Renewing Chandini- Chandra Nandini ff

Did she kill my mother? Just because you love her , she is forgiven of her sins?"

The questions raised by Bindusara at Nandini's godhbharai was piercing Chandragupta and Nandini. The small boy of hardly years is spitting venom of vengeance against his parents.

Who instilled seeds of hate in his tender mind?

Chandragupta and Nandini stood from their seat.Moora the royal mother became angry and" Bindusara..learn how to speak to your parents! If they are not here you would be not living to speak !"

"Dadishri... Who killed my mother Durdhara?"

"Bindusara, calm down. Listen Nandini is your mother and she is innocent." Chandra replied to his son patiently.

"Then who killed my mother Durdhara?" admanat Bindusara.

Nandini saw her co-wife Helena's face which carried a nasty smirk. It looks like she is behind this whole fiasco.

Can any lady stoop this much low? yes... Helen never left any stone unturned to separate Chandra and Nandini. She previously used her Father to invade Magadh. It was the siege, the condition to withdraw the siege was to banish Nandini. Somehow or other the destiny brought both Chandra and Nandini together defeating all odds.

Chandra steps down from his throne and goes near Bindusara. He slaps him on his face for his misbehavior. The boy with tear-filled eyes looks at Nandini and his face was full of hate for her.

"No... this should not happen... no..." cried Nandini.She sprang from her bed and Chandragupta who was sleeping by her side woke with an anxious face.

" Nandini what happened to you? did you had any nightmare?" Chandra embraced Nandini and her body was shivering in fear. He takes the jug of water and pours it into a glass.He makes her drink water and for sometime Nandini closes her eyes.

"Nandini are you alright now?"

"Bindusar! Bindusar ." she replies as a mantra. The expression of her face indicates that she is scared to death.

"Nandini, he must be sleeping with Rajmatha."

Chandra fondly touches her belly which was 9.5 months pregnant. He kisses the belly and" my princess is there in here! What did you do? your mother is very anxious! did you play a prank on her as she never thinks about your presence? or is it because she always attends your brother Bindu? Naughty girl!"

Nandini still ponders on the dream. Suddenly she holds her stomach.." Chandra... it is hurting ?"

Chandra became very nervous and did not know what to do next. Nandini was twitching in pain. He clapped his hands and summoned a dasi. A couple of waiting-maid came inside.

"One of you go and bring royal physician and other bring my mother Moora immediately."

Outside maternity room

Chandra was pacing through the corridor outside the labor room. His mother was already inside assisting her daughter in law. All he could hear was screams and shouting of his wife.

"pitashree... where is ma?" asked Bindu by clinging his thighs. He must have woken from the sleep. Chandragupta kisses his small boy and " nothing happened ... we are going to meet your little sister son."

"wow.I am excited...can I go inside ?" the boy was curious and he was wondering why his father is standing outside the room.

"No dear...just wait... we should not go inside!"

A cry from inside the room was heard and Chandra understood that it was the newborn baby.

After some time, a dasi came outside with folded hands.

" Long live king... Maharani Nandini has given birth to a princess."

Chandra was so happy.He immediately removed his costly pearl necklace and gave it to the maid. He ran into the room with Bindu on his shoulders.

"Ssh Chandra...Nandini is sleeping.see she is your princess."

Chandra and Bindu touched the little sweet princess with their hands. Moora was holding the baby in her hands. Chandra kissed the girl's cute tiny feet and " Where were you all these days?"

At that moment baby begins to cry the sweetest tears she's ever known and the father bursts into tears of relief and joy.Moora kissed her granddaughter.Bindusara went near his ma and tucked with her.

" Durdhara" replied Nandini when her husband asked for a name to address their lovable daughter.

"Durdhara?" he asked for sake of confirmation.

"Yes Arya.." Nandini said quite assertively.The answer made him very happy. It never occurred to him that he should name his baby after his late wife.
" may I know the reason for you to chose the name?" Chandragupta fixed his eyes on Nandini. She came near him and sat beside him.
" Durdhara was the bridge between us. She played an important role in changing our relationship which was brimming with hate to love."

Chandragupta was taken aback, he did not reply.His mind was lost in thoughts of his late wife Durdhara who happens to be his dear friend. He still could not believe that she is not amongst them. The way she died is no less than a torture. Chandragupta saw her collapse right before his very eyes. The sadness was replaced by vehement anger against Helena and her mother for plotting to take the life of his precious friend and carefully diverted his suspicion to his other wife Nandini. Taking advantage of the situation, they made him banish Nandini from Magadh along with her mother Avantika. Not only that, they made his son Bindusara's life as miserable as hell without loving attention of his mother. Though Chandragupta could bring back his love Nandini back to his life, still there are no traces of her mother Avantika.

When Nandini became pregnant, she longed to see her mother and he was helpless. He felt very guilty when he could not fulfill the desires of his pregnant wife.

" Arya..." Nandini hushed silently bringing him back to senses.

" Hmmm... yes I am listening."

" You have left the guilt Scott free...What will you answer when tomorrow our son asked you for allowing Apama to escape from punishment?"Nandini asked for an answer which kept her haunting.

Chandragupta held her hands and kissed it.Her hand was as soft as a feather.

" More than that how on the earth are we going to explain that you are not his biological mother?"Chandra threw a question back to her .She never anticipated this event as Nandini always thought Bindusara to be her own son.

" Arya, what are you saying? Bindu will break into pieces and feel isolated if you disclose it to him.Won't he?"Nandini retorted.

"Nandini, he has to know the truth. You cannot keep him in dark for ages. Can we? I am looking for the appropriate time."

"I never thought him like my step son.I always think him to be my first son.I am apprehensive Arya of the consequences."

"Do not worry Nandini."

Nandini came near him and sat very close to him. It was dangerously close and she kept her head on his broad well-formed chest.

" Arya...I can listen to your heartbeat. It beats for Akhand Bharat nirman ,Acharya's order, mother's affection and for people's well fare.Does this heart beats for Nandini as well?"

Chandra smiled at her and looked very passionately into her eyes.She was still waiting for his answer. He loved teasing her so he wanted to provoke her loving anger.

"Nandini, I always love the girl whom I met before meeting you?" said Chandra in a romantic tone.

Nandini bit her lip in jealous." Who is that girl? how dare she can make you fall for her? show me once.I also want to see who is that girl and what is so special in her?"

Chandra," I have her painting with me " saying so he took her into the adjacent room.He opened a closet and showed her a frame which was covered with a silken cloth. Nandini was very curious and he asked her to close her eyes.

"Nandini, this is my love." Chandra placed the portrait before her.

Nandini opened her eyes and was startled to see a mirror showing her own replica in it. She looked into his eyes which was full of mischief and she gave a blow that landed straight on his chest.

" Arya... you made me jealous for a while." Nandini rebuked Chandra and he was unmoved.

" I won the bet. Common give me my prize." demanded Chandra.

" Arya,I don't remember anything.." Nandini tried to run away from him only to be in encircled in his arms.

"Remember that day you challenged me to provoke jealousy in you and whoever loses should obey the command of the winner. "

"Yes," Nandini tried to accept the incident.She could not do anything else now.

" Common give me a kiss." Chandra came forward and Nandini kissed on his hand where he had tattooed a peacock feather.

"not here" Chandra pointed to his lips.

Nandini became blushful and she came near his face," Arya ... you will not stop here. I know where it will make a beeline. "

"where?" he asked with a smirk. Nandini looked in the direction where they have placed an opulent bed. It is not just an ordinary bed for them, they have shared all their emotions on it. Be it hate or compassion or affection or love. It is the testimony for their growing closeness from hatred to love. More than that,it is the place they realized that they cannot live without each other and their affection is not skin deep rather they find they know and love each other for ages birth after birth. They understood no matter who does what to separate them, their love keep on bringing them together.

Nandini in a blushful tone," Vaidya ji has advised me, not to bring a brother for Durdhara before she turns 3."

Chandra," Durdhara... ?"

Nandini," you don't like the name?" she asked with a doubt and he caressed her face as softly as he could," Durdhara is perfect. I would like to accept your naming suggestion."

Nandini and Chandra lovingly looked at each other," Durdhara means unstoppable,"