ArHi FF:1: The BEASTS and the BLEEDING ROSES - Page 54

Chapter Fifty Five: New Tugs

Payal fingered the golden butterfly brooch and, with a smile on her face, she walked into their bedroom. The brooch had been found in the attic when she was cleaning it in the morning and when asked whose it was, her aunt had said it belonged to Garima. And the first thing that Payal decided was to gift Kushi the brooch. Maybe her mother's brooch will comfort Kushi that her mother had forgiven her and that, though not here, she was being missed...Kushi needed that assurance more than Payal, and the elder sister always made it a point to silently let Kushi know it.

Kush was expected to come home any moment then. It had been raining heavily all this while but now it was quite outside.

Kushi kept all her special things in a rolled handkerchief in her trunk. Payal rummaged through the trunk and when she had found it, she stood up, brought it near the table where the candle was lit and then opened up the petals of the enclosed handkerchief. Still smiling, she placed the brooch in the heart of all the tiny things that Kushi had treasured inside, and she was about to roll the handkerchief again when she stopped and looked at the articles inside. She picked up the thing that had caught her eye. Frowning she stared at it and then at its copy lying in the handkerchief.

"Two keys?" Payal wondered, "This is definitely the 'wish key'. I have mine with me and this one must be hers. So whose is this spare?"

Just then the sound of carriage wheels sounded and Payal looked out and saw a carriage arriving and halting at their garden gate. She frowned as she waited to see who would emerge out and gasped when she saw a wet dressed Kushi step out of it, dressed in a glossy robe. Placing the things in her hands on the bed, she rushed out of her room, down the stairs, out the front door and into the garden. Rushing at Kushi she pulled the girl into a hug and pressed her hand on her hair. It had been wet but it seemed to be dried now.

"Kushi? What-"

"Who is that, Payalia?" Buaji's voice called out. She was clearing her things in the backyard.

"It's Kushi," said Payal, caressing her sister's face, "Why is your face cold? Why are your hands cold? This dress?"

Kushi rolled her eyes, "Oh, Jiji! Will you atleast wait till I'm inside and changed? I am dying to get out if this ridiculous dress!"

"But-"

"Jiji, please."

"Alright."

Kushi smiled and then she saw Payal's eyes look over her shoulder. Kushi realized that the carriage was still waiting there. She turned and walked towards it, holding her sister's hand, "Lord Akash, my gratitude for the ride you have given me and the words of comfort in assurance of my health."

Lord Akash had been looking out of the window to ensure that Kushi entered the house safe and had witnessed the entire conversation between the sisters. He was touched by the worry and warmth of the elder sister towards her younger and was about to tell the coachman to ride away since there was no need to wait when Kushi's words of gratitude reached his ears.

He looked out the window again and smiled at her but the smile froze when his gaze collided with the warm look of gratitude in the elder sister's eyes. In the darkness of the carriage, one of his hands pressed at his heart. He had felt it, the tug.

"It was not any trouble," said Lord Akash, finding his sense to reply, but not taking his eyes off the elder sister whose cheeks had begun to redden. And how lovely she looked with her reddened cheeks...would the red transfer onto his fingers if he caressed her cheeks. Not that he wanted to caress her cheeks...

"But my Lord," said Kushi, "I must bow to your humility to escort a subject of yours to her humble home."

"Please, Miss Gupta," said Lord Akash, looking at Kushi, and also trying not to make the other girl anymore uncomfortable with his gaze, "You mustn't think so at all. Though we do differ in status and wealth, we are all humans who are obliged to offer a helping hand to anyone needing it."

He looked again at the other girl when Kushi saw this and realized she had not introduced her sister, "Pardon me, sire! I have been most thoughtless," she grinned as she tugged at her sister's hand, "This is my dear sister, Payal Gupta. She is almost like a mother to me."

Payal tore her gaze from the man's eyes and frowned at Kushi.

Kushi giggled, "Not that she's old, but she is too cautious around me."

Lord Akash laughed, and Payal's eyes lit with delight.

"Maybe she is right in telling you to be cautious, Miss Kushi Gupta," said Lord Akash, his eyes locking with Payal's again, "You do need a personal guardian watching your every step."

Payal blushed, "No, sire," she began and then stopped for she saw how Lord Akash's lips had parted in amazement when she had spoken. Lord Akash pressed harder the hand that was already on his heart. The music of her first words tugged at his heart again.

"You were saying?" Lord Akash looked at her expectantly, angry that she had stopped.

"I..." Payal forgot what she had wanted to say and then suddenly thought something up to say, "I just wanted to thank you, sire, for bringing back my sister for me." She bowed her head and when she lifted it, she saw how his eyes looked at her in earnestness, and he said, "I shall do all I can to keep her safe for you, Miss Payal Gupta, if that would make you comforted."

Payal blushed. The way he said her name was so evoking...like he was claiming her name.

"That would be of great comfort to me," said Payal, picking on her words as she looked into his eyes, "To know my sister is guarded from harm."

"Indeed, Miss Payal Gupta," said Lord Akash, "I shall do what I can."

"Payalia," called out Buaji from the backyard.

Lord Akash looked in the direction of the house, and Payal answered his unworded query, "That is our aunt. This is her house we are staying in."

"I see," said Lord Akash, returning to look at her and then he said, "We had better part, for your aunt needs you and Miss Kushi needs to freshen up after that-"

"Yes sire," said Kushi suddenly, "I need to freshen up and you need to reach your Castle the soonest."

Lord Akash was confused at her sudden interruption but smiled and said, "Very well, Miss Gupta. We shall meet tomorrow then." He gave one last look at Payal, his eyes yearning to not bid goodbye and Payal bowed and looked away.

The carriage rode away and Payal looked over her shoulder to see it distance away. She turned to look at the house from where Buaji's voice could be heard, when her eyes met with Kushi's suspicious gaze.

"What?" asked Payal.

"I see some things," said Kushi, smirking and looking at the sky, "But I do not know what they signify."

Payal looked up at the sky, "Are you talking about the stars?"

Kushi looked down at her sister who was eyeing her credulously, "Ah, my dear Jiji, stars are more readable and understandable than what my mind presently wonders about."

Payal frowned, getting an inclination as to what her sister was intending, "What does your mind presently worry itself about?" she asked without thinking and then, in a haste to change the topic, she nodded at her dress, "Why are you wearing that robe? And why in the world are you wet?"

It was Kushi's turn to pout, "It's nothing really."

"Nothing?"

"Yes," Kushi frowned into the space before her, "Nothing good to hear and nothing good to remember."

These words astonished Payal and she opened her mouth to ask further but Buaji appeared just then and glared at them and all matters of both the affected minds were flung away for they knew they were in big trouble for neglecting the persistent calls.

Chapter Fifty Six: Waiting

Lying in bed and staring at the sunlight dancing on the fresh green leaves of the tree outside the window, Kushi thought of the morning ahead and whether she really wanted to drag herself to the detested place again. After last night's scare, she was not sure if she wanted to meet the evil Lord again but she thought about her family and about the contract and decided to brave herself once more.

She sat up in bed, "If I don't appear before him in an hour, he might think he won the combat. I will not permit that to happen."

She drew her blanket away and leapt of the bed and rushed to wash herself. Downstairs, Buaji and Payal were making breakfast. Kushi dressed up, folded the dried silk robe from the Industry in a tiny box and made for the kitchen. She hadn't told them all of last day's events but had mentioned that she had been asked to model for a painting in that dress and that the painting was done outside and so she got drenched in the sudden rain. She couldn't bear the thought of grieving them with a narration of her traumatic experiences with Lord Arnav.

Buaji looked up when she entered, "Are you going to work today?"

Kushi nodded, placing the tiny box on the dining table.

"Are you sure you are feeling fine?" said Payal, coming to place her hands on her sister to see if she felt cold or warm.

"Oh, Jiji," sighed Kushi, "I am fine. I have to go. I simply cannot stay."

"But you were not feeling well last night," said Payal.

"I'm better now, see?" Kushi twirled around where she stood, smiling, and Payal frowned at her, "It is not your eternally-happy heart I was referring to, but your health."

"I am fine," insisted Kushi with definiteness, placing her hands on her sister's arms and then smiling in assurance.

Poor Kushi, she did not know how not fine it was about to be for Lord Arnav sat in his armchair, in his office room, thinking about her, his fists clenching in anger upon his armrests. He had had a sleepless night thinking about her and how she was weakening him and making him feel angry and aroused at the same time. He had never felt so vulnerable by a human being before and his mind that had always been devoid of emotions was starting to churn.

"I won't let you get away with this," he growled and then a voice asked, "Who are you talking about?"

He looked up suddenly and found Lady Lavanya staring at him as she entered his office.

"What are you doing here this early, Lavanya?"

"Exactly what I wanted to ask you." Lavanya said coolly, sliding into the chair before her, "You skipped breakfast and not bothering about the carriage, climbed on your precious horse and came all the way to the Industry to sit and brood?"

"I have reasons for my early coming," he said bluntly, "Why are you here?"

"I missed you," said Lavanya, standing up and coming to him, "I thought moving to stay with you would mean more time with you but you are always so busy and I am always chucked into the guest room as soon as dinner's over." She leaned against the desk before him, her hand on her hip as she curved herself over the table, "Don't you want to spend some together time, ASR?"

Lord Arnav would have rolled his eyes if he was the rolling kind but he only sighed through his nose and looked at the table, "Lavanya, you are-"

Someone knocked on the door and Lord Arnav looked up, "Yes?"

"Sire," Master Aman's head peeped in, "The grainage needs to be stocked. Shall I send some of our men out to-?"

"No," Lord Arnav said sternly, "I will deal with the stock personally."

"Yes sire," said Master Aman, bowing and closing the door, where he stood and wondered suspiciously what his Master had meant by personally.

"You are going to stock the grainage yourself?" Lavanya was stunned.

"Not myself," said Lord Arnav, smirking at the door.

Lady Lavanya seemed to read the answer in the exultant glint in his eyes, "Are you planning to send that village girl to do it?"

Lord Arnav looked at Lavanya, his smile still intact.

"But she won't be able to do it alone," said Lavanya, "Though I do want her to be given tedious and harassing labor, I don't think what you are thinking of doing now is-"

"Lavanya," Lord Arnav's voice was steel cold, "This is my land. And here, I am the law. I do not like anyone refuting it."

"I wasn't refuting, ASR, I-"

Lord Arnav closed his eyes, "I want you to take a leave and go give my sister company. It was for her that I decided to let you come down here in the first place."

Lady Lavanya looked hurt, "Only for your sister?"

He looked at her, and wanted to say yes but knowing that she might leave then, he decided to say, "All things in my life are ensured first for my sister. But you are wanted too."

"Wanted," sighed Lady Lavanya happily, "You want me." She bent down and was about to kiss him on his lips when he looked away and her lips brushed on his cheek.

"You always turn your face when I want to kiss you," Lavanya pouted, straightening up.

Lord Arnav stared at the table, "Anywhere, but the lips."

"Why?"

He looked at her coldly, "Do you need an answer for everything, Lavanya?"

"No, I was just curious-"

"Well then, don't be," said Lord Arnav and he looked at the door, "Curiosity is what leads that beggar girl headlong into my path every time."

Lady Lavanya frowned, "You always think of her and though they are hateful thoughts, I can't help but be uncomforted that you actually have her on your mind."

He shot her a look, "I DO NOT have her on my mind."

"Really?" Lady Lavanya frowned, and then a realization struck her, "Are you here early because of her?"

"No," said Lord Arnav angrily, "But before you open your mouth to say another word, I want you to leave."

"But-"

"Leave!"

Pouting, Lavanya left her fiery lover and Lord Arnav leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. There was no denying that what Lavanya said was the truth. He had been haunted by the girl's face, her reclining form on the ottoman, dressed in that curve-revealing red robe...red...what was it about red that always aroused him? Red roses, red hearts on handkerchiefs, red robes, red lips...

Red blood.

He opened his eyes and looked into the space. No, not that red. He hated that red, always did and always will. But Kushi in red was surprisingly something he wanted to see again...

To return back to the Index, visit:

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/2901910/arhi-ff-1-the-beasts-and-the-bleeding-roses