Kritartha was almost home.
His feet were carrying him along the familiar path, but his mind was nowhere near his village.
He was still trapped in her presence.
Those beautiful, dark eyes kept appearing before him again and again.
Every time he remembered them, his heart began pounding faster.
He didn't understand what was happening to him.
He had never felt anything like this before.
As he walked, a small smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you, God..."
"For showing me something I never knew I was missing."
He didn't know who that woman was.
He didn't even know whether he would ever see her again.
But somehow...
He already wanted to.
When Kritartha finally reached his home, he immediately noticed something unusual.
Several villagers had gathered outside.
His heart skipped a beat.
His father was sitting on the ground, his face filled with sorrow.
And beside him stood Kalindi, crying and wiping tears from her cheeks.
Kritartha slowed down.
He couldn't understand what was happening.
Kalindi spoke through her tears.
Kalindi: "I shouldn't have taken him into the forest..."
Her voice trembled.
"I tried so hard to pull him out, but I couldn't save him."
She lowered her head.
"He completely drowned and disappeared right in front of my eyes."
But the truth was different.
Kalindi knew she had still had time to save Kritartha.
She had simply been too afraid.
She had run away.
And now she was making sure nobody knew that.
She wanted everyone to believe she had done everything she could.
While she continued wiping her tears, she suddenly noticed someone approaching.
Her eyes widened.
Kritartha.
For a moment, she simply stared at him.
His clothes were covered in mud.
His hair was wet.
But he was alive.
Kritartha's father immediately stood up.
His sorrowful expression turned into shock.
Father: "Kritu...?"
He rushed toward him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Father: "I thought I'd lost you!"
His voice broke.
"Don't... don't ever do this again, Kritu."
He held his son tightly.
"Going deep into the forest without even telling me... What were you thinking?"
But Kritartha barely heard him.
His father's words were distant.
His mind had already returned to that mysterious woman.
Her eyes.
Her voice.
Everything about her.
Kalindi quickly walked toward him.
Kalindi: "Thank God..."
She forced a relieved smile through her tears.
"I'm so happy you're back safe and alive."
She stepped closer.
"I prayed so much to God to send you back to me."
She tried to hug him.
But Kritartha simply stepped aside.
He didn't even look at her.
Without saying a word, he walked toward the well beside his house.
Kalindi froze.
She slowly lowered her arms.
Kritartha drew a bucket of water from the well and poured it over his head.
The cold water washed away the mud covering his face and body.
But it couldn't wash away the memory of her.
He closed his eyes.
For a moment...
He could almost see those dark eyes again.
A strange smile appeared on his face.
That night...
Kritartha lay on his bed.
The entire village had fallen silent.
But he couldn't sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her.
The woman who had pulled him out of death.
Her mysterious voice.
Her eyes.
The way she had looked at him.
And that strange feeling in his chest.
He turned to the other side.
Still thinking about her.
Eventually...
Sleep took him.
But even in his dreams...
She was there.
THE NEXT MORNING
Kritartha suddenly woke up.
He quickly washed his face and mouth.
Then he grabbed his bag and weapons.
His father, who was preparing things outside, looked at him with confusion.
Father: "Where are you heading this early, Kritu?"
Kritartha adjusted his bag.
Kritartha: "I want to buy a new dress."
"So, I need to collect more herbs for exchange."
His father looked at him suspiciously.
Father: "Why do you need a new—"
Kritartha interrupted gently.
Kritartha: "It's okay, Father."
"I'll be safe."
Before his father could ask anything else,
Kritartha quickly left.
He walked deeper into the forest without hesitation.
Yesterday, the same forest had almost taken his life.
Today...
He wasn't afraid.
He searched through the areas where he
had marked the trees.
He passed the same paths.
The same trees.
The same rocks.
And eventually...
He reached the place where the quagmire was.
Kritartha stopped.
He looked at the deadly pit from a distance.
A shiver ran through him as he remembered sinking into it.
Then he slowly stepped backward.
He didn't want to go anywhere near it again.
Instead, he continued searching through
unfamiliar parts of the forest.
After walking for some time...
He suddenly heard the sound of rushing water.
Kritartha followed it.
The trees slowly opened.
And what he saw made him stop.
A huge waterfall stood between towering trees and rocky mountains.
Crystal-clear blue water cascaded down into a natural pond below.
Mist floated gently through the air.
The entire place looked untouched by humans.
Kritartha stared at it in wonder.
He slowly walked toward the pond.
He was thirsty, so he bent down and scooped some water into his hands.
Just as he was about to drink...
Something moved across the surface of the water.
Kritartha froze.
He slowly raised his head.
A woman emerged from the pond beneath the waterfall.
She wore a long black sari, loosely draped around her body.
The mist surrounded her as the waterfall thundered behind her.
Kritartha's eyes widened.
It was her.
The woman who had saved him.
His heart immediately began pounding again.
He quickly moved behind a nearby tree.
Peeking from behind it, he watched her.
He couldn't take his eyes away.
His face slowly filled with excitement.
"She's here..."
His heartbeat grew louder.
But suddenly...
The woman stopped.
Her expression changed.
She had sensed something.
Kritartha immediately turned his face away and pressed himself behind the tree.
After a few seconds...
He carefully looked again.
She was gone.
Kritartha stepped out from behind the tree.
He looked left.
Then right.
Nothing.
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed him from behind.
A dagger pressed against his throat.
Kritartha froze.
A cold voice whispered beside his ear.
Woman: "You shouldn't have come back here."
Kritartha swallowed nervously.
Then he smiled.
Kritartha: "I forgot to say thanks yesterday for saving me."
He slowly raised his hands.
"So, I came back for that."
The woman immediately withdrew the dagger and pushed him forward.
Kritartha turned around.
And once again...
He saw her.
Her dark eyes.
Her long, thick black hair.
Her height.
Her strong yet graceful presence.
He had never seen a woman like her before.
He became so stunned by her beauty that, for a moment, he couldn't speak.
She stared at him with suspicion.
Woman: "You shouldn't be here?"
Kritartha finally found his voice.
Kritartha: "You live around here...?"
She frowned.
Woman: "You shouldn't talk to me."
Kritartha tilted his head.
Kritartha: "Then, what should I supposed to do?"
She looked at him as though he were foolish.
Woman: "You came back all the way here to say thanks?"
Her expression became slightly serious.
"What if a wild animal attacked you on your way here?"
Kritartha smiled confidently.
Kritartha: "I bought my weapons."
He gestured toward them.
"And I'm not afraid of this wild."
The woman stared at him.
Then she raised the dagger slightly.
Woman: "What if I kill you right here?"
Kritartha smiled a little.
Instead of stepping away...
He looked directly into her eyes.
Kritartha: "You want to kill me...?"
"But I want to live for you."
The woman's expression changed.
She blinked.
Woman: "What?"
Kritartha smiled shyly.
Kritartha: "I mean..."
"You saved my life."
"Today I'm standing here and looking at your beautiful eyes because of you only."
He slowly spread his arms.
"Even though if you still want to kill me... you can."
The woman simply stared at him.
She didn't attack or move
For several seconds, neither of them said anything.
Kritartha slowly lowered his arms.
Then he asked again.
Kritartha: "So... you live around here?"
The woman answered calmly.
Woman: "I belong here."
Kritartha looked around at the enormous forest.
Kritartha: "So, you never went outside of this huge, dark and creepy forest?"
The woman looked at him.
Then calmly turned his own words against him.
Woman: "So, you never came here, this huge, dark and creepy forest before?"
Kritartha smiled shyly.
He looked around.
Then back at her.
Kritartha: "I never thought this dark forest held this much beauty that I've never seen in my life."
For the first time...
The woman smiled.
Kritartha froze.
He had never seen her smile before.
And somehow...
That smile affected him even more than her eyes.
Something stirred inside his chest.
He didn't know what it was.
He only knew...
He liked it.
He liked that feeling a lot.
The woman looked away.
Woman: "I don't know if I can come outside from here."
"I never went outside."
"And if my family found that I'm out there alone..."
"It's not good."
Kritartha immediately smiled.
Kritartha: "Who said you're going alone?"
"I'm with you."
He looked at her warmly.
"And I'll always be..."
The woman looked at him quietly.
Then...
They started moving out together.
After walking a few steps, Kritartha suddenly stopped.
Kritartha: "Hey..."
"I forgot to ask one more thing."
T
he woman turned toward him.
Woman: "What?"
Kritartha smiled.
Kritartha: "What's your name?"
"What should I call you?"
She remained silent.
Her eyes moved away from his.
For several seconds, she didn't answer.
Kritartha waited patiently.
Finally...
She spoke.
Woman: "My name is Brinda."
Kritartha smiled.
For the first time...
He finally had a name for the woman who had somehow entered his heart without even asking permission.
Brinda.
