Part 12 Mysterious Man

Khushi's heart raced as she faced the dog, her hand outstretched. She spoke, her voice steady but her nerves taut with anticipation, a bead of sweat trickling down her temple.

"See my hand, Bairavaji... the ring is not in my hand. I handed it to the person you wanted to give it to."

Clutching Arnav's hand, she showed the ring to the Dog.

"Khushi, what are you doing?"

"Shhh.... This is the same dog that bit my finger in my dream..."

The Dog barked.

"Please, trust me... I didn't take the ring intentionally. I know I should not wish to have someone's belongings. Please don't bite me." Khushi pleaded with the dog, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Khushi, you're a sight to behold," Arnav chuckled, thoroughly entertained by the unfolding drama.

"Funny? What do you know about the pain when the Dog bites our finger?"

"Do you know?"

"Of course, it felt like it truly happened to me..." She said terrifically.

Arnav gestured for Khushi to see the Dog. When she saw the dog walking away, she sighed in relief.

"Your Bairavaji is gone", Arnav laughed.

"Tell me what we have to do?"

"The Temple will be whitewashed. Its surroundings will be cleaned. It should be ready for the function. Many events will take place at the function by the villagers."

"Oh..."

"Arvind Uncle will send the workers. We will have to manage them."

"Oh..."

"There is a well in behind the temple. Don't go there. It's an old, abandoned well, and thorny bushes have covered it. The well will not be visible from the outside. Be careful"

"Why?"

"Thorny bushes have covered it. The well will not be visible from the outside. Be careful"

Arnav looked behind the temple. They saw a few workers coming with chopper, matchet, crowbar, and spade.

"Big Sir sent us, Manager sir," one of them said.

"Yeah, you can start the work. The work must be clean; is it clear?"

"Ok, sir..."

They started cleaning the temple's surroundings. Arnav was supervising them. He noticed the few workers cleaning around the well.

Khushi saw the Palace worker bringing buttermilk for the worker. She served it to everyone, came to Arnav with the two glasses of buttermilk, and gave him one. The buttermilk contained Ginger, Coriander leaves, and green chillies for flavour. More than that, it was so sticky with BUTTER in it.

"Thank you," Arnav said, taking it and tasting it.

"Wow... it's so tasty... this is the real BUTTER milk..." Arnav drank it.

"Yeah, our palace buttermilk is so special. Not only buttermilk but everything prepared in our palace tastes superior."

"After all, it's a palace."

"Yeah, buttermilk will cool our body. We are provided with this as we work under the sunlight."

"Oh... then what will be provided in the late night?"

"Dry ginger coffee or ginger tea..."

"Oh..."

Taking the buttermilk jug, she filled his glass again.

"No, Khushi, it's enough..."

"It's good for health... have it," she said, and she had one more glass of buttermilk.

"Does not everything seem unbelievable?" Khushi asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"You were supposed to go somewhere but ended up in this village..."

Arnav nodded yes.

"You are in this village and doing Temple work... it's amazing to me."

"Why?"

"Do you think it's simple to do Temple work?"

"It's just work..."

"No... not everyone could do temple work. I think you are a dear person to God."

"Khushi, I don't believe in God."

"It doesn't matter if you believe in God or not. If you are truthful to yourself, you will be a dear person to God."

Arnav smiled with disbelief.

"Smile, how much you want. You will soon believe God."

Khushi left the place, taking the empty glass from Arnav. Arnav saw the well slightly visible. He headed the well and slowly looked into it. He jerked as suddenly the Damaru sound rose in the well, making ripples in the water. Arnav unknowingly touched the well's wall. He felt the vibration of the Damaru sound. He looked for Khushi. She was in the Temple's gazebo. He beckoned her, but she didn't notice him. The man who was working near him asked,

"Do you want anything, sir?"

"Yeah..." he pointed at the well.

The worker looked into the well and then Arnav.

"What, sir?"

Arnav looked into the well, and its water was calm. He was stunned and confused. He heard the Damaru sound, which created ripples in the water. He looked at the worker, not knowing what to say.

"Do you ask this water can be drunk?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Usually we won't use... but at the time of Temple's function, people use this water for cooking."

"For cooking?"

"Yeah, food will be provided to the village people on the function day."

"Oh..."

The worker resumed his work. Arnav peered into the well and saw slight ripples again. He frowned. What was happening here? What did this mean? Was this a coincidence? Yes... when he came to this village, he heard the same Damaru sound that controlled the Dog the other day. It must have been stored in his subconscious mind. That was why he remembered it when he looked into the well. Arnav found an excuse for the Damaru sound.

Thinking about that, he looked here and there for the Dog. He slowly walked, searching for the Dog. He got stuck as he saw a man sitting under a VILVA tree. He was leaning on the tree, caressing his beard. He smiled at Arnav.

"How are you? Do you like this village?" He asked Arnav.

"Do you know me?"

"Why not? Everyone in this village is talking about you."

"About me?"

"Yeah, a new man entered the village and got a job in the palace. Everyone is talking about that"

"Oh..."

"And, I know something too..."

"What?"

"You got a place in the KING's heart too..."

"How do you know?"

"I know... do you like this village?"

"Yes, I like it. This village is so beautiful..."

"You have to like it..."

Arnav frowned.

"Why do you say so?"

"Because this is your destiny."

"Means?"

"Means you belong to this village. You have many responsibilities in this village."

"My Guruji sent me to another village."

"Who? RudraPrathap?"

Arnav was stunned. No one addressed his Guru by his name.

"How do you know my Guruji's name? How do you know who sent me here?"

"What's the big deal? I know Rudraprathap."

"Is it?"

"Yeah... I know everything..."

"Everything? Really?" Arnav smiled.

"Don't you believe me?"

Arnav maintained a smile on his lips.

"Ok, if you have doubt, question me. I will answer."

"What question?"

"Anything you want to know..."

Arnav thought for a while, and his mind sparkled.

"You know Khushi... right?"

"Of course I do. You want to know if the mystic's word will come true. Right?"

Arnav was stunned. How did he know what he wanted to know?

"What are you talking about?" Arnav intentionally asked.

"The mystic said Khushi will be the Queen of the palace. People who reside in the palace are torturing her as they cannot tolerate her becoming the Queen. Am I right?"

Arnav gazed at him with mixed feelings. How did he learn about that? The servant of the palace should spread the news in the village. He supposed.

"Now, you want to know if the mystic's word will come true when there is no chance for that to happen... right?"

Arnav composed himself.

"Arvind sir may not have an heir, but two girls could claim the rights. Then, how could Khushi become the Queen?"

"Didn't Arvind have an heir?" The man asked.

"You said you know everything... don't you know Arvind sir has no heir?"

"I will answer the question LATER. Now, I would like to clear up your doubts... Yes, Khushi will become the Queen of the Palace... do you know how?"

Arnav gazed at him without answering to know the answer.

"It will happen by a WEDDING."

"Wedding?" Arnav shrank his eyes.

"Yeah, if she married the KING of the palace, she would have to become the Queen, right?"

Arnav was shocked to hear that. Wedding? Did Arvind plan to marry Khushi? He gritted his teeth. How dare he think of marrying a girl who was his daughter's age! How cheap! It should not happen. Just because Khushi had no one, how could he take her for granted? Maybe this was why he ended up in this village... to save Khushi from the wedding...! Arnav's thought was broken as the man before him laughed.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Your thought made me laugh,"

"Why? What's there to laugh?"

"She will become a Queen. No one can change it, but it will happen after a struggle."

"It will not happen. I will not let it happen."

"How?"

"I will bring the medicine that cures Ratna, madam. If she recovered, Arvind sir will not think of marrying Khushi..."

"What an idea...!" he laughed again.

Arnav was about to say something, but he stopped seeing Khushi.

"Arnav sir, what are you doing here?"

"I'm talking to him" Arnav looked at the man, but he was not there!

To be continued...