╔══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══╗

Sawan arrived. The auspicious month of Lord Shiva. Two months passed away since Rukmini had seen Krishna. Whenever she longed to see him, she felt him near her. Every cell of her body chanted his name.

In all this while, Sage Narad visited them, more often than he usually used to do. When he came, every time Rukmini asked him about Krishna, he sang Madhav's glories with all the happiness. Rukmini couldn't help, falling for him, even more, each time she heard about him.

One heart had recognized another. Rukmini twirled slowly, spreading her arms in airs, the delicate, fragrant yellow petals of the gulmohar tree, fell on her, some decorating her wavy long hair, some touching her beauty, delicately. The sacred name of her beloved reverberated in her heart.

Krishna.

She closed her eyes, and her rose-like lips stretched into a beautiful smile. "Madhav." She whispered with love, opened her eyes, and looked at the yellow petals that rested on her palms.

Yellow. Her beloved, Madhav's favorite colour. Sage Narad had told her.

"Rukmini," her trance was broken by the call of her mother.

She looked at Shuddhamati, who was approaching her.

"Ma,"

"You look happier than usual, nowadays. More beautiful even. Is there anything special?" Shuddhamati smiled, and Rukmini lowered her eyes, nodding in no.

"You came here to tell me something, Ma?" The former asked instead.

Shuddhamati nodded as she spoke, "It's the first day of Sawan, so you must go to Godaravi and take bath."

"Oh, I see,"

"Yes, I've ordered your dasis to arrange your dress and other commodities that you've to take along. Everything is prepared. You just have to leave for the auspicious bath."

"Sure, Ma." Rukmini nodded.

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

Rukmini walked through the lush green forest, towards the bank of river Godaravi, with her handmaids behind her.

"Rajkumari, have you heard anything new about the prince of Mathura?" Her head-maid, Mainavati asked.

Rukmini smiled, "His valour and divinity are the talk of the entire Bharatvarsh. Now, what's new?"

"The tale of his birth," another one said.

"Yes, I unintentionally heard the court ministers talking that people of Mathura had heard a prophecy through the sky about his birth. There's some great motive behind his birth, they say."

"A prophecy? Just like the one that happened during the birth of our princess?"

The handmaids talked among themselves.

"Oh yes, I also heard, he and his elder brother even brought back the dead son of Rishi Sandipani!"

"That's unbelievable!"

Rukmini smiled to herself.

He is no ordinary. She thought.

The walk to the river was full of interesting talks about Krishna. Rukmini didn't speak. Instead, just listened to her handmaids, praising him.

Reaching the banks of Godaravi, Rukmini took off her jewelry. Dressed in white, she looked etheral, like a goddess. Dipping herself in the water of sacred Godaravi and praying to the river goddess.

River goddess Godaravi, a form acquired by river goddess Ganga, on the request of the great Sage Gautam.

"O goddess river, as today it is beginning of auspicious month of Mahadev, please grant my wish of meeting Sri Krishna." She prayed.

Suddenly, her handmaids cried, "Rajkumari! The water!"

Rukmini quickly opened her eyes, but before she could understand the situation— the peaceful river, which turned all of a sudden into wild waves, took her away.

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

"What happened, Kanha?"

Balram was unable to understand the mind of his younger brother, who had abruptly pleaded with a change in the route.

"But–" Before he could say anything, Krishna turned his white stallion in the opposite direction. Regardless of his confusion, he followed his brother.

A helpless Rukmini was drowning in the river. She was trying hard, but she couldn't reach the riverside. Closing her eyes, she prayed to the Goddess Mother, hoping that she would listen to her prayers— when she perceived a soft hand wrapping around her wrist, she quickly opened her eyes and stared at the dusky complexioned hand of a man.

"What a beautiful hand!" She thought.

"Hold tight,"

His melodious tone soothing her ears. She looked at his face and couldn't believe it was Him and time stopped for her.

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

She could not feel herself. Rukmini's breath hitched. Her thinking came to halt, and eyes stilled— at the sight of the man who saved her, it was the man she loved.

Krishna had saved her.

She was looking at his beautiful face. Her black orbs melted in his large, lotus like eyes, which were deeper than the oceans. Beautiful peacock feathers adoring his crown. He looked so serene, so ethereal, that even thousands of suns and moons would be ashamed at the sight of his.

If there was a personification of love, it was him. If there was a pinnacle of beauty, it was him.

There was only him and he was everywhere. Tears of ecstasy brimmed in her eyes. Krishna smiled gently, breaking Rukmini's trance, "Devi."

She realised she was on riverside. Her back was resting against a stone. She remembered how Krishna had an arm around her. His soft fingers were delicately wrapped around her upper arm. While his other hand held her palm gently— as he made her lean comfortably on the stone and he was there, in front of her, sitting on one of his knees.

"Are you alright?" Krishna asked.

Rukmini was at the loss of words, and she could only nod. Krishna smiled, "Who are you, Devi?"

"Rukmini," her voice was a mere whisper.

"Such a beautiful name." She blushed in all shades of red at his compliment.

"You're the princess of which kingdom?"

She looked at him, amazed, "How do you know that I'm a princess?"

"The glow on your face instantly tells that you're a princess, who has grown up in all the richness— and is divine."

She shyly looked in his orbs, "I'm the
Princess of Vidarbha Rajya. And you?"

"Krishna, Prince of Mathura. I was returning to my kingdom when I saw you drowning in the river and came to help you."

"I've no words to thank you for the way you saved my life."

"By saving you, I've saved my life, Rajkumari." Krishna whispered.

As she understood what he was implying to, Rukmini looked away shyly, "I'll never be able to forget your favour, Rajkumar."

"Who would you not be able to forget? My favour— or me?" Krishna smiled charmingly.

"Both." Glancing at him for the tiniest moment, she looked away again and smiled bashfully. Krishna couldn't help but smile more at her coyness.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Hello readers! :)
Chapter 3 for here.
Please comment your delightful thoughts and hit the star button to vote.
Stay tuned! ;)