Chapter 47
Logically speaking, how do you react if a 16-foot-long cobra blocks your way out? Almost longer than the legendary anaconda. It wasn’t up with the hood flashed. Rather in a resting position on the ground. Humans fear snakes for their venom and temperament. She was perched up over the stairs. Even with the stairs being so broad, she easily covered them with her coils.
Veer knew there was no way to cross the snake without getting hissed at and possibly lock up in those deadly coils. Although cobras don’t generally constrict, these naags were different. They could use constriction or use their venom.
“Yeh kya baat hai? Can you move?” Veer asked Bani. The snake simply ignored his commentary. Veer knew he could go all the way to the other staircase but he was also sure that she’s going to block him from leaving. There was that sound of rattle.
Before Veer knew what was happening, He was grabbed by Daksh and Sam.
“Oye, kya hai yeh?” Veer demanded but he was quickly tied to a chair. Veer’s own throne like chair. “Daksh, Sam, kholo ise abhi.”
If Veer was a cheel, he could have torn apart the ropes easily but now that he was just human, Veer couldn’t free himself. The snake moved and set herself on the sofa chair before him. After a moment, it changed back into human form. Her legs over the arm of the chair, Bani checked her nails.
“I think I have finally managed to find black nailpolish good. I never found it really interesting but with this outfit, it goes well.” She was sitting bare feet. Black jeans, yellow off shoulder full sleeved top and her half tied in a bun and half let down. The way she was perched up on the chair, he could swear she was channeling her own inner Veer Singhania.
“Boss, aur kuch?” Daksh asked. She gave him a smile.
“Thanks, Daksh.” She nodded.
“Tum dono ko main dekh lunga, saalon. Dhokebaaz… Tum dono ne party hi badal li?” Veer commented trying to free himself from the ropes but it was a futile effort.
“Yeh kya hai?” Balwant demanded when he showed up.
“Daddyji, kuch nahi. Relax. Aap jaaiye. Main yeh sabh sambhal lungi.” Bani answered with a buttered smile.
“Aise bandh ke kyu rakha hai Veer ko?” Pawan questioned.
“Chachu, dad, kya pati patni ke beech aa rahe ho? Jo bhi hai, let it be. Best we leave it to Bani.” Tapish suggested.
“Tapish bhai, please do interfere.”
“Mujhe pati patni ke beech ‘woh’ nahi banna hai.” Tapish answered.
“Bhabhi, yeh sahi nahi hai. Aap bechare Veer bhai ko aise bandh ken ahi rakh sakte. It is not..” The Rs 2000 note was enough to make Ponky change his party, “Boss, aapke orders follow honge.”
“Saale, tu bhi girgit? Itni jaldi change kar diya side?” Veer questioned Ponky.
“Veer, ek dum kadak note hai.” Ponky showed Veer the note.
“Bani, karna kya chahti ho?” Pawan asked her.
“Chachu, maine na sach mein koshish kiya sharafat se baat karne ki but aapke pyaare bigde shehzaade ko aadat hai apne alawa kisi aur ki na sunne ki. So, I had to take matters into a different route. Pucho. Kitni baar acche se kaha ‘Veeranshu, ek baar baat sunlo’ but nahi sir ko interest nahi tha. Baat shuru hui nahi ki inhe bhaag jana hota hai. He’ll leave and show up almost late at night. This has gone for 5 days now. Abh main bhi dekhti hun ki kahan bhaag ke jaayega.”
“Mere kameene bhaiyo ne apni party badal li hai toh kya dad aur chachu bhi kar lenge? Na. Dad humesha mere team mein the aur honge.” Veer told Bani. He turned to Balwant. “Dad, rassi kholiye.”
Balwant moved to untie the ropes but the Bani cleared her throat. Balwant looked at her. Her red naagin eyes challenging him try and untie the ropes. Bani stood up in the most ‘Veer Singhania’ fashion and walked up to Balwant. He was a little tall for her, so she stood up on the coffee table next to him and rested her arm on his shoulder.
“Daddyji, kyu fikar kar rahe hai? Abh aapne apne bete ko mere saath bandh hi diya hai gathbandhan mein toh let me deal with him. Because chahe jo ho jaaye, aaj Veeranshu Singhania baat kiye bina yahan se nahi uthenge.”
“Mujhe koi baat nahi karni.” Veer cleared it.
“Baat toh tum karoge, Veeranshu Singhania. Mujhe challenge mat karo.”
“Bani, iss tarah se baat karna zaroori hai?” Balwant asked.
“Agar aadmi tedha ho toh use tedhi tarah se hi deal karna padega na? Kasam se keh rahi hun. Maine sach mein try kiya ki acche se usse baat karun. Uska haath pakad ke rokne ki koshish ki par haath chuda ke chala gaya. Lunch pe baat karne ki koshish ki but he decided to act mute. 5 din try karne ke baad samajh aaya ki mere patidev ko badtameezi karne ki buri aadat hai. Abhi baat samjhani bhi badtameezi se hi hogi. So, that’s why he’s tied up.” Bani answered.
Balwant looked at Bani for a moment. He had assumed that there was only one like Veer but now he had come face to face with this girl. Both adamant and determined. Both of them temperamental. Both of them were dangerous. They both could go on a rampage if someone pushed the wrong buttons.
“Kya? Zabardasti hai? Mujhe nahi karni.” Veer tried to argue.
“Haaye mere bhole panchi…” Bani said with a look in her eyes, “How you’re presuming that you’ve got a choice. Tum ek baar baat puri karlo toh main chod dungi. Promise.”
“Kyu, Bani? Iska kya matlab hoga? Is it going to solve the problem? No?”
“Tumhe tumhari cheel shaktiya chahiye na?” Bani asked and pulled out a dagger.
“Veer….” Balwant shouted almost scared that she’ll kill Veer.
“Dad, woh Veer ko kuch nahi karegi.” Tapish stopped him.
“Yeh lo. All you have to is make sure it reaches my heart. You’ll be able to have your powers back. I’ll find a way to heal myself. Would take a while but till then you’ll get half of my powers. Uske baad tum cheel ban sakte ho.” She offered Veer.
“What is wrong with you, Bani? Dimag kahin chodke aayi ho kya? Ek baar mein tumhe samajh nahi aata? I cannot hurt you.” Veer shouted at her. Anger dancing in his eyes that Bani even thought he'd do something like that.
“Veeranshu, main tumhe options de rahi hun, tum nahi le rahe. I am not going to die with that. Jay bhi aise meri shaktiya paa sakta hai even if I’m alive. So, main tumhe offer kar rahi hun. Bas itna sa kaam hai. Uske baad you’ll be back.”
“I can’t believe this. Bani, tumse main cheekh cheekh ke keh chuka hun ki meri jaan basti hai tum mein. I don’t know tumhare dimaag mein yeh baat kyu nahi ghus rahi ki main tumhe chot nahi de sakta. Khud toot ke tumhe pura kar sakta par tumhe tod ke khud ko pura nahi karna chahta. I can’t do it. Samajh kyu nahi rahi?”
“Toh tum batao. Kya karun main? Maine tumse kaha ki tum Markaat ke paas chale jaao. Tumhe woh nahi karna. Maine offer kiya tum meri aadhi shaktiya lelo but tumhe yeh bhi nahi karna. Kuch karna bhi nahi hai par shaktiya bhi chahiye. Yeh kaise ho sakta hai? If you want something, you also have to give up something.”
“Bani, baat samajh nahi aati kya tumhe? Tumhare bina in sabkha matlab nahi hai. I don’t know how the hell to explain it to you? I literally took birth for you. Yeh point tumhare dimaag mein jaa raha hai ya nahi? Kya badtameezi hai yeh?”
“Badtameezi? Tumhe yeh badtameezi lagti hai par aise piche 5 dino se mujhse seedhe baat bhi nahi kar rahe ho. Yeh badtameezi nahi lagti tumhe? Tum mujhse zabardasti shaadi karo, yeh badtameezi nahi hai but main tumhe aise roku aur tumse baat karne ki koshish karu. Yeh badtameezi hai? Tum mujhe apni problems share nahi karo yeh badtameezi nahi hai par main tumse baat nahi karun kisi topic par, yeh badtameezi hai? Tumhara yeh kehna ki mera tumpar sabse zyaada haq hai aur phir bas aise hi woh haq cheen lena badtameezi nahi. Par mera iss tarah se tumhe apni shaktiya dene ka suggestion dena badtameezi hai? Tum mujhse meri jaan hi cheen lo, yeh badtameezi nahi hai. Par main tumhe offer karun ki tum mujhse meri aadhi shaktiya leke cheel ban jaao, yeh badtameezi hai?”
“Bani, haan. Sach hai. Mujhe chahiye apni cheel ki shaktiya because uske bina main khud ko nahi pehchaan sakta. I don’t know who the hell I am if I’m not Cheel Singhania. But yeh bhi sach hai ki mujhe tumse bhi pyaar hai. Tumhe khud se dur karke cheel ban bhi jaau tabhi adha hi reh jaaunga.”
“What? That is all you are? Wings and Talons?”
Veer looked at her.
“Bani, you don’t understand -”
“Jiss Veeranshu ko main jaanti hun, he’s never admitted defeat because he’s never accepted it. Even if he seems to be on the losing side in that moment, he’s never accepted defeat. Jaan chali gayi thi par haarna manzorr nahi tha. Jiss Veeranshu ko main jaanti hun, usne apne insaani roop mein ek icchadhari cheel ko almost jaan se maar diya tha. Jiss Veeranshu ko main jaanti hun, who akele saare giddho ko bina cheel bane hara sakta hai. Jiss Veeranshu ko main jaanti hun, he someone who would find a way to win. Even when victory seems to be a far-fetched thought. You didn’t need wings and talons for that. Insaani roop mein agar yeh sabh kar sakte ho, toh kyu tumhe aisa lagta hai ki all you are is wings and talons? Agar tum mein kuch different hai toh woh yeh hai ki tumne har haal mein jeetna seekha hai.”
“Main -”
“Tapish bhai se pucho. Unke liye Veer Singhania is not the same as Cheel Singhania. Unke liye tumhari identity yeh nahi hai ki tum cheel ho. Tumhare saare bhaiyo ke liye tumhari identity yeh hai ki tum unke bhai ho. Cheel or not, you still share the same blood. That no one can take away from you. Daddyji se pucho, unke liye tumhari identity yeh nahi hai ki tum cheel ho, unke liye tum unke bete ho jiske liye woh 1000 gunah karne ke liye tayyar hai. Chachu se pucho, unke liye tumhari identity yeh nahi hai ki tum cheel ho, unke liye tum Veer ho. Cheel or not, you’ll always be Veeranshu Singhania. Cheel or not, you’ll always be Ishana Singhania’s son. Yeh sabh tumse bhagwaan bhi nahi cheen sakte, Veeranshu, toh Markaat kya karega?”
She looked at him.
“Mujhse pucho, Veeranshu. Mere liye your identity doesn’t depend on whether you have cheel powers or not. Mere liye tum mera pyaar ho. Tum mere liye Veeranshu Singhania ho, regardless of whether you can fly or not. Tum mere liye wahi ziddi aur badtameez Veer ho jise humesha apni hi chalane ki aadat hai. No one can take away what you are inside here..” Bani pointed to his chest. “Daddyji ko bura lagta hai ki tum abhi cheel nahi ho but that doesn’t mean you stop being his son for him. He loves you regardless of that. He hates me because I killed his son once, not because I killed a cheel. Shayad who nafrat zindagi bhar rahegi unke dil mein. Mujhe fark nahi padta tum cheel ho ya nahi. Jab cheel the tabhi pyaar hua tha tumse, abh nahi hai phir bhi pyaar hai. Bas tumhe dukhi nahi dekh sakti. Mujhe mera Veeranshu chahiye.”
Veer looked at her.
“Tumhe cheel banne ki zaroorat padi mujhse pyaar karne ke liye? Uss waqt jab gir rahe the, tabh toh cheel the na? Udd ke chale jaate apni gufa mein. Jaan bhi bach jaati tumhari. Trishul par gir ke itne der tak itna dard sehne ke baad bhi kyu phir se mujhse pyaar karne ki himmat thi? Bas cheel nahi rahe toh yeh pyaar bhi nahi hona chahiye. Because if that is all your identity is then shayad tumse kabhi mujhe pyaar hota hi nahi.”
“Bani, yeh pyaar hi toh nahi chut raha mujhse.”
“Veeranshu, tum abhi wahi pagal ho. Wahi sarphire ladke ho jo mera pati hai. I don’t care ki tum cheel ho yaa nahi. Regardless of what you are, Veer, I still love you. Jab tum cheel the tabhi tumse pyaar tha aur abh nahi ho phir bhi pyaar hai. Maine kisi cheel se pyaar nahi kiya hai, tumse kiya hai. How stupid is it to say that I fell for an eagle? No, I fell in love with Veer Singhania. Yeh naam tumhara hai. Cheel or not.”
She rested her forehead against his.
“Please stop running away. Tum mere ho aur main tumhari hun. Who cares in the world ki tum cheel ho ya nahi. I don’t give a damn about it.”
Vanshika walked in soon enough. She chuckled at the sight of tied up Veer. She was wearing a green Slytherin hoodie with black ripped denim. Black and green boots. Black painted nails and hair in a bun.
“I didn’t know you had this kind of fantasy.” She teased him. Veer chuckled.
“Yeh meri nahi tumhari behen ki fantasy hai.” He answered. She removed the ropes binding him.
“Kya? Don’t do that. We’re trying get him not to run away.”
She signalled Sam not to stop her. She pushed Bani a bit back and went to Veer.
“See, I don’t know tumhare saath kya ho raha hai but I need you to get back into your shape. Because mujhe koi company chahiye jo mere saath uss dhabewaale ki pitaai kare.” She told him as she took off the ropes.
“What?”
“He’s cracking up something. I can just feel it. Woh Bani ke khilaaf kuch toh kar raha hai. He has been talking to some naags. Something’s too fishy about it. Isiliye mujhe Bani ko naaglok le jaana hai. Yahan Jay ke saath Chandrakala aur Chandni hai.”
“Usne Bani ko touch bhi kiya na toh jaan le lunga uski.” Veer growled.
“Good. Now that you’re in form. Do us a favour. Mujhe doubt hai ki koi naag-naagin Jay aur Chandrakala ke saath mila hua hai. They’re definitely one of those in the inner circle. Agar pata kar paao toh karna. Since you’re not cheel, they won’t sense you as danger. I just have information that they work at Jay’s restaurant. If you can find them, dhundho unhe. Bani ke liye.”
“Tujhe pata hai ki Bani ke liye jaan bhi haazir hai.”
“Good. Abh ek aur important baat suno.” Vanshika pulled out a book from her hoodie shirt’s pocket. “Kisiko batana mat but I stole this book from my dad. Takshak vansh mein there is something about manipulating soul energy.”
Everyone got interested in the thing she was telling Veer. She opened a page and showed a rune.
“This is the rune for soul energy manipulation. The exact same rune, I have noticed is there on Sam’s tattoo.” She pointed out at the tattoo of chakra in the faint ink. “Remember Sam keh raha tha ki there is a variant of chakra in the Himalayas? The chakra also uses soul energy and manipulates it. Mujhe itna high level tantric magic toh nahi aata but ask some aghori. They’ll have an idea on how to manipulate soul energy. Markaat aur tumne ek point pe same body share ki hai and so there will be traces of his soul energy inside you. That’s why you were able to pull back your wings even though they didn’t heal. Soul energy often works as a powering agent too. It gives some powers. Agar aghori baba ne manage kiya uss soul energy ko trace karke capture karne ki then you can manipulate it to find a way to get back you cheel powers. Its going to be painful but might as well work.”
“Vanshika, are you mad? This seems way out of line. Its like breaking through nature’s laws…” Bani commented.
“Bani, all the laws have loophole and we all manipulate those loopholes for our purpose. Agar dushman ke plan ko counter karna hai toh uske level tak pohochna padta hai. We’re ourself a break in nature’s laws then why not accept who we are and use it. No knowledge is dangerous if you know how to use it wisely and not abuse it.” Vanshika insisted.
“T-shirt reference, snake.” Sam commented. Vanshika grinned.
“If I’m a snake, I’ll be a snake. Daksh, I need to get this book back before my dad notices. Maine pages mark kar diye hai. Jab tak Naag Mandir pohochte hai, tabh tak padh lo. Uske baad I’ll have to take it back.” She gave Daksh the book. “I’m trust you idiots not to misuse it and I hope ki who din nahi aayega jab I’ll have to regret sharing this with you. Koi khaas image nahi hai meri naagvansh mein. Unhe pata chala ki mein naagon ke jaadu ke baare mein cheelon ko bata rahi hun toh naagvansh se hi nikaal denge.”
“Scout’s honour. Who din nahi aayega jab tumhe regret karna pade.” Daksh promised.
“Last thing I expect from you is honour, so please shut up.”
The boys laughed at that. They went to the car. Daksh got to work as he read on the marked pages. Sam drove them till the Naag Mandir. Everyone got out of the car.
“Two minutes. I’m almost done.” Daksh said. They left him in the car. Veer and Bani walked ahead, talking about something. Sam stopped Vanshika.
“I feel that something bad is going to happen. I saw Bhabhi covered in blood.” He told her. She turned to him in surprise.
“Blood? Bani? Last time she was covered in blood, she had almost killed several cheels.”
“I don’t know what specifically or why but I just saw her covered in blood. Just be careful with her.”
Daksh came out and returned the book to Vanshika. Vanshika put it back in her pocket and went up to Bani who was standing at the stairs of Naag Mandir. She turned back and shared a look with Sam. The two nodded. A silent understanding. She was to take care of Bani and Sam was going to check up with Veer.
Bani and Vanshika changed into their human naagin form and walked ahead into the temple. Naag Mandir was also a common meeting place for all Naag-Naagins. Behind the idol of Shiva, there was a staircase leading down.
“Bani, kaafi saare bade naagon ne ek group bana liya hai. It is something like a rebellion.” Vanshika told Bani as they walked down the staircase.
“But kyu? Maine aisa kiya hi kya hai ki unhe itni problem ho gayi hai. I’ve been quite up with my duties.” Bani wondered.
“Jay ke alawa kon ho sakta aisi harkat karne waala. You know how those orthodox naags are. They call themselves the so-called protectors of naag vansh’s pride and traditions.”
The room underground was lit with fire torches. She saw there around 50 naag-naagins had gathered. Some of them were elderly naags. They saw themselves responsible to keep the respect of Naagvansh. Most often creating troubles.
It gave a gothic feel. The pillars had carvings of snakes upon them. Bani and Vanshika turned into their human naagin form.
Bani saw Bela. She walked up to Bani.
"Mess. Serious mess hai, Bani. Sabhko bhadka ke rakha hai." Bela warned her.
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