UNEDITED

My eyes fluttered open as I let out a low groan, my head was throbbing while every muscle in my body ached.

Placing my hand on my head I tried getting up and with loads of difficulty and as soon as I did a wave of dizziness swept over me.

I looked around with confusion untill the happenings of incident flashed before me.

I and Arjun were on boat and I had fallen into the river losing my balance and I could swear I had seen Arjun jumping right after me and then everything went blank.

Ignoring the dizziness I rose on my feet and around it when my eyes fell on an ancient Ardhanarishwar murti, looking divine, touching their feet I went out of the temple.

The temple was situated in a deep forest. Panic rose inside of me. I was sure that Rajkumaar Arjun had brought me here, but he was no where to be found.

"Rajkumaar Arjun?" I called out, making sure my voice was loud enough.

I didn't want to move far away from the temple so I kept calling him, hoping he would hear me

"Rajkumaar!"

"Rajkumaar Arjun!"

Just then I heard  footsteps coming closer and I frozen.

What if a tiger or lion or something like that is coming?

No way!! This wasn't how I was supposed to die. Hey Narayan!

I shut my eyes close and whirled around to run but I just collided against a hard wall. No, it was too soft to be a wall. I slowly opened my eyes and found those enticing hazels looking down at me with confusion.

Relief washed over me, I smiled but soon it disappeared.

"Where were you? What if I were attacked by some wild animal or tribal? Don't you have responsibilities? You saved me, right? Now I am your responsibility. Why did you leave here all alone?"

I kept lamenting, letting my anxiety out. I couldn't even blame anxiety, Just a few moment ago I thought I was going to be some wild animal's breakfast.

He just chuckled which just flared my anger.

"I can't believe you were unconscious through the whole night" He teased before adding "I just went to bring some food for you  You must be starving"

Instead of answering I turned my face away and suddenly, Arjun pushed me into the temple and pinned my against the wall.

"What's wro—" My words died in my mouth as I noticed two arrows in his hand.

"You can come out" He said looking at the big banian tree and continued "Targeting an innocent woman, how coward one has to be to do that?"

It was the first time I saw the warrior Arjun, his face was so calm, so calm that it reminded me the silence before storm.

I shifted my eyes from him to the three men so that came from the bushes.

"Why did you do that?" Arjun questioned him, Arjun's expression started to harden.

"Because we ordered him!" We turned and saw some people, their attire told us they were priests, probably of this temple.

"And why so, Brahmin dev?" Arjun narrowed his eyes.

"Because you two have contaminated our temple. It's clear you two aren't married yet you spent the night together that too in our Ardhanarishwar temple. So according to our rule this girl will be punished"

My grip on Arjun's arms tightened as the fear gripped my heart. I tried to even my breathing but in vain.

"She was not well yesternight, we had no other option, in fact she still has fever" Arjun explained.

"Why should we believe you?" One of them stepped ahead as he continued "It's our custom, if a man and woman spend night together in the temple, the woman should be punished, either we have to kill her or she have to be Devdasi"

"What?" I gasped "But we— I..." My voice choked as tears welled up in my eyes, I didn't put any effort at holding it back. I didn't want to die and I definitely didn't want to became a Devdasi.

"Yes, so tell us what would you prefer? Death or the life of a Devdasi"

"And what if the man and woman are married?" Arjun quired. I looked up at him in confusion.

What is he saying?

The Brahmins looked at each other before one of them answered"Then there won't be any punishment"

"Then I will marry her"

I frozen.

"What? " I wanted to shout but my voice came out in a whisper.

He looked down at me, there was no love or admiration in those hazels just plain hollowness "Yes"

I stumbled backwards before rushing out of there. Throwing myself at Ardhanarishwar's feet, I broke into tears

"Why? Why you did this to me?" I looked up "I wanted Arjun was my husband I still do, But not out of pity, not when his heart doesn't want me, not when he is forced to marry me"

Till now I was my mother's liability and the last thing I wanted was to be my husband's. I had always embarrassed my mother and now I would embarrass Arjun.

"Is this what I am? An embarrassment? A burden?" I asked to the divine form of Shiva-Shakti.

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Jaishnavi Krishna