Chapter 226

Chapter 307: The Inscription

Later, at night, Kushi sat in her bed, dressed in her red night gown, intensely studying the foreword in the book that the Chinese Princess had gifted her.

To my beloved friend Chandraki.

So there was no error in the spelling as she had supposed, since the balding man from the morning at the market had pronounced it in the very same manner as was written. Chand-RAKI.

She frowned thoughtfully at the page, wondering at the mystery of it.

Next moment, Kushi sat up, for she had noticed only then the indistinct contours of a sentence right at the bottom of the page, written in the thin scrawling script.

You may not remember, but I do. A promise made between young friends must be kept.

A gasp escaped her surprised lips.

She read the line again and again, in an effort to decrypt its denotation, immersing herself in more spiralling thoughts.

Evidently, all the memories of her childhood constituted what she'd shared with her Babuji, Amma and Jiji. No knowledge existed, not even in the back of her mind, of who or where she was before she was five.

Could it be possible that her original circumstances had the privileges of meeting with people of other realms that had perhaps led her to have a childhood acquaintance with the Chinese Princess who was, as she quite distinctly recalled, of her same age? And then, when the accident had happened and Kushi had forgotten everything in her past, the Chinese princess had still retained memories and, hence, had instantly recognized her childhood friend from the painting of the red robe she was sent.

No wonder, the Chinese Princess had been so eager to see the model behind the painting and spend some time talking, drinking ceremonial tea and even gifting her the book when she had none to give in return.

She knows me! Kushi was convinced, The Chinese Princess knows my past!

And then the greater revelation hit her. I AM CHANDRAKI. Chandraki is MY name.

She was shivering with excitement, and overpowering sensations threatened to explode within her.

Leaning back, she closed her eyes, taking the moment in and realized how true it was that to have found one's name is to have found oneself.

With exhilaration brimming in her being, she breathed in and out, trying to contain her flurrying emotions.

She glanced down the page once again.

A promise made between young friends must be kept.

We were friends, Kushi's eyes glistened. So you must know something about me!

Instantly, she set about to write a letter to the Princess for it was essential she know what the other knew about her misty history.

She had just finished the letter, signed her name at the end of the parchment and sealed it in an envelope when another thought crossed her mind:

The man who had asked her about Chandraki. He would know something about her too. Or at least his Master would. If she were to find him, she could ask him-

Her stream of animated calculations was punctured by the sound of the door opening and in entered her lordly husband, dressed in his night pants and a black night robe.

Shutting the book and keeping it on the bedside table with the envelope positioned on top of it, Kushi smiled at him, "What was the unusual late night talk with Akashji about?"

Lord Arnav didn't reply immediately but casually removed the robe off his back and tossed it onto the armchair by the door, before strolling towards the bed.

"This and that," he replied, slipping into bed beside her, "What were you up to?"

"Reading," mumbled Kushi unconcernedly, lying down and cuddling close to him.

"Reading what?" asked Lord Arnav absentmindedly, nestling his face in her dark hair.

"This and that," replied Kushi playfully, earning a bite on her ear in response.

"How is Di?" he asked her, his breath warm on her ear, "She was already asleep when I returned from the Industry. But it seems she has let the storm pass for I noticed she let Anarkali sleep beside her again."

"She is much better," assured Kushi, closing her eyes against his neck, "I brought her flowers from the market today and it sure cheered her up. And what a day we had today!" She looked at him, abrupt animation lighting in her eyes, "Jiji suggested we have lunch in the garden and it was wonderful! Di joined us too and it was like a happy family picnic. Nani, Mamaji, Mamiji, Ram and our Princess... I say, we must have at least one meal every day in the outdoors than in an enclosed hall."

Lord Arnav grunted a half-laugh at her suggestion but then smiled admiringly into her hair. He knew he could trust her to cheer his Di up.

But it still ached him, to remember all that his sister had gone through.

In fact, the gravity of what she endured was unfathomable and the suddenness of her recovery certainly worried him.

They lay embraced in bed for a long minute, lost in the separate worlds of their thoughts, until she lifted her face to look at him unable to stop herself from asking, "Arnavji, do you anyone by the name Chandraki?"

Lord Arnav shrugged, "No. Why?"

Kushi didn't reply immediately, wondering whether it was wise to narrate to him the encounter in the market with the stranger who had uttered a name that was, by every possibility, her own name.

Her prolonged silence caught her husband's attention and Lord Arnav noticed the solemnity on her face, her eyes downcast in intense contemplation.

As he studied her serious visage, his gaze slid to her thoughtfully parted lips, seductive in the caress of the moonlight.

A devious desire lit up in his mind and he leaned closer to whisper, "But I know someone named Kushi."

Kushi rolled her eyes, "Who doesn't?"

"Ah, but no one knows her as well as I do," he murmured hungrily, his deep eyes darkening.

Kushi blushed but remained unruffled in expression, "Well, you would, wouldn't you? What with you being my royal husband! Lordy Highness!"

"Be on your guard, my wily little minx!" teased Lord Arnav, brushing his nose temptingly up her neck, "It's time for me to tame my lioness!"