Chapter 157

Thank you to all the kind commenters and likers, especially those who responded to the last chapter:

darlings Farwa and Mavs, dimishra, rockingsoni, unloving, lovedrops, amira, Sarikaa, Pavina, Mouktika, sheshnag, vidya, mcmelina, BARUNODAYA, jduke, indiavizion, khareshelley, newbie arpitasen and also to saomom, aparnav, dpriyad, seshatree, MehreenAli, henamani

But I want to dedicate this chapter to three special people who appeared in the last few pages:

To a certain someone who has touched my heart with her simple, sweet yet heartrending comment: Dearest sweet aspalas, this chapter is for you. And also to my darling Breeze who despite being assured that she doesn't have to comment gives me responses that are longer than my chapters, each line overflowing with her love and admiration for the humble tale! And the third person being none other than you, sarahehsan. Dear Sarah, thank you for loving me just the way I am. Sarah, Breeze and especially aspalas: Thank you for not being there always but being there just when I need your words of love.

I had written this chapter a long time ago and had spent a lot of time editing and shifting words and phrases, never satisfied until I felt it was "Perfect." And then again, it is a "Perfect" chapter because "Perfect" is there in it. You didn't understand a thing, did you? You will by the end of the chapter. (HINT: I'm referring to a song.) Just the last line of this chapter alone took me more than one hour's brainstorming to come up with it followed by a "perfect" sense of satisfaction in its framing.

(Oh and, by the way, it's the very same night so you will need to run back and read again the previous chapters from the "picnic" morning.)

So what are you waiting for? Grab your favourite beverage (Salutes to the InnKeeper) and Enjoy!

Chapter 236: What Happened on the Midnight Heath

Unable to sleep, Kushi turned to her side, pulling the blanket with her.

All of a sudden, she froze.

Lying on his side, facing her, Lord Arnav's eyes were open and watching her.

The sight was almost eerie. A silent spy of her sleep in the darkness of the night.

For a disabled moment, she could only stare back.

"My lord," she finally found her floundered voice, "I thought you were asleep."

"I keep slipping into sleep and waking constantly," he admitted, his eyes still trained on her.

Kushi felt uncomfortable with the way he was pinning her with his misty gaze and she fumbled for a topic, "You...you left your glass of milk unfinished."

Lord Arnav made a face, "I could not stomach anymore of that disgusting drink."

Kushi was surprised, "You despise it too?"

Lord Arnav grinned evilly, "My immense abhorrence for it was intending to force you to empty the rest of my glass."

"Which I wouldn't have complied with," pointed out Kushi daintily.

Lord Arnav propped himself up on his elbow, the dancing light in his eyes growing darker with desire, "There are ways I can easily make you drink a potion you hate."

Kushi's cheeks began colouring as she mumbled, "I don't doubt it."

Lord Arnav's eyebrows rose in amazement, "Pardon me, I don't think I quite caught your words there. Could you repeat them, my lady?"

"Certainly not, my lord," Kushi lifted her proud nose, "A lady owns her right of keeping to herself the words uttered once. It is your fault if you didn't hear them the first time."

Lord Arnav's eyes glinted, "And I suppose I am at fault for your being awake and indulging in ludicrous parley with me?"

"Have no doubt about it," Kushi nodded, "I will not refrain from admitting that you recur a little too much in my dreams as well, that I have no peace even in sleep. There seems to be no realm in existence where you are abstained from haunting me."

"Are we into poetry tonight?" Lord Arnav sat up, clearly not harbouring any inclinations to sleep.

"What are you sitting up for?" Kushi asked him concernedly, "You should get some sleep."

"My mind is as removed from sleep as much as milk hates to run down our throats," Lord Arnav got out of bed, his bare chest glazed white in the moonlight pouring from the window.

Kushi sat up, "But your back"isn't it hurting?"

"Not anymore," said Lord Arnav and he bent down and straightened up to prove it.

Kushi watched as he stepped towards the open window and looked out.

The breeze that sailed gently through the window brushed upon his hair that had fallen over his forehead. Kushi's heart flipped as she watched the stars glisten in his eyes in their engrossed study of the nightly land.

Lord Arnav looked over his shoulder and, seeing that he had her attention already, beckoned her to him.

Rolling her eyes, Kushi pushed the sheets away and slid her feet to the floor, before standing up and walking towards him.

Lord Arnav leaned against the window frame, watching his wife walk towards him, moonlight glowing down the length of the red nightrobe that stuck to her frail form as her long dark hair danced in the breeze.

He stretched his hand to her and, on reaching him, Kushi's pale fingers reached for his before he clasped her hand in a firm hold and pulled her to him.

Startled by the suddenness of the pull, Kushi blinked up at him and he smirked down at her, watching her cheeks begin to ascent in colour again.

But next moment, she was snapped out of the spell for Lord Arnav was climbing out the window.

"What are you doing!" Kushi held back, pulling at his hand.

"Come with me," he said, his shirtless figure crouched halfway through the window as he looked at her.

"Are you MAD!!" Kushi hissed, looking over her shoulder as though she feared her aunt might come barging in through the door and find them at the window.

"Get back inside," she asserted urgently.

He refused to move, "Not until you promise to take a stroll with me."

"Are you out of your mind!" Kushi paled, "Who in their right mind takes a stroll when it's past midnight?"

"One who in their right mind cannot sleep, I should suppose," answered Lord Arnav rationally.

Realizing that he was not going to dodge his absurd plan, Kushi tightened her grip on his arm.

"Please don't do anything of this sort," she pleaded, "I think you rattled something in your head after the fall in the forest today."

Lord Arnav narrowed his gaze at her, "I thought you were the one who fell."

Kushi opened her mouth to retort, but realized the stated fact was true. She WAS the one who fell. Onto him. And how merciless she had been to ignore him after he had painfully pillowed her descent.

"I'm..." Kushi's eyes began watering, "I'm sorry about the-"

"Are you coming with me for the stroll or not?" Lord Arnav interrupted impatiently, looking down, "I can't hold onto this ledge for long."

Kushi nodded, "I will come."

Lord Arnav looked at her for a moment and then, wrapping his arm around her waist, lifted her off the floor and, swinging her, wrung her to him over the window ledge.

"What-!!" Kushi paled in panic and dug her fingers into his shoulder in a hard grip, "Please don't drop me, please don't drop me!"

Lord Arnav stared in puzzlement at her, "I won't drop you! How can you even think I-"

He paused, for that very moment, he was guiltily reminded of a day when he HAD dropped her through his window, hurtling her down the height into a haystack.

"I won't drop you," he repeated seriously, this time as a firm promise.

Kushi had squeezed her eyes shut, "You would if you fall asleep suddenly."

"My head doesn't fall asleep without first warning me that it is about to," ascertained Lord Arnav confidently.

A slight breeze blew against them, brushing a strand of Kushi's hair over her face.

Lord Arnav frowned at the strand but his scowl didn't scare the strand away. It remained over her face, obstructing his vision of his wife's beautiful face.

Knowing well that if he withdrew one of his hands to move it away, they would both go tumbling down to the ground, he resorted to the one manner in which he could drive the strand away.

He leaned forward and blew over her face gently.

Kushi's grip on his shoulders relaxed the moment she felt his warm breath on her face, gently driving her fears away. She remained with her eyes closed, lavishing his feel over her eyes, her forehead and her lips...which parted in response.

Lord Arnav swallowed, his eyes on her lips. He leaned forward, towards her face, and Kushi's nervous grip hardened with his nearing proximity when, somewhere nearby, an owl hooted, startling them both.

"I think the bird was telling we overstayed our time on the ledge," said Kushi, looking across to where the nearest tree stood.

"I think the bird was getting jealous," remarked Lord Arnav.

Turning to him in surprise, Kushi smiled on hearing his quip and the sight bedazzled him. He could never have enough of her watching her and he knew he could continue staring at her all through the night, sitting on the ledge, getting wet with dewdrops until his arms holding her turned too numb to move.

"How are we to get down?" Kushi was peering down the grassy ground which was two floors down and then she looked at her husband.

He looked at her, a strange light flashing in his eyes, "Hold on tight, kitten."

She had barely gathered her grasp of his shoulders before he went flying from the window sill, leaping onto the ledge of the next window.

Yelping, Kushi buried her face against his neck but was too afraid to speak. Immediately, with another leap, Lord Arnav had slid down to the ledge of the window below.

Kushi's head was dizzying with the speed of their hazardous hurtling but she feared that if she opened her mouth to speak, she might get sick instead.

With a final leap, Lord Arnav landed on the ground, and though he had intended to land on his feet, he lost his balance, having her on his back, and landed on his knees and hands.

The impact upon the ground threw Kushi off his back and she rolled to the soft ground and stared up at the sky, her mind assuring her careering heart that she was alive and that her dinner need not hurry to exit.

Lord Arnav rose to his feet and stretched out a hand to her.

Kushi blinked up at him. He had forgotten to take a spare shirt along.

"You will catch a cold walking through the night without a cloth on your back," pointed out Kushi as she sat up and took his hand.

Lord Arnav lifted her to her feet and held her against him, "I never catch a cold. Remember? The cold one never catches a cold."

Kushi pressed her concerned hand against his cold cheek, "And who said you were cold?"

"It is an understood phenomenon," stated Lord Arnav, "You yourself threw that word at my face many an instance."

"I was merely referring to your manner of treatment," defended Kushi, "You were not exponentially warm when it came to extending cordiality."

"Apparently," mumbled Lord Arnav, brushing his thumb along Kushi's lower lip, which made her close her eyes, "But it owes its titular to people finding me empty of a heart."

Kushi opened her eyes and looked at him with such a distraught look that it almost tore at his insides.

She held his rough palm to her lips, kissed it and whispered, "You are not empty of heart, my lord."

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, Lord Arnav drew her onward, "Come, come. We are delaying our schedule."

Holding her hand, he led her across the lawn and towards the tiny gate in the fence.

Kushi looked around confusedly, "I thought we were going to have our stroll in the garden."

Lord Arnav looked at her over his shoulder, a mysterious look in his eyes, "There is a place I want to show you."

Kushi was both excited and worried. Both of them were not dressed to brave a walk beyond the gate of her aunt's cottage but she wanted so very much to know what he wanted to show her.

He led her down the silent street, past many cottages and houses and Kushi realized the place he was taking her to was indeed far away, for there was no indication of him slowing down.

A few minutes of walking through the cold night and she began moaning, "How much further?"

"A little more, Lady Impatience," he said.

The sleeping Village was presently behind them and the vast grasslands stretched before them, all white and grey under the light of the moon.

Lord Arnav kept dragging Kushi onward until she was forced to ask again, "How much further now?"

She saw the exasperated back of his head shaking to and fro, "You're impossible, Lady Kushi Singh Raizada."

Kushi blushed. It was the first time he had referred to her by her marital name; but what had made her cheeks redden was the tone of pride he had not kept concealed when he worded them.

Another stretch of many minutes passed on, but Kushi was uncomplaining for she was lost in the magic of his priding her name.

All of a sudden, in the middle of nowhere, they stopped.

Her hand still held in his, Kushi looked around.

Tall grey grass stretched all around them and, except for an occasional tree hither and thither, there was nothing much that could be reason for one to leave one's warm bed and comfortable home in the dead middle of a night.

"Why are we here?" Kushi asked him.

Lord Arnav let go of her hand and told her to walk forward.

Before her the stretch of uninterested grass swayed in the breeze, unbothered by the presence of the nightly strollers.

She looked at Lord Arnav. The light in his eyes danced with eager delight as he waited for her to make a move.

She turned her attention to the vast land before her and stepped forward.

She knew his feet weren't following her but his eyes were fastened unblinkingly on her back. Her robe brushed past the grass that were as tall as her knees and, as she glided through them, the tips of some grass, sensing her presence, reached out and let their broken tips cling onto her red robe.

Lord Arnav watched his wife wade through the grass, her long black hair blowing in the breeze. Stars shone down on her and she looked immaculate in her appearance.

She was making way through the grass and the gentle breeze when, suddenly, a burst of little lights leapt from the grass everywhere.

She halted her steps and stared wide-eyed.

Her treading had disturbed the silence of a realm of lights that presently floated around her and it didn't take Kushi more than a moment to realize she was surrounded by fireflies.

Thousands and thousands of them, dancing and skipping with the breeze around her.

Marvelled by the sight, she turned to look at her husband whom she had left in the distance.

Lord Arnav swallowed. Strange feelings rose inside of him as he watched, mesmerised, at the way her face shone in the light of the manifold fireflies.

Unable to hold back anymore, he rushed forward, racing towards her, his hair bouncing as he bounded through the grass, disturbing the sleep of more fireflies and sending them soaring into the air.

Kushi was breathless by the sight of her husband sprinting through the curtain of floating fireflies, his dark eyes animated with excitement.

As soon as he reached her, he pulled her into his arms in a crushing embrace and she breathed against his neck, her heartbeat racing.

"Kushi..." He whispered, emotion breaking in his rough voice, "My Kushi..."

Kushi clutched him closer and tears filled her eyes, "Arnavji..."

And then he did a most humbling thing: Releasing her from his embrace, he knelt before her and held her hands, his moist eyes looking yearningly at her.

Kushi tugged at his hand to make him arise, "My lord, what are you doing?"

He remained on his knees as he gazed up at her, "Kushi, will you forgive me for all the things I said and did, hurting you and your family-?"

"My lord, I-" Kushi was lost of words. Biting her lower lip that had begun trembling, she sank to the ground on her knees before him, her hands still in his.

As fireflies floated around them and he looked at her, she found it hard to lift her gaze to his face owing to the words she was about to utter, "My lord, you know me enough to understand that it comes quite naturally for me to offer kindness and affection... to my Amma, Naniji, Master Aman, Lord Akash and once... even to the General when I thought he was my friend." Kushi felt Lord Arnav stiffen at the mention of his enemy but Kushi continued, "But when I met you..."

She paused for a moment and then looked at him, "For the first time in my life, I learnt to despise. But what shocked me was that...in that despise, I had this strange longing to love you."

A sharp pain pierced at Lord Arnav's chest and he suddenly wanted her to stop speaking.

However, Kushi continued, "As my hatred for you grew, so did my love for you...until I could hate you no more."

Lord Arnav felt his hands and knees weaken and his breathing strained but he listened to her voice, washing against his walls, "Your arrogance and disdain towards me challenged my affection until I desired to give you more love than I'd ever given my entire life. I discovered there was a part of me that could love a man like the way I do you now."

Lord Arnav swallowed hard for the strange emotions that blocked his throat threatened his eyes to tear up.

"Arnavji..." Kushi's tearful eyes looked at him, her trembling hands in his trembling ones, "I think what I'm trying to say is: I love you..."

The world stilled.

He heard no breeze and saw no fireflies as he stared at her in shock.

"Kushi..." His voice broke and no more could he utter.

Torn by her words, he pulled her to his chest and kissed her forehead and her cheeks, wetting her face with his tears, "Kushi...I..."

He held her face lovingly in his hands, "Kushi, I don't deserve your love, I of all-"

Kushi pressed her finger to his lips, silencing his admission.

"My lord, if it is a matter of deserving we are putting to question here, then let me remind you, it is I who do not deserve to be loved by you."

"I don't think I am capable of such an...emotion," confessed Lord Arnav, "Heartless as I am-"

"Shhh..." Kushi beckoned him to silence again.

He watched as she leaned forward and placed the side of her face against his chest, pressing her ear to his warm skin.

"Listen..." she whispered softly, as though not wanting to awaken a sleeping child of their presence.

Lord Arnav listened.

He heard the breeze whistling, he heard the rustle of the leaves in the trees.

He heard the faint chirp of the distant crickets, he heard the brushing sway of the feeble grass around them.

Listen...he felt Kushi beckoning him, the side of her face still pressed against his chest.

Closing his eyes, he began shutting out all the sounds around him.

His ears strained until he could hear only them.

He listened to the wind caressing her hair.

He listened to his hard breathing and Kushi's soft breaths.

And then he heard the faint thumping.

A throbbing drum that rhythmically echoed in his ears, and the more keenly he attended to its presence, the more clearer its momentum gathered.

What the- Lord Arnav blinked in a daze. Is that my-?

Turning her face to his chest, Kushi tenderly kissed him where it throbbed, as gently as one would a sleeping child.

Lord Arnav stared in disbelief as Kushi looked up, smiling against his chest, "The first time we met when I fell into your arms, the first thing I heard was the beating of your heart..."

Lord Arnav could stand the torture no more.

He rose to his feet and, withdrawing, looked away towards the distance, his back to the girl whose words endangered his firm demeanour.

A hand slid into his and he looked aside to find Kushi standing beside him, bewitching in her red robe and the moon-blessed dark hair of hers.

He was reminded of the day she'd worn red for the first time, which was oddly also the first time he'd felt strange stirrings for her. He also remembered another night when she had looked as delicious as this: the ball night when her red gown and her innocent village-flower scent drove him mad and he dared to desire her...

"Do you remember the night of the ball, Kushi?" he asked her.

Kushi nodded, a sad light appearing in her eyes, "That was the night Babuji was..."

Lord Arnav frowned, wanting to fist the General, but needing to keep the anger for a later day.

"But I do remember other things too..." Kushi's voiced coyly and he looked at her and found her cheeks reddening again.

The dark minutes in my bed chamber, he realized, supposing that it was the very same memory that had crossed her mind as well.

But Kushi surprised him, "We danced twice that night. One for the quadrille and one because you asked me to."

Lord Arnav frowned in defence, "I didn't ask you to!"

"Yes, you did," Kushi nodded smartly, "You asked my hand for a dance in the disguise of a made-up contest."

"That contest was not made-up," stated Lord Arnav hastily, "it was a serious challenge; serious enough to be official."

Kushi rolled her eyes and was about to walk away when Lord Arnav called to her, "But this time I want to do it right."

Kushi stopped and looked over her shoulder at him.

He felt something tug in his insides. He always felt that way whenever Kushi stood in that poise of looking over her shoulder. Damn you woman for making me feel this way!

"This time?" Kushi's question brought him from his thoughts.

He stepped towards her, "Yes, this time..."

He held out a hand towards her, his gaze on her unwavering, "Will you dance with me tonight, my wife?"

Kushi was amused by his request but knew he would be disappointed if she laughed.

She slid her hand into his, "I don't suppose you will leave me any choice."

He pulled her to him, a cunning glow in his eyes, "I won't."

And then he danced with her, swirling her about and swaying together among the breeze and the grass, surrounded by the light of fireflies which slowly turned to a song that echoed from his uncertain heart.

He pulled her to him and then bent over her, her back arching.

Falling a thousand feet per second

You still take me by surprise

They straightened up and he held her hands above her, his eyes reading the confusion in hers.
I just know we can't be over

I can see it in your eyes

He brought her hands down and held them astride
Making every kind of silence

Takes a lot to realize

They stepped back from each other, while still holding hands
It's worse to finish than to start all over and never let it lie

They walked towards each other, their fingers entwining, his gaze longing.

And as long as I can feel you holding on
I won't fall, even if you said I was wrong

He twirled her around and, bringing her to him, they swayed together with the wind.

I'm not perfect, but I keep trying
'Cause that's what I said I would do from the start
I'm not alive if I'm lonely, so please don't leave
Was it something I said or just my personality?

Kushi withdrew from his hold and turned around, looking over her shoulder at him.

He watched as the breeze played upon her hair and the stars shone in her eyes.

She looked away and ran a few steps across the grassland as fireflies burst around her, dancing in circles around her as he watched.

Making every kind of silence, it takes a lot to realize
It's worse to finish than to start all over and never let it lie

He walked towards her and she stopped dancing with the little lights to look at him as he sauntered slowly through the curtain of fireflies.
And as long as I can feel you holding on
I won't fall, even if you said I wrong

He had reached her and taken one of her hands.

I know that I'm not perfect, but I keep trying
'Cause that's what I said I would do from the start

He pulled her to him and swayed her to his music.
I'm not alive if I'm lonely, so please don't leave
Was it something I said or just my personality?

Leaves blew in the air around them as he spun her around him, her hair swirling with her motion.

When you're caught in a lie and you've got nothing to hide
When you've got nowhere to run and you've got nothing inside

Her hand slipped off his hold, his empty hand held mid-air, wanting to reach for her as she turned and looked in loss at his yearning face.
It tears right through me

You thought that you knew me
You thought that you knew

She walked towards him and slid her hands into his, her moist eyes assuring him, before he pulled her to him again and they danced as the fireflies floated with the breeze.

I'm not perfect, but I keep trying
'Cause that's what I said I would do from the start
I'm not alive if I'm lonely, so please don't leave
Was it something I said or just my personality?

His hands at her waist held her to him and he pressed his forehead against hers as they continued swaying among the tall dancing grass.

I'm not perfect, but I keep trying
'Cause that's what I said I would do from the start
I'm not alive if I'm lonely, so please don't leave
Was it something I said or just myself?

Their dancing came to a stop and all was silent except for the breeze that blew gently around them.

Innumerable fireflies and timeless stars shone over them as Lord Arnav held her face framed in his warm hands and gazed down at her, wrought with desperate longing.

Holding onto him, Kushi felt her heartbeat hasten as she read the unuttered love that swam in his drowning eyes.

I'm not perfect, but I keep trying

His lips pressed upon her fair forehead in a tender kiss and Kushi closed her eyes in surrender, as the gentle breeze stole across the land of Arhasia the echo of two hearts beating in love.

The song in the chapter is Hedley's Perfect. An awesome song that I had always thought fit for Arnav in IPK and had decided to use in my FF during a very special juncture in the story. But for this FF, you will see that the song fits not just our Lordy but even a character very special to me.

Hope you will listen to the song. You will not understand the depth, the pathos and the emotion that underlies the song until you really hear it. So google it or youtube it (Perfect by Hedley) and listen to it when you read this chapter a second time.

Which reminds me, how WAS the chapter?

(Kindly wait for the following pictures to load if they haven't already)