The Stars Watched Over Them...

 

Have you heard about the ‘Legend of Simayra’? A story of two people in love!

Long time ago when the birds chirping was the sound of silent evenings, bidding adieu to the settling sun behind those beautiful mountains far away from town. It is a story of that time.

The settling sun was a sign.

Every night when the sun would hide behind those mountains, stealing away the light and life from town, the two of them would meet- Simayra and Ayaan.

A little far away from town was an isolated place where stood an age old oak tree. The place was believed to be the home of evil. But not for them.

For them it was their sacred place of love. A place so close to the world, and yet untouched. A place where no other soul would dwell. Only the stars to keep a watch over them.

Every night they would sit under that oak tree. Simayra would lay with her head in his lap. And they would look into each other’s eyes for hours.

“Will you come back for me?” Her lips would tremble with every word. Every night she would ask the same question. It was more of a plea.

Ayaan would move his fingers through her hairs. She would close her eyes. A warm smile would curl her lips for a while.

“I will…” He would say, tracing the outline of her waist. Every night he would give the same reply.

“Promise me, Ayaan!” Simayra would get up from his lap, hold his hands and clutch them tightly between her palms. “Promise me! No matter what happens, Everyday when the sun settles, you will come here and meet me.”

Ayaan would move closer to her. Simayra could feel his breathe on her face. He would notice her longing eyes. “I promise,” he would say and plant a kiss on her trembling lips.

Theirs was the same story every day.

Everyday they would wait for the sun to settle so that they could live those same moments for one more day. Theirs was a perfect story. And why would anyone want to change a story that is perfect?

Everyday, Simayra and Ayaan would part from each other with same promise of meeting again.

Simayra continued meeting her love for a long time. And Ayaan had kept his promise every single day.

The stars watched over them. To protect them from evil. But the fate was something they couldn’t foretale.

One day the Mayor of town sent for Ayaan. Mayor’s daughter offered Ayaan to marry her. But how could he? He loved Simayra. And he had a promise to keep.

Ayaan could not accept her offer. And the Mayor locked him down in a cell until he accepts the offer.

The sun settled.

Simayra was there, at their sacred place. She looked around and around. Ayaan was nowhere to be seen.

“Do you know what a promise is?” Ayaan’s words echoed in her mind.

“Tell me.”

“A promise is a curse. Once you make a promise, it must be kept. ”

Simayra fell to the ground. Her eyes were wet. And her body trembled.

“A promise must be kept.” The words kept circling around her head. The stars watched over her, but couldn’t help.

For the moment Simayra felt like hiding beneath the ground, never to be found, or to bury her head under the roots of that sacred oak tree.

She held her head up, looked straight at the stars, and with all her might, she cried “A PROMISE MUST BE KEPT!!”

A strong puff of air came from somewhere. The tears rolling down her eyes, dried on her cheeks. Another gentle current of wind caressed her hairs, traced the outline of her waist and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

“Ayaan…” Words escaped like a whisper as she felt something familiar.

The current of wind slowly materialized into a human form. The blurred outlines, a mysterious silvery shine. It was him.

As the sun settled over the prison cell, Ayaan realized that he will not be able to meet Simayra that day. So he decided to leave his form of flesh and blood. He gave up his life in that cell the same day. Now he was free. No wall would ever stop him from keeping his promise.

Ayaan stood there in front of Simayra. The puff of wind embraced her tight in his blurry arms to make her feel his presence.

“A promise must be kept…” The words echoed through surroundings. And every single day they met each other just to keep a promise made, and to make the same promise once again with each other.

It is said that even today when the sun settles behind those beautiful mountains, Simayra and Ayaan would meet each other there, a little far away from town under that sacred oak tree. To live the same story every day.

Only the stars watched over them.