Chapter 49

Let me tell you: I had the best time of my life last night! I was so overwhelmed with feeling all of you come here for me and as one team took the effort to give me the 100th page surprise for the 100th chapter! And after the update, I had put loud music on my speakers while reading your comments, laughing and replying to them. Ah yes, I was there on the thread last night. Intruded as promised. However, no one seemed to notice me until it was time for me to leave! *chuckle* I was so looking forward to involving myself in some warm conversations in the party and maybe even clear a few doubts that wouldn't give away the future of the plot, but well…..chance lost but maybe we'll get another chance again sometime! *wink*

I am in a haste again and I will not be thanking in detail. I had already replied to many on the thread itself and to those who didn't, my love and hugs for your awesome comments: dear Bablio, who is running all over the thread liking every comment and making everyone feel heard, Crinklez, who was the only one who said the pictures I put up were good *chuckle*, purplelove, who came despite being busy, Sona who came a second time to warm my heart with her cheery words, Sweet Sophie who brought tears to my eyes with that deep poem of hers, kushipugly whom I missed a lot for I had been looking forward to celebrating with my most enthusiastic reader, STB who is very special to me, Vidya who is one of the few who was there with me from when the very Prologue of the FF was posted, AllSmiles, who had come in time while we were celebrating but could not comment until it was late, khusiarnav, whose hyper-celebration mood was still not over to bring herself to read the chapter with a serious mind, Heta whose frequent wishes added with the blessing to make this FF reach upto 1000 chapters by the time of when we old ladies will dance with sticks in the Inn while celebrating, Saga_twilight who had hoped for a kiss, bea_rom, rrd and Surya who happily joined in the occasion, Jonashi who is a proud member of the CAC and she made time to come for us though late, SaniyaBano who is beginning to really love this tale of ours and I am only glad to have her with us, Sonia who though late still came here for me, mira who after a long break has come back, Shas whose description of the chapter is my favorite among the lot because of how close it is to the Truth, and Hoopoe dear whose wisdom grows just as how she is slowly becoming more active and friendly and less silent in my thread! All those whom I didn't mention here is because I already mentioned them in the thread when I'd intruded in last night!

Keep in your mind the weariness of the girl's young mind and the conflict in the man's mind and then get ready for the next chapter:

Chapter One Hundred One: What the Morning Brought

Sunlight poured into the room through the curtains on the bedroom window. The light flooded on the floor and crawled with each morning minute towards the bed and revealed the two young sleepers, one enclosed in the other's arms, lying in the white middle of the bed surrounded by soft blue curtains.

Kushi was the first who felt the warmth of the sun upon her face. She stirred awake and breathed in the morning air. The morning smelt rich and virile. She frowned and realised that her pillow was warmer and harder than it always was. Slowly, she let her eyes open themselves and beheld the sun-touched chest before her.

When she had opened her eyes, her eyelashes had brushed against his chest, awakening him and he opened his eyes and looked down at the very time an appalled Kushi looked up. Their eyes met and their position deciphered, and in the next moment, they leapt away from each other and scrambled out of the bed through either side.

"What the!" Lord Arnav ran his hand through his morning dishevelled hair, as he frowned at the bed and then at her.

Kushi was pale with disbelief that it was not a dream like she had hoped it would be and looked around the room to try to understand what could have brought her here. Not sanity, she was certain.

She looked at him, standing on the other side of the huge bed, "How did I-?"

And then memories rushed into her sleep-doused mind, and her fists clenched as her breathing restricted itself on realising what her state had been in her last few waking moments.

Fierce fire raged in her eyes, as she looked at him and said, "You threw me in the dungeon to die, didn't you, you brutal monster!"

Lord Arnav strode towards her and she stepped away from him, "Stay away!"

"How dare you accuse me of a fault of yours!" he muttered as he continued walking towards her.

"I did nothing wrong," she said sternly and moved away from his approach but he was faster and he had caught her by the waist.

"Let me go!" she yelled, and kicked at his legs but he dragged her to the bed and threw her upon it, "Is this the way you thank me for saving you last night?"

"Saving me?" she retorted angrily at man towering before her, "Forced death is saving to you, is it?"

"You foolish girl!" he said through gritted teeth, watching her struggle out of bed, "You fainted and your hand was cut and I-"

"Who cut my hand?" she retorted determinedly, standing near the bed and glaring at him, "Who put me in a state that I would faint? YOU!! So you're dead right I am a fool to be speaking to you when I should be smacking the daylights out of your ego!"

That was the last throw and Lord Arnav rushed at her, but he lost balance and they fell onto the bed. She had opened her mouth to scream but his hand had already moved to muffle her mouth and he held her under him as she thrashed and struggled for release.

"For your words and for your ingratitude, you shall suffer!" he growled near her ear but suddenly there was a knock on the door and the door opened to reveal Om Prakash outside, holding a basin of warm water for his Master's routine morning bath.

The servant froze at the door and prayed for the floor to devour him for the wrathful glare the Master shot him was murderous. He didn't even know how to react to the scene before him, the Master upon the girl everyone had last seen dragged into the dungeon, his hand on her mouth.

"What is it?" barked the Master at the servant. Om Prakash could only lift the basin in answer with his trembling hands.

"Place it on the table," hissed Lord Arnav, still holding his enemy under him though his cold eyes were fixed on his servant.

Om Prakash stepped in and gently placed the basin onto the table.

"Now go!" said Lord Arnav, and Om Prakash hastily made for the door but his Master called to him, "And if you say of what you saw to anyone-"

Om Prakash looked at his Master and vigorously shook his head, fearful of the penance.

And then the door was shut and Lord Arnav looked down at her, "What have you to say about all this?"

Kushi frowned and Lord Arnav realized she couldn't answer and slipped his hand away from her mouth, repeating, "What have you to say about what Lavanya has become?"

"It is now that she has really become Lady Lavanya," said Kushi dispassionately, "What she asked of you was honourable and you are entitled to give her an answer."

"I cannot marry her," said Lord Arnav angrily, "Marriages and Love are not my-"

"Then you must let her return to her house."

"I will," said Lord Aranv, "I do not want her in this house one minute now that she's demanding affection from me."

Lord Arnav rolled off her and Kushi leapt of the bed, but he was quick and before she had reached the door, he held her by her waist again and stopped her from leaving, "Let me go! Why do you keep me thus?"

"I cannot let the others see you come out of my room!" he warned into her ear.

Kushi rounded on him, his hand still on her waist, "So you are afraid of what they might think of the muddled end to your last nights' middling decision? You do not want them to know you are guilty of what you did to me?"

"I am not guilty," asserted Lord Arnav angrily, "And who told you could speak to me so?"

Kushi tried to push him away, "I have a mouth and a tongue and having them gives me the right to speak to anyone as they are fit to be spoken to. And you are one who deserves no respect from me!"

Enraged, Lord Arnav dragged her to the window and drew apart the curtains and flung the windows widely open.

Kushi paled, "What are you going to do?"

"Two in one," he smirked at her, "Your words deserve a punishment and I cannot have you exit through my door."

'No!" Kushi gasped and pulled at her arm but he held onto it. He tugged at her arm and brought her to lean before the window.

"One push and it's all over," he said, "You can see that there is no hay cart below this time."

Kushi felt dizzy, the height of the window from the ground and the emptiness in her stomach from last night's panics were working upon her mind and she felt weak.

"What is your decision, Kushi Kumari Gupta?" he asked into her ear from behind her, her pale face towards the window, her waist threateningly pressed against the window sill with his chest bearing on her back. "Are you going to apologize or do you prefer falling?"

Just then the door opened and Lady Anjali walked in, "Chotey, I wanted to-"

She froze at the door, "Chotey! Kushiji?"

Lord Arnav looked at Lady Anjali, shocked to find her there and Kushi used the slackened moment, to slip out of his hold and run towards the door. He didn't stop her this time but his sister had reached out her hand to Kushi but the girl was in tears and she raced out of the room stopping for no one. She never wanted to turn back. She just wanted to run and run as far away from him as the time and space would permit……………..

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https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3256949/arhi-ff-2-the-beasts-and-the-bleeding-roses

I have been doing a lot of thinking regarding a present trying situation and this is what I have decided:

I need you all to pay close attention to what I am about to say! Aura and Shas already know about this: tomorrow is my last night in India before I fly to meet my parents for two weeks *whoopee* on Friday evening. Hence, with regard to the updates, we can have either two choices: EITHER you will have to wait for me to return on the 25^th of November so that I can update myself. OR I can mail Aura my updates from my parents' place and she will update it every three days per week. If the first one is what you choose (that I return on 25^th to resume the updates), then there is no worry. Only impatience on your part and well……..longing to hear from you guys on my part! However, if you choose the latter (that Aura post a few chapters in my absence like how she'd done before) then we need to start the New Thread! Yes, the 100^th chapter celebration and spamming left me in such a state that I will be helpless to give you updates when I am abroad because this thread will be stopped by its 149^th page. To give new updates the Third Thread must be opened hence. And the Third Thread can only be commenced if I can myself be on IndiaForums which will not be possible when I'm with my parents. So that means, we need to open in tomorrow night itself, before I bid farewell for two weeks to my beloved IPKKND and IndiaForums!

The choice is yours. Choose wisely and let me know. Tomorrow night, I will update the next chapter in this thread as well and then we do what you choose. Either we stop coming to the thread and return only on the 25^th November directly into the New Thread. Or we begin the New Thread tomorrow night itself and you get weekend updates through Aura! Time is short. Make your decision. I am waiting.

Love, Your Lin.