Part 6 What's happening?

Arnav tightened his grip, and the plant shook faster than before.

"Arnav, Sir, what are you doing? Leave it..." Khushi pulled his hand.

Arnav left the plant and looked at her, panting hard. She pulled him back. They saw a small branch of the plant alone shaking. Arnav and Khushi were stunned. Khushi joined her hands and said,

"I don't know who you are, but I believe you are not bad. You won't harm us. If we have done anything wrong, please forgive us."

The plant stopped shaking.

"Let's go, Arnav Sir"

She started pulling him with her.

"What's all this, Khushi?"

"I told you, this is a village of Siddhas... we came far from the palace. Let's go..."

She walked. Arnav looked at the plant and followed Khushi. He saw the confusion on Khushi's face. She was thinking something deeply.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

She shook her head from left to right.

"I can see you are confused..."

"Yes, I'm confused, but you will not believe me if I say anything."

Arnav came in front of her and folded his hands.

"Tell me, I will try to believe you if you have a point."

"Leave it..." She tried to walk, but Arnav stopped her.

"If you want to say something to me, you can. Tell me..."

"I don't know what to say... everything seems magic... I can't understand what's happening."

"Relax... why are you tensed? Just because a plant shook..."

"Don't... not one more word..." she extended her index finger with a strict expression. That made Arnav flinch back.

"I already told you about this village. This is a holy village where no Bad can enter... but you entered. Hundreds of people live in this village, but no one has ever experienced such a thing as you did a few minutes ago. People of this village have only HEARD stories told along the way. Even I never sensed anyone's presence here. Because of you, I sensed it today. Ratna Aunty called you SON. Uncle Arvind appointed you as the manager and gave you a room in his palace. You got a PERMANENT job in this village. You experienced something on the first day itself. I think you have a STRONG bond with this place. You have a reason to be here."

Arnav tried to say something, but Khushi stopped him,

"No matter what you feel... you have a reason to be here. Not only you but everyone will understand that soon."

"Listen..."

Cutting him,

"Why is all this happening to you? Who are you? Where are you from? I think you have a special power in you."

"You will stop talking to me if I tell you the truth," Arnav said rigidly.

"Why so?"

"I was in the REFORM school for killing a boy..."

Khushi's eyes widened in shock.

"Now, will you say I have a special power?"

Khushi closed her eyes and nodded yes.

"I don't know if you have a special power, but you are talking TRUTH... without fear... without hesitation. This land needs only TURHT from its people. The TRUTH will save you..."

Arnav mildly smiled. They again walked.

"May I ask you something?" Khushi asked.

"I killed the boy because he insulted my mother", Arnav said and looked at Khushi.

"You wanted to ask me the reason for murdering the boy. Right?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"Though you were in the reform school, you had a valid reason. No one could bear their mother being humiliated..."

Arnav was silent.

"Is your mother in Gorakhpur?"

Arnav nodded no.

"She is dead."

"Don't you have anyone for yourself?"

Arnav nodded no.

"By the way, you are from North India. Then how are you talking Tamil fluently?"

"My mother is a Tamilian. Her ancestors settled in Gorakhpur."

"Oh... she is a Tamilian. Yet, she named you Arnav... why didn't she prefer a Tamil name?"

"It was not her, but our Guruji named me... That's why."

"Guruji? Where does he live?"

"In Gorakhnath Ashram"

"Somehow, you are connected with a Gorakha Siddha... right?"

Arnav was again silent.

"I think this village will see some juggleries through you."

"Hey, if anyone hears you, they will think I'm a Wizard", Arnav laughed.

"No, they will think you have a Divine power because Wizard could not enter this village."

Arnav walked smilingly.

"Khushi, you said the old king was so strict. Then. How did he allow Ratna madam's brothers to stay in the palace?"

"They were not here when the old king was alive."

"Means?"

"After his death, only they shifted to the Palace and settled down here."

"Did they belong to this village?"

"Yes... they are the richest family in the village, next to Uncle Arvind's family. Ratna Aunty was the only daughter of their family. That's why the old king got her married to Uncle Arvind. After the old king's demise, their house and grain Gowdown caught fire at a time, and everything became ashes. It happened after the harvest. They had all their yield stored in the Godown. They lost everything. That's why Uncle Arvind brought them to the Palace."

"Oh..."

"Until then, they don't even visit the Palace gutful."

"Mmm... Arvind Sir asked me not to obey anyone. Didn't he say that to you?"

"He did that many times, but Lalitha and Madhavi are cunning. They didn't care about anything. They repeatedly turned the table and showed me wrong in Uncle Arvind's eyes. So, I stopped opposing you."

"Didn't you do anything?"

"What can I do? They are Royals..."

"No... they are not... only Arvind sir and Ratna Madam are Royals... And they have no right to harm you."

"Leave it, Arnav, sir... it's my fate."

"One minute... we can change our fate. And don't call me SIR. Call me Arnav."

Khushi smiled.

"Where are you staying?"

"I stay with Ratna, Aunty. Looking after her is my job."

"Do you get a salary?"

"I think so..."

"Means?"

"Uncle Arvind gave me a salary, but I refused to take it. he said my salary would be saved in my account..."

"Why did you refuse to take the salary?"

"Because of Ratna Aunty, I'm here. Taking care of her is my responsibility. How could I get a salary for doing that?"

"But you have a future, and you, too, need money, right?"

"No need. Uncle Arvind fulfils all my needs. See, how good my clothes are... he didn't let me lack for anything. He is a gem of a person."

"Maybe...but you can fulfil your needs if you earn money. You can buy clothes as you wish. Come out of the Palace and see the world, Khushi..."

Khushi smiled softly.

That was when they heard a thud. Arnav stopped walking and looked at Khushi, whose face brightened hearing the thud.

"What sound was that?"

"Palm fruit fell from the tree."

"Palm fruit?"

"Yes, it tastes so good. Let's go..." she said as she rushed to where palm trees lined up.

Many fruits were scattered on the ground, and the smell hit their noses.

"Isn't it smelling good?" She asked excitedly.

Arnav nodded yes. Khushi found a fresh palm fruit under a tree. Taking it, she spilt a victory smile.

"How will you eat it? Its shell looks hard."

"It's raw. We can't eat it."

"Then?"

"It should be roasted in fire and eaten."

"Oh... so, will you do it after going to the palace?"

"No way... they won't let me do that in the palace."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Wait..."

She searched for something on the ground. Arnav didn't know what she was looking for, yet he stayed calm as Khushi did interesting things. He saw her taking stones.

"What was that?"

"Wait..."

She gathered dry leaves and rubbed stones. Arnav wondered when fire sparkled through the rocks. The leaves caught fire. She put the palm fruit on the fire. The fruit started roasting. The smell was strong. Khushi licked her lip, which made Arnav smile.

"Do you love your mother so much?" She asked.

"Who won't love a mother?"

She nodded.

"I don't know what my mother would look like..." She smiled painfully.

Arnav felt terrible for her.

"What does your mother look like?"

Arnav smiled and removed his purse. He showed it to Khushi. She took it from him excitedly and looked.

"She is beautiful... isn't she?"

Arnav smiled.

"What's her name?"

"Amrita"

"Nice name..."

Khushi removed the palm fruit from the fire and put it out by putting mud on it. Then, she let the fruit cool.

"How do you know all these things?"

"Not only this, there are many more things in this village to eat. Lotus seed, cactus fruit..."

"Cactus fruit?"

"Yeah... it's good for our health, you know."

"Really?"

"This is why there is no hospital in this village."

"Didn't you guys ever go to the hospital?"

"No, only SIDDHA medicine..."

Khushi said, breaking the fruit and extending it to Arnav. Arnav tasted it and liked it because it tasted different and sweet. He ate it smilingly, thinking about his changed life.

To be continued...