The Aryavarta Chronicles Kurukshetra: Book 3 by Krishna Udayasankar Page B
Authors: Krishna Udayasankar
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Shikandin nor Sthuna missed the eagerness in the younger man’s voice. The handmaiden too noticed, for she protested, though quite ineffectually.
‘No, Uttamaujas,’ Shikandin finally said. ‘I need you to come with me. You must meet the others; you must train. There is a lot for you to do at Matsya.’
‘Oh…’ Uttamaujas did not dissent, but was visibly crestfallen.
‘Right, we better get moving,’ Sthuna said. He added, sullen, ‘I will meet you at Matsya, Shikandin, but I make no promises of the numbers I will bring with me. Too much hope would not be wise. I will do as you ask, but…’ he shook his head and then would say no more.
‘Thank you,’ the handmaiden said, turning to Shikandin. ‘I can’t tell you how grateful I am. If you are in these parts again, please do come by my village.’ She trailed off as she realized how commonplace and hackneyed that sounded, but could not resist turning to Uttamaujas and adding, ‘You too. I…that is, we…my family would be happy to see you.’
A flustered Uttamaujas simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak, and Sthuna and his new ward set off on their way.
‘Right. Our turn,’ Shikandin said. ‘We need to buy horses for you two and then head…Uttamaujas, are you listening to me?’
‘Oh! Yes, Father,’ said the young man, though he clearly was not. He absently continued, ‘I suppose it would be nice to visit her village someday…’
Shikandin smiled and slapped his son on the back. He did not dwell too long on the thought that neither he nor Uttamaujas might return to these lands or see the people who lived there again.
13
THERE WAS A QUALITY TO THE JUNGLE, ABHIMANYU OBSERVED , that made his company more bearable to Uttara.
For the past ten days, the two of them had trekked through the woods on foot, leaving their accompanying attendants and guards at the hermitage near Kamyaka, where, ostensibly, the couple was offering prayers for a long and happy married life under the guidance of Acharya Dhaumya. In truth, the two had used the cover of the forests to journey eastward, through Surasena, right to the enemy’s stronghold.
Crossing the border into Western Kuru and then journeying southeast to Varana forest, near Hastina, had been the most dangerous part. It had taken up a fair part of their time, for it had been imperative they avoid being seen by anyone, especially the enemy soldiers who patrolled the forests in these troubled times. Strangely, this part of their journey had been far more pleasant than the first, and Uttara and Abhimanyu had actually had a few short conversations that could, without stretching one’s imagination, be considered friendly.
Abhimanyu, for his part, nurtured a small corner of romance in his heart, and so wished that this journey would not soon come to an end. His initial flirtations with Uttara, when he had first met her, had been a matter of habit as much as attraction, but over the past months he had come to like being around her in a companionable way as well as in a sensuous one. She fascinated him, she tempted him, she riled and delighted him. More than anything, she commanded his respect. Uttara was bold and forthright without making a show of it – the sign of a woman who took her equality as a right and not a privilege. In fact, one of the things that had initially irked her the most about him was his overt assertion of the principle.
‘If a woman is truly your equal, prince,’ she had said, ‘then there is no need to talk about it. The more you spout these declarations and postulates, the more you reveal the truth of the matter – that in your world, women are not equal to men, and so rhetoric to the contrary is required.’
It had also astonished Abhimanyu to find that Uttara preferred his mother Subadra’s company more than she did Panchali’s. He had thought that Panchali and Uttara had more in common, given their outspoken nature and their battle-training, but Uttara seemed more
‘No, Uttamaujas,’ Shikandin finally said. ‘I need you to come with me. You must meet the others; you must train. There is a lot for you to do at Matsya.’
‘Oh…’ Uttamaujas did not dissent, but was visibly crestfallen.
‘Right, we better get moving,’ Sthuna said. He added, sullen, ‘I will meet you at Matsya, Shikandin, but I make no promises of the numbers I will bring with me. Too much hope would not be wise. I will do as you ask, but…’ he shook his head and then would say no more.
‘Thank you,’ the handmaiden said, turning to Shikandin. ‘I can’t tell you how grateful I am. If you are in these parts again, please do come by my village.’ She trailed off as she realized how commonplace and hackneyed that sounded, but could not resist turning to Uttamaujas and adding, ‘You too. I…that is, we…my family would be happy to see you.’
A flustered Uttamaujas simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak, and Sthuna and his new ward set off on their way.
‘Right. Our turn,’ Shikandin said. ‘We need to buy horses for you two and then head…Uttamaujas, are you listening to me?’
‘Oh! Yes, Father,’ said the young man, though he clearly was not. He absently continued, ‘I suppose it would be nice to visit her village someday…’
Shikandin smiled and slapped his son on the back. He did not dwell too long on the thought that neither he nor Uttamaujas might return to these lands or see the people who lived there again.
13
THERE WAS A QUALITY TO THE JUNGLE, ABHIMANYU OBSERVED , that made his company more bearable to Uttara.
For the past ten days, the two of them had trekked through the woods on foot, leaving their accompanying attendants and guards at the hermitage near Kamyaka, where, ostensibly, the couple was offering prayers for a long and happy married life under the guidance of Acharya Dhaumya. In truth, the two had used the cover of the forests to journey eastward, through Surasena, right to the enemy’s stronghold.
Crossing the border into Western Kuru and then journeying southeast to Varana forest, near Hastina, had been the most dangerous part. It had taken up a fair part of their time, for it had been imperative they avoid being seen by anyone, especially the enemy soldiers who patrolled the forests in these troubled times. Strangely, this part of their journey had been far more pleasant than the first, and Uttara and Abhimanyu had actually had a few short conversations that could, without stretching one’s imagination, be considered friendly.
Abhimanyu, for his part, nurtured a small corner of romance in his heart, and so wished that this journey would not soon come to an end. His initial flirtations with Uttara, when he had first met her, had been a matter of habit as much as attraction, but over the past months he had come to like being around her in a companionable way as well as in a sensuous one. She fascinated him, she tempted him, she riled and delighted him. More than anything, she commanded his respect. Uttara was bold and forthright without making a show of it – the sign of a woman who took her equality as a right and not a privilege. In fact, one of the things that had initially irked her the most about him was his overt assertion of the principle.
‘If a woman is truly your equal, prince,’ she had said, ‘then there is no need to talk about it. The more you spout these declarations and postulates, the more you reveal the truth of the matter – that in your world, women are not equal to men, and so rhetoric to the contrary is required.’
It had also astonished Abhimanyu to find that Uttara preferred his mother Subadra’s company more than she did Panchali’s. He had thought that Panchali and Uttara had more in common, given their outspoken nature and their battle-training, but Uttara seemed more
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