Chapter 41

To know what a family bonding feels like, one has only to look into one's own life and find it slightly mirrored in the joy and tears of the Guptas……….

Updated CAC parchment. No PMs again. I'm in quite a hurry today (a test paper to study for) but a quick smile of gratitude to all those who last commented:

My latest vibrant visitor Heta whose theory on "red drops on white satin" needs to be applauded, dearest sweet Sona, sweet and willing reader Vrinda, all-over-the-thread Kushipugly whose understanding of the chapter was amazingly what I intended, sweet eternal stalker khusiarnav, dearest arushi_fan my new "avid reader" and Comrade, dear Sonia, thoughtful indiavizion's words, my dedicated commenters: angeldream, Shalve, hatelove, flower4u and rockingsoni, dear Arhasian Poetess medharess whose added insight through the mention of a movie was very insightful, dear darya, sweet Mxk, dearest Idealist who has finally come back, loving Sweet Sophie, my happy reader and dear Comrade bablio, dearest hoopoe and her wonderful insight, complicated lover now Comrade saga_twilight, dearest Harsh who is always so happy to be here, sweet new visitor Saraa and new reader Surya, dearest Vidya who is always there for me, my darling Shas and her awesomeness, lovely Breeze whose comments always humble me and sweet farha.

Chapter Ninety Two: Late Night Thoughts

Ignoring the huge book opened before him, Lord Arnav sat in his library, staring at the flickering candle on his table.

Visions crossed his mind as he let his thoughts wander.

He remembered how the candle-fire had raced up her sleeve one night when she had come to the Library and how he had felt something pierce inside of him, and his hand had reached out immediately to kill the fire. He remembered how she had looked at him, eyes filled with tears, long hair let open, wearing his white shirt before she let it slide off her shoulders. Wearing white…….…Yes, she looked tender with white on her.

He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair and saw her, in front of him, standing with her back to him, between Lavanya and her village sister. She was dressed in white like a bride and a long veil concealed her black tresses. Lavanya and the other girl were straightening the white gown on Kushi and the three girls were laughing and jesting as they readied her. And then Kushi turned as though to face him. Her eager eyes on him, she smiled innocently.

"Is it time?"

He frowned.

She had a bouquet of red roses in her hands and she held them close to her waist. She was still smiling at him but he was not looking at her, as she waited for him to answer her.

His eyes were on the roses. They were dripping. With red blood. And the blood was spilling onto her gown, staining the perfect white with dark red drops.

"Chotey?"

He sat up in panic and, opening his eyes, glanced to the door of his Library to find his sister there, "Di?"

"Are you not coming to dinner?"

He looked away, the tastelessness of the horrid vision still lingering in his mind, "No, I'm not hungry."

He expected his sister to depart but heard the door close and his sister's steps approach him. He closed his eyes, "Go have your dinner, Di."

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you," said his sister, coming to stand behind him. She kneaded his shoulders, "Does it ache anywhere?"

He shook his head but let her press on his shoulders. After a moment, he asked, "Has Brother-in-law written letters to you this week?"

Lady Anjali's face lit up, "He sends me his love every week, Chotey. You must learn something of the warmth from him."

Lord Arnav snorted, "To be softened and love-affected by a woman? Me? Never to happen, Di."

"Cold-hearted you may be," his sister pointed out, "But heartless, you are not."

"Don't lecture me on my heartlessness now, Di," he shrugged her hands off and stood up, "Just go have your dinner. I'm off to bed early. I need to be at the Industry at the earliest."

After his Di had snuffed out the candles in the Library and they had left the room together, he walked to his bed chamber and his sister headed downstairs.

In bed, dressed in his night robe, he lay staring at the celling. The absence of the village-scent made his room feel strangely empty. He stood up and walked to the open balcony. Casting his eyes over the lake that glimmered under the moonlight, he let the breeze blow on his hard cold face. He breathed in. The scars on his chest had begun to heal but they still hurt when he exhaled too deeply. He ran his fingers over them, remembering how another set of gentle fingers had once trailed their path over them, once, in the solitude of his bed chamber………

Payal was fast asleep, overjoyed in finally having the company of her sister, but Kushi lay wide awake. She curled next to her sister and shut her eyes.

She saw him looking down from his window to the sunlit ground where she stood.

As she stood watching, he climbed out of the window and, using a vine creeper that grew alongside the Castle wall, he slid down to the ground, his boots landing with a hard thump. He turned around and walked towards where she stood alone, dressed in white, her head covered in a white veil, the end of which trailed on the grass behind her.

With each step he took to approach her, his eyes pinning her rooted to where she stood, her heart raced and to calm herself, she pressed her hands on the bouquet of roses she was holding.

And then he was standing before her, towering in all his height and glory, his eyes drinking in the charm of her face.

He lifted his hands and she closed her eyes. His hands cradled her face but did not linger. His palms were wet and he swiped then upon her cheeks and then he moved his hands away.

She opened her eyes and found him smirking down at her. She looked down at her gown, the blood from his hands which he had wiped on her face was now dripping dark red drops onto her spotless white gown……

Kushi gasped and sat up, breathing hard. She looked at her sister and was relieved to find that she had not woken up.

She sighed and then shook her head, only a stupid dream, Kushi. You need to stop thinking of him if you need to stop seeing him in your nightmares. And with that advice to herself, she lay back in bed, a hand over her sleeping sister and tried to go to sleep.

After every good event, comes a bad one and after every bad event, comes a good. The Circle of Life. Well, if you saw your Arnav bitwa here, you know who you will see in the next chapter. More important than this update which you read is the one that is going to posted tomorrow! Do try to understand that everyone in this tale, including the villain, is a "fool with reason".

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