"Get out!" he yelled at his disciple, his voice ringing with authority. Then he turned to the woman standing in front of him and said, "I'm truly sorry your highness."
As she collected herself, the sky began to clear, returning to a calm blue, and the crowd let out a collective sigh of relief.
Shubam, the frightened disciple, felt a wave of panic and hurriedly ran away from the scene.
As the crowd started to disperse, only four people remained: the young man, Charu, her father, and the woman.
"You need to understand," the woman said firmly, her eyes on Charu. "She is lovely, but her heart is as fragile as glass. Don't break it!"
The young man looked confused. He turned to the woman and said, "I don't know my future." He raised his fingers, trying to figure it out. "I can't find anything, as if there's no future for me... how can I provide for her?"
She smiled gently. "The future of a man is built by his actions. Don't worry, and remember, she has a heart as pure as dew. Don't lose her, my son."
She turned to Charu and continued, "He has to travel, and his paths will be long, dangerous, and dark. You must wait for him to return. But are you prepared to wait?"
Charu responded without hesitation, "Yes." Her quick answer surprised the old chief priest, who watched them with wide eyes.
"Vikram, take care of her," the woman said as she began to step back. Suddenly, she turned to the chief priest, her expression serious. "She is your daughter. Could you consider marrying her to my son?"
The chief priest felt a strong sense of recognition. He was suddenly alarmed and found himself unable to look directly at her. Nodding slowly, he agreed silently.
He then turned to the young beggar and asked, "Your three years of banishment are up today. Are you going back?"
"I don't want to," the young man replied, his voice calm yet hesitant.
"Forgive her," the woman said. "She was justified too; you've created quite a problem. How can any mother let that go easily?"
She looked at him with sympathy. "I agree. She should have understood the situation before making her choice, but she must have been suffering these past three years."
He stared off into the distance for a moment, then said, "I won't avoid going back. The rest I will leave to time."
"The Prince will still be in exile," she noted with a playful smile. "That's interesting."
"They're here," she said with a serious tone. "You need to meet them; it's important."
With that, she turned and walked toward the main part of the temple, gradually disappearing into the crowd.
The young man looked at the temple chief, a smile forming on his lips as he asked, "Now you know who I am?"
"Yes, Your Highness," the chief priest replied, his tone respectful.
The young man smiled knowingly, but Charu interrupted. "Now you should come home."
"Yes," he agreed, smiling back. "But I don't know your house."
"Don't worry; I know where you stay. I'll come to get you," she said excitedly. "Let me go home and prepare." With that, she turned and headed toward her home, brimming with joy.
The young man and the old priest exchanged glances, feeling a sense of happiness as they watched Charu leave. Nodding at the priest, the young man stepped out of the temple, ready to face whatever came next.