CHAPTER 42
Shatabdi stopped her account when she heard the thumping of
boots coming closer. After her kidnapping, odd noises always put her on edge.
Her friend saw her tense face and asked if something was wrong. "Oh good,
you're here too," Rudra said seeing Shatabdi with his wife, as he entered the
room. "I'm sorry about what happened. I shouldn't have let that happen," he
apologised. She was relieved that it was just him and just shook her head. It
wasn't his fault, not entirely at least. But she had to tell him in private.
Besides she was careless too. Her husband had come a long way from the Jallad
she once knew. Still Paro's heart always rejoiced to see her husband display
concern.
His eyes paused on his Paro's next. There was plenty to
discuss and he had no idea where to start. "I should go. You two look like you
have something to discuss," Shatabdi observed seeing her friend's tense face.
Paro nodded but Rudra disagreed, "No, Aman and VK Sir will be expecting me at
headquarters soon. I have to go there now. You two can continue catching up."
Paro felt he was avoiding the Mala situation and said, "Rudra, I should have
told you about Thakurainsa." He gave her a small smile, "Forget about it. There
were other things to handle." She went close and cupped his face. She asked if
he was angry with her. He covered her hand with his own and admitted, "I was
shocked to see her here. I was disappointed that you tell me. But I understand
why you let her come here."
Paro hugged him and started to cry, "I knew you would
understand. Kakisa and Sumer bhaisa were so angry. Bapusa was so worried how
you will react. But I knew my Rudra will judge my actions but will sympathize
with how I felt." He brushed her hair off her face and kissed her forehead
gently. "Let's hope your Maasaji also is as sympathetic as your Rudra. I have
to report this and find out why Natwar lal hasn't," he said sternly.
She sighed wearily as her husband walked to the door. It was
in this very room that he once scolded her thinking about only herself. Once
again, she hadn't paid attention to the big picture and all the others
involved. "Shall I talk to Maasaji?" she asked. He shook his head, "No, I'll
take care of everything. Kakisa will want a grand reception for Sumer. You will be needed here. " She nodded
dutifully.
He took a couple of steps and then retreated, "Whatever
minor rituals are there, just keep me out of it unless it's absolutely
necessary. I have been through them twice and have no plans on repeating
them." Paro laughed, he didn't have to partake in
them as he wasn't the groom. But his presence would be nice. "And buy when you
are shopping for Shatabdi's gift, buy something for yourself too," he
suggested. Her eyes twinkled with mischief, "Can I buy something for you?" h looked at her in surprise. "Your kurtas have
become old and have faded," she commented as she kept his clothes in his
wardrobe. He shrugged his shoulders, "Fine pick up something for me then. Not
anything bright or flashy." She held the clothes and wistfully said how she
likes mirrors on clothes. "Then make sure your clothes have plenty of them,"
came the reply as he walked away.
General VK Singh rested in head on his palm resignedly. Of
all the things he had ever anticipated, Rudra's tidings were something he never
saw coming. The Thakurainsa of Birpur was his best officer's estranged mother.
The soldier he trained was not emotionally capable of handling such situations.
But for the first time he had displayed intelligence and brought it to the
attention of his seniors. He raised his head and asked sternly, "You were the
one who arrested her along with Tejawat. Why are telling me this now?" He saw
the hesitation in his protg's eyes but he needed an answer. Tejawat could
have gone to the press with this. His lawyer could have claimed that Rudra was
using the BSD to settle his personal grudges. But they all just sat back on the
information.
"She had chosen to be
Tejawat's wife 18 years ago. She chose to build his corrupt kingdom rather than
make a comfortable home for me and Ranavat. Why would I mention a past tie
which didn't really matter?" Rudra replied softly. His commanding officer saw
the pain of a troubled boy in the eyes of the man in front of him. "Tejawat
claims she is innocent. Don't you want a chance to rebuild your relationship
with her?" he asked as Danveer Ranavat crossed the cabin. The constable had
claimed that Mala Tejawat grew up with his wife and that's why he wanted to
arrange for her stay. But he had not been entirely honest. He wanted an
opportunity for the Ranavat clan to reunite. That must be what Tejawat was
hoping. If Rudra aligns himself with his mother, they would use him to gain his
freedom. That had to be why he claimed her ignorant of his deeds.
"No Sir. I had given up on her long back. Now I just want
her to leave us all alone. That's why I'm bringing it up now. She has tricked
Paro into believing she needed assistance and has taken up residence in my
home," he explained. Before the pride of grooming a loyal and steadfast officer
filled his heart the image of a broken Paro in his guest room flashed in his
mind. The Thakurain had done nothing when Paro was being routed out of Birpur.
She had been left to die on the highway after her mamisa died. If his wife
hadn't found her that night, there is no telling what might have befallen her.
"Why did she get involved? She has been trying so hard to look ahead not back,"
he groaned. He knew that his niece's scars needed time to heal but why was fate
always tempted to flesh out her wounds. He still had to meet her after her trip
to see Nandini. His wife had told him that all wasn't well. "Paro is... Paro. She
can't stop herself from helping people. But don't worry I'll make sure she is
unharmed by any of Tejawat's cronies," Rudra promised.
The general glared at him, who talks about his mother that
way. Then he remembered the young boy who was studying in his living room.
Poor thing, he has exams and his father has wrecked their home in his
drunkenness. You BSD-walos need to take better care of your own,
Geethanjali had scolded. It was then he found out the fate of the Colonel
Dilsher Ranavat who had been forced to retire in his prime. He had a glorious
career and deserved better. So he became Dilsher's friend and young Rudra's
mentor. The Singh family would give them emotional support they needed to get
over the abandonment of the woman who should have stood by them. The arrangement worked well till Rudra
started to train. People started to accuse him of favouritism. He had to step
back to watch from the background. The boy proved his mettle in unquestionable
fashion. He gained the admiration of his peers and the adulation of his superiors.
His only challenge was his own temper.
Rudra had understood that it was in everyone's best interest
that he doesn't involve himself with the Singh family. But the routine of going
back to an embittered father took its toll. He became into what Paro called
Jallad. Now the woman who destroyed that little boy's innocence was back
and all the effort his niece had put in to make not just Rudra but the entire
family. He felt a hand reach out to him and looked up to see worry on the
younger officer face. "It's not a problem. The entire family is there for Paro.
I'm just telling you because as my senior, you needed to be informed," Rudra
ascertained.
They were interrupted by Aman who came in with a small
smile, "Sir, This is the report on Shatabdi's kidnapping." His friend took the file from his and glanced
through, "I wanted to know what happened before I apologise to Col. Sisodia for
my absence". The other two officer exchanged looks. "Rudra, he is not upset.
Nandini needed Paro by her side. You can't be in two places at once," the
general gently chided him. Rudra didn't respond. His mentor would have felt
braver if he was by their side just like he felt braver when they had his back.
"Yes after everything that happened, Sumer deserved the chance to be a hero
too," Aman joked. Rudra shook his head, "That idiot has amazing luck when it
comes to being at the right place at the right time." The others agreed with
him. Sumer had used this luck several times to aid the BSD. "Aman will brief you
on Shatabi's kidnapping. If you want to ease your conscience, go ahead and meet
Sisodia. But as far as I know him, he doesn't hold this against you," the
general said dismissing them both.
"We got to their hideout after searching for two hours. Sisodia
Sir had also insisted on coming along," Aman recollected. Rudra asked if his
cousin had informed them too late. "It's not his fault. They were in the middle
of nowhere. He had network issues. There were 20 armed men surrounding a make
shift mantap. Mirza was laughing and jeering her constantly. Even the pandit
stopped in horror. He needed a whack to his abdomen to continue. Shatabdi was
crying, pleading to them to stop. They just kept taunting," he paused. Rudra felt very bad. In all the years he had
known his new sister-in-law, she had never cried. She was the brave girl who
faced things with her father's courage.
"Sounds like the worst wedding day in the world. She should
get a do-over wedding. Mrs. Sisodia would have had such dreams for her. What
happened next?" he asked wondering about the role cousin played in this. "There
was gunfire exchanged between our men and his when Mirza shouted that the wedding
is now over. Everyone just stopped. He turned to Shatabdi and held her chin and
said something to her. She pushed him away screaming. He just laughed it off
and came towards us. He told us that
they had to rush the wedding because of he wasn't sure if the groom would last
too long. He mentioned that if Shatabdi is not gentle with him on their wedding
night, she might be widowed soon." Rudra felt like throwing up. He was no
stranger to seeing women treated poorly but he couldn't stomach a lady of his
acquaintance being treated so savagely. But Mirza was pure scum.
"How come Col. Sisodia kept his cool?" he wondered aloud.
Amanda replied, "Singh Sir had told me ahead to hide his gun. But when he saw
his daughter break, he couldn't take it. He was glorious in battle. I can see
why you admire him. Singh Sir is brilliant in strategy but Sisodia owns the
battlefield. He just grabbed my gun and started to shoot people left and right.
Our orders were to capture the militants alive. Singh Sir didn't want another massacre
like last year. But Sisodia sure just said that he was retired from the BSD and
didn't have to obey orders," admitted Amanda gleefully. Rudra was proud of his
teacher. He was still the able to win wars. "Then he approached Shatabdi and
took aim at her groom. He said he wouldn't let his only daughter be trapped in
an unwanted relationship. When he released the safety on the gun, the pagadi came
flying at him. And guess who was under it?" he asked.
"Sumer," breathed in relief.
So except for the sheer terror of not being control of your own life,
Shatabdi had been fine. "He shouted that his daughter wanted him and their
relationship is very important to him. Sisodia Sir wasn't sure whether to hit
him or hug him," Aman ended. Rudra rubbed his eyes processing it all. "Aman,
how did Sumer end up as the Doha?" he asked. Aman grinned at him, "You want the
Sumer version or what probably might have happened?" Rudra looked at him sternly,
"This is serious. Has he fudged the evidence?" Aman just shrugged and replied
that since he was the one who saved the day though not being a BSD personnel,
their seniors were giving him the freedom to fudge the reports a little. Rudra scoffed. He
wasn't allowed the same liberty and he was BSD'so best.
"Apparently when Sumer entered the place from the backdoor,
he saw a old man dressed as a groom spraying perfume on himself. He held him down and poured the liquid down
his throat. The man fainted instantly. Then when the groom was called for, he
quickly wore the wedding clothes and walked out happily. Mirza's men never
realized that he had switched places. Although it would have been kinder if he indicated
to Shatabdi somehow that they were fine. Once the rituals commenced, he just
sat there waiting for us to come and rescue them, " Aman elaborated.
"Mirza in custody if you want to question him," Amanda prompted. Rudra nodded. He would personally make sure
the crook pays for this. He had enough contacts across the border to make sure
justice is served. "Okay Aman. I'll
talk to you later, " he said rushing out of his office. Mirza's only aim was to
hurt him through this. He needed to talk to the Sisodia family first. Find out what he had told Shatabdi. Then
nobody could stop his retribution.
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