Chapter 86

[MEMBERSONLY]

Congrats to Anusada who made it to the Throne this time. It must feel real good to be the first one to offer happy wishes to Lady Lavanya on her Tribute chapter…..

Hoopoe! I don't know what to say! Three comments? From you? On ONE update? And to see that each comment is more outstanding than the ones you have wrote before it! Your love and understanding for the character so elegantly expressed……..the real tribute!

But SOUL, gotta give it to you for really reaching out to a fictional character like that! I am sure your Amu's girl has heard you…….

Good to have you back dear rockprincess. Missed your sweet happy comments a lot!

An important matter I wanted to ensure: Many of you have been wondering why Lord Arnav is suddenly all soft and apologetic to Lady Lavanya. Its psychological to be a lot more warmer in approach when you have come after seeing another person in pain and tried your bit to console and you are affected by it…….his little rain moment with Kush's tears let him slightly lower his cold fortress and this very state he was in proved to be a boon for Lady Lavanya's proper parting from the man she could never belong to…..

Special thank you to ALL those who listened to the song I had posted with the updated. But let me tell you, I was really moved by all your comments on the last chapter. Especially in good wishes for Lady Lavanya. It almost felt like she was a real person to us all……Thank you, my dear friends. Thank you for all your love. I think I will let Lady Lavanya herself do the honours of expressing gratitude…..

P. S. Always right click the pictures I post to a new tab if you need to see them BIGGER.

Chapter One Hundred Fifty Two: Nocturnal Return

The rain poured heavily all through the night and thunder roared angrily over the sky.

Lady Anjali sat up in bed, and stared into the darkness of her room.

Her hand slid uncertainly to the other side of the bed but it was still empty.

She slipped out of her bed, her feet touching the cold floor, and she hugged her night gown closer around her, trying to feel warm.

For the eighth time, she walked towards the door, her hand reaching out to open it, when it was suddenly opened from the outside and she stepped back as the General walked in, dripping wet from the rain.

"Where had you been all this time?" Lady Anjali asked worriedly, partly relieved, as she rushed to get a towel.

He only grunted and walked to the adjacent bath chamber in the room where he began stripping off his wet clothes.

She was beside him soon, holding the towel in her hand.

He stood there in the bath chamber, naked, and staring into the empty space before him.

Then he sighed and turned about, his eyes falling on her pale face.

She looked at him, trying to understand, and he walked towards her slowly, his hands reaching for the towel. She let him take it and watched as he began drying his hair.

But she saw how his hands were weak and could not do it quite well, so, without a word, she took the towel from him and dried his hair for him, as he stood passively, lost in his thoughts.

When she was satisfied, she discarded the towel, and then, moving towards him, cupped his face and he looked at her.

"I should have known when Chotey asked me all those questions." Lady Anjali mused sadly.

The General was confused and Lady Anjali asked, "When did it begin again?"

The curious light in his eyes died and he looked away.

Lady Anjali took his hand and led him to the bed, and he walked to her beckoning, though his legs were too tired to follow.

She helped him get into the bed and though he was naked, he was not feeling cold. His body was extremely warm now even though he had been in the rain for so long and she joined him in the bed, cuddling next to him.

He draped a hand over her and lay still, staring absent-mindedly at the wall.

"Tell me," she asked him in a low voice, "Does it hurt?"

He looked at her and said nothing.

She sighed, caressing his cheek, "You are tired. Perhaps you should just sleep."

He pulled her to him and dug his face into her long hair.

"I am here, my love," she whispered fondly into his ear, "I am always here for you."

And they lay there, her hand caressing his naked back, trying to ease his mind.

After a long time, sensing he was not asleep yet, she tried to fill him in on the latest events at the Castle, "Lady Lavanya has left."

He nodded slowly against her head.

Lady Anjali continued, "I never knew I had come to love her so much until she left and I began missing her…..."

There was a pause again before she offered the next news, "Kushi's father was found unconscious by our lake. Akash said that the herbalist was certain he would recover."

"He won't die," assured the General confidently, his voice strained from not being used for some time.

"We all believe so too," smiled Lady Anjali, and she kissed her husband's cheek, "Do you want me to bring you some clothes?"

He shook his head and held her next to him and she smiled as she cuddled close to his warm chest, a hand on her womb and soon lulled by the presence of her two loved ones, she slipped into a calm sleep.

But it was a long time before the General let sleep overcome him, his mind raging with thoughts of what had happened and what was to happen.

And here ends the BALL NIGHT. Goodness! It was quite a long night, wasn't it? Well, like I said before, one climax is done. And prepare yourself, coz the next one's coming soon!!!

Thank you to all my readers, Comrades and silent visitors for being with me through the Ball Night's narration though I had to delay most often in my updates... You are the BEST SET OF READERS any writer can ever have! I am proud of you all!!!

INDEX