ArHi FF:1: The BEASTS and the BLEEDING ROSES - Page 41

Chapter Forty Three: Brothers Before Sleep

The night wind waned across the forest near the Castle, and Lord Akash stood at the balcony of his room, drinking a glass of wine like he always did before going to bed. He was dressed in a dark red night-robe and he was watching the moonlight fall upon the tiny lake at the rear of the Castle, which his window overlooked. He sensed someone was in his room and looked over his shoulder to see Lord Arnav step into the balcony, a filled glass of wine in his hand as well.

"Enjoying the night?" asked Lord Arnav, expressionless in face but amiable in tone.

"Yes, the nights in this Castle are always delightful," said Lord Akash, with a smile, "You not asleep yet?"

"I don't sleep well at nights," said Lord Arnav and Lord Akash nodded, understanding.

"Where is she?" asked Lord Akash, sipping his wine with his eyes on the tiny lake.

"Who?"

"Lady La," said Lord Akash. He had met her occasionally at certain meetings with his brother but had never seen anything that seemed to give the impression that the girl and his brother were affectionate towards each other. He had seen the girl flirting with his brother often but as far as he knew, Lord Arnav was least interested in the girl and kept her at the castle for mere convenience.

"She's in the guest room downstairs, next to Di's room," said Lord Arnav.

"Di insisted her there?" asked Lord Akash, looking at his cousin from the corner of his eye.

Lord Arnav nodded once, "She was brought here to silence Di's demand for company."

"And her demands that you get married," added Lord Akash.

Lord Arnav shot him a look, "Wait till it's your turn, boy. Di will practically eat up your sanity with her constant bickering of getting yourself a wife."

"I suppose it would be so," said Lord Akash with a chuckle, "But you must know, brother, that unlike you, I do believe in the sanctity of marriages and I will only be happy to involve myself in a sacred relationship if I get the girl who can hear the music of my heart."

Lord Arnav rolled his eyes, and smirked at the moon, "Music of the heart indeed!" And then he looked at his cousin and enquired amusedly, "How will you know it's her? Will she sing with you?"

Lord Akash shook his head at his brother's humor, "There is no such need of superfluous undertakings. The moment I see her, I will know it's her." And then he looked at his brother, "It's like''.one will feel this tug at one's heart if one ever chances upon the girl one is destined for."

"A tug? Really?" Lord Arnav was in a very sarcastic mood, "And I believe that is why they say "falling in love"? You are tugged and your fall flat on your face upon the ground?"

"Brother, for one who self-claims that he has no heart, you will probably not understand this," said Lord Akash sighing, "But maybe one day, if ever there is hope for it to occur, you will feel the tug and then your will realize how wonderful it actually is."

"I see," Lord Arnav grunted, "Well, it looks like neither in this life nor in the next will I be aware of any such tugging." Lord Arnav then proceeded with drinking his wine. As he drank under the moonlight, the red in the wine shone and he saw in a flash the red of a heart on a handkerchief, and he lowered the glass down, having lost the taste for the wine, "Have you ever got his tug, Akash?"

Lord Akash had finished his wine and was preparing to leave for his room, "Not yet, why?"

"Just asked."

And then the brothers walked out of the balcony and departed their ways. Lord Arnav, having replaced the wine glass on the gold tray in his brother's room, walked through the dark corridor, heading for his room. He stopped before his door and stared into the dark air for a moment.

I have no heart, so I can feel no tug. But I have a mind, and I am haunted. Haunted by a face I wish only to hate''.There is one thing I can do, though: I can hurt her until she can haunt me no more.

And with that he entered his room and closed the door shut, and the dark door stood forebodingly waiting for the morning that was to arrive and open it, and then mark the beginning of its Master's last avowed decision.

Chapter Forty Four: In the Morning

Ram made a sign with his hands and Kushi sighed before saying, "No, I did not tell Buaji I was going there. Only Jiji and you know about it."

Ram looked away and shook his head as if warning that she was doing an unwise thing by not disclosing to her aunt that she was looking for work at the 'Industry'. Kushi ignored him and sat back in the cart bench, as Ram led the two horses out of the village. He had to go elsewhere and on his way he saw Kushi and offered to drop her near the river bend.

"I will walk the rest of the way till I reach the bridge."

The boy pointed to one of his horses.

"No, I cannot possibly take one of them to get me there," said Kushi.

The boy lifted his eyebrows once.

"Because I don't know how to ride them," said Kushi, "I know how to drive a cart but I am helpless on the back of a live horse."

The boy chuckled noiselessly but with loud exhales through his nose and Kushi sulked, "You think you're some great all-knower, don't you, you miscreant!"

The boy shrugged and looked all clever-like. At least he was not afraid of riding on a horse back.

Kushi had tried to dress up well for this great venture not knowing what lay beyond for her once she stepped through the gates of the Industry. She was trying not to slip into the lapses of fear that she was feeling at the back of her mind with regard to what she would be made to do. She had learnt that they were silk manufactures and that they made silk threads and silk robes. But that was all she could learn form the girl who kept the honeycomb in village. She didn't enquire too much into other people's affairs but at least she knew that they made silk at the Industry. Most of all, she was glad to see Payal's face relax at this thought.

"Silk making is not harmful, I believe," said Payal, though she knew nothing about silk making, nor did Kushi, "But I am sure it will fetch a lot of money to the one who makes silk because isn't silk worn by the rich and royal?"

Kushi nodded, relieved that Payal was optimistic now about Kushi's plan to go to the Industry and the sisters thus made this secret under lock and Kushi found herself waving goodbye to an ignorant Buaji and a caution-advising sister before heading for the street.

The cart stopped and Kushi looked up. They had reached the river bend and while Ram had to travel North, Kushi had to head for the East. She got down and after Ram had signed a her a thumbs-up and rode his cart away, Kushi sighed and lifting her dress, not wanting to dirty it on the first day, walked quickly with the river running a little distance away at her right. Memories of a fatal evening came to her mind but she shook her head as if driving them away. Happy thoughts only, Kushi, she reminded herself, today is a happy day and you shall not let 'certain' people's faces tamper with it'...

Many distances away, at the Castle, the entire family was having breakfast at the table, Lady La also present with her exquisitely thin morning robe exposing her taut night gown within.

Lady Anjali disliked the girl's appearance, and greatly decided to ignore the fact that she even existed in the room. Lord Arnav was sipping his tea, knowing what his sister was up to and yet he appeared as if not noticing it. He placed his cup down to announce, "I am going to the Industry and I'm taking Lavanya with me."

Lady Anjali shot him a look, but said nothing. She didn't know which was worse, having the horrendous girl yapping and following her all around the house, or having her sent off to do-what-nots with her suddenly secretive brother.

Lady Manorama was fine with Lady La's stay it seemed, "Will Lady La be comfortable and not get uninterested there when you focus all day on your work, bitwa?"

Lady La piped cheerily, "I have done my share of managing huge businesses and a large mass of labourers. I would only feel more at home at ASR's industry."

Again, Lady Anjali said nothing and silently had her breakfast.

"Very well then," said Lady Monorama, speaking for all the unspeaking, "Arnav bitwa can take you with him. And yes, my son Akash will also be coming along."

"Ah, he's a quite sort," said Lady La, dipping her sugar-filled spoon into her tea, "I wondered if he'd taken that trait from his mother or father. Now, I see that it must be his father."

Lady Manorama's husband, who was sitting beside her and silently enjoying his scrumptious breakfast, looked up at Lady La and then as if nothing had happened, looked down and continued with his meal. He was wise enough to know that a statement corrected would instigate dislike from someone or the other. Besides, he preferred doing the listening rather than the talking, especially when enjoying one's morning meal.

A few minutes later, Lord Arnav and Lord Akash were walking down the steps of the Castle, heading for the carriage waiting outside and following them, was a brightly and extravagantly dressed Lady La, back with her netted hat, this time green in colour, green-tight-stretched gown with glittering black flowers all over her skirt and long sleeves and a green umbrella with black frills to match her rich gown. Minutes later, they were in the carriage going downhill, heading for the Industry where a morning of tiny happenings awaited. Hmmm''.If the happenings could be termed tiny, that is.

Chapter Forty Five, visit: