Shravan and suman lost tracking time in each other's embrace. ..

  Suman slept ,leaning at his shoulders. ..shravan sighed as it was almost past midnight. ..He scooped suman and gently placed  her at the  cozy bed. ..

He turned to leave her chamber. ..

" shravan. .."

 
She hooked her arms with his to stop him. .a smile crept on his lips. ..

" I was right. .."

He wishpered. ..

" What. .? " Suman mumbled. ..

" I thought you were awake. .."

His grin widened. ..

Suman got up from her bed. ..she wrapped her hands around his elbow. ..

" I won't get sleep for sure. .."

Her words choked as she was scared. ..

" suman. ..you should take rest as much as you can. ..so that we could withstand the enemy at near future . ..it's already late. .just go to sleep. .."

Shravan touched her head fondly. ..

Suman nodded ...

Shravan stopped at the entrance. ..

" suman. ..don't wait for me at brindavan henceforth. ..i have promised guruji that I won't  meet you in brindavan. .."

" what. ..but shravan. .."

  Her face turned dark. ..

" I promised him that I won't meet you at brindavan. ..did you get that. ..?"

  He pressed each sentences and winked. ..

  He left her room with a naughty smile. ..

'  Shravan. ..naughty. ..that means he could meet me at  anywhere. ..'

She blushed to  think his brilliance. ..

'So, obviously guruji knew my thoughts. ..He wanted shravan to stay away from me..but. ..why. .? '

  Suman had so many questions. .but... somewhere she felt relaxed as guruji would support her decision. ..

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  It was the  morning sun shine. ..before suman get up from the bed, krithika handed over a personal letter to her. ..

     The letter was sealed. ..it was from shravan absolutely. ..

Before opening it. ..she looked krithika. ..

" Where is shravan. .? "

" suman. .He gave this letter to me yesterday evening itself. ..He told me to give this to you today morning. ..I was with poorni yesterday night since he requested. .."

  Suman is clouded with worries now. ..

' he gave this letter yesterday itself. .? He was with me almost the entire night. ..why he didn't  say anything about this  ...or...give it to me by himself. .? Is there any thing that he scared to discuss with me. .? '

Her mind yelled. .. ..she untied the silk thread that tied around  the  silk cloth...she ran her eyes at the inscriptions. ..

Suman. ..

I am on my way to get  secret information from one of our  spies . it is  quite complicated work too. ...i may not be in the fort for few days. .  ..i didn't have courage to tell you directly. ..moreover, I didn't want to  spoil the precious time that we spend together. ..sorry for not telling this to you. ..I left Ranjith here itself. ..neela is with me. ..

I didn't informed guruji and Ranjith about my secret work as they may not allow me to go. ...tell them if it is really necessary. ..

Suman. ..I would be missing you. ..I  am so annoyed that when this war would come to an end. ..otherwise, I may be around you, getting your eyes on me, witnessing the different shades of blush on you. .. I wish that would happen so soon. ..

Miss you. ..take care. ..

Shravan.

   Suman's eyes were moist  to feel his love for her. ..she smiled firmly and kissed the letter. ..she hurriedly went for daily chores. ..she don't know how far she would manage herself without him. ..but she had to made her mind up to the truth that he would be returning so soon. ..she recalled his words that it was a dangerous job. ..she prayed god to be with him. ..

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   Suman had no mind to beautify herself ..she simply pinned her hair into a partial bun. ..though, she didn't want to have anything to eat , she descended down the stairs to meet guruji for respect sake. ..

  " who told you to do this. ..are you all out of your mind. .?"

Suman stunned to hear guruji yelling at the soldiers. ..she never had seen him out of control. ..

She rushed to guruji to know the reason. ..

She herself stood shocked to see the scenario in front of her...

The dense forest that covered the east side of the fort appeared like a open space. ..the tress had been  cut down  approximately four feet from the ground. ..now, the dense forest was no more. ..

    those trees had  served a natural protection to the fort. ..because of the density of the thick forest, enemies would struggle to reach the eastern side. ..

Now, it would be easy for the enemies to charge the east side of the fort. ..

  
   " guruji. .."

Suman gasped with scare. ..

" suman
..see this stupidity. .."

He ordered a soldier to call vela. ..

Since vela was busy in the entrance of the fort,it seemed that it would take time for him to meet guruji. ..

Guruji had no patience. ..He almost leaped to reach entrance. ..Suman, who was at heights of confusion. ...followed guruji. ..

" vela. ..."  He shouted his name. ..

Vela who was busy with instructing the crafts man, rushed to guruji. ..

  " guruji. ..I was on my way to meet you. .."

He bowed to them respectfully. ..

Guruji and suman who ran their eyes at the main door, held their breath in disbelief. ..

The iron spikes on the wooden door had been  removed and it was carved with romantic scenics.. .. .

     Guruji almost fainted. ..the iron spikes in the door would protect the fort when the opponents try to open the door with the help of elephants. ..the elephants would get hurt at their head when they bang the iron spikes. .again it was a strategy to protect the fort. ..

'Seems that Shravan's mind is not focusing anymore with the war. .He and his romantic carvings'

  He glanced suman. .

" vela. ..what's happening. .?"

He interjected vela with furious eyes. ..

" guruji. ..it is shravan 's order. .."

He replied humbly. ..Suman gasped for breath. ..her heart beat raced. ..

  ' what he is up to. .?'

" where is shravan. .?"  Guruji is at anger. ..

" He is not in the fort guruji. ..perhaps, he might be on an important work. .."

" then, where is Ranjith. .?"

Guruji wondered why vela had  accepted Shravan's order without even questioning  it...as a senapathi, he knew well that these ideas would turn negatively at Warfield. ..even then, he had accepted Shravan's orders. ..it shows how much he believed Shravan's brilliance. ..

  Absolutely, guruji too hadn't any doubt in shravan. ..though, his  worry about Suman's life made him to yell at everyone. ..

Ranjith was at the north side of the fort. ..

Without considering his inability due to ageing. ..guruji reached northern side. ..Suman looked him with pity as he was panting. ...

There soldiers were digging a deep canal just close to the fort wall. ..obviously, it was to divert the dhungabathra river which ran alongside of the outerwall. ..as they progress with their work, the river water gushed forcefully inside  the fort along the canal which they have created now. ..

    Guruji sat down with desperate. ..the river that ran close to the north side of the fort was again a natural protection for the fort. ..no one can cross the river as it was too deep. ..moreover, the soldiers at the watchtower would keenly observe if anyone cross the river with boat. ..

   Now, the river has been diverted into the fort. .it's again a dangerous decision. ..if the river may flooded with water. ..the fort would be at great danger. ..

Guruji returned to his chamber without asking anything to Ranjith. .He knew well that he too would give the same answer as vela did. ..

Though he had believed shravan blindfoldedly, his mind was restless. ..yet, he waited for shravan to return. ..

Suman, on the other side confused with Shravan's  orders. .He had almost weakened every structure of the fort to intrude easily. .yet. ...she too believed Shravan's brilliance and waited for his return. ..

On top of their expectations, shravan returned at a night. ..two days later. ..but. ..in an unconscious state. ..seriously injured, speechless. ...motionless....

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  Here is the next chapter. ..thank you so much friends for your lovely comments. ..really. ..they made my day. ..tq  so much. ..💜💜💜💜

   Reg. .this chapter. ..shravan had weakened the fort 's natural  protective  systems. The forest. ..the river. ..the spiked entrance door. ..on top of this. ..He had returned injured. ..

What do you think,  behind shravan 's wired decisions. .?How would he survive to protect suman and the fort. ..

Let me know your views. ..tq. ..

Love. .

Arulpirai. ..