CHAPTER-10 Prachi walked quietly, following the river whose waters reflected the tumultuous emotions churning in her mind. It was almost a week since they had come here. A week since her husband hadn't spoken a word to her. A week since she had seen him for more than a few minutes…He always got up before her and then returned late into the night.
All she seemed to do these days was take solitary walks, not that it wasn't pleasant. Saharan Valley was truly beautiful, filled with an abundance of greenery. The view from the cliff was positively spectacular in the mornings, especially when the sky was bathed in the colours of morning with red and pink hues in a blue sky.
There were plenty of streams and waterfalls amongst the wilderness, many of which she had explored with having nothing else to while away her time with. Ayesha and Neev were usually at loggerheads with each other, and at other times tried their level best to pretend as if the other didn't exist. Her mother and the Kings, due to the increasing cold, had preferred to saunter back towards the Palace.
She didn't want to leave…not yet. It seemed as if there was something she was waiting for, without knowing what it really was. The serenity of this place appealed to her, made her believe that there was something worthwhile waiting for her to reach it.
She hugged herself to keep the chill at bay, and finally admitted the truth to herself. She missed Milind. She missed his presence around her…She came alive when he was near, her senses aware of everything he was doing without her having to actually look. Her pulse leaped every time she saw his silhouette walking towards their camp from some dark corner of the area.
She missed doing little things for him, which hardly meant anything to him but gave her an odd kind of pleasure. While he was gone, she had got used to looking after his clothes for him, keeping everything clean and seeing that he got everything without having to ask for it. Ofcourse there were maids to do all this, but she didn't know why she felt a strange possessiveness regarding him. She wanted to do everything herself, as if by doing it she could feel closer to him.
He was so hard to understand, this husband of hers! He hardly ever glanced at her nowadays though once or twice she had caught him looking at her with something akin to curiosity. He must be wondering why she was bothering to do all this for him. And probably it was in a way good that he didn't ask her.
She didn't understand it either!
She didn't know where he went, but she knew why. She just wished she didn't know the reason! Putting a lock of her hair behind an ear, she bent down to pick up a stone whose smooth surface and pink tinge over a gray exterior somehow fascinated her.
He still loved Ayesha, she thought sadly, gazing at the fine stone. It was no good to pretend otherwise. That much she understood about him. She could also understand the feelings that must be weighing down on him. However nave she might be about love, she knew it hurt terribly when you lose that person. It must be so hard for Milind to adjust to thinking of her as a wife, when the object of his affections was just nearby hardly paying him any mind!
And Ayesha did do that frequently. She kept herself preoccupied with something or the other whenever Milind was near. Prachi didn't know whether it was deliberate or not, but she did think it unusual that her sister managed to pick fights with Neev whenever her husband was nearby.
Smiling, she traced a finger on the P that the scratches on the stone seemed to form. Bringing the stone closer to her eyes, she looked it over carefully, not knowing why she felt the urge to do so.
Then there was Rajeev, Prince of Cruzan. He was the cousin of Milind and Neev, and had arrived the same day as the plan for Saharan Valley had been made. He was charming, more so to Ayesha than her, but Prachi welcomed the diversion he provided. He made her laugh and was lively, never running out of topics to converse on. He was attractive with dark hair and extremely light brown eyes, making them resemble molten gold in specific lighting.
Nearly the same age as Milind, he had joined them on the trip and was usually the one who ended Neev and Ayesha's constant bickering with a few choice words. She liked spending time with him, forgetting her worries in his endless talk. He drew her out, making her debate and think on things she had never before given a thought to.
He liked Ayesha, she knew that. She could see it in those honey brown eyes of his, but for his sake she hoped he wouldn't lose his heart to her. Rajeev was a wonderful person but he wasn't the sort who could handle a fiery spirit like Ayesha's. And neither would he be given the chance too anyway, she thought distractedly. Neev was already starting to get possessive about his soon-to-be-wife.
"I wish…main kuch aisa kar sakti ki Milind mujhe thodi si jagah apne dil mein de sakte," she said aloud, tears glistening in her eyes at the helplessness she felt. "Bas thodi si…chahe ek dost ki tarah hi sahi."
Walking near the river, she held out the hand containing the stone. Opening her fist slowly, she gazed at the mark P on it…alone, like she was. "Shayad jaise iss patthar par mere naam ka akshar akela hai, main bhi apni puri zindagi tanha hi rahungi."
Tilting her palm, she dropped the stone into the rushing water, watching it vanish completely beneath the foam.
______________________________________________________
She got up with a start, wondering what had woken her up in the first place. Hearing a sound outside her luxurious tent, she pushed her covers aside to investigate. It was perhaps Milind back from his usual jaunt, but somehow something didn't feel right.
Going by her instincts, Ayesha crept cautiously out of the tent, breathing in the chilly night air. Everything was silent…too silent, she thought. A poorly concealed cough from the boulder nearby made her jump, making her heart race in fright.
Oh, please let it be Milind or Rajeev, she prayed silently, making her way towards it warily. Crouching low when she was just short of reaching it, she inched her way closer slowly, her heart thudding painfully. Oh, where were her guards!
"He ain't in the mood to wait, Aylmer."
Managing to move another inch, Ayesha waited, her eyes scrutinizing the darkness to pick out the form of her guards. Unable to find anyone, she became still, trying to keep her breathing controlled.
"When is that swine ever in the mood to wait?" a voice growled back, making her shrink closer to the shadows. "He would get us killed one day at this rate!"
"Well, he has already made us kill the guards. We cannot wait anymore. We have to do the deed tonight or we wouldn't be able to do it again. The security would be tightened as soon as they discover the guards' condition in the morning!"
Ayesha heard a footstep come closer to her hiding place, and forced herself to sit still and not bolt. If she ran now, they would catch her in no time at all!
"But which of the tents do we have to have to proceed to?" the second man asked, his voice betraying his impatience. "I want to get this over –"
There was silence as the sentence was left incomplete. Fear creeping up her spine, she realized belatedly that her night robe was lying in plain view of the people on the other side of the boulder. Snatching it back up, she ran quickly, shouting for Neev.
She narrowly dodged someone and unmindful of anything, kept running towards the opposite side. Hearing no footsteps behind, she turned and what she saw made her blood turn cold.
"Neev!" she screamed in terror, making out two shapes running towards her from the tents.
"Ayesha?"
Hearing a familiar voice call her name to her right, she turned and ran towards the source, clutching his wide shoulders and gesturing wildly towards the edge of the cliff.
"Milind, Prachi –" she tried to explain, panic making her shake him. "Milind, they will kill Prachi! Woh Prachi ko –"
Before she could complete her sentence, Milind nearly pushed her aside and ran in the direction of the edge. He could make out two shapes struggling to bring his wife closer to the edge, and felt a rage like no other engulf him.
His blood chilled as he saw them manage to push her over, and then run madly in two directions to make it harder for him to catch. But catching them was far from his mind, as he ran blindly towards the edge shouting her name.
He saw her hanging off a loose branch, her large eyes locked on his face.
"Prachi, haath de," he said desperately. Lying low and as close to the edge as possible, he extended his hand towards her, willing her to reach for it. As she tried to free a hand to reach his, the branch gave away a little.
He heard the sound of running feet as the others ran towards them.
"Prachi, tu ruk, main kuch karta hoon," he called urgently, getting up to look for anything, anything at all which could even remotely help his wife.
"Milind!" he heard her call softly.
He looked over the cliff again to see her looking at him as if she was memorizing every feature of his face, an enchanting smile on her face.
"No, Prachi, don't you dare!"
He heard a sickening crack as the branch gave away.
_______________________________________________________
As promised I tried to post this up before the day got over. Sorry azam, couldnt post this in the morning. I was snoring away to glory due to havin insomnia the night before
😆 😆
hmm, so any comments about this chapter? 😉 dont hesitate to tell me if there are any typing errors!Edited by gurl.enchanted - 17 years ago
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Bindi
