Rompad had been deeply interested in the happenings and had nothing against Shanta going there except that she should take care of herself and insisted that Aadi should accompany her as the forest was very dense. Personally Aadi was scared that Rishyashringa could harm their Princess as she was the first woman he had ever seen and he would not know to control his desire. But at Shanta's request, Aadi  said he would rest at a distance from the Ashram as she finished her meeting.

" You came!" Rishyashringa got up to greet Shanta. Shanta felt immense respect for  the man in front of her. He had seen a woman for the first time in his life and though he was attracted he didnot behave like a savage or touch her improperly or make her feel uncomfortable. 

" Of course" she smiled. He guestured her to sit on the soft grass next to him. " Why me?" he asked.

" What?"

" Why did you seek my help?" Rishyashringa asked looking ahead.

" Our Kingdom is in great need of rains. Lord Indra had cursed after King Rompad had unknowingly insulted a brahmin. To bring back rains, we have to perform a ritual with a sage who has felt no...attraction or lust  towards any one for the most of his life, in other words, chaste in mind too,not just in body ." she said.

" Lust?" he asked innocently repressing the urge to hold her hand as he did the day before.

Shanta sighed. It was as if explaining to a small child about adoloscent feelings. " Lust is.. attraction" she explained feebly.

" This flower is very attractive. Do I .." he asked  pointing towards a parijata tree.

" No" she laughed cutting in. " Lust means desire. An intense desire to touch,posess..someone or something.It feels primal. It is a strong emotion. And you never having seen a woman have never felt lust. That is why we approached you." She never had felt so comfortable speaking of things she always found difficult to talk even with her own mother.

" Love and lust are not the same thing?" he asked looking at her

" No. Lust is superficial. Only physical attraction. A strong desire for physical needs .It does not last long. Love is deeper and is eternal. It is something very pure and...unexplainable. It happens for no reason, yet you find every reason to love the person. In pure love, there are no expectations, no insecurity.. You don't love them just because they are beautiful or smart..because even if they lose the qualities that define them, and if you truly love them, you will love them just the same." She explained to the best of her capabilities.

" Have you ever..experienced lust?" he asked not looking at her.

" No" she said. 

" Love?" he asked, this time looking into her eyes. She felt a sharp ray of sunshine hit her eyes as he shifted so that his body prevented the ray from hitting her face. He leaned closer tucking an escaped strand of her hair behind her ear. Shanta's breath caught in her throat as his hands shivered softly still caressing her face. 

" Have you?" he asked again. She stared up at him unable to find her voice. " Have you?" she asked him.

" What? Lust or love?" he said leaning back again.

"Any of them" She answered knowing where the question was  headed.

"At  first I  could not imagine what I was feeling and then I thought it was lust, but when you differentiated love and lust, I was not sure what it was.... Can you feel physically attracted to a person whom you love?." he said 

" Yes, you do feel physically attracted to the person who you love dearly , if the person is of opposite sex and  you have romantic interests in them, like a person who you would want to spend the rest of your life with. With your Aardhangini."  Shanta said smiling inwardly .

" Oh" he exclaimed. " Then, I have felt both lust and love."

" One of the women who came with me?" she asked him non chalantly gripping the grass tightly.

" No" 

" You saw women for the first time! You did not feel any  desire seeing them?" She asked suprised .

" No" he said firmly.

" Aadi?" she gasped ,laughing.

" No! " Rishyashringa said feircely.

Shanta's heart leapt to her throat. " You control your emotions well"

" My father made sure of that, did'nt he?" he said looking at her.  

" You will not tell him that  I came today?" she enquired.

" No. He will be furious. He might harm you" he said moving closer taking her hand. " I will not let that happen."

" I know" she whispered. 

" What is this? What is it that we have now?" he whispered rubbing circles on her wrist.

" I don't know" she said closing her eyes.

" Thank you" he said quietly. " For telling me things I never knew or would have never known if I had not met you"

Shanta nodded. She saw Aadi  running up to her. " Rishi Vibhandaka!" he gasped in horror.

Shanta got up swiftly on her legs as Rishyashringa whispered urgently, "Tomorrow?"

"Yes" she said and disappeared with Aadi right behind her heels.

She felt frustrated. She had such a clear mission . To get Rishyashringa to Anga. She could not do that today too. It was fortunate for Anga that the neigbhouring kingdoms had agreed to change courses of their rivers to Anga. But it would not last forever. She could have sent any other woman to lure him...No she could not even think of any other woman close to her Rishyashringa.

Jealousy was an emotion unknown to Shanta. She gritted her teeth. Why was it being so difficult to control her thoughts? She could not forget how Rishyashringa had seen her. She knew he was attracted by her but the look in his eyes was not lust. He had such control over an emotion he barely knew.. He had never once made her feel unsafe. She could not repress the joyful feeling of loving and being loved. The pain of walking all day to see him did not matter. She didnot notice that they already had reached Anga. She mounted her horse tied at  the edge of the forest , vowing to bring Rishyashringa to Anga the next day. 

* Hope you like it. :)