Chapter 5 (part two)
__________________

"Bhagini, when are we going to reach there?" Surya asked Apeksha for what seemed like the hundredth time. Apeksha was a woman of few words and more calmness in any given situation, but her student's polite nagging was really getting on her nerves.

She forced a smile and told her, "I'll tell you when we do."

With a slightly disappointed face, Surya turned back and fell back in line with the other Veer Naaryaha on their horses. "I'm dying to get there!" she exclaimed to her friend.

"Really? I don't see you making any progress in dying at all." Charu confessed dryly.

"Bhagini, please! You know we visit there barely, only about once or twice in four years-"

"Leap years."

Surya continued on like she had said nothing, "-and we've only got to stay in our rooms and go to the main hallway, corridor, and the gardens. I would love to see everything the place-"

"Palace," she interjected.

"-the palace has in it!"

"Uh-huh. You can see it all once we've reached there."

"It brings you such a feeling of home, you know," Surya admitted, sighing blissfully. 

Charu nodded looking ahead. "Now, tell me about how you killed him?" She asked.

"Oh yes!" she exclaimed, then proceeded to lower her voice by a few octaves. "I thought the best option was to lead him away from you lot so that he wouldn't be able to capture one of you or alert his other companions. I dodged to the side when he came towards me and ran back in the opposite direction that you were hiding.

When we had practiced the pouncing technique a few days ago, I had hidden a sword in that spot just for my practice, but it came in handy? He could run too, but he was bulky and since the trees were dense and close, I could get away a little further. 

So that's how it was, dark and creepy as he was hot on my heels, I sped up and got away just barely, climbing up a tree and crouching among the bushy leaves. The darkness and the leaves of the tree aided me as it concealed my figure from view, it was if I had merged with the tree, unrecognizable! I pulled out the sword with a flourish, but carefully and precisely through the gaps of the leaves-"

"Chhaya, you do tell a compelling story, but we've arrived." The woman of four and twenty informed her.

"Oh that's alright, WHA-" she stopped mid-sentence as her jaw fell to the floor.

Before her, sat a majestic building that seemed to stretch for miles. Surya's eyes drank in the familiar, glorious sight with awe. Laden with simple Hindu architectural designs, grand pillars, stunning carvings, dense and dark trees surrounded the whole place. It was a palace, but with much less grandeur and vastness. But the beauty didn't disappoint the eyes that fell upon it.

Charu cleared her throat nudging her awestruck friend in the ribs that said, 'It's-not-like-you-haven't-seen-this-before'. 

"Ahem."

"Ow," she winced, immediately snapping out of the trance and rubbing her side. "You didn't have to do that."

The scowl that was hurled the older woman's way went totally ignored but well noticed. Surya dismounted off her horse with everyone else, tying her horse to the carriage. They all walked towards the steps, Uma leading the way.

The great doors swung open, revealing a few other Veer Naryaha. They were lower in station than the elders, but a little higher than Surya. Uma nodded to Bahula as she spoke to the rest of the students.

"Veer Naryaha, simply because you have arrived at Shyamakund, you will not be given special services. Your tasks will be carried out by yourselves just like any other day. Charu and Divya, you will start unloading the luggage. Chhaya, lead the horses to the stable. And you there, you will...." Bahula's words went on, and Surya did too.

She untied the ropes of the horse and held the reins in her hand, turning back every few minutes to check on them. The horses did not whine not did they complain. They followed her without a sound of protest. Suryakanti loved animals and it seemed that they loved her back too.

She politely shook her head at another Veer Naari from the palace who offered to guide her to the stables. She remembered her way there quite clearly.

If I am correct, I should arrive at the stables if I make a right turn over... here.

Yes, she was right after all. She turned back and counted all the horses to make sure she didn't forget to bring some. Surya lead each horse into their wide stalls and tied them to the post. "In you go, Vayasya."

The horse threw back his head and whined. "We'll go riding later, alright? Now be a good boy and get inside."

After getting the horses in, Surya walked ahead a few yards. Her eye caught something glistening in the middle of the garden. When she peered to see what it was, she was awestruck by the familiar, rare sight that lay before her. It was a large pond, with clear water glistening in the sun, a stone statue of Krishna at the head of the pond. Little bushes surrounding it like a barrier, flowers littering the patches of grass. She could see each, individual pebble that lie at rest underneath the water, oblivious of its sheer transparency.

"Namonamaha, Bhagini, are you a senior Veer Naari?"

The voice caused her to whip her head to the side, her eyes falling on a young girl several years younger than her. Her loose braided hair fell just below her shoulders, the tendrils of hair out of place. Her attire was in a similar fashion to hers but softer and suited for day wear. Surya took a few steps forward, a response falling out of her mouth.

"I suppose so. We've just arrived here."

"Oh," the girl nodded in understanding. "I saw the others coming in, from the window."

Suryakanti frowned slightly when she looked at her familiar greyish eyes. "I think I have seen you before around here..."

She too frowned in confusion. "No, I've never seen you around here before. My name is Netra."

"Ah yes!" Surya's eyes widened in recognition. "You are the same girl who cried on her first day here, right?"

Color rushed to Netra's cheeks. "Yes, Bhagini. I... was a bit occupied in it to notice everyone."

"Oh, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, I didn't mean it like that," Surya assured her, "It was your first time here and you were overwhelmed, it happens to the best of us. I probably would've cried too."

"But, you didn't?" Netra questioned hesitantly, a little surprised by the Veer Naari's easy-going nature. The other seniors tended to be more guarded and spoke as if each word was twice considered before spoken.

"Not exactly. I grew up as an infant with them, so it wasn't so overwhelming. But I did cry on my first days, I was a wee little thing of mere months old!"

"That must've been wonderful for you, growing up here."

"Ah, well, no. For the first four years of my life, I stayed here. Then we went across different lands to train and... nomad-ing around. I wish I could've stayed here though. This place is beautiful. Everyone new stays here for four years and then has to go around. This is your fourth year, correct?"

"Yes." She confirmed with a nod of her little head. "I came here when I was three. The other Bhaginyaha told me I'll be leaving in a few weeks."

"That means you will be coming with us," Surya said with a smile in her direction.

"What is your name, Bhagini?" she asked eagerly, her voice loud, but shrank down when she noticed the tone of her voice. "Sorry Bhagini, I should've been more polite." A flash of regret rippled over her features. The young girl was in for another small surprise as the woman in front of her nonchalantly dismissed the matter as 'trivial'.

"My name is Ch-" she stopped for a brief moment as her real name came flying back to her. "-Chhaya." She finished with a smile.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------