"A woman can't be the rose and the thorn."

He licked his chappy lips while those soiled fingers traced a round piece of silk he carried in his palm.

"Hmm. Graceful petals!"

His dark pupils resonated his thoughts as he eyed the eerily sketched curves of a sleek woman. In a moment, he moved his arms to take the cloth towards the skies where the citrine rays gently drunk the thick dark blue clouds. His sighs heightened, as he clasped his lids.

"Little fish like eyes lined with kohl and those berry kissed lips pleading. Ah, what a sight to behold! A deep cut on that-"

A sudden trembling pat on his shoulders shuffled his bare feet.

"Not here, Yaazhan!"

"Yaazhan?"

His jumbled looks earned him a quick hit on his forehead.

"How could you forget your name?"

His rise in voice did make every head turn towards them. Peeking at the row of people standing in the longest line possible amidst the dry breezes of the Aani, he knew they were in trouble.

"Aha! I didn't forget my name. So stupid of you to say. The dried winds had drained my breath so much that I couldn't respond."

He did fake a few bursts of little coughs for people to pity him. One of the woman from the line offered him a thick kallum of water. Taking a few sips, he thanked her. He then pulled out a little bunch like cloth from the pleats of his carmine dhoti only to be stopped by her.

"I quenched your thirst with water. Don't you know water is not a commodity to trade."

He kept it gentle with a nod to her.

"Where do you both come from?"

His deep set eyes peeked at the churning clouds of the horizon while his friend held his arms tight enough not to let him whisper troublesome words.

"A land far away from the nor- Ahem! Eastern parts of the horizon."

"Oh! That is very far. You are here for the festival?"

Her sudden query made them lift their brows while they faintly nodded.

"Don't worry. Once the gate of Navapuri opens, all our waiting will end. Like the land, the heart of the people is golden. They say everyone gets good accommodation!"

"Yes, the fame of this place has spread far and wide like the greens of this land."

"This land? Did you just call this place a land?" The woman chided him between her tight sealed lips.

"Maapu, thaaye! He did tell he is sick. Please forgive him."

The woman spotted her fingers at the red-black sandy lands. With eyes full of worries and cloth-tied bigger satchels, everyone waited. She then looked at the two men who were nothing more than mad beetles to her.

"Don't you know that this Paalai guards the paradise? This land that we are waiting to enter is swargam, a heaven."

"Yes thaaye, it is-"

"I shall warn the guards about you. You both seem strange. You both doesn't deserve this place. One day you will regret-"

Before she could conclude, the gigantic iron weaved gates cluttered. The guards emerged out with the sound of the white conch echoing through the warm air. Akin to the birds assembling for the most awaited feed, the people rushed towards the gate in a rush.

"Line up everyone! Piraatiyar will be here any moment. Show her gratitude to earn her mercy."

The three column of guards dressed in metallic robes aggressively segregated the chaotic crowd into men, women and children. As they passed, one among them neared the men.

"Is that a silk robe in your hand?"

Surely the bright red bundle peeping out of his palm creases could never be missed from his sharp eyes.

"Yeh- not- Ah!"

He silently crumpled the cloth in his fist. The nearing footsteps of the guard made them anxious but they were prepared.

"Save my sword from unwanted bloodshed. Will you?"

His authority stood stubborn through his words. Keeping the sword calm upon their forearm, he scouted the men in every angle.

"Truth be told." He demanded.

"We are artists, Senapati."

"Ah, what? Artists?" A gust of laughter escaped his heavily build chest. A few of his baited goats blindly joined the banter.

"Yes yes, Senapati. This is Yaazhan, the first line disciple of Kallurvarayar and I'm his assistant, Aadiththan."

Even with enough words they felt unheard. He scratched his bald head as his narrowed eyes shredded them.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Not all artists can carry silk, only the ones who has the privilege will. We are his disciples and we are invited here to paint the Theerthankara Mahadeepam."

"Invited? By whom?"

He did pierce the tip of the sword on their satchel.

"She. Herself." Yaazhan stated loud.

The sudden statement earned a bunch of surprised stare.

"So you are the one? Did Piraatiyar invite you herself?"

"How long will it take for you to bring my guests Senatipati?"

That grumbling query from afar had made every men kneel to bow their majestic queen on the ground. The man ran a few miles towards the red palanquin held by four woman.

"Maapu Piraatiyare! I didn't know that you are here for them-"

He was cut short by the rows of golden bangles that spat the retches.

"Did my men fail to carry you my words? Or did you perhaps disregard them? Men and their forgetting habits. It never fails to amaze me."

The head of the entire army stood still as she prodded him. He bowed to her while she got down carrying the massive bronze plate covered with a thin red liquid and a few sprinkled white paarijatam. Her swan weaved saree reflected the morning gleams in the red canvas. Her every sway evoked grace as she stepped. Along with her thick silver anklets, the gentle yet royal pearls sang a mellifluous rhythm as they purled on her neck to flow down courteously to cover her chest. The soldiers followed her in silence as she neared the men.

"Navapuri takes its pride in welcoming her guests."

She then circled the plate thrice in front of their masked faces and applied the red thilagam on their forehead. She then blessed the men as her gentle fingers tossed the tiny, white Paarijatam on them.

"Piratiyaare! We didn't expect such a welcome in this-"

She cut him short with a gentle curve on her slender pink lips. She then turned her head, demanding her men to leave them alone. Understanding her gesture, the men moved back.

"You remember the purpose of your arrival?"

"Yes thaaye, we are-"

"You have got just twenty days. I really wish you keep up yourselves in a better chance to live longer than that."

"Twenty days will be enough!"

His bold statement earned her gaze.

"I don’t trust men. Better you prove it wrong this time. You are?"

"Yaazhan."

"Hmm. Wouldn't it be very unfortunate for handsome men like you to die soon with unsatiated desires?"

Her subtle browns turned three shades darker as she shifted her gaze between them. With her blinkless gazes the men turned pale.

"You have my word-"

Her stare shifted to the other man standing beside him who was leaning upon him like a baggage. He did get a hit upon his chest to cough out the needed reply.

"Our word."

"Good. Wild young blood and I shall remember. Please join me!"

Akin to the ducklings of the mother duck, they followed suit.

"Take them to the guest place. Oh yes, show them around like you must. Should I be more clear?"

Senapati nodded his head with an affirming bow.

"May the strength of Navapuri protect you and I shall pray for you to emerge victorious!"

With a gentle pat on their shoulders, she turned to leave. Along with the soldiers, the entire crowd bowed to her as the palanquin was rised by the women.

"Please tell me you have a second plan in place if things go wrong. Why do I feel like we are doomed already, Yaazha!"

"She is way too beautiful for her age. Isn't it-"

"Keep it low Yaazha! You are such a mess. Just now she did say-"

"Aye. Aye. Calm your jitters, Aadhi. We still have twenty days."

As the palanquin faded into the horizon of dawn, they stood up among the black barren sands akin to the roses pricked by their own thorns.

__________________________

"Wake up little bird! The sun is up in the sky."

She pulled the sheets to coil her up in her cozy mattress to keep her warm.

"Laya! You have to wake up and get ready. The artists will be here any moment."

The old woman kept tossing her. But the little woman kept rolling to the other side of the bed to buy more time. Fury boiled her wrinkled skin, making her roll down the curtains. The flooding lights of the morning shrunk her little lids, pushing her to sit upon her pillow.

"Amma! The winters come with longer nights. Longer nights means we can rest a bit more. I don't know when you will learn this."

"It is the season of summer, Laya! Wake up!"

Paying no heed to her half open lids, she pulled her out of the bed.

"Wait. Oh, wait Amma!"

Stating that she peeked out of the small window slits to capture the two little dots bleaking at the bluish skies.

"Amma! Do you see it?"

"See what Laya? Don't dramatise- Ah! Is it true?"

"They are here. Finally they are here Amma!"

She kept pointing at the faint red dots starring akin to the ruby stones amidst the fluffy smoked clouds.

"So are the predictions true?"

"Eesan never lies, Amma! Atleast not to me."

She folded her hands as she mumbled a happy verse with gratitude.

"So what do you think will happen?"

"Only he knows."

Her little fish like eyes looked deep at the stars as she fell deep to their shines. A little smile cradled her thick pink lips while her hands warmed her from the chilling breezes.

"Your cheeks are turning red! Is the season of love is here as well?"

"Not everything that is red is love. Sometimes it reminds me of war and sometimes the hibiscus."

She twisted her wrists to open them in the shape of a flower as her eyes peeked at her empty palm.

"Don't be silly. Eesan is the God of love!"

"The God of destruction and mystery as well. Don't you forget."

Shutting her up had been her routine whenever the woman brings in the idea of love.

"You must befriend good company-"

"No. I need more heat."

Her gazes pierced right through her soul, making her rub the nape of her neck.

"Arghm. Prepare the theertham. I shall get ready. The guests will be here soon."

Keeping the anger picked words to herself she rushed out of the room leaving her alone. Smiling at her saved cusses, she neared the windows again. A gentle thrill glid down her spine as her gentle green eyes looked at the stars that had almost turned invisible to any eye. She suddenly clasped her lids to recollect their bright shine.

"Oh Eesa, may I be guided."

She rolled out her hidden neck piece with the locket of a flower that resembled the oysters of the sea. Scouting the place once again, she took out the three beads. Mumbling a quick prayer she hurriedly drew a circle with a grey powder heaped in the table near her.

"Show me what I should know."

She shook the red beads as fast as she could and flung them upon the circle. To her surprise, they rolled to end together in the middle perfectly.

"What does this mean?"

She picked them in a hurry and shook them again. Crumbling the folds of her night robes, she pictured the three faces. She then threw the beads as gently as she could amidst the clutches of chaos. When two of them landed out of the circle, a gentle joy soothed her lips. But before she could pick them up, a gushy wind began rolling them until they met each other in the exact place as before.

"How? Why? This can't happen! I can't be one among them. I'm not here to ruin-"

A sudden metallic knock grabbed her attention. She hurriedly picked the beads to latch them up.

"Laya the theertham is ready! They are ready."

Sighing out her emotions she replied, "I will join them soon."

..🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼..

Word count: 2095

..🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼..