Thank you everyone for the appreciation and encouragement you've showered on this story. Special thank you to the new readers and the silent readers who took the time and effort to leave a comment. As for my regular readers, you are rockstars!
The next update might be a bit delayed because I am still toying with two different ideas on how I want to take this story forward. With one of the ideas, I can wrap this story up in 3 or 4 chapter and the other idea stretches the story longer and it'll honestly depend on how much time I can find to write. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this update!
As always, do let me know how you like it/hate it!
Cheers,
Neet
Chapter 4
Raina walked into the room later that evening to get ready to go to the temple with the family. All day long, Rishabh's words had whirled in her head. Why was he doing all this? What did he mean by he was never letting her go? Ccould he really be in love with her? She shook her head at the possibility. The Rishabh Shrivastav she'd known all her life was a born flirt. He changed girlfriends faster than it took her to remember their names. How could he fall in love? And why would he fall in love with her? She was and always would be just a Chindi to him - his sister's best friend and the manager's daughter. She was still lost in thought as she grabbed an outfit from the closet and headed to the bathroom just as Rishabh stepped out from the shower. She bumped into the solid expanse of his chest and he caught her just in time before she fell. Raina swallowed nervously as she became aware of the fact that he was shirtless. Unable to meet his gaze, she tried to look away but looking away did nothing to calm the erratic beating of her heart or the warmth seeping into her skin through his or her senses going in to a tizzy from that fresh clean scent of him. She tried to shrug out of his grasp and he smiled at her efforts before letting her go.
"What happened Chindi? Am I too hot for you too handle?" He asked her smirking. "Oh please!" Raina said, trying to skirt past him. "Then why do you seem in a hurry to run away from me?" Rishabh asked. "Because I'm not as shameless as you are. Put some clothes on you shameless rakshas!" She commented running into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and paused to catch her breath. Why did he have to be so good looking?!
****
When the family reached the temple, Phooli pulled Rishabh and Raina aside urgently. "Rishabh, Raina, Aghori Baba is here," she told them. "Aghori what?" Rishabh asked. "Aghori Baba," Phooli replied. "Us mere mortals cannot fathom or imagine the great level of spiritual enlightenment that Aghori babas have attained. They see the whole world as one because we are all made of God. They fear nothing, they are disgusted by nothing. They live in the world of the dead to attain meaning to their life. If there is one person who can tell us how to defeat the Brahmarakshas, it's the Aghori baba." "Where is he?" Raina asked. Just then, Mohini called Raina to perform the aarti. "Listen Raina, it'll be impossible for you to get out of here. You are the new bahu. Mom wanted you to hand out charity too after this. I'll make an excuse of some urgent work and leave right after we do the aarti to meet this Aghori baba. As it is, it wouldn't be safe for you to go anywhere with your sindoor and managalsutra on," Rishabh tried to reason. "But Rishabh.." Raina tried to argue but Rishabh cut her off. "I promise I'll be back before anyone notices and I'll let you know everything that the Aghori Baba says, okay?" Rishabh said. Raina had to agree reluctantly as Mohini called out to her again.
As they performed the aarti together, Raina could feel her heart thudding in her chest, louder and faster than the scores of bells that were chiming in the background of the aarti. And she knew why. She was worried about Rishabh and his safety. What if the Brahmarakshas attacked him before he got to the Aghori baba? She didn't realize it but she tightened her grip on his hand that was holding the lamp for the aarti. He looked at her when he felt her tighten her grip on him. Her eyes conveyed that she was worried for him, they begged him to take her with him but with a gentle shake of his head, he let her know that he couldn't take her with him and with a nod, conveyed to her that he'd be alright.
When the pooja was complete, the Panditji brought sacred threads for both of them to tie around their wrists. They were meant to protect them from all evil forces, he said. As soon as the Panditji said that, Rishabh took the thread that had been given to him and tied it around Raina's wrist. "Rishabh, what are you doing?" Raina asked. "Ensuring your safety," he replied. Raina's eyes filled up with tears at his gesture. She took the Raksha thread the Panditji had given her and tied it around his wrist. "Now what are you doing?" Rishabh asked. "Exactly what you just did. Ensuring your safety," she replied, without meeting his gaze. Mohini and the family had been watching the two of them and were all smiles. Mohini stepped forward and said, "You know, its these small gestures that show just how much you love each other and its these small gestures that matter the most too. May God bless you with all the happiness in the world. May no evil eye ever befall on you! Now come on Raina, we have to give away the blankets, food, clothes and money to the poor. Come on." As Mohini led Raina away, Raina kept turning to look back at Rishabh. He nodded his head and assured her he would be back soon before sneaking out from amidst the crowd to go find Phooli.
Even as she stood with Mohini and gave away the gifts, Raina found herself constantly worrying about Rishabh. She had heard that the mangalsutra had great powers, so she held onto her's tight and prayed for Rishabh's safe return.
***
Phooli led Rishabh into a dark cave in the middle of the jungle. "Phooli, you are truly Phooli aren't you? Or are you the Brahmarakshas luring me into a cave to kill me?" Rishabh asked as they kept walking deeper and deeper into the cave. "Sahab, if I were the Brahmarakshas, I wouldn't have to lure you into a cave, I could've killed you as soon as I got you alone," Phooli replied. They reached the end of the tunnel they'd been walking through, literally folded over in two, cramped for space, into a huge open space. It seemed like a different world altogether. Skulls, bones, skeletons were scattered all over, the smell of charred flesh hung like a thick cloak in the air. Several men with long, untidy mangled manes and beards sat smoking from chillums, taking turns. They were covered in ashes and wore nothing but a loincloth.
Phooli walked towards the group of Aghoris and greeted them, "Namaste baba." Some of them turned to look at her, but their gazes were glazed over, making it hard to tell if they were even seeing her.
"Why worry about life and death when nothing is in your hands?"
Rishabh turned at the sound and found an Aghori standing behind him. "The Brahmarakshas killed his sister, Baba" Phooli stepped in to explain when Rishabh seemed to be at a loss of words. "Her death was written. Nothing you could have done to stop it," the Aghori baba replied dismissively. "She did not deserve to die. He is killing innocent people. Just because his wife betrayed him, he has been killing so many innocent people. A Rakshas walks around killing innocent people and we just sit by saying its all fate?" Rishabh asked getting a tad bit irritated with the Baba's response. "Who deserves to die and when is all preordained my child. You and I cannot even think, much less understand the greatness of the Rudra's plans," the Baba replied. "Fine. You say all their deaths were preordained. Then the Brahmarakshas' death too should been preordained. How do we kill him?" Rishabh asked. "Give him what he wants and free him from his anger, betrayal and need for revenge," the Baba said.
"But we don't know who his wife is or where she is or if she is alive or not! And we don't have all the time in the world to go on a wild chase goose for her!" Rishabh replied exasperated. "You don't know who she is or where she is?" the Baba asked. Rishabh shook his head. The Baba cast a glance at Phooli and Phooli lowered her head. "All I can tell you is don't be blind in your faith in someone and don't be deaf to the words of the one you trust the most," Baba said. Rishabh looked at him confused, "I don't understand, you ask me not to have blind faith and then you ask me to listen to the very same person?" "I said it right but you heard it wrong," the Baba said as he took a deep drag from the chillum.
"Baba, please.. I don't have time for riddles. My family's life is in danger. Please," Rishabh pleaded. "If you won't find the woman who betrayed him, give him another bride. A bride who is yet to consummate her marriage. Dress her up the way his bride had dressed up and then provoke him. When his anger blinds him, he won't be able to see her as anyone else other than the woman who betrayed him. Killing her will appease his soul," the Baba said.
"A bride who hasn't consummated her marriage? But.." Phooli looked up at Rishabh, "Raina...?" she asked a little hesitantly, still unsure of the dynamics of Rishabh and Raina's relationship. "NO!" Rishabh exclaimed. "NO! There is no way I am sacrificing Raina for this! Did you not hear him? He said killing the bride would appease the demon's soul. There is no way I am letting him get any where near my Raina. He would have to kill me before he gets to lay a finger on Raina. Lets go from here. I am sure there is another way to kill him and I will find it," Rishabh said, as he started to head out.
"Stop!" the Baba commanded and Rishabh stopped in his tracks and turned. "Shiv," he commented as the Baba walked toward Rishabh. He reached for the sacred thread Raina had tied around Rishabh's wrist and touched it as he closed his eyes, "Shakti's Shiv and Shiv's Shakti." Rishabh looked at him confused. The Baba smiled, "She is your Shakti and you are her Shiv. You are each others' protectors. He can't harm you as long as the two of you are together. But remember - Shiv without Shakti and Shakti without Shiv are incomplete, and so are their powers. Shiv is the destroyer of all evil and Shakti, his companion, his life force, equally capable of destruction if not more. It will take both of you to destroy the Rakshas and he can only destroy you when you are not together." "I don't understand," Rishabh said, puzzled. "Your wife. The two of you are like Shiv and his Shakti. Incomplete without each other and invincible when together," the Baba explained. A strange feeling seemed to overwhelm Rishabh in that moment.
"Find the one whose family was the first victim of the Brahmarakshas. The first time he committed the sin of murdering an innocent. That first sin that tainted his human soul when he gave into the demon. That person has the power to kill the demon. And remember, you have all the answers to all your questions right in front of your eyes. Make sure you see them." With that the Baba turned to walk away and sit with the other Aghoris.
Rishabh stood awestruck for a moment before Phooli shook him by his shoulders and told him they should leave.
***
Back at the temple, the whole family was getting ready to leave when a sudden roar echoed through the woods. "He is here! He is here! The Rakshas is here!" people screamed as they ran for their lives. "Raina! Get Raina away from here as soon as possible! She is wearing mangalsutra and sindoor!" Mohini exclaimed. Ved and Yug started to guide the women out to safety. Aparajita who had been conspicuously missing for a while, suddenly appeared. Watching everyone trying to escort Raina to safety, she quickly joined the group. As they were going down the steps, she faked her leg slipping and sat down holding her ankle, "Aaahhh!!!" Mohini, Raina, Naina, Mitali, Ved, Yug, Nalin and Aditya rushed back to her. "What happened Apu?" Mohini asked. "It looks like I've sprained my ankle. You guys go ahead. The Brahmarakshas is here. Go! Save yourselves!" Apu cried.
"We can't just leave you here and go!" Raina cried. Just as I hoped, Aparajita thought to herself. If I can just hold them off till the Rakshas gets here, Raina will automatically become his bait and the Rakshas will be killed.
Ved and Yug tried to help Apu up but she howled in fake pain and sat back down. "I can't! I just can't move! Listen to me! All of you go!!" Just as Yug bent down to try pick Apu up, the earth shook and the Brahmarakshas appeared before them - fiery, roaring and blood thirsty.
****
Far away, in the middle of the jungle, as Phooli and Rishabh were leaving the cave after meeting the Baba, Phooli stopped Rishabh and showed him footprints on the mud. "Sahab! Somebody followed us. Look at these footprints. They look like ones from a ladies' sandal," she pointed out. "Someone followed us? But who? Oh goodness!I hope it wasn't Chindi!" Rishabh thought panicking. If she had heard the Baba mention about sacrificing the virgin bride to appease the demon, she would rush into it without thought. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't lose her at any cost. No! With that thought in mind, Rishabh broke into a run and Phooli followed him. They'd barely gotten a few hundred meters through the forest when they heard the distinct roar of the Brahmarakshas. Rishabh felt his heart lodge in his throat at the thought that Raina might be in danger. "RAINNNAAA!!!!" the scream came from deep within his heart as he made a mad dash in the direction of the roar.
***
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