Nights of the Moonless Sky by N. S. Vishwanath

Author:N. S. Vishwanath [Vishwanath, N. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781480895751
Publisher: Archway Publishing
Published: 2020-12-11T05:00:00+00:00

8

Aadarshini decided it was time for her to act.

Sidappa had assured her Venkata would go to Madhuvana to check on Raghu. She had privately asked Venkata to take her along, and he had agreed. Then that morning, she saw Venkata riding away. He was supposed to take me with him. Why would he go back on his word? This wasn’t the first time men had behaved perfidiously towards her, treating her as if her opinion didn’t matter. She wanted to rationalize his decision, thinking perhaps it was for her own good, but she felt a part of her psyche wilt.

She came to the pond to clear her mind. She bathed, draped herself in a fresh sari, and let her hair free to dry in the gentle breeze. Keshava, the boy with the limp, sat with another boy at the far end. She waved to him, calling him towards her. Keshava limped towards where she was, while the other boy disappeared into one of the huts.

“I hear you run errands all over the region, Keshava. That must be so exciting, so full of adventure,” she said as she dried out her wet sari on a flat boulder. Keshava nodded and beamed proudly. She asked him to hand her some stones to weigh down the sari.

“There, the sun will dry it no time,” she said. “Keshava, I’ve always wanted to ask you, have you ever been to Maravali?”

She knew he had.

“Yes, many times,” the boy replied. “I can usually get there well before dark.”

“You are a brave boy, going so far by yourself,” said Aadarshini and squeezed his cheeks gently, making him blush. “Will you do me a favor then? I need to send a message to someone in Maravali. But you must promise not to tell anyone, not even Sidappa.”

“Yes, surely I can. I am leaving tomorrow. I have to go to several places. Maravali is on the way. But I will return in a few days. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”

Aadarshini thanked the stars she had come across the boy that day itself. “Good. Meet me tomorrow before you leave, there by the big tree,” she pointed at a banyan that stood on the trail leading away.

She stroked the boy’s face and smiled, hoping the boy was charmed by her. He blushed, bobbed his head, then turned around and left.

It was cloudy the next morning. Aadarshini walked to the banyan quietly. She had decided to send Prabhakara Swami one of her anklets. Everyone in Maravali knew of the distinctive anklets that Rajanna’s wives wore. And she had so often caught the priest staring at her ankles that she was confident he would know it belonged to her. The boy waited patiently, and she was glad he did.

“Go to the temple in Maravali. An old woman sells flowers outside. Give this to her and tell her to give it to Prabhakara Swami. Tell her to tell him these came from Sidappa’s village. Don’t say anything more, and don’t talk to anyone else.

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