"I don't care what you do with her, she must not return!" The cold voice ringed sharply into the ear of the person listening over the phone. She smiled wickedly, swirling her long earnings, ending the call. "Bye Bye Mrs.Ex-Shivaay Singh Oberoi!" She spoke to herself menace evident in her voice.
She walked aimlessly, dressed pitch perfect in her bridal attire, on the oblivious road in the cold night. Her eyes lost in the past. She moved on step by step, not caring to see where she was, or who was around. The night was dark and the bitter atmosphere was now leaving goosebumps on her bare arms. He din't keep his promise !
"Main hoon naa Anika main sab theek kar dunga!"
Everything had kept going wrong ever since three months. He did nothing to set it right. All went wrong.
"Shivaay Singh Oberoi ne haath, chodne ke liye nahi pakda hai!"
She smiled ironically. She looked at her palm, deprived of the warmth of his hold. A lone tear fell off her cheeks as she dragged herself, occasional lights from street lamps, distant shops, street vendors, and running cars illuminating her face and then leaving her in shadow again.
She did the worst thing she had ever done and yet the best she could do.
Ran Away.
She ran away from her own so called "wedding". Ironically just like the first time. But this time because she belonged to just him.
Tujhko main rakh loon wahaan
Jahaan pe kahin hai mera yaqeen
Main jo teri naa huii
Kisi ki nahin, kisi ki nahin
let me keep you there,
where there is my belief.
if I don't become yours,
I'm not anyone else's.
"Main tumhe chod ke kahin nahin jaaunga aur naa hi tumhe mujhse door jaane doonga ."
She had come quiet away now, she had been walking for past half an hour or so. Though it seemed like she had been walking forever.
Running away was not her style. She was of those who would face the mightiest of storms and still stand strong. But, today, she ran away like the coward and yet it was the wisest decision she could take in the vulnerability of the situation. She couldnt hurt him and herself more. NO, she couldn't. She couldn't mock the bond they shared, anymore.NO, she couldn't. So she ran away. How it pricked her to come face to face with the fact that she "ran away". That wasn't what Anika was about. NO. Another tear rolled down her cheek. The weather mocking her grew colder, leaving behind the bites of the wild wind.
She frowned as yet again in the past ten minutes she felt she was being shadowed. But she knew it wasn't him. Yet another round of distant suppressed giggles rang in her sharp ears. She gulped. Her body tensed as her brain set aside a part of itself from the emotional turmoil to the surrounding situation. She looked sideways tracing the sound, not being obvious at all. She clutched on tightly to her white red patterned duppatta in fear as she thought she saw the shadows of two-three men through the corner of her eyes. She took in a deep breath, trying to think herself to think straight. Her strides became longer and quicker, slowly. She prepared herself to flee the possible danger she would be in.
He slumped on the sofa against the cushion, exasperated by the entire fiasco. It was past half an hour to her absence and still no one knew where she was. A part of him felt happy that the wedding had been called off, the reason being the bride was missing. At least he liked to put it that way, than say the bride had ran away. But, a major part of him was in a whirlpool of mixed thoughts and fear. Where was she? Every possible place she could be in were searched down to find no trace of her. Bhavya's team was on the mission to find her. His own brothers had set out on an aimless trail to look for his wife. Calling her ex-wife was the last thing he would do. He sat amidst the chaos at home hearing everything and listening to none. His thoughts were all focused on her. Was she alright? Wher was she? Why, What, How...Anika!?
He slowly raised his head up from his palms, hearing the thundering clouds and the lightening was seen through the opened windows. His heart skipped a beat. He walked up to the window, the strong wind blowing wild making the strongvrooted trees sway to their rhythm.
Le jaayein jaane kahaan
hawayein, hawayein
Le jaayein tujhe kahaan
hawayein, hawayein
BeGaani hain ye Baagi
hawayein, hawaayein
Where do the winds take...
Where do the winds take you?
These rebel winds are against us.
Hoping she was alright. "Anika, please waapas aa jaao!" He whispered, his heart trembling in the fear of unknown.
As she ran a few drizzling drops pecked her. The men were on her trail. The road was dark and lonely. Her heart thudding against her ribs as those men let out angry curses and threats. A little ahead the road divided, she saw her opportunity of escape. Forcing her muscles to take her faster, she increased her pace, just as the rain had. Just like the crashing droplets of cold water against the road her slipper clapped against the wet road. The darkness had grown. She ran as fast as her feet could take her.
He drove recklessly anxious about her whereabouts, looking around aimlessly for her sign.
Le jaayein mujhe kahaan
Hawayein, hawaayein
Le jaayein jaane kahaan
Naa mujhko khabar
Naa tujhko pataa
where do these winds take me?
where do they take us,
neither do I know,
nor you.
The pebble like droplets of water crashed on the windshield. His fear grew. "Anika kahan ho tum..!" Though he never really asked anyone anything , the self made man that he was, he sent up continuous prayers, for her safety, for HER.
Her pleading face came to his mind.
"Please Shivaay bas kariye, kya aapko iss sab se kuch farak nahi padta, main kal chali jaaungi toh aapko koi farak nahi padega.?"
Tears formed in his eyes."Anika!" He was getting vulnerable. His ego his Tadi had costed him HER. How he wished the time reversed, so that for once he would leave everything behind and tell her how much she mattered to him, how much he Loved her !
Alas! That was something, forget Shivaay Singh Oberoi, any power in the world couldn't do, Turn Back Time!
Her palms gripped the wet bark of the tree as her back rested against it. She struggled to breathe. Wet from the rain, tears and now sweat, she closed her eyes trying hard to calm her racing painful heart. She had managed to save herself from the attention of the goons who had moved ahead on the road.
Fresh tears made way to her eyes. Once again life had shown its atrocious side to her.
But she din't feel bad about it. She was used to Life's hard ways. But it was the way she was now that made her cry. She wasn't this woman she was right now. NO. She was a self made fearless woman who knew how to fight the demons of her life not run away from them. The weather mocked her tears making them seem nothing in front of the wild rain that buzzed and crashed in the cold bitter wind.
Screwing her eyes shut, she let the cold weather torture her with the biting wind and cold drops that had caused her to shiver. She stood their still, she had nowhere to run. She stood their defeated.
A few minutes later she felt a strange warmth, her heart sensed something. But, She no longer trusted the traitor. Her heart had given her enough pain, caused enough mess. No more hopes, and yet somewhere she felt her heart do a somersault.
Ahhh, the hope that humans held.
His eyes pricked as he saw her state. What had she done to Herself ? Perhaps. What had HE done to HER ? All of this was because of his Tadi and her Zid. The Takkar had caused enough hurt.
"Anika!" He whispered her name. As though on cue the heavy drops now turned to soft drizzle. The gushing winds seemed to have stilled. A soft slow steady breeze engulfed them.
khayalon ka shehar
tu jaane tere hone se hi aabaad hai
hawayein haq mein
wohi hai aate jaate tera naam lein.
you know that the city of my thoughts
exists because of your presence.( I exist because of your presence)
only those winds are favoring,
which say your name while passing.
She slowly opened her eyes. She saw his green ones in pools of anguish and fear. She took in a hitched deep breath, followed by a deep sigh. A sigh of relief or tension? Even she din't know.
He took a step closer, when she looked away. She was tired. Tired of everything. He couldn't see her like that. His Jhansi Ki Raani looked defeated. "Anika" he called her name once again wanting her attention.
She paid no heed and continued to look down at the muddy grass being soaked in the rain. He touched her shoulder slightly, wanting her to look up at him. What had happened? Was she okay, she din't look like! His fear grew and his anger started rising. Yes he was angry. Angry on the cause of her condition and fear--that he was the one responsible for it.
Before he could make her look up at him. He heard two voices, speaking about finding the girl and settling her account once for all. She gulped in fear as she caught the glimpse of one of them walking towards them. He fisted his palm. How dare they! How dare they talk that way about her? Settling her accounts is it-- their account had to be settled by him. He closely analysed her fearful face, the beads of sweat,her wet form, her uneven breathing. How Dare They?
" Stay. " he said turning his back to her to face them.
She realized what was happening, she was still lost in the mess life had brought her into. She was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.
She was a few minutes late. She ran behind him. Her heart had stopped beating when she saw him tussling with two goons. One blow and another, and another. They were bleeding, terribly. The MAN could kill. Continuous curses escaped his mouth. She clutched the edge of her duppatta, as she saw the third inching towards HIM stealthily with a log in hand. Her heart sank.
Sprinting as fast as possible she held on to the log in time. The man struggled. At once Shivaay turned in her direction at the ruffling sound. His eyes were fiery,he was like a lion ready to attack. He threw the other two men on the road and rushed in time to save her from the brutal fall from the push the man had given her.
"I told you to stay. " he said in a firm panting voice, angered; and then turned to the man and gave him a hard blow on his face. The wicked man deserved much more and HE served them right. He hit them hard until they ran away for dear life.
She stood motionless fixed at the spot, staring away at the droplets of rain before her. He walked closer to her. She din't flinch. There was barely a little gap for air between them. He slowly unpinned her duppatta and wrapped it around her, all the while not breaking the eye contact. She seemed lost. The harsh wind was again growing strong. All he wanted to do was protect her from everything, hold her in his embrace forever and let nothing harm her.
deti hain jo sadaayein
hawayein, hawayein
na jaane kya batayein
hawayein, hawayein
winds that speak are saying something,
I don't know what they are telling.
"Anika are you okay!?" He said concern and fear etched in his voice. What had happened before he came? Why wasn't she saying anything?
"Anika ..!" He shook her, he was losing it. Did she know that every minute he was dying? Dying to know whether she was okay, dying to hear her.
After a few pleads to her he shook her, "Anika speak...! Meri jaan jaa rahi hai!"
At once she looked up at him. He saw her lost and fearful.He held her elbows scanning her eyes, looking for the life in her eyes as once again he whispered her name.
She shrugged his hands off her. He saw her startled, unable to understand. What was it that wasn't right?
"Kya hua Anika? " his voice shook with emotions clearly unable to see her that way.
"Sab kuch kho gaya!" She said crying. "Main bhi kho gayi Shivaay!" She had lost her courage and her real self.
"I ran away. I din't fight them, I ...!" She said defeated as tears rolled down.
"It's okay Anika...Main...Main hoon naa!" He tried reassuring her. She glanced up at him hurt. This was it. She had given herself more to him, and now nothing of HER remained with herself. She was her own knight, but now she had to depend on him, he was her Knight in Shining armor. She couldn't face her troubles anymore! No. She expected him to fight all her troubles. The realisation struck her hard. Was this love? That she ceased becoming herself to become his?
"Mera Mujh main Kuch nahi raha Shivaay, kuch nahi...sab aap...!" She opened the woe of her heart to him, and broke into bitter cries unable to speak further.
He stared at her motionless taking in the meaning of what she meant. Had he taken so much of her that nothing of Herself remained in her?
She burst into helpless tears. This is why she never wanted to be in Love. It was self consuming and it hurt a lot to almost kill her.
He held her palm gently, as tears made way to hi eyes, "TUM kya chaathi ho Anika?" He feared her reply. But for once he wanted her to decide, cause every time he took a decision for THEM it went wrong.
She sniffed wiping her tears. No point crying over spilt milk. She stared at him thinking.
"Shaayad...main..."
His breathing paused, what was she going to decide. Somewhere in the core of his heart he knew.
"...Mujhe jaane diijiye Shivaay!" She completed standing rock solid in her senses.
She slowly started pulling back her hand from his hold,not entirely though.
He closed his eyes composing himself. It was his chance to sacrifice. As slow as he could possibly, do, he LET HER HAND GO.
She sighed. She could feel his pain and he could fathom hers. He wouldn't let her lose her Wajood to him.
Chehra kyun milta tera
Yun khwaabon se mere,ye kya raaz hai.
Kal bhi meri na thi tu
Naa hogi tu kal
meri aaj hai.
why does your face resemble my dreams?
what's this secret?
you were neither mine yesterday,
nor you'll be mine tomorrow,
but you are mine today.
"Let's go now, !" He said waving his hand in air to the direction of his car.
She looked confused, "Kahan!"
He gazed at her face. She would be gone for good tomorrow. He was confused which word to use, "Humaare or " Tumhaare" .
Deciding none, he spoke softly,"Abhi Ghar Chalo, Kal Chalk Jaana Wahaan Jahaan Tumhe Tum Mil Jaao!"
He smiled softly. She smiled looking at him in the eye. She knew she would always find herself in him. But she had a journey of her own, and so did he. She walked, ahead while he looked at her retreating figure. She would leave his life the same way, leaving him in darkness and the biting cold, he would perhaps go back to being the ice again.
She turned and smiled at him and the thought of being ice melted, she would be back.
If she was written in his fate, which he was now sure she was, she would come again.
Teri hain meri saari
wafaayein, wafaayein
Maangi hain tere liye
duaayein, duaayein...
all my love is yours,
I have prayed for you...
Le jaayein tujhe kahaan
hawayein, hawayein
Le jaayein mujhe kahaan
hawayein, hawayein
He would let her go with the wind and he would let the wind of Life carry him in a direction of his own. He was sure that the paths would merge again and then forever.
Ishq ko kas ke muthi mein na rakh bandeya ,
Wo Mar Jaayega,
Khol muthi aur udne de iss chidiya ko,
Laut ke ghar ko hi aayega.
P.S
Whoosh.
This was indeed directed by the winds, never thought it would turn out this way ..
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Indian Mythology
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
