IPKKND-ARHI-FF - Gypsy- Chapter 42 - Page 25

Spam alert- waiting, not so patiently ! ;)

Was on holiday! Have missed some updates! Will get back soon.

dis is 1 beautiful ff
d way u describe it was so nyc
i ve a feelng dat ankit is a gal n its other den khushi
so khushi bcm limp
ego n anger is d worst kind n it can ruin nyone vry badly
does mr.gupta knows abt khushi's story?
i feel dat he knws coz shashi instructn was way 2 clear
if evr khushi 4giv arnav i think he 'll undrgo so mny rejctn n pain
n waitng for arnav's reactn to khushi's revelatn

Just came across this ff and its wonderful... I am always smitten by the royal stories. I liked the story so far .

I hope you update soon. Anxiously waiting to read what happens next.

Hi people. I'm very sorry for being MIA. Unfortunately I was having internet problems guys. I'm really very sorry. So to make up, I'm updating 2 chapters now...pls forgive me all of you...Thnx

Chapter 19

After a restless night and feeling very poorly, Aniket trudged towards Charan's enclosure, armed with some sugar lumps. He had been feeling more sickly and lethargic than usual today and it was after a very close inspection that Garima had let him go out.

Charan saw his little friend approaching and eagerly cantered towards him. With other people he never bothered to come closer and the ones who tried to usually were rewarded by a sharp nip or kick by him. But he never acted pricey with his little friend.

Aniket drew closer and raising a hand, he stroked Charan's soft neck while the horse nuzzled his pockets for the treat that in this short time he knew his little friend always got for him. Aniket smiled slightly and drew out the sugar lumps, holding them in the palm of his hand. Charan took them happily, crunching on the lumps with evident enjoyment while Aniket stood watching him, one hand stroking the satiny black coat.

The first sign that he was not alone came when Charan pricked up his ears and snorting excitedly, backed off from him. Surprised at the horse's abrupt departure, Aniket opened his mouth to call him back when he heard footsteps behind him. He stiffened and mentally thanked his lucky stars he had not said anything and that he had on his hat. He started to turn around when the person behind him spoke:

"Aniket isn't it?"

Aniket stilled immediately. He didn't need to turn around to identify; he recognised the well-modulated husky voice very well. He remained in his original position, facing Charan's enclosure.

Arnav stepped closer and stood next to Aniket, watching Charan. He had just arrived and coming in search of everyone else when he spied Aniket near Charan's enclosure. Drawn to them, he had approached them.

"So, Aniket, how are you?"

Knowing that he had to face him; after all one didn't not acknowledge one's Maharaja, Aniket reluctantly turned to face Arnav, keeping his head bowed so that his face remained in shadows. He nodded his head in greeting, raising his hand and touching the brim of his hat politely.

Feeling sorry for the thin figure at his side, Arnav acknowledged the polite greeting by placing a hand on Aniket's shoulder. Aniket nearly jumped out of his skin as he backed away in an attempt to dislodge Arnav's hand.

Arnav was surprised at Aniket's rather violent reaction and his hand tightened on Aniket's shoulder reflexively. Aniket backed away steadily, bumping in the fence in his hurry to get away.

"Easy boy, take it easy!" Arnav exclaimed. When Aniket showed no sign of slowing down, he said "Aniket" sharply. Unable to dislodge that grip and realizing that it would not be possible to do so anyway, Aniket reluctantly stood still, his body stiff as his hands plucked at his trousers nervously.

Arnav studied the bent head, feeling the stiffness of Aniket's body under his hand. He was dressed in dark blue pants, a light blue shirt with a white undershirt which was recognisable by its hue since the blue shirt was rather light in colour. The boy's shoulder bones were thin and fragile and Arnav felt a wave of pity for him. His breathing was laboured and harsh as he tried to control himself. His thin shoulder moved slightly under Arnav's hands and Arnav slowly became aware that what he had assumed was an undershirt was not so. In fact based on the feel of the fabric under his hand, it appeared to be a wrapping of some kind since it travelled in different lines along his shoulder; rather like a bandage.

Arnav was intrigued by the idea of bandages under Aniket's shirt as he tried to make sense even as he noted the nervous movements of Aniket's hands as they clutched his trousers, twisting the fabric. The movement was oddly familiar but recollection eluded him. Instead he tried to reassure the boy. Patting the thin shoulder reassuringly, he asked the boy,

"Tum theek ho?"

He received a slight nod in reply and almost reluctantly he took away his hand. Almost instantly, Aniket backed away. His fast movements emphasized his limp and again, Arnav felt sorry. In fact now he was sorry for touching the boy and scaring him. Determined to atone, Arnav spoke,

"Aniket, wait." Aniket stopped a few steps away from Arnav. "I saw you the other day I was here. That's how I know your name but I have not introduced myself. I'm Arnav Singh Raizada. I heard that you are from Simla. Is that right?"

Again he received the same quick nod. Encouraged, he continued.

"Welcome to Devgarh, Rajasthan Aniket."

Feeling panicked but trying not to draw attention to himself, Aniket nodded and placed a hand over his heart gently, acknowledging the kind words as he bowed slightly. That was all he could manage. If he bowed lower, he might not be able to straighten of his own accord.

Arnav smiled at this action and said,

"Are you sure you are all right, my dear?"

Again the same quick nod and almost instantly Aniket backed away, this time turning around and quickly walking off. For a moment, Arnav was stunned; no one walked away from him like that! In the next instant he scolded himself; the boy was clearly nervous and obviously sick. Shaking his head, Arnav walked off in search of the other people. But the idea of bandages under Aniket's shirt continued to disturb him coupled with the memory of those slender finger's twisting the trousers in nervousness...

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😛
Sorry I didn't read the note before res!

So Arnav is sorry now? To little to late dont you think so Arnav! But I have this feeling that if Arnav spent few more time with Ankit he will come to know that something is wrong and then that it is khushi. Why is he keep on visiting shashi? Arnav visit did scare Khushi. Poor khushi because of Arnav she have lost everthing, even her identity. I will never forgive Arnav for this. The hair scene was so emotional.
Is Garima Khushi's real mother? Did I miss something? I should go back and read the old chapter again.
Update soon.

Chapter 20

An outwardly composed and inwardly morose Maharaja Arnav Singh Raizada entered Devgarh Palace that afternoon. His visit to Thakur Alok's stables had been fruitful but the inner restlessness, his turmoil and his conscience all were playing havoc with his peace of mind these days. He went to his study and settled in his chair. Might as well wrap up some work, he thought.

He worked straight through tea time, refusing to leave his desk, drinking a cup of coffee only and was in the middle of reading an important contract when he heard a discreet knock on the study door. Without raising his head although a frown darkened his face, he called out a curt come in'.

The door opened and Maan Singh stood in the doorway. Immediately Arnav sat aside his papers, gesturing his employee inside. No sooner had Maan Singh entered and closed the door that Arnav asked sharply:

"Well Maan Singh..."

""Namaste Hukum."

"Namaste."

"Wo...humne un banjaaro ka pata laga liya hai." (We have located the gypsies.)

"What???"

"We have located the gypsies and I also managed to speak to one of them about ..."

...

Aniket sat in the back parlour of Shashi's house that afternoon. He had had a close call today, he thought. He shuddered when he thought about how close the Maharaja had come today.

The door opened behind him and Garima entered.

"Aniket, it's nearly time for me to go. Let me change your bandages before I go."

"Ji."

Aniket got up, accompanying Garima to his room. Slowly he stripped his clothes off and sat on the bed. Taking up her supplies, Garima painstakingly started to remove his bandages. Tears sprang to her eyes as she removed the bandages on Aniket's back. Biting back the sobs that threatened to engulf her, she cleaned the cuts and lacerations on his back, sides and legs before helping Aniket to shower. Later on, she applied salve on the deeper cuts and cream on the ones that had filled out already. When she was satisfied, she reached for clean bandages and wrapped them up. All this while, as happened every day, she could barely hold her sobs. Her charge, however, sat through the process stoically. No cries or winces and most definitely no tears flowed from those beautiful eyes. When he was dressed, Garima got some oil and applied it to Aniket's soft curls, admiring his hair as she did so. She marvelled at the fast growth as she realized that Aniket's hair had reached almost his collar.

Aniket also noticed his hair growth and reaching for the scissors on his drawer, he held it out to Garima. Wordlessly Garima's eyes met Aniket's in the mirror. Hers held a plea for Aniket to put the scissors away while Aniket's held a cool determination. A silent battle was waged and Garima was the first to look away, reaching for the scissors resignedly. Aniket sat quietly as Garima trimmed his hair. She remembered the only time those same beautiful eyes had shed tears on behalf of that beautiful hair. But Garima was determined this time, she snipped off only an inch of hair. When Aniket glowered at her she met his eyes back and shook her head.

"Don't even think off using the scissors when I'm not here Aniket."

She received a cool stare for her pains but doggedly she continued:

"Promise me please."

She held out a hand and after a long moment Aniket placed his hand in Garima's, promising silently. Satisfied that her charge would not do anything untoward, she collected her things and unable to resist, she kissed Aniket's smooth brow before leaving.

Shashi was just entering when Garima was ready to leave. She gave him her usual report:

"Saheb, I was just leaving. I have changed Aniket's bandages. He is in his room."

"Theek hai Garima."

"Saheb?"

"Yes, what happened Garima?"

"Wo Saheb, I just wanted to say that you should keep an eye on Aniket. He seems in a troubled mood today. More so than usual."

"Did something happen?"

"Not that I noticed. He was his usual quite self. That is, until he went to see Charan. Since then he has had this rather strange look on his face."

"Did you say since he went to see Charan?"

"Yes Saheb."

"Hmmm...what could have happened?"

Shashi thought carefully and cursed softly as he remembered.

"Kya baat hai Saheb?"

"Garima, the Maharaja came to the stables today. I feel that either Aniket sae him or met him; I'm not sure which but it could only be ither of these two things."

"Oh no!"

"Hmmm...it's all right Garima. You please go home and don't worry at all. I'll talk to Anik."

Theek hai Saheb. Namaste"

"Namaste Garima."

Garima left and a thoughtful Shashi went in search of Aniket to try and cheer the child up.

...

"What are you saying Maan Singh? Did you really get some news of Khushi?"

"Yes I did Hukum but I'm afraid it's not good news."

"Not good news?"

"No Hukum. In fact it's quite bad news. We located the banjaara's in Gujarat. We tried not to draw attention to ourselves and quietly made friends with 2 of the youths of that tribe in exchange with some liquor. The youths didn't recognise us as being in your employee Hukum. One day we were sitting and drinking when I lured them to talk about their trips and their home base. And that's when they told us."

"What did they tell you?"

"They left the tribe early because their Sardar punished the people for taking tribal laws in to their own hands. Apparently the tribe members were angry with the girl and whipped her."

"WHAT???"

"Ji Hukum. They whipped her for bringing dishonour to the tribe. They said it had to do with y-you visiting the tribe and saying some things about the girl. The people were angry and they whipped and beat the girl very badly. She almost died that day."

Maan Singh fell silent while the Maharaja took in this news. Maan Singh swallowed hard at the wild look on the Maharaja's face. Hurriedly deciding to finish his story, he started speaking again.

"The Sardar was away when this happened but when he came back, he punished the people this way. Apparently the people were upset with the girl because she shamed them like her dead mother did."

"Her dead mother?"

"Yes Hukum, like her dead mother." Arnav frowned at this but didn't say anything. Instead he swallowed hard and asked the question he really wanted answers to; now more than ever.

"How...how is Khushi now?"

"That is the thing Hukum, the boys don't know that."

"Don't know? What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly that; they don't know. According to them, when they left here, the girl was hurt and the Sardar decreed the no one was to interfere with her recovery but some weeks after they left here and after they had crossed many towns, the people discovered that the girl was not with her mother."

"Not with her mother? I thought you said her mother is dead!"

"The girl lives with her adopted mother they said. They also said some of the women discovered that her mother's tent was empty one day. They asked the mother but she's not saying anything. The Sardar has forbidden the people from troubling her mother anymore, declaring the girl should be forgotten. But according to those boys, the people feel that her mother must have dropped the girl off with some acquaintances of hers that she must have met in those towns they passed through."

Arnav closed his eyes in despair. He had received a huge shock today and now to discover after everything that there was no trace of Khushi anyway, he was truly lost now. He opened his eyes just as Maan Singh placed a list on the table.

"What is this?"

"A list of all the towns the people have passed through till now."

"All right. Is that all Maan Singh?"

"Ji Hukum."

"Well done and thank you Maan Singh. You may go now."

Maan Singh left the study. As soon as he left, Arnav dropped the iron control he had been exercising in his employees presence. Now he was allowing the full import of Maan Singh's words to sink in and what he was feeling at that moment was nothing short of agony...

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Ahaaa..what a double treat :D