The Heir

For Vikram, it was not all joy. He knew he had to leave one day and that day was fast approaching. He had to leave behind everything that the forest gave to him in the last few months and return to his kingdom with its prince, leaving behind Pranita, the one woman he loved so much. Everyday, he would feel sad thinking about the same.

But on the other side, Pranita was in a quandary of her own. Yes, she knew she was a Sadhvi. But, the last few months of being married and having a baby had changed something in her heart. She knew that being a Sadhvi, she would have to return to priesthood. But she wanted to experience motherhood as well. She wanted to see her baby speak its first words. She wanted to see him take his first steps. She wanted to hear him call her 'mother'. But the thought that soon her baby would be gone forever from her life and she would have to return to priesthood would make her feel miserable. She would silently weep thinking about this. But she knew there was nothing she could do. So, like Vikram, she also decided to experience these last few days of them together to the fullest.

From then on, Vikram and Pranita would be inseparable. One of the two would be carrying the little Jai. They would take long strolls in the forest. They would play with little Jai together. They enjoyed their married life to the fullest.

Finally, the day came. A night earlier, Pranita had mentioned how the next day would be exactly one year since Vikram arrived. She was the one who mentioned that Vikram should leave along with Jai the next day. Vikram could see tears in Pranita's eyes. He hugged her and he cried too. This was the moment he dreaded. That night, they did not sleep. They cherished the memories of the last one year that the two of them had spent as husband and wife. Both just wept thinking about them. They wanted time to stop at that moment. They did not want the sun to rise the next day. But it did.

The sun was up and shining brightly. But everything to Vikram and Pranita seemed gloomy. Vikram wore his king's attire. Pranita wrapped little Jai in a sheet nicely and handed him to Vikram. Vikram carefully carried him in his arm. Vaig stood nearby.

The moment came. Pranita kissed her baby several times as she cried, not wanting her son to go. Vikram cried too. After suffering so much, he again had a wholesome family and now Pranita will not be there in his life anymore. They hugged and cried.

"Pranita... Can you..." asked Vikram.

"Don't... Don't say anything... Just leave, my king." said Pranita with tears in her eyes.

With a heavy heart, Vikram got on top of Vaig. He made sure that Jai was secured in the bundle that he held in his arm. He then, looked back and saw Pranita.

"Thank you... for helping me." said Vikram, choking up.

Pranita just nodded.

And then, the horse started moving. Vikram kept looking back in her eyes. Pranita waved him goodbye. Soon, the horse went inside a bunch of trees and disappeared.

Pranita went inside her hut and saw how empty it was. Without Vikram and Jai, it was silent. There was nothing to lighten it up. She lied down on her bed and started crying. She cried and cried. Suddenly, her eyes looked at something on the opposite end. She got up and went there. It was Vikram's bow and a quiver full of arrows. She touched it and missed Vikram and her son and cried again. The world felt dark and bereft of any happiness.

Just a little while later, she heard the sound of a horse neighing. She got out of her hut and saw Vikram getting off it.

"What happened?" asked Pranita.

"I forgot something." said Vikram.

"Your bow and quiver?" asked Pranita.

"Yes... That and something else." said Vikram.

Pranita looked on.

"You, Pranita... I forgot you as well." said Vikram.

Pranita teared up.

"Come with us... come with us to my kingdom. My son needs his mother. My kingdom needs a queen... I need my wife... I need you, Pranita." said Vikram.

They both wept.

"I can't... I am a Sadhvi." said Pranita.

Vikram waited for some time to say something.

"I know... but think about us... Don't you want to see Jai grow up and take his first steps? Don't you want to hear him call you mother?" asked Vikram.

"What would I not give to experience all of that... But I was here for a purpose. The purpose I was born to fulfil. To give you an heir. I have fulfilled that. Now I have to go back to being a Sadhvi." replied Pranita.

"Maybe your purpose was not just help my kingdom with an heir but also to help it with a queen." Said Vikram.

"I don't know. My guru never told me that." said Pranita. Yes, she wanted to go with Vikram to be with him and her son. But she couldn't break the vow of being a Sadhvi.

Vikram stood there for a few moments.

"Then ask him the same. Meditate... and ask him... and find out if that is the purpose of your life." said Vikram.

Pranita sat beneath the banyan tree below which she always meditated. She closed her eyes and started focusing. Vikram just kept looking at her hoping he would have an answer soon.

Pranita focused for a long time and suddenly, she felt that her Guru could hear her.

"Guru-ji... You told me to come and live in this forest. You told me I had to fulfil my purpose. I am not sure what my purpose is? Is it to give my husband's kingdom an heir or is it something more? Guide me... I need your help and guidance, Guru-ji." said Pranita in her mind.

"My dear Pranita..." replied the Guru.

Vikram saw Pranita lips curving into a smile. Her eyeballs were moving behind her eyelids and quite fast. This kept on for some time.

Finally, after a really long time, Pranita opened her eyes. There were tears in them. She looked into Vikram's eyes. She smiled and wept at the same time. And then, she just nodded.

Vikram knew what it meant. He was elated. He walked up to his wife and hugged her. Soon, she would be his queen. They kissed and expressed their happiness. She took Jai in her arms and showered kisses over his face. Vikram hugged his wife and son.

Some time later, Vikram helped Pranita pack up her clothes in a bundle. He hung it from Vaig's saddle. Pranita touched her home for the last few years, the hut, for one last time. Vikram helped his wife get on top of the horse. He then, gave her little Jai to hold and got on top of the horse too.

"Forgot to say one thing to you." Said Vikram.

"What?" asked Pranita.

"I love you, Pranita." Said Vikram. Pranita smiled and kissed him.

Vikram placed a hand on Pranita's belly and said, "Next time... I want a little girl."

Pranit smiled and said, "Me too."

Together, they rode towards their kingdom. Over the next few years, Pranita would give the kingdom several princesses and princes and together with her husband, they would make them ideal rulers and administrators.