"Sis, are you okay?"
Dhani seemed lost in her thoughts. She felt an instant and deep attraction towards that man. She didn't understand why. "Was he the one?" She asked herself.
"Sis?"
"Huh!… Yes. I am fine. Let's go and worship the Goddess."
They went inside the temple chamber and started worshipping. Dhani's eyes were attracted to the corner. A man was meditating there. He appeared to be a saint. His facial features were firm and eyes were closed softly.
Handsome. That was the word that clicked in her mind when she looked at him. But, again, she started feeling the same connection as she felt with that man, the humongous one before. When she was taking a glance at him wondering about her feelings, he opened his eyes and looked straight into hers. Nervousness caused her to shut her eyes immediately.
Minutes later she opened her eyes again. He wasn't there. She sighed with relief, otherwise, it would have been embarrassing.
The sisters came out of the temple. They walked in the premises towards the gate. Someone from behind them walked past them and shouted; "Bali…. Bali…. Chief has woken up from his penance. He is calling for you."
The shout was loud almost in Vani's ear that caused her irritation. They looked at him. He was the same man who was accompanying that beast figure. From their opposite direction that beastly figure walked towards them. He looked at Dhani. His lips parted and eyes softened. He kept looking at her as he walked past them and then turned his head ahead.
"So his name is Bali. This name suits his mighty character," Dhani thought.
The thoughts of Bali and the man inside the temple still occupied her mind when she returned home.
"Ma…ma, do you know what happened in the temple today?" Vani said with excitement.
"What?" Mala asked.
"Let me tell you. We saw a man who was this, no, this much big," she guestured with her hands. "And when he walked past us he looked like a giant bear. His eyebrows were dark and thick and his jawline was sharp like a tiger. His arm muscles were…."
"How many animals did you see in just one man?"
"Hehe. There are more."
Dhani sat quietly in a corner to contemplate on what happened that day while back in the temple, in the Veerapalli ashram where guests from outside villages stayed, Bali was contemplating it too. Nivid, his companion, was sitting with him. Nivid was in his early thirties, bearded and well-built but one-third the size of Bali. They were facing the saint like man from the temple. He was dictating something to them that seemed like a plan but noticed Bali's inattentive behaviour.
"Where is your mind lost in Bali?"
"In thoughts of a woman," Nivid murmured and grinned mischievously.
"What?" Aatreya asked.
"Nothing elder brother," Bali said and glared at Nivid. "Brother, I have taken care of the task you gave me," he added.
"That's good. Then, we don't need to stay here anymore. Let's leave for home tomorrow."
Aatreya's words pierced Bali's heart a little. He wanted to see the beautiful woman again.
"Ah…!!" He exclaimed unhearbly. "Brother, I have heard that this village is very beautiful. Why don't we stay here for some more days?"
Nivid chuckles after hearing his plea.
"No, there is no need for that. The work is completed. Let's not waste our time here. We will leave tomorrow."
"Yes Your Highness!," Nivid said and lowered his head.
"Yes, brother. But I want to look around the village. Let's go see the village today," Bali said.
"Why are you pushing to go to the village? Is there a certain reason for it?"
"No, I just want to look around. That's it," Bali answered after hesitating a bit.
"That's it? All right, go then. I will stay here and do my penance," Aatreya said. "Buy something for mothers from the market," he ordered them.
"Yes, elder brother."
Bali, accompanied by Nivid, looked around the village. His eyes searched for the woman he met on that morning, wishing to see a glimpse of her again. He felt a certain connection with her that he had never felt before with anyone. When they were on the temple stairs, when he grabbed her by her waist, he felt waves of love rising in his heart for her. He was deeply attracted to her. His heart wanted to hold her closer, much closer to him and his eyes wanted to look at her graceful beauty for eternity. Something in him revolted against letting go of her. But, he had to let go of her. He did not know her.
"She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. These beautiful eyes are piercing directly through my heart. Who is she?" These thoughts ran through his mind. But, he could not say anything other than "Are you okay?"
They had been taking stroll of the village since morning since Bali was searching for that woman.
"Bali, it's evening now. We have been wandering here and there since morning. You even purchased the jewelleries for Queen Mothers. Let's go back to the Ashram," Nivid said.
"Just a little bit more," Bali said looking at the clothes stalls in the market. Cloth stalls were the favourites of ladies.
"Haha," Nivid chuckled aloud.
"What?" Bali asked after hearing him chuckling aloud.
"What?" Nivid asked in return.
"Why did you laugh?" Bali inquired.
"Well, today I saw a huge monstrous bison turn into a little puppy. Haha," Nivid said while doing some hand gestures that made Bali angry.
"What?"
"Did you like that woman that much? You have been looking for her since morning," Nivid questioned.
"What woman?" Bali asked and looked away.
"I saw you earlier. The way you looked at her. She has stolen your heart, hasn't she?"
He couldn't say anything and just thought about her even more than before.
"Answer me, my boy. Hehe," Nivid said and poked on his shoulder.
"I am just looking around here. Do not make your assumptions and do not tell your assumptions to elder brother," Bali said in frustration.
"Hmm...hmm..hmm."