~~Part 13~~

"ARMAAN!" Riddhima woke up sweating as she was breathing heavily ….as the light went on she felt his warm embrace take hold of her from behind..

"Hey? What the matter?" he looked over at her as she shivered in his held her she looked a total mess as he looked over at the jug of water and glass he stroked her hair and kissed her forehead softly….feeling her breathing heavily.

"It's Ok RD! it was just a dream…" he let go of her as she placed her hand on her head and pushed back her hair and closed her eyes to collect herself…. Armaan looked at her sighing and smiled passing her a glass of water.

"Here RD drink this! Your be fine!" she looked at him holding the tall long glass water and took it from his hand as she smiled at her.

"Thank you" she whispered as he leaned back adjusting the pillows on the bed and leaned back looking at her as he rubbed her back.

Gulping the water down as it quenched her dry throat she closed her eyes feeling his gentle soothing touch as though about the dream she just had she was running and then stumbled and saw nothing but blood on her hands and in the spot light lay his body covered in blood….as she looked down at her hands and saw the gun.

"RD you feeling better!" coming out of her thought she turned to look at him in tears.

"Hey baby!" he took hold of her in his arms and held her…Her body was cold and stiff as her arms felt like lead as she was unable to hold him and closed her eyes.

"RD? it was a dream…Im ok!" he whispered kissing her forehead.

She felt him pulling her into his hold as she lay her head on his chest as he gentle rubbed her arm as she closed her eyes …hearing his steady heat beat she placed her hand on his warm bare chest as she pulled the blanket up on her and smiled.

"It was just a dream…See I'm here and not going anywhere?" he placed his hand on hers on his chest and closed his eyes.

"Armaan?" she whispered as he heard him sigh.

"I am sorry!" she whispered closing her eyes….leaning into his body.

"Sorry? For what baby?" he said looking down at her as she hugged him

"For ….for ….waking you up!" she closed her eyes tightly hearing him chuckle and he moved down the bed slowly and gript her tightly.

"Come on go to sleep baby…" he closed his eyes pulling her close as Riddhima opened her eyes.

I have been planning to kill you such a long time…All my life I have been told you are the enemy and nothing else… now I am so confused. As to a Rajput her husband is her everything… her world her reason for being. For a Princess it is much more her husband is her equal a part of her as they are meant to be united for generations. There rista has been made by not just the gods but by the people. This allies was to united the land and the people not for her vendetta. It was all simple growing up knowing she was here to destroyed the Malik dynasty once and for all… but what was she killing exactly? A man who does noting but love her and his family.. devoted to her and this duties…. How am I to kill someone who's just loves you so much… I am sorry Armaan I am someone whom you will hate. Who's whole purpose for living is to destroy everything you love dear to you… I have to do this as I am bound to my oath to revenge my parents brutal murder ….who you destroyed everything I held dear to me…. As you where the in your loving family, I was looked upon as nothing but dirty as I watched everyone treat me as a no one… My parents where dear to me…I have vowed a rajput oath which will be obligate or I will destroy myself in the process to forfil….

"Baby?" closing her eyes she sensed his eyes upon her as she pretended to be asleep in his arms

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Armaan what is this?" Riddhima looked at the sliver box covered in gems on the table.

"I don't know RD? Maid brought it in from Bua…" Armaan shouted heading for the bathroom…

Riddhima picked the note on the table next to the silver box and looked over at him curiously…

Dear Riddhima beta

Here some old memories I want to share with you… Pam's pictures in England and her dairy… she past some jewellery and other fond memories. Vidya and I shared.

Love Vinita Bua

"Mumma stuff!" she smiled taking hold of the sliver box in her hand…

"RD!" she place the box down and looked over at him holding two ties in his hand and looking at her.

"Hmmm I think the blue tie…" she answered as he looked smiled at her.

She popped up his collars and placed the tie around his neck and looked at her as she over lapped the tie to do the knot…feeling his fingers on her cheek she looked up at him as he tucked away the hair behind her ears.

"I wish I was that strand of your hair… annoying you and I love watching you playing with your wet hair in the morning…you smell so yummy" she looked over at him and blushed as she pushed down his collars.

"All done!" she whispered walking away to stop as he pulled her back and held her.

"So what you up to today?" she felt his arms around her waist as she leaned into him as always her body felt to comfortable sinking into him…as she felt his warm breath on her neck ….why could he not stop this? As his touch stirred so many feeling….

"I was going to meet Muskhan but she like cancelled on me …." She looked over at him as his jaw line locked slightly and feeling his body stiffen slightly she looked over at him.

"RD you know Muskhan since London? How much do you know about Rahul?" she looked over at him release her and pick up his jacket…

"We meet him at a wedding ….she has been seeing him…he liked stalked her…Why do you ask?" she asking looking at him as he never asked about Muskhan and Sapna and why did he ask such a question?

"No I was curious as she marrying him right? He was at our wedding and all?…." Armaan looked over at her and smiled.

"Your friends are like my friends …since we are one…." We are one? She looked at him confused and smiled as she walked over to her.

"Sit down RD!" she looked at him as he sat her on the bed…

Armaan opened up the draw to his side bed and looked over at her….as he pulled out the first aid box…

"Let me address this RD?" she looked over at him as he kneeled on the floor and held a scissor from the box.

"Armaan …it's ok! I get Minnie or the maid too…" she leaned back as he placed his free hand on her shoulder.

"Your pain is my pain….so I will change the dressing…" he said firmly looking at her as she shifted her weight towards him…

He looked over at her closing eyes in pain as he gentle blow on the wound …it was healed and just needs changed as Atul had advised him….as he placed the cotton wool on her arm and placed the bandage on her arm.

"How did this happen?" she opened her eyes and looked at him as he looked intensely at the bandage tying it up.

"I miss time the jump…" she said looking at him as he smiled looking at her….feeling him kiss her arm she looked at him

"It's healing nicely …. Next time you are to come to me…I was hurt hearing it from Atul.." she looked over at his eyes and was taken back.

"Sorry…" she whispered looking at him as he nodded his head.

"You are my responsibility …." She felt him taking hold of her and held him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Armaaan…it just been like 4 hours since you left?" she said shaking her head.

"I don't need permission to call my wife!" he answered seriously as she sat down on the bed.

"I did not mean?" she could never tell what he was like day to day he was like so sweet and some days he was so sharp and snappy…

"RD….i'm leaving for Delhi and sending the driver over… could you please pack my things…" he sounded seriously annoyed as she held the phone…

"Armaan is every thing ok?" hearing a heavy sigh she heard nothing but silence on the phone.

"Armaan!"

"I will so miss you …." He answered so softly as she sensed things where not right.

"It's business RD!…."

"So will….you be come back soon…" she asked know something was wrong as he sighed again.

"I hope this gets sorted quickly and I be home soon…" he answered as she heard the noise in the background…

"I love you and will call you…" the line went dead as she heard a knock on the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Bhabhi?" Riddhima lifted her head from her laptop as she looked over at Minnie entering the room.

"Has he called?" Minnie asked looking at her as she closed the laptop lid.

"No… Minnie its late?" Riddhima looked over at her yawning as she jumped on the bed and looked over at her…. Riddhima felt her head on her shoulder.

"He normally calls and says good night…. never misses…" Riddhima loved that about him…how Atul and Minnie where so attached to him and they was nothing but unconditional love for him by everyone.

"Shall we call him?" Riddhima picked up the phone and dial the number

'The phone you are trying to reach is unavailable …please try again later!" she looked over at Minnie shaking her head.

"Bhabhi what is that?" Minnie pointed over at the sliver box on the dresser

"Oh I forgot all about it….Bua says there stuff that belonged to my mum in there…" Riddhima got of the bed and walked over towards the dresser

"I was meant to open this and all…..Come one Minnie lets open the box…"

Riddhima sat on the bed as Minnie leaned over her shoulder ….

"Wow…. Your mom was so pretty….no wonder your so beautiful…" Riddhima smiled looking over at her mom sitting on a train with her hand tucked used her chin watching the view…she was dressed in yellow and looked like a bollywood actress..

"Wow …there is my mum….OMG look at Bua with a bob!" Minnie giggled as she looked over at the pictures …

"Jaichand uncle looks like a model!" Minnie added as Riddhima looked over at them as they stood in a group laughing at something.

"They look so happy…and wow Minnie you look just like your mom…the hair and eyes.." Riddhima stated looking at her grinning.

"I want to be like my mom…she looks so health in the pictures…" Minnie said slightly upset as Riddhima looked over at her.

"Minnie?" placing the pictures back in the box Riddhima took hold of her..

"She loves you and is forever with you…." Riddhima added as she sobbed gentle.

"I miss her…" Minnie whispered wiping her eyes…

*bring bring*

"Wipe them tears Minnie …Armaan will be upset…" Minnie nodded as she took hold of the phone.

"What time you call this? Lord ship not calling me but his wife??" Riddhima shook her head as she heard Armaan laughing in the background …As she placed the picture in the box she noticed a black dairy and took it out… the leather binder looked old and faded like it as she pulled the book near her she could smell the fragrance as her eyes water… 'Momma' how she longed for such a scent…as it triggered so many memory she spent with her…

"No you cant talk to her?" Minnie stated looking at Riddhima as she stared back her blankly …. Minnie handed her the phone as Riddhima placed the diary in her lap…looking at Minnie going threw the pictures grinning…

"RD?" she came out of the trance and smiled faintly at Minnie.

"How are you Armaan?" she asked gripping the phone feeling her fingers growing cold as she looked down at the dairy.

"Hmmm better now….speaking to you…" he answered chuckling.

"So how are you coping without me…as I am dieing every minute here alone in this penthouse suite and all…" he said dully sighing on the phone.

"Minnie and everyone is being sweet and looking after me…" she answered as minnie got up from the bed and walked to the door …

"Goodnight Minnie…" she mouthed as Minnie blew her a flying kiss.

"Good they should look after you…. Sorry I here and you are there…and all…"

"RD? go to the window ….please!" Riddhima frowned getting up and headed for the window

"You there?" he asked excitedly

"Yeah Armaan …" she rolled her eyes this guys really?

"The moon looks so romantic like the night we first meet…" she stared at the moon and he was so right… the moon looked fuller and bright.

"I so miss you…" he whispered sighing

"I miss you too…" she turned away from the window and looked at the silver box and dairy on the bed.

"RD? I be home soon and ….we go somewhere… I wanted to take you away fro the weekend before the carnation and all… so when I get back I arrange that…. I love you.."

"I love you too Armaan…bye…" she added sitting on the bed and placing her hand on the black dairy which felt part of her…

"Bye baby… love you…" hearing the dead tone she looked at her dairy…. 'Dairy of Padmini Nanda...'