Hello
all. Thank you for your lovely comments. I have divided this chapter into parts
as I felt it was too long to be a single part. Hope you like it. Do leave your
valuable comments.
Previous
Chapter
...
Chapter
7A : The Kiss and The Promise
Ayyush walked quickly out of the palace. He
knew she would need him by her right now and he didn't want to waste a single
moment loitering around. As he was hurrying out of the palace door, he felt an
arm on his shoulder.
"Ayyush"
"Papa...?"
"Where are you going, beta?"
"Uh... just for a walk..."
"A walk... But where?"
"Out in the woods..."
"What? Are you crazy? You know the situation
now... Don't you?"
"I guess I do, Papa."
"Then? How many times must I tell you that
it is not safe for you to go out."
"If it's not safe for me, it's not safe for
the people... I really don't get it Papa. Why must we even go to war if it's not
safe?"
"It's a question of PRIDE. If we give up,
then the world will think of us as weaklings."
"Better to be a live weakling than a
lifeless proud man."
"Ayyush... What are you saying? Don't you know
that if your mother is lying there without moving a limb, then it is all King
Gupta's fault. Son, if you love your mother, then your blood must boil every time
it hears his name. We have lost a lot because of him."
"It boils, Papa... It sure does. Every time I
hear his name all I ever wish for is to go and pluck his heart out of him. I
want him to feel the pain of losing someone very close to his heart and live a
nightmare filled with fear and pain every day. I swear that if I ever get hold
of his family, I would kill all of them just to make him suffer. But just
because he is bad... why must the people suffer?"
"Well... his people support him and fight for
him."
"May be his family does and so do the
soldiers, but common people love peace Papa... And nothing else."
"Some sacrifices ought to be made, son. We
can't expect to erase the bad dots without affecting some good ones. Can we?"
"Papa... Why don't we just kidnap the royal
family and kill them? That way our revenge would be fulfilled. I really don't
get why innocent people must suffer."
"That is the way of life."
"I don't like it. Now, if you could excuse
me, Papa, I'll be back in an hour."
"I can't allow you to go alone."
"I am taking Flora with me. I'll see you
later, Papa."
"But..."
He
had left. The King knew that he was one determined person and there was no use
in trying to stop him if he had made up his mind.
...
She stood waiting for him with tear filled
eyes. She had not called for him, but she knew he'll be there soon. He must
have heard the news too. She didn't know how, but he came to see her every time
she felt that she needed him. She sighed a little as she remembered that maybe
this was the last time he could come like this. She felt someone standing
behind her and she turned around. He had come. Without a second thought, she
rushed into his arms and held him tightly.
"Pari, I am sorry."
"It's not your fault Raj. Oh Raj... why
should such things happen to us only?"
She sat down on the ground beside him,
covered her face with her arms and began to weep. He slowly stroked her head
with his arms and tried to console her. But how could he, when his own heart
was broken?
"Pari, maybe if you tell me where you
live I can come and meet you."
"It's of no use, Raj. No one will be
allowed inside my country."
"Yes, but... Maybe I can come in
disguise?"
"You will be caught and put to death.
I'd rather be without you for a few days than live without you forever."
"You really care that much?"
"Yes, how do you expect me not
to?"
He looked into her eyes that was filled
with tears and suddenly felt that the time had come. He pulled her closer to
him.
"I have fallen in love, again."
"Huh?"
He slowly removed the stray hairs of her
face and kissed her tears. She shivered a little as she felt his warm lips on
her cheeks.
"I love you, Pari. I have been in love with
you ever since I first saw you picking wild flowers when you were 10 years old."
"But... Raj..."
"No buts... I was a coward till now. I was
afraid that you would never care for me in that way, ever. Now... that I have
seen that you do care for me a little, I couldn't stop myself. I... I don't want
you to answer immediately... I just want you to know that I love you... It doesn't
matter if you don't..."
Khushi put an arm over his lips
immediately.
"Don't you say that I don't love you. Raj... I
love you from the bottom of my heart. You have been my supporter and my closest
friend. You are like air to me. I live because of you. How can I not love you,
Raj? How can you even think like that?"
He didn't reply, instead he planted his
lips firmly on hers. She was shocked at first and tried to pull back but as he
held her tightly in his grip, she simply gave. His arms were holding her petite
waist and her arms held a bunch of his hair, pulling him towards her as the
kiss deepened. It was their first kiss. Nature itself seemed to know that it
was a special event, the tree branches moved in such a way that the sun could
light the lovers and the birds around let out a joyful song. A few apple
blossoms fell on them as if congratulating them on their union. As the world
around them was busy making the event more special than it already was, the
lovers themselves were not aware of anything. They were in a world of their own. He kissed
her with the passion that he had been hiding in his heart for so long and she... she
kissed him back with equal passion and fervor. The kiss was not just a union of
their lips, but a union of their souls. As they parted for air, their foreheads
rested on each other. They stood their gasping for breath for a long time
feeling at home in each other's arms. Suddenly, a bell interrupted their silent
bliss. Ayyush looked at her and she looked back at him. It was time for him to
go.
"Must you?"
"Yes, I must Pari. My family will be
worried."
"Will I ever see you again?"
"You will... As long as we have love, we will
always have the chance of meeting each other. I swear, Pari, I will never let
anything or anyone harm you."
He gave a tiny peck on her forehead and
left marking her his forever. She simple stood there with a smile on her face.
After all these years, finally he was hers.
As he rushed back home, he didn't know that
he had made two promises today unknowingly. He didn't know which promise he was
going to keep... the one he made to her soul or the one he made to his father. He
did not know that the two promises he made today were going to cost him his
life. Only time could teach him the cost of true love. Right now, he was a happy
victorious man who had conquered a beautiful lady and made her his.
...
Edited by ...Tiana... - 8 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount