Adoption ( Part 6 )

The shrine was totally different in look than what it was before. Every pillar was wound with strings woven with flowers. At one side, there was a beautiful palanquin used for the goddess, with strings of pearls for curtains. Usually, it had a few small pillows used to hold the rock statue in place. But now it appeared normal. The satin silk covering the upholstery was even creased as though it had just been used by a person. On another side, there was a large swing bed. It was not the type of embarrassing crib that Kush slept in every night, but a proper bed that also doubled as a swing. Kush saw the same type of bed in a smaller size elsewhere in the temple. It served a ceremonial function when the god and goddess got married every few dozen years. However, that bed was just for statues or even dolls made in the likeness of the god and goddess. This bed, however, was life size. It was covered in rose petals and was decorated beautifully with a jasmine and marigold canopy, with crystals blinking here and there like stars in that flowery sky. Rows of brahmins were seated on three sides around a small fire in the middle of the large hall, deeply chanting mantras. They did not show any reaction to Kush's sudden intrusion.

On the fourth side of the fire was a couple. An actual human couple. They were dressed in the finest silks, the man in red while the woman wore white with a gold border. They joined their hands in front of their chest in a namaste and were looking at the fire silently. Kush didn't recognise the two for a moment. For one thing, the man in fine silk was the same one he often saw naked with his wild unlocked tresses flying everywhere as he practiced the sword. If someone asked Kush who was the true barbarian among all the people he knew, he would point to that man. If they asked him who was the truly cultured man, he would also point to him. The woman was the one he was most familiar with, the one who was always dressed in pink, covering every part of her body in a fine tailored dress. The style is foreign in this land, unlike the dhoti and saree she was wearing now. She looked breathtaking.

Despite the hundreds of thoughts running in his head, like a train that lost control, Kush blurted, "What are you two doing?!"

A fine manly voice brought him back to earth. "Brat, had fun causing trouble for everyone all day?"

"Huh?" Kush's voice shook. His hands froze as he focused on that man's face. He looked as handsome as ever, the finest specimen of masculinity ever born on earth. The only thing different were his clothes, which were actually decent, rich even.

"I knew it! I said I didn't want to put on these clothes! Damn temple rules telling me what to do!"

"Just what are you two doing…" Kush trembled as he pointed his index finger.

Meanwhile, a priest kindly pointed to Bhargava not to utter profanities in the temple.

Bhargava ignored him and beckoned Kush forward. "Isn't obvious what we're doing?" he glanced around and paused. Perhaps it wasn't that obvious.

"Your teacher and I got married, dumbass—"

"Shiva Shiva!" a brahmin cupped his ears.

"Alright, that's not too bad a word. Don't overreact," Bhargava continued. He grabbed Kush's wrist with an invisible thread of energy and pulled him close. "You took six years to get to this altar. It's all thanks to you I had to wait so long!" He dragged Kush down till the child fell into his lap.

"What are you doing!" Kush freaked out and was about to jump out.

But how strong was Bhargava? Actually no one knew the answer to that, but he was clearly much stronger than anyone Kush knew. Once the man locked his arm around Kush's waist, he couldn't wriggle out no matter what he did.

"You're still small, don't be so embarrassed!" he chuckled.

"I'm not small!"

"You are very small…" Bhargava didn't spare his feelings at all. "Little Cactus grew up. Why didn't you?"

"Do not compare me to him! He's a drylander. Drylanders all grow abnormally fast," Kush yelled over the mantras.

"He he. You're always so unhappy when I bring him up."

"Teacher, why did you bring this man here?" Kush slapped Bhargava's hands unhappily. "Didn't you say he's uncouth and we don't need to care about him?"

A small corner of Ashangi's lips went up, but they quickly became flat again. She put some flowers on the altar as the priest directed her to.

"Teacher, what are you doing here anyway?"

Ashangi was silent while Bhargava answered the question for him. "What is she doing? Brat, let me tell you I'm as unhappy as you about this! Today is supposed to my freaking first night for god's sake. I waited six years for this…!" He roughly patted Kush's head and said in a grave, apocalyptic voice. "Let me tell you Little Grass, six years is a long time for a man…A very long time."

Kush felt calm and a bit curious. He turned and asked. "So what are you guys doing here?"

Bhargava threw sneaky glances at the stern looking priests and whispered in Kush's ear. "We're conceiving you."

"What?!"

Bhargava nodded like a pecking chicken, his eyes round and amusing.

"That's a bit gross to hear…" Kush murmured. "What about the god and the goddess?"

"Isn't that why she made me wait?! Whenever the god and goddess get married in these temple ceremonies, the rituals are carried out through an actual marriage of a couple or the renewal of vows between an old couple."

It finally dawned on Kush what really was happening. "So you and teacher got married this morning?"

"Indeed, we did it."

"And teacher made you wait all this time so that I can reach this position and the god and goddess had to be married again…so that you two can take their place as representatives?" Kush was nearly confused again.