morbid about Nikunj."

"Why? Do you want to marry him?" When Surya teased, Saranya's cheeks flushed red.

Just then, Nikunj ascended from the river, with the child sitting on his shoulder. His golden brown skin was shining in the Aashadh Sun and shoulder muscles and toned back were drenched in water.

He gave the child back to his mother and Saranya came running towards him, breaking the circle of people hailing his name.

"Saranya, how are you?" Nikunj asked Saranya affectionately.

"I am fine," Saranya said, pouting, "But I was missing you."

"And I haven't been away for two days," Nikunj said, chuckling, "Saranya, what will you do without me?"

"I will leave my praan," Saranya said.

"Don't speak like that. These words don't suit to a warrior," Nikunj reproached.

"Then don't talk about leaving me again," Saranya retorted.

Surya yawned loudly, snapping his fingers between his open mouth.

"And who is he?" Nikunj said, moving Saranya to a side, and charging towards Surya.

Saranya came between them, and said, "He's Surya. He means no harm. He's so timid and clumsy. I saved him from a Gandharva."

"Which village are you from?" Nikunj said, fixing his hard gaze on Surya.

"I'm from Aravak."

"Mother's name?"

"Bhagyamati."

"What do you do for a living?"

"Tell stories and sing ballads. I'm a bard."

"Brother!" Nikunj's eight year old sister Vaishali came running towards him, "What have you brought for me?"

"For, my princess, I brought..." Nikunj said, pretending to think hard, "Oh! I forgot what I brought. I think I've forgotten it."

Vaishali was beginning to cry when Nikunj closed her eyes with his palms produced a flower crown from a cloth pouch. The flowers were sadly wilted.

"I'm sorry, the flowers have wilted in two days," Nikunj apologized.

"Here is the suitable flower crown for Vaishali," God knows from where Surya had produced a crown made of the most beautiful flowers of rare colours and soft otherworldly scent.

Vaishali took it in her little hands. Looking at Nikunj's sheepish face, Saranya felt a sharp anger towards Surya.

"Thank you, Surya Bhaiyya," Vaishali said, "But flowers given by my Nikunj Bhaiyya are the most precious, even if they are wilted. But your crown is suitable for the most worthy queen."

And saying this, climbing on Nikunj's arms, Vaishali placed the flower crown on Saranya's head.

"I'm so sad the prettiest Princess Vaishali rejected me," Surya said making a crying face, "But since there's no one else around, this cranky Saranya will do for now."

Saranya tried to crush Surya's foot under her sandals, but in the nick of time, Surya retracted, causing Saranya to trip but before Saranya could fall on the ground, Surya held her in his arms and said with a smile that was infuriating to Saranya, "I didn't know that you could trip yourself simply by standing straight."

Saranya was speechless after that.

What do you think would be the fate of Saranya, Nikunj and Surya?