Chapter 60

[MEMBERSONLY]

Rabbe Ve, dearies! Merry Christmas again!

Wanted to thank all those who had commented for the last update in the last thread but I am kind of in a tight spot right now. I came early to post this update because I wanted to keep my word to those who love me and Arhasia. Maybe when I return on 31^st, I can party with you guys on the commencement of the New Thread.

Chapter One Hundred Twenty: Thinking of the Other

Kushi giggled and tried to look over her shoulder but her sister pressed on her head from behind and said, "Sit still, Kushi!"

"Why are you taking so long, Jiji?" she wailed impatiently, wanting to get up though she loved sitting in the cool open grassland just outside the South Village.

"Because you never sit still and once I'm half-way through, you meddle and I need to untie and start from the beginning."

Payal and Kushi had decided to go on a sisterly picnic one fine day, four days after Kushi's farewell from the Castle, and Payal was currently employed in the exercise of plaiting Kushi's hair.

"Padma, who lives down the street, showed me how to do this new sort of plaiting," said Payal as she resumed her work.

When she had plaited half-way this time, she noticed the missing necklace on Kushi's neck.

"Kushi, where is your mother's necklace?"

Kushi's smile fell, "I don't know. I think I lost it. I've told Lady Lavanya to send it to me if the servants find it anywhere in the Castle."

"How could you have possibly lost it? You take such care of it''It was so special to you," Payal felt sad for her, "I know how much dear it was to you, being the only token of your mother's memory''."

Kushi shut her eyes, and tried to smile, "Possibly it's a sign that I must not attach affections with worldly things for the sake of keeping alive those memories that I was too young to remember."

Payal leaned down and kissed her sister on the back of her head, "You're the sweetest thing I can ever own."

Kushi chuckled, "Since when did you own me?"

"Since the day Babuji carried you through that door when you were seven," said Payal proudly and hugged her sister from behind. Kushi smiled and leaned into her sister's shoulder. And they rocked to and fro in each other's embrace for a long time, cherishing the sweet moment.

That night as Kushi lay to sleep, she kept thinking of many things and among them were the memories she had in the Castle. Memories that ended with the image of a certain man who, in her hatred for him, had come to linger a lot in her mind with the growing distance of time.

She looked to the side and found her sister fast asleep, "Probably dreaming of Lord Akash," giggled Kushi, and then she tried to sleep too. But it was then that she remembered that the blanket she had over her was the very same one she had dried his wet hair with in the forest, though the blanket was washed and dried on her arrival back home.

A blush crossed her cheek and she looked down at the blanket covering her, resting silently upon her, its nearest end on her chest. Daintily, her fingers lifted up the blanket and looked within its darkness.

A head looked up, emerging out of the blanket. His face. He was not smiling but his eyes were twinkling with wicked amusement.

"Playing with my mind again, aren't you?" she muttered to the apparition, and tried to hide it with the blanket but he evaded the descent of the blanket and neared her face.

"You must go away," whispered Kushi hastily, "You are not to be found here."

His eyebrows lifted as though asking why.

"Because you belong to Lady Lavanya," said Kushi, painfully, "She is the one for you."

He blinked but said not a word, as though he was unable to change what she said for it was true.

Then he lay his head down upon her chest and she too lay her head back upon her pillow and fell asleep.

Miles away, Lord Arnav was often brooding in his room. The hermit's stay for three days and its conformities had him confined to his room, not even getting out for partaking in meals or visiting the Industry, and having his meals and beverages brought to his room instead. This was nothing new. He was always sore and moody during the three days that reminded them forcefully of the dreadful night he'd lost his parents. And then there were other worrying thoughts''.

After the three days were over, the hermit left. It was only in arriving at a house that he needed escort but once his need was over, he liked to nourish his legs with a long walk back to his recluse. This was the protocol and this was how it had been for ten long years.

On the fourth night, Lord Arnav was rummaging through his wardrobe for a necktie when, amidst the searching, something fell to floor, and he paused to squint at it curiously. His eyes recognized what it was and he bent down and picked it up. He fingered the necklace in his hand and remembered how he had held her to him the whole night after the dungeon episode, and how he had tried to warm the cold veins of her unconscious form.

"Kushi," he whispered and then he heard her voice in his head, her words after that dungeon night, "You brutal monster''.you are one who deserves no respect from me!"

Frowning, he threw the necklace onto the floor, "And I despise you rightly, you meddling-!"

A knock sounded on his door and his sister looked in, "Chotey? Are you occupied?"

Lord Arnav breathed in deeply to calm his mind and shook his head, "Come in, Di."

His sister walked in and sat on his bed, "Did you have your tea, Chotey?"

"Yes, I had it brought up," he said, dropping a random shirt onto the necklace on the floor.

He walked towards her but his sister was looking at the shirt, "Won't you pick it up?" and she seemed to want to get up to pick it up, but he placed a hand on hers as he sat next to her, "Leave it there, Di."

His sister frowned hesitantly at the shirt and he asked her, "Why did you come up?"

She looked at him and said seriously, "Nani has called a gathering tonight and we are to assemble in the living room after dinner."

He looked away, disinterestedly, "Whatever is it this time?"

"I am not sure I know," said Lady Anjali, her eyes on him, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," he said casually and then looked at her, "Why do you ask?"

Lady Anjali paused before replying, "You seem to be a lot distracted from the day you returned from the forest. Now that the rituals were over I thought you would return to your old self but, strangely, you have not."

"I am fine, Di," he sighed, and stared at the floor.

"Did something happen in the forest?"

"No, nothing," he said fixedly. His sister was silent, her gaze unwaveringly on her brother's face.

He looked at the window, and then dared to ask, "Di, after your marriage, has brother-in-law ever''.." He paused, not knowing what word to add.

"Transformed? No. Why do ask?" There was a notch of worry in her voice.

"Just curious," he shrugged, and then asked, "Do you know what would make him transform?"

Lady Anjali pressed her lips in thought, "No, he has not told me of it."

Lord Arnav sighed edgily, "I assumed he might tell his wife all about it."

"No, he hasn't," said his sister, "Nothing regarding future transformations." And then she looked at him, "Why do you ask all this now?"

"Nothing. Just curious."

"You never are a curious one," laughed Lady Anjali, "If you really need to learn what curiosity is, spend some time talking with that dear Miss Kushi."

Lord Arnav looked at her as though he had been pricked, "Why do you speak of her?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because she is no more part of this home of ours," he said pointedly.

"Too late", said his sister, "She is part of our hearts and there is nothing you can do to erase our feelings for her."

"I have no such feelings," he said firmly, frowning at the floor.

"I didn't say you had them," said Di, with a wicked glint in her eyes.

"Well then, stop talking of her in my presence."

"As you wish, Lord ASR," she smiled.

He looked at her, "Di, you are mocking me."

She was still smiling, "I want you to be my brother and not the vexed Master of an Empire."

"I am both."

Her gaze was gentle, "Is that why I do not see my brother in these eyes of yours?"

"I'm tired."

"Then take some rest, though I don't see why you would need any after three days of confinement," said his sister as she stood up, "I shall call you when dinner is ready."

She kissed him on his forehead and left.

He stood up, walked to the wardrobe, shoved off the shirt on the floor, picked up the necklace and slipped it into the inner cabinet of his wardrobe, muttering, "I have certainly no feelings for her."

To return to the INDEX

Aura and I are going to write an important exam on Sunday, 30^th December 2012. The journey to the exam center is a 3-hour ride and we might, hence, need to stay back pre-exam day and post-exam day to travel during the daytime. I will be absent from the afternoon of 29^th to the morning of the 31^st and on my return on 31^st, I will be at the Cottage and Inn, InSha'Allah! Do pray for our journey through the Indian Roads and Rails and for our exams to be fared well...Till then, take care, my dears''.

P. S. Missed you all a lot! Looking forward to hear of all that you guys did in the past week! Will read all my waiting PMs when I return'..

Aquiline2012-12-28 04:19:57