A meeting in Dwarali

Priya had never been to Dwarali. But she wanted to see the snow. To feel the prickly sting of those
unfamiliar winds. But most importantly, she had felt Malini there. Through the scar that
connected them through magic and through the more human part of her yearning, her desire.

Malini had written to her about the sea - of its vastness, its serenity and wished she
could enjoy it with her. But just as people have masks nature isn't only good or bad. Under the
masks of stillness or indifference lay the rawest emotions; under the size of the brawniest men
lay the biggest cowards. Under the vastness of the sea lay not yet found civilizations; under the
serenity of the sea lay its power and ferocity. Under the sweet words in Malini's letters to Priya
lay the wild, raw and contradicting desires Malini had for her. She had wanted to kill her with her
own hands; yet she wanted to only give her the m ost tender of touches on her soft skin. She had
wanted to choke her in more ways than one. She wanted to make her breathless.

Priya really didn't know why the yaksa let her leave Ahiranya, but she was thankful all
the same. They sent her on a solo mission to awaken a yaksa in Dwarali, even though they could
feel the Parijatdvipan army there. It's not like the yaksa had ever cared about the well-being
of their worshippers. But Priya wasn't complaining.
She remembered the dreams she shared with Malini. Their only point of contact since Mani Ara
had compelled her to stab Malini.
Priya was Mani Ara's sapling and something inside her was telling her it would be no different
for her than it had been for her other temple sisters and brothers. She would be a husk, a mere
costume Mani Ara would put on to walk into this world and feel the sun on her with her children
around her. What a nice dream that was - if it wasn't for using their most loyal worshippers to do it.

The dreams had started as expected. Malini wasn't one to let go of grudges. She held onto them
her whole life. So it was no surprise the first time she dreamt of Priya she tried to strangle her.
She had a good explanation - no one who ever dared to spite her had seen the light of day for
longer than needed.
But as it is in nature. what we see on the surface is not what necessarily is really felt by
the person doing the action. And Malini hated herself for these feelings. For the desires she still
held for Priya - that deep, primal yearning; the flame burning in her heart, in her scar, that spread
downward towards her lower stomach and between her thighs. She could not believe she still wanted her,
stil NEEDED her. Even after she betrayed her... she still trusted Priya, still wanted Priya.

Malini's army was at a makeshift encampment near Dwarali. Swati was setting up her tent,
burning incense. Malini dismissed her. She got the paper and the ink. She hated herself for it.
She still wanted to share everything with Priya - even if it was in letters she would never read.
Just like looking at the beauty of the sea made her want to share it with Priya, the mesmerizing look
of the snow its coldness made her want to share it with Priya too. She saw Priya in everything. She
had loved that before, but couldn't stand it any longer; and yet, here she was - darting ink across
the page with the same amount of fury and desire spilling on the page.

Under the light of the lantern in the suddenly unusually quiet army encampment Malini looked
around. She couldn't hear the rustle and bustle of neither her guards or the soldiers. Come to think
of it she couldn't even make out the tent she was in. Only the aroma of jasmine flowers made her turn.
There was no incense burning, she was in a garden.. her own garden in the empirial mahal. But instead
of the variety of flowers and vines she was surrounded by jasmine blossoms and needle-flower.

'Priya' she couldn't ignore the sting in her chest while saying her name.
'I thought the cold wouldn't really be to your tastes, Malini' Priya said.

She came out of a bush, her golden brown lashes looking even more beautiful than she remembered.
Malini cursed under her breath.
'You, why are you always in my dreams?'

Malini was shaking. Some kind of feral instinct was making her breathe hard through her teeth. Seeing
Priya had sent her right back to the painful memory in this same mahal of her beloved stabbing her heart.

'I trusted you... and you betrayed me.. so why, oh why, are you still haunting me?' Malini asked.

'I trusted you too.. and you used me.. for you war, for your faith, for my body. And I let you
use me. Gladly.' Priya responded.
Malini slowly approached her wide eyed and confused. Her hunger growing stronger.
'I told you the yaksa wanted my heart; and I-I thought giving her ths symbol of our love'
Priya continued ' the needle-flower I made for you under that waterfall would be enough... it wasn't'
Tears swelled in Priya's eyes 'I'm sorry Malini. I really am. But I would do it again'

At that moment Malini's hunger turned to rage. She jumped Priya and pinned her, now not only with her
gaze, but with her hands to the ground.

'Priya, you were the only one I could truly trust. How-How could yo-'

Malini suddenly felt Priya's skin as if she were there in the skin and not in a dream. She focused her
vision and she was back in her tent, incense long gone, and Priya pinned under her on the ground.

'Explain' Malini said , confusion and fear filling her voice. Her eyes piercing. 'How did you
get here?'