soya tha nas nas mein
ab ye jag gaya
“You found a desert?” He echoed, and then felt rather dumb. Aadhira had only been surprised to hear there was a desert near here. He and Aarushi missed the ever-shifting sands of their birth home, but they had never found another place like it. He wondered if Aarushi would be proud of him and the information he had now learned, speaking with Priya. He wondered if Aarushi would like to travel to the desert Priya found. He wondered if Priya would be there, too.
Aadhira felt a quick tight knot tense in his belly and pressed shamefully away from what he thought his emotions toward Priya were becoming.
Aadhira nearly started at her comment – her soft tease as to the turning of her luck. Aadhira almost found himself telling her not to touch him… not because he did not want her to, but because he did. He wanted the physical connection with this sweet-eyed mare who was both familiar and an absolute stranger. He wanted to close his eyes, drift close to her and press his skin to hers and breathe her in, a comfort he and Aarushi sometimes shared when the nights were cold. He wanted physical closeness with Priya, but he knew he had done nothing to deserve such a thing.
“My sister?” He said, blinking, and glanced around. Aadhira always expected to see her near him; it was very strange when he did not. But wherever she was, she still wasn’t here near this waterfall and he and Priya were still alone. His eyes pulled back toward Priya; even though he worried he should avert them. Was he staring too much at her? He felt as if he was staring too much at her.
“She is searching. She is not certain if we should stay here or keep traveling.” Aadhira paused and wondered if he admitted his hopes, it would count against Aarushi. He did not mean it to, of course. Whatever Aarushi decided was how the world should turn… but now that he had met Priya… Aadhira sighed, just gently. “I do wish we would stop traveling.” Immediately he felt ashamed for saying it. For thinking it. Everything Aarushi did was to protect him. He was selfish to want for anything when she worked so diligently to keep them safe. His eyes fell to Priya’s hooves.