Being Kaikeyi - OS

Ramayan does not happen without Kaikeyi exiling Ram. But what if her reasons were justified and her ulterior motives something altogether different?

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"When you lose your own son, you will know a mother's pain Jethaniji. I curse you. I curse that you feel the pain I feel today. I will never forgive you for this., Pinky had been forthright with her words spewing hatred.

"I always felt that inspite of what Tej was and did, the one reason I would forever be grateful to him was because he brought you home, Jahnvi. But I was so wrong. I will never forgive you for what you have done. You have broken up my family. I trusted you and you betrayed me. You don't exist for me anymore., her mother like mother-in-law had said and then she had walked away from her, something that had never happened in the thirty odd years of her life after becoming an Oberoi bahu.

"Bhabhi, I understood your pain when Tej Bhaisaab betrayed you. I stood by you all these years, supporting you. I stood for you against my own brother. But today, I wish I had been wiser. How are you any different from Svetlana? All these years, we had another Svetlana in our midst I did not even recognize her. Bhabhi, how can you be this selfish? To ask my only son to leave.. I am disappointed in you., Shakti had lamented, his words dripping with disappointment.

"How could you do this mom? And for what? The house, this money? What happened to you? How could you make Shivaay Bhaiyya leave? He is all I have. And you have taken him away from me. Shivaay Bhaiyya is everything for me. He was always there for me Mom and now he is alone and you are the reason for that. I will never ever forgive you for this. Rudy had said before stomping off in a rage.

It had happened yesterday but every moment felt afresh. She heard the words repeatedly. Jahnvi sat in silence. She sat in silence, not moving a muscle.

"I curse you. I curse that you feel the pain I feel today. I will never forgive you for this. Pinky's words.

I did lose my son Pinky, not one but two on the same day and the pain is unbearable. But it had to be done. Jahnvi wanted to shout out loud so that Pinky's words and all the other words in her head would be drowned out. But she still sat in silence.

She had lost her sons and it broke her heart in ways she never knew it could be broken. The pain she felt was worse because it was a pain she had no one to share with. Her nearest and dearest hated her now. Even Gauri had looked at her differently after yesterday. Jahnvi's eyes misted and a lone tear escaped her left eye. She stared straight ahead unware of her surroundings.

"It is not time to waste your tears Badi ma. Your tears are precious. They will be needed for the future, to be shed when we are happy, when we all are together again., Shivaay's voice broke her reverie.

"Oh Shivaay, my son., Jahnvi stood up and her iron control broke as she caught the first glimpse of the very person she had exiled the previous day. The events of the last day became too over powering and she staggered. Shivaay rushed forward and held her. He held her close as she struggled to gather herself.

"We knew this was not going to be easy mom., Om walked in next just as Jahnvi had managed to get a grip on herself. She looked up to see both her sons looking at her worriedly. Om was looking at Shivaay with concern and Shivaay's eyes reflected the same worry.

"Sorry.. Sorry.. It is just that.. I lost control of myself for just a bit. I am ok now., she said with effort, even giving them a reassuring smile.

The three of them hugged once more in silence before resuming their places at the table.

"Om, you are sure no one followed you here?, asked Shivaay and Om nodded in negative. "I was extra careful Shivaay. Came straight from the airport. No one even knows I am back in India. Not even Gauri., Om said.

"And no one would follow me after what happened at home yesterday. Everyone thinks I have moved over to the dark side., Jahnvi said smiling but Shivaay did not miss the pain behind those eyes and the tell-tale signs of fresh tears. He pressed her hand assuring her.

"Badi Maa..You were amazing. I cannot thank you enough. We needed Svetlana to think she won. We needed her to think she has broken and separated the three of us. If you had not agreed to our plan and trusted us, I would still be in Oberoi mansion being made a puppet by Svetlana and her instructions. You have set me free to fight back. You have given us the time we needed to gather our forces against Svetlana. Thank you., Shivaay finished trying to infuse the broken woman in front of him with some much-needed reassurance and confidence.

"True mom. All this will soon pass. We will be strong for Shivaay and hold fort at home until Shivaay is ready. We do that for him now, can't we? Svetlana has had time and resources to plan her moves. We need to give Shivaay some time to plan a counter, a counter that will forever remove this woman from our lives, from all our lives. Om finished darkly, his eyes smoldering with unsaid vengeance.

"..and you will come back home Shivaay. You will come back home as soon as you get things ready. You will not delay even one second longer than that. Promise me., Jahnvi whispered, her voice breaking again as the frightening memories of the previous day overpowered her.

"I promise, Badi ma. I will come back home and very soon. Your son will come back and tell the world that all Ramayan's don't have a Kaikeyi. Sometimes, to finish off the Surpanakha in Ayodhya, Ram needs to attack her from all sides, even from Lanka as he is gathering his army and raising ammunition., Shivaay ended with a smile and was rewarded one from Jahnvi. He hugged her sideways. "You are our strength Badi maa. Be strong for us, he whispered as he held her hand.

Jahnvi's color was coming back and seeing her get better made the worry lines on Shivaay's forehead lessen.

Om watched them with relief. Shivaay had looked haggard as he had met up with him in the hotel foyer, a faraway hideout/special place that only he and Shivaay knew. Not even Rudra had an inkling of this place. It had been their hideout to talk without interruptions and discuss about matters that were far more important to be discussed at Oberoi Mansion. It was the same place they had chosen for their meeting after Shivaay's forced exile from home by his mother's hands. Om knew that Shivaay was worried for those at home. SSO was their strength, the wall to their fortress and it took a lot out of Shivaay to leave them home among the predators while he worked in the shadows. But it had to be done. Om did what he knew Shivaay needed. He had given his brother a much-needed hug and assured him that they were all alright. Shivaay had needed those words to feel better. But Jahnvi was a wholly different matter.

When Shivaay had explained the plan, Om had been sure his mother would be able to carry it off. But when he walked in behind Shivaay today and had seen his mother's pale and ashen face, he had been shocked. They had considered his mother being able to play the part but had forgotten the toll it would have on her. One look at her had sent a shiver down Om's spine involuntarily. He had been transported to the years when she had had the same look.. the look when she had been betrayed by her husband and had been broken completely. He felt a pang of doubt now in involving her in their plan against Svetlana.

When Shivaay confessed to being blackmailed a few days back to Om over a secure line, Om had been furious. He had wanted Shivaay to let Svetlana do her worst. If Mr.Oberoi was responsible for the fire at Kalyani mills, Om had ranted, then it was time he faced the consequences himself. The family did not have to pay for Mr. Oberoi's multitude of sins, especially not Shivaay. Shivaay had calmed him down and had reasoned with him as only Shivaay could. They had decided then to counter Svetlana and beat her at her own game. But they had been hit with a roadblock almost immediately. Svetlana had Shivaay's hands tied with the video. Shivaay needed to be free of her. A plan was hatched, and they had both decided to take Jahnvi into confidence in enacting their little drama.

Out of the three, Om had firsthand knowledge of just how successful their plan had been. Gauri had called him in tears just hours before he left Germany. Between sobs, she had explained what went on during and after Shivaay's exit from the house including what had been said to his mother by the family. He also got Gauri talking about Svetlana and knew that she was gloating in her victory, something that they had wanted.

Om had always known his mother loved Shivaay, but to what extent, he realized today. He had always felt the closest to her but today, he knew that Shivaay's place in his mother's heart would be very special.

Om looked at Shivaay wiping the remnant of tears from his mother's cheeks. "Badi maa.. Here I was thinking you were made of sterner stuff., Shivaay was saying. Shivaay's presence and reassurance seemed to finally work and Jahnvi looked and felt better with Shivaay at her side.

"Rudy is going to be raving mad though when he comes to know., Om said and then chuckled suddenly trying to break the morose mood they were in. "Oh man.. he is going to be really.. really mad.., he continued as he ran his hand through his hair. He threw a sideways glance at Shivaay and nodded. They had never needed words. Both knew that Rudy's reaction to Shivaay leaving the house would have been explosive. Jahnvi needed to hear that that would only be temporary.

"Well, we will bring him in line, won't we now? And what do I hear now? He has been acting all angry for me and being mean to you Badi ma? Rudy needs his big brother to snap him out of that. Shivaay said and smiled. Jahnvi's smiled back. The tension was finally broken.

"It was very sweet actually., Jahnvi replied as she lovingly caressed Shivaay's cheek. "He just loves his bade bhaiyya like he should. But do pull his ears Shivaay, she added.

"I promise solemnly., Shivaay said in mock serious tone. Jahnvi's little laugh rang around their table.

Everything will soon be alright, Jahnvi's heart finally assured her. Shivaay would make it all right and Om would stand by him ably. Rudy had been and would always be with his brothers, come what may. They would stand together. All for one, one for all. And she, Jahnvi would be there for them. She would not falter, not now.

Shivaay leaned forward and started outlining the next plan of action as Om listened intently. Jahnvi tried to keep up with their plan and felt her heart swell with pride as she heard Shivaay explain his trap for Svetlana while Om occasionally interrupted with inputs gathered from Germany and new strategies to strengthen the home front.

They would stand together, the three of them. Soon there would be more alongside them. Rudy, Anika, Gauri, Bhavya, Sowmya, one by one, they would join and bind into a single force. Jahnvi had done her part, now her sons would build on that and go from strength to strength.

Svetlana wanted a Ramayan and she would get one. This new day Kaikeyi would be there to receive her eldest son back into their home with all fun-fare while Surpanakha, Surpanakha would be vanquished. Ramayan would end with Ram's victory as always. Svetlana had forgotten that simple fact.

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