Maryada: Vidya-Gaurav FF - Updates. p. 145 (6/29) - Page 31

Originally posted by: nikipuki

I'm intrigued with this latest update. Is the SSP toying with Vidya to see if she is a worthy adversary to him? Or how he could use her against as a pawn against Gaurav? You know toy with Vidya as a pawn in this elaborate or complex power play with Gaurav and the mom?

Chapter 31: The Trojan

When she opened her eyes, she truly became startled. He was standing outside on the balcony, looking in through the window into the parlor. She couldn't read his expression; he was simply staring at her, unblinking, through the horizontal slats of the blinds that covered the window. He had seen the whole interaction between her and his father from there, she knew without a doubt. As she returned his gaze unwaveringly, she was glad that he hadn't intervened with some arcane notion of protecting her. She didn't want any of his assistance. He was not her husband in truth, just as he had said. And if the monster of this house was determined to play some strange little cat-and-mouse game with her, she will just have to learn to be a smart mouse.

He moved away from the window and started walking towards the door to the parlor. Before he actually came in, she hastened to leave the room, remembering to take the book with her. She couldn't imagine what he may have to say to her; she didn't have anything to say to him. All the men in this family had their own issues… no wonder Devyani and Uttara were the way they were… For a moment, she marveled at the change in herself; she had never felt such bitterness or such longstanding anger towards anyone as she did for her husband.

He didn't follow her yet again, and she was thankful.

Things continued in the same stalemate for three more days and then something happened to change the dynamic once more.

SSP Brahmanand Jhaakar came home late that afternoon in a snit. He howled and hollered for some time at Devyani and refused to answer her questions about what was bothering him. Vidya had returned from her coaching just about the same time as his return and happened to be in the kitchen a half hour later when she overheard a conversation through the window between one of the maids and a vegetable vendor. She leaned against the counter sipping her coffee as she caught the middle of the conversation happening outside.

"Who is this Trojan?" the maid asked.

"Someone who should hope that his identity is never revealed. Do you know if the SSP has seen the paper yet?"

"I think so. He came home earlier than usual and has been barking at everyone who so much as comes within ten feet of him." the maid answered.

"But how seriously can people take news that comes in this trash?" Vidya heard the man name one of the more notorious midday newspapers in the city.

She looked out and saw the maid shrug. "Don't leave this garbage here. If he sees it, he will eat us all alive."

Once the maid came back inside with her purchases, Vidya went out the same door and found the vegetable vendor making his way to the gate. He was surprised to see the bahu of the house seek him out and gave up the newspaper copy that he had without much resistance. She smiled as she took the copy and told him that she was merely curious before walking back to the house.

Once in her room, she closed the door behind her and rushed to the bed to open the newspaper to scan through quickly. It wasn't long before she found the op-ed piece written by someone signed "Trojan" – a name that sounded strange to her.

It was a short piece and whoever this Trojan was had written it as an open letter to the readers. The piece started off with the proclamation that he would like to tell a story to the readers. "The fascinating story of the rise of a local gunda who masquerades as the upholder of law and order." The story went on to introduce the rise of a man from meager circumstances to that of an IPS trainee through his smarts and wits. During his IPS training years, Trojan said, is when the real story begins. Trojan then went on to talk of an incident during those early years about a scandal involving one of the other trainees. After the scandal story, the article ended with a note of continuance... "Tune in again next week for the next phase in the life of this fox posing as a Lion in our city. That is, of course, if I am still alive to tell the tale... If I am, I promise you that you won't be disappointed…" Trojan's signature was just as dramatic; he or she called himself/herself "A messenger to the people."

The sound of the door opening startled Vidya and she hid the newspaper under her pillow before turning to face the door… and her husband.

She slid off the bed and made to leave, but just as she was about to pass him, he stopped her with, "Are you never going to speak to me again?"

She thought of not answering and just leaving, but then said on a whim.

"What is Trojan?"

She could see how clearly she had surprised him from his taken aback expression and from his immediate, "Pardon me?"

"I am speaking now, just as you wished. What does Trojan mean?" She worked hard to utilize her Sasur's first lesson in the rules of engagement, keeping both her expression and her body language neutral even as her inclination to leave the room was overpowering.

His expression changed now as well, to reflect her own. And he recited methodically.

"It may mean several things. A Trojan is a person from the land of Troy. The main history related is to the Trojan horse - when the Greeks constructed a large wooden horse and offered it as a peace offering to the Trojans during their war. The horse was pulled inside the gates of Troy, and that night when the Trojans slept, thirty of the most able Greek soldiers who were hidden inside the hollow belly of the horse came out through its secret door. They opened the gates of the city of Troy to the Greek army assembled outside, leading to the capture of Troy."

Just as she absorbed the fascinating tale, he continued.

"The second most common one is the Trojan malware that affects computers. It hides as functional software while stealing personal information from the host computer or serving as a portal to allow someone to remotely access it."

As she imagined what such a thing would look like on a computer, her husband went on, yet again.

"And the last common Trojan is…" he paused a beat here and raised an eyebrow as if asking if she really wanted him to continue. When she tilted her head in confusion, he went on, "The last Trojan that I know of is… a contraceptive. It is what a man uses when he makes love to a woman so that she does not conceive."

Her expression faltered slightly then….she felt as if she reacted in slow motion… her eyelashes swept down and then up and then down again and back up… her cheeks were under siege by a tidal wave the hue of crimson… and her mouth felt dry like parchment, making her swallow with effort…

"I see…" she heard herself say finally before she walked out of the room.

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Originally posted by: saomom

When I read the title to the chapter my first thought was, 'this should be interesting..' 😆 I wasn't exactly sure where you were going to go with that kind of title...

One thing I can't quite figure out is Vidya's bitterness towards Guarav. She was the one who brought up Salome. She was the one ignoring him and wanting to be left alone. Why is she now so bitter? He was honest with her about Salome and he did seek her out. What exactly is she looking for from him? Seems like he hasn't changed at all, but she sure has. Doesn't seem quite fair to Guarav.

Am I missing something? Has old age set in with me and I can't remember key parts?

Nice update Devi!