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Good update Rithu.Paro will always take words at face value. You have kept her character intact. So she will be okay with Rudra. Waiting for the story to proceed.
<font size="3" color="#000099">Good update Rithu.Paro will always take words at face value. You have kept her character intact. So she will be okay with Rudra. Waiting for the story to proceed.</font>
Originally posted by: custodian75
Res
Sorry for the late comments.Lovely update as usual. We wanted rudr to talk and now he is talking. Paro is getting to hear it from him directly. So no more misunderstandings. It's not too late and she should use her brains and not let anyone take advantage of her. She is too polite for her own good.
Stay, that's what she wanted him to say, he could read it in her eyes. The Jallad in him wanted to hold her here, in his room till the end of time. But he was supposed to be her Rakshak wasn't he, so he had to let her go. If she wanted, she will come back to him. It has to be her choice and not because he wants her to stay. He got up and held out her red ghagra, "You still want this?" She nodded, it belonged to her mother, it still had her scent. He knew that wasn't true, his Paro had worn it longer, it now smelt like her. But he also knew that Paro was lucky enough to have a mother who loved her and would want to keep it in her memory. So he quietly took it out, an old doll fell out. He was about to put it back when she stopped him. "Wait, where did you get this?" she asked reaching for the doll. He smiled as he remembered the sweet little girl who gave it to her. "When I was leaving for Jaipur with Ranavat, one girl who gave it to me. Its a reminder of the happiest moment of my childhood. You know Paro, I was so upset that day because I had left everything I ever knew. Its almost as if she knew without a word exchanged between us..." That he needed a hug, a reassurance that everything will be alright. That's why she threw the doll. Just like today, when she was standing on the brink of another life change and was scared of what will happen to her. But she could see that someone else needed the reassurance that everything will be alright. She leaned in and hugged him, "You looked so sad that day, I almost forgot my own pain when I saw your tears. That's why I threw it, I wanted you to feel better."
He was pleasantly surprised to hear her say that she was that girl. He often wondered what happened to his little friend of a few minutes. He knew nothing about her except that she managed to forget the loss he felt with a simple smile. Just like the woman in front of him could make him forget the bitterness of his past with her gentle ways. "Are you sure? That girl looked so happy to see me, her smile just lit up her face. You are usually not that happy when we meet" he teased. She stepped away from him, miffed at his response. That boy seemed like a nice and kind person not a Jallad who scares everybody with his anger. "Then it must have been a different boy. Kakisa will tell you, I was always a tough kid who got whatever he wanted," he told her in all seriousness. Her annoyance grew just like he intended, he loved the way she looked when she was angry with him. Her delicate eyebrows knit, her shapely nose wriggled ever so slightly and her pout, all he wanted to do was just pull that lower lip with his teeth. Her mood soured seeing him grin so she retaliated by saying that she didn't go around throwing dolls to boys in buses. Maybe he had this hobby of collecting toys from girls of the neighbourhood. "You can check the cupboard if you want, there are no dolls there," he laughed. She got up promptly and shifted through his things. She saw the blue kurta she wore and under it she saw a paper. She turned it around, it was her photograph from her Birpur wedding. It was patched up and a little faded. It seemed a lifetime ago, when Thakursa's word was law and the BSD were her enemy. She turned around to ask why he had it with him and in such a state. "I found it in Tejawat's Haveli, it is the picture of the girl who saved me. So I put I back together and kept it safe. Its a precious memory" he replied. Of the girl he saved, she asked softly. "Of the girl who saved me," he answered. Seeing her curious glance, he told her that she saved his soul when she helped him deal with his own demons. He would never forget her or what she did for him. His tone made it sound like good bye. Was he giving up on her, on their future together? She had to tell him how much she needed him in her life, that she didn't want to share her life with anyone else. "Rudra..." she started when they heard Sunheri's voice announce the arrival of the general. He hated being interrupted but had to let her go, "Singh Sir hates to be kept waiting." She didn't move, "Rudra, I need to tell you this" she said impatiently. He placed his finger on her lip and said, "Go now, I'll come find you." She left the room reluctantly. He picked a folder from the back of the cupboard, filled with sketches. Each born of a dream of their tomorrow. As he looked at the last picture of them with their two little sons, he paused and thought to himself that Paro needed a little push.
The ride home was a silent one with Paro lost in an old memory where Rudra had old him of the importance of the picture of a prospective bride to a young man. Was that why he held on to it, couldn't he just admit it. He had so kept her things so carefully, her red ghagra, her doll and her picture. It touched her heart to know that she was special to him. She held tightly to the bag with her mother's clothes, it smelled different. Maybe it lost its scent being in his cupboard for so long. She smiled and wondered if he will return her doll. It was the first doll whose clothes she had made clothes for. Her mother had spoken about dressing her up the same way as she had been her mother's gudiya. Her mother had told her that she will find a handsome prince who will marry her and take her to live in a lovely Haveli. She would be loved so much that she will never want to leave him and visit her parents. She had pouted and argued that she will never leave her parents. She had never dreamt that her parents will leave her first. A tear slipped down her cheeks and her uncle asked, "Are you alright?" She nodded and he told her there was no time for tears. She didn't understand. She noticed that he looked tensed. "Is everything alright at work? Why are you so worried, Maasaji?" she asked. He replied her that his wife will be holding a court-martial in their home right now and he was worried about her judgement. Paro smiled, her aunt was always kind and never stern they had nothing to worry about. He shook his head, "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Geethanjali was furious when Paro returned home with her uncle. They found her chastising the constable incharge. "Sorry madam, I just went on my tea break. When I got back, she wasn't there. Sisodia madam told me that she left due to some emergency. I thought she came here," he explained. Paro could see that it was an honest mistake, so she told her aunt to let it go as she was fine. Her aunt gave her a hug and asked, "Beta, are you alright? Thank god you saw Rudra's cousin there. I cannot believe that you almost ended in that Tejawat's clutches again." Paro reassured her that she was fine, just a little tired. Her aunt asked her to have an early dinner and turn in early. Paro nodded and turned to go when her aunt stopped her, "Paro beta, I need you to promise me something. You will not leave the house till Tejawat is caught." The general was stunned, "Geethu, my best men have been on this case for months now. Still he is absconding, I don't know when they will finally manage to catch him. We can't hold Paro under house arrest until then, be reasonable." But his wife wasn't in the mood to relent, no amount of arguing helped to change her mind. Paro was their responsibility, that cannot be so cavalier about it. Her security must be attended to. She wasn't just a witness, she was family. Geethanjali didn't want to loose the daughter they found months ago. She was still haunted by the memory of finding her battered and bruised in the highway. If ordinary villagers were capable of injuring her so badly, she didn't want to think what a wanted criminal will do if he gets hold of her.
Later that night, Paro was restless and was pacing in her room. She didn't know what to do, Mrs. Sisodia was coming over tomorrow with her sister's family. And there was no way to stop her as she was stuck at home as per her aunt's orders. Her uncle had argued that during her stay with the Ranavats, a wedding was pulled off with no harm to her. But her aunt had pointed out that nobody knew who was Rudra's bride which is why he pulled that stunt. Here all of Jaipur knows where she lives and where she goes about. Paro understood why her aunt was being strict. But she still had to explain the truth to Mrs. Sisodia before it is too late. She wished she could get someone her aunt would trust to come along. The curtains of a window shifted slightly and Rudra appeared. She looked at him and wondered for a minute if Rudra could be imposed on to take her Mrs. Sisodia. He aunt wouldn't object, but will that make matter's worse? She shook her head dismissing the idea walking past him. He grabbed her by her arm and slurred, "You said that you wanted to talk, that's why I came. Why are you shaking your head now?" She was shocked, he was really here in her room, in the middle of the night. She assumed that she was dreaming about him as usual. She gently touched his face, "You're really here?" He bit her finger in reply, she winced. She checked to see if the door was locked then went back to him. "Did you drink?" she asked taking a good look at his inebriated state. He nodded and answered that he needed liquid courage for this. "Are you scared of Maasaji?" she asked wondering about the consequences of him sneaking in to her room. He laughed loudly and she quickly placed her palm over his mouth, when she heard rumbling noise. "Paarooo...don't be scared. It's just that there is lion in my stomach trying to come out and taste you" he said nibbling her palm. She realised he was hungry and went towards the door. He pulled her back, "Are you leaving me?" She cupped his face and told him that she will bring something for the lion to eat before it gobbles her up. She made him sit down at the foot of the bed and told him to wait, she will return as soon as possible.
She quickly returned with some rotis and palak paneer. He saw her and smiled then on seeing the plate he frowned, "What did you bring? I don't want to eat that." She told him that she must feed the lion so that he sleeps and lets them talk in peace. He cooperated and let her feed him with soft rotis dipped in delicious curry. She smiled as she fussed over him. He was almost like a child when he was drunk, not like other men she had seen in Birpur who become violent and unmanageable. After a few minutes, he took the plate from her. She watched on curiously as he dipped his hand in the palak and traced the letter 'S' on her wrist. "What are you doing, Rudra?" she asked. He replied,"I'm decorating your hand with mehendi as the sun is coming to see you tomorrow. That's his name, Suraj Shekawat. He is not connected to Tejawat in any way, unfortunately. So I don't have a valid reason to kill him. He is perfect by the way, a doctor who heals than a killer who inflicts pain. A person from whom you will receive kind words than harsh retorts. A person who will take care good care of you all your life" he told her sadly. She looked at him with tears welling up in her eyes. As lump in her throat, she infinitely preferred this Jallad than the nicest saint. He then held her hand and told her that this mehendi won't be as dark as the one he applied long back. Simply because its a sign from her Bholenath that no man would ever love her as much as Rudra Pratap Ranavat. Her tears spilled on her palm and he scolded her for ruining his hard work. "Rudra, I need to tell you something important," she started.
He didn't want to listen to her explanations or her excuses. It wasn't easy for him to think of her with someone else. He placed his finger on her lip and shook his head. "I brought something for you," he said putting his hand into his leather jacket. He brought out a pair of ruby bangles with jalli work. He took her delicate wrists and slipped it tenderly. "These are gold bangles," she observed. He smiled and told her that he wanted her to get her red bangles that will never get crushed. "Why red, I thought you liked blue?" she asked. He nodded, "So what, its not like your wrists are going to be adorned for my pleasure. Why don't you like red?" he asked and held back her tears not caring about anything but the fact that he was hurting. "Remember what you told me about red bangles, Paro. That they symbolize marital bliss. That's what I want for you and that's what I will make sure you get. This time you will have a gold standard life ahead of you beyond your wildest dreams, far from here, safe from Tejawat. Nobody will trample your beautiful dreams this time, I promise you," he told her earnestly. In the silence of the night he heard a door open. "Rudra, please I need you to listen" she pleaded. There were footsteps of someone coming closer, he guessed it was the general. He had to leave before he got her into trouble. She saw him head for the window and ran over whispering, "What are you doing?" He told her to relax, he will be fine as they both hear knock on the door. "Paro, before everything changes tomorrow, tell me I have to know, what did I do in your pretty dreams?" he asked cheekily. She couldn't believe him, he was half drunk, hanging with one foot over the window and discussing her dream so innocently, nobody could be more adorable at that moment. She placed her hands over his eyes, leaned in and kissed him. It was his turn to be shocked that Paro. His Paro kissed him with her uncle and his boss at the door. It was the most incredible moment of his life. He wondered, twirling his moustache, how it would feel if she kissed him places other than his cheeks when he heard a voice at the door, "Paro, beta are you awake?" Paro pushed him away and he jumped out of the window. She checked if he was alright before opening the door. "What is that?" the general asked pointing to a rose on the floor. Paro wondered what to say and looked out of the window and saw him, her Jallad winking at him before blowing a kiss and waving goodbye.
Note: The sweet picture of Rudra with his lovely wife and the two sons she always wanted are by the very talented Mano(multimedia) who is responsible along with Mukti for filing the forum with lovely edits and gifs of Parud for our viewing pleasure
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