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udayveer and Manyata rushed to the hospital to see Jainandini.
"Meri behan kahan hai!?" Manyata demanded the receptionist out of breath.
"Inka matlab hai Rajkumari Jainandini. Aap humme jaldi bataye," Uday quickly clarified.
The receptionist told them the ward number and they both rushed to the room which they recognized very soon as Jagat was standing outside.
Manyata's eyes found Jainandini as she looked at her unconscious form through the window, bandages wrapped around her head and the needles going through her skin. Her eyes grew wide in shock and Manyata clutched at the window ledge, as she felt hot tears forming in her eyes, turning everything blurry.
Her little sister! The blood flowing from Jainandini's body was her blood, Manyata's blood!
"Jainandini!" Manyata shouted and her grip tightened as the window ledge dug deeper into her skin.
"Manyata, sambhalo aapne-aap ko!" Uday said alarmed. He too was shocked to see Jainandini's condition but was now really worried about Manyata.
He turned her away from the window and smoothed out her hand.
"Mat dekho wahan Princess."
Manyata finally burst into tears and Udayveer quickly wrapped his arms around her, hiding her in his body.
Flashbacks started playing in Manyata's head. Her and Jainadnini's childish fights when Manyata first came to the Mahal and then the day that Jainandini had placed Devgarh's crown on Manyata's head. The day she had given up something that she had dreamed of her entire lifetime for her elder sister's happiness.
Manyata sobbed harder and Uday ran his hand over Manyata's hair and back trying to soothe her.
"Princess, pleasee..." Uday begged her to stop crying. It was the first time he had seen Manyata cry this way and it made something break inside him to see his Princess in so much pain.
"Sshhh...Princess maine Doctor se baat kar li hai. I know ke J ki halat bohat critical hai, lekin unhone humme promise kiya hai ke unki best team Jainadini ka treatment karegi. Kuch nahi hoga usse! Ab please rona band karo," Uday tried to reassure Manyata.
Manyata let go of him.
"Par Uday, woh meri behan-"
"Ssshh.." Uday put his finger over Manyata's lips.
"Princess, hum tumhe promise karte hai. Hum Jainadini ko kuch bhi nahi hone denge, isiliye please abse rona band," Uday said wiping the tears on Manyata's cheeks.
"Kuch hi dehr mein gharwale a rahe hai, aur agar tumhi aise rone lagogi toh unhe kaun sambhalega?"
"Tum teekh keh rahe ho Uday," Manyata said and wiped her tears. It was just in time, as soon her family came rushing at her.
***
"Manyata beta are you sure ke aap aur Uday sab sambhal loge?" Brijraj asked worriedly.
"Of course Uncle Brij. Ab please, aap sab jaiye aur aram kariye. Hum aapse promise karte hai, jab J ko hosh ayega toh hum ussi waqt aapko phone kardenge," Uday reassured the distressed father.
"Data, aap please jaiye. Waise bhi Maa ki halat pehle se bohat kharaab hai, unhe bhi araam ki zaroorat hai," Manyata said worriedly looking at her mother who was now sitting with a dead expression after having cried her heart out.
Slowly all of them started leaving, except for Uday, Manyata and Vijay who was still standing at the window staring at Jainandini.
"Jaldi teek ho jao J bhai! Please!" Vijay said with moist eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Vijay challo," Unnati whispered and she squeezed his hand and lead him away. Now it was just Uday and Manyata.
Manyata sat with her head leaning on Uday's shoulder while her hands were interwined through his.
She didn't feel a need to express her pain in words as she knew that he not only felt it but was sharing her grief.
Her eyes closed as she felt him pat her head and run his hand down her hair.
"Princess, I know you're still worried, but please stop. It really hurts to see you like this. Also, the doctor said already that Jainandini is completely out of danger now. It's just a matter of her regaining her consiousness," Uday reassured Manyata.
Manyata sat up and looked at Uday like a scared child.
Uday cupped her face in his hands and wiped the tears with his thumb, then kissed her softly on her forehead. Manyata felt overwhelmed from the events of the night and now after seeing Uday's love and threw her arms around his neck.
"Ab so jao Princess," Uday whispered in her ears and tightened his grip on her and Manyata felt like nothing could go wrong, just as long as Uday was by her side.
As Uday squeezed her to himself, Manyata felt all the stiffness and tension in her body start to relax and soon her eyelids had dropped and she felt herself melt away in his arms until sleep finally took over.
***
Just like Uday had promised, Jainandini was now out of danger and had regained consciousness by the following morning.
Manyata just finished feeding Jainandini the soup and now wiped her mouth with a cloth while Jainandini looked at her elder sister with happy tears.
"Jainandini, ab humme batao ke tumhare yeh accident kaise hua?" Manyata finally asked the question that was on all of their minds.
Jainandini's expression immeditaly changed and Manyata noticed an unknown pain overcome her face. Regretfully, after some more questioning by Manyata, Jainandini told Manyata the truth about Abhay and how it had lead Jainandini to drink and drive.
Manyata immediately stood up with a flash of anger in her eyes.
"Uski itni himmat!" Manyata said through clenched teeth.
Just then they both saw the door open and then entered Abhay himself with a bouquet of white roses in his hands, shocking the two sisters. He walked towards Jainandini's bed and then placed the roses in the jug of water on her side casually as ever. He then looked at Jainandini and smirked.
"Really J wow! Pehle humme laga tha ke tum egoistic aur arrogant ho, magar ab humme pata chale ke tum kitni stupid bhi ho. I mean who is really stupid enough to drink so much and then drive. Really. But anyways, get well soon sweetheart, from me and Meenakshi," Abhay said with an evil smile.
Jainandini looked hurt while Manyata fumed in anger at Abhay's guts. As he turned to leave and was walking out the door Manyata grabbed him by the arm and turned him around.
"Kutte!" She screamed at him and raised her hand to slap him across the face but before she could do so he stopped her by grabbing her by the wrist.
Manyata stared at his hand on her wrist wide-eyed and then looked at him angrily.
"Mera haath chod!"
Abhay brought his arm down but it still held Manyata's wrist in it.
"Itni bhi kya jaldi hai...Yuvraani ji..." Abhay said while Manyata shot daggers at him through her eyes.
"Ouch!" He said fakingly.
"Waise sach kahoon toh tum Jainandini se kam nahin ho. Haan kapre thode dhake hue pehanti ho, lekin phir bhi," Abhay said and Manyata felt disgusted as she felt his eyes scan her up and down.
"Maine kaha mera haath chodo. Chodo warna tumhare liye acha nahi hoga!" Manyata yelled and then started to struggle but she didn't have to for long as she felt the steel grip of someone else crush Abhay's hand making him let go of her.
"Uday!" Manyata yelped seeing Udayveer who looked like a hungry tiger ready to pounce.
Anupamaa
