IPKKND-ARHI-FF - Gypsy- Chapter 42 - Page 40

Chinky, where are you?

you're readers are waiting very eagerly. 😳

Please update soon.

Hi everyone...i'm very sorry 4 da delay. Unfortunately was very busy at work these last weeks. Plus had some renovations ongoing at home, hence, the delay...pls forgive me guys...

Chapter 25

So shocked that he was completely speechless, Arnav stared down in to Khushi's face. His eyes roved over her features, noting the short curls, the delicate oval of her face that was noticeably thinner now, the beautiful bow of her mouth, her complexion a shade paler than before; he drank in the sight of her like a starving man. He couldn't believe it! He had been looking for her for so long and here she had been; right under his nose. He had been very lucky indeed, he thought, seeing her like this. She was still busy struggling although not as vigorously as before. And then came the heart stopping moment!

As he watched, her long silky curling lashes lifted slowly and she turned her head slightly. Her beautiful hazel eyes met his caramel ones and his world literally stopped in that moment. They stunned him!!!

He had always found her eyes most expressive. Whatever she felt was always evident in them. Happiness, sadness, fears, they all were reflected in them. But today was different. Today her eyes were blank. There was no expression in them; not even the struggle that had just taken place was reflected in those hazel depths. They were spectacularly blank and he couldn't make out anything in them.

As he looked down in her eyes, she renewed her struggles and instinctively he tightened his hands. But this time, by way of an intervention, the round was hers.

"Maharaja Saheb?"

Arnav was aware of someone calling him but his mind refused to free him from her gaze.

"Maharaja Saheb???"

"Ha! Shaking his head slightly but retaining his hold on Khushi's hands, Arnav looked up. It took him a few moments to focus on the slim man who stood there. "Yes?"

"Please let go of Aniket."

"What? Arnav blinked a few times. "I'm sorry?"

"Let go of Aniket."

"Aniket? Oh yes". Arnav looked down in to Khushi's face. She stared back at him implacably. The name clicked. "But this isn't Aniket!" He pointed it out to Shashi Gupta, frowning a little as he did so.

Taking a few steps closer to Arnav and Khushi, Shashi held out his hand towards Khushi, telling Arnav, "to me, that is Aniket; very much so. Please let go of my child. You are hurting him and holding him against his will."

"He? He' might be Aniket for you but he most definitely is not a he! This is a girl, Mr Gupta!" Arnav hastened to clarify to Shashi but the older man remained unperturbed, simply repeating his request, more forcefully this time.

"Boy or girl, it doesn't matter. Please..." Shashi gestured with one hand towards Khushi.

Reluctantly Arnav let go of Khushi's hands, regretfully noting the rings made by his fingers pressing around her delicate wrists.

As soon as he let go, Khushi walked over to pick her hat lying on the ground and joined Shashi. Taking careful note of her pallor, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Bachche, run home, will you? Garimaji will be anxious about you."

The soft hazel eyes looked at him beseechingly. Feeling his heart turn over at the shock and traces of fear in her eyes, he squeezed her shoulder, smiling reassuringly at her.

Taking assurance from him, Khushi spared a single backward glance at Arnav standing a short distance away before hurrying away. Both Arnav and Shashi watched until Khushi had walked away before focusing on each other. As was his way, Arnav was the first to break the silence, his voice huskier than usual:

"Mr Gupta, Khushi ... That is Khushi, a gypsy girl... I ... I have been looking her for a long time."

"Yes indeed, Maharaja Saheb, by now the whole of Rajasthan is probably aware that your men are looking for a gypsy girl." Shashi emphasized the phrase gypsy girl', neither admitting nor negating Arnav's claim.

"Mr Gupta we need to talk; to discuss certain things."

"I see. Of course we can talk Maharaja Saheb but not now. There are certain things that I need to do now and I'm sure you also have to meet Thakur Alok. We will have to postpone this discussion."

"Thakur Alok can wait. Nothing is more important than Khushi right now. It is her that I want to talk about. And this discussion cannot wait."

"Thakur Alok can wait but my commitments cannot. I am sorry but we will have to talk later."

Frustration tinging his voice, Arnav practically growled. He recognised that Shashi had been aware all along of his search for Khushi. In fact to have her masquerade as his nephew was probably his idea. He could feel his anger escalating but he controlled himself with some effort. The last thing that he wanted to do was to alienate this man who held the key to something very precious in his hand; Khushi herself!

"Well Mr Gupta, what time is convenient for you?" Arnav asked caustically.

Hiding a slight smile at the sight of the Maharaja of Devgarh giving in to a mere man, Shashi pondered on his command couched as a request. He knew and understood that it was very important that they discuss Khushi's future. After all, for how much longer could the poor child masquerade as a boy? But he had to know Arnav's intentions first. And more than that, very important for now was to go home and reassure Khushi that she was safe; that he would protect her and fight for her rights with his very life. For that, if he had to stand against the Maharaja himself, he would not back off. That was the only reason he was trying to get the upper hand in this matter of meeting and discussing.

"Maharaja Saheb, how about tomorrow?"

"No! Not tomorrow; today. It has to be today. As soon as possible."

"Well ..."

"This afternoon Mr Gupta; in Thakur Alok's study."

Studying Arnav carefully, Shashi nodded slowly in agreement. At his agreement, Arnav exhaled and said:

"Perfect! But remember one thing Mr Gupta; I have seen Khushi with you. Please make sure she does not disappear again. If that happens ..."

"Of course!" Shashi agreed politely. He was also keen to discuss certain things this afternoon.

With this agreed, the men parted ways; Shashi to his home and Arnav in search of Thakur Alok. Both men were aware that the meeting was all too important for the welfare of one slip of a girl ...

A short while later Shashi Gupta entered his house in search of Khushi. He went looking for her and found Garima with her in the garden. They were sitting on a bench in silence. At the sound of his footsteps, Garima turned slightly, her ghoonghat in place. When she saw him approaching, she patted Khushi's shoulder and got up, skirting around him.

Shashi sat next to Khushi, placing a hand on her shoulder as he settled on the bench. For a few moments, Khushi was motionless. And them very slowly she turned to face the man she called Baba. Shashi recognized fear in her gaze; stark fear. Khushi was scared and it was very much obvious in her eyes. The hazel orbs flickered slightly and Shashi recalled the first time he had seen her eyes...

Flashback

Shashi Gupta was on his way to bed when his man servant approached him.

"Saheb, there is a boy at the back door. He is asking for you and has a large parcel in his hand. He says to tell you that Tara sent him."

"Tara? I'll meet him Kaka."

Shashi was surprised at this. In all the years he had known Tara, his moo-boli sister, she had never come to his house, always meeting him some place outside. He had long accepted that it was the way of banjaara's; they rarely went to anyone's house.

He went to the back door just as Kaka was showing the boy him. Shashi recognised him as Tara's son. True enough the boy had a huge bundle in his hand. Shashi knew the boy would not say anything in front of Kaka so he sent the old man away, all the while wondering what was in the bundle.

As soon as Kaka left, the boy spoke up. He narrated the story, repeated his mother's request and placed the bundle in Shashi's outstretched arms together with some salves and left. He had to get back before his absence was noticed. Hence a confused Shashi stood with the bundle in his arms in his kitchen wondering what to do when there was a slight sound from the bundle; a soft and pain filled moan. It galvanised him in action.

He dispatched Kaka to fetch Garima who sneaked out and came right away even though it was not considered seemly for her to do so. When Shashi laid the bundle on a bed and unwrapped the blanket, he was shocked. The sheer brutality of the girls treatment struck him forcefully. That long night, he boiled water and passed supplies while Garima cleaned and tended to the girl's wounds. All the while, the girl remained unconscious. Garima wept openly while Shashi wiped away his tears discreetly.

It was late the next day when his little visitor opened her eyes. He was in the room at that time and turning around at the soft moan he heard, he witnessed her lashes lifting and a pair of pain and fear filled hazel eyes looking around the room. Their owner tried to get up. He hurried to reassure her:

"Oh no child! No need to get up. You should rest dear."

Long after Garima had coaxed and reassured the girl to lie still and that she was safe, the memory of her eyes remained in his mind and heart. The fear, the pain and desperation and mostly the hopelessness; all these things tortured him. So much so that even before Tara narrated the girl's whole story and requested him to look after her while the gypsies left, he had appointed himself her champion.

After the banjaara's left, he heard a few weeks later that the Maharaja'a people were looking for her. Until then, only Garima, Kaka and himself knew about her presence in his house. That day he came home and rigt away entered Khushi's bedroom. Garima was feeding the girl who could barely manage a few mouthfuls. When he knocked and entered, she looked at him. Again her pain filled eyes touched him. He studied her while Garima fed her. She was just a tiny slip of a girl. He himself had seen her terrible wounds. At that moment, not knowing why the Maharaja was looking for her and determined to keep her safe, his eyes had gone to her hair that Garima was them running her hand through. The damaged strands will have to be cut, Garima was saying sorrowfully. It was then that the idea of Aniket had come to mind.

Since he was originally not from Rajasthan, no one wondered and checked his story about his sick nephew who had come to Rajasthan to get away from the cold of Simla. Since Khushi had spoken little anyway, no one picked on her voice. She was slight and very fragile so she easily passed for a 13 to 14 year old boy instead of the girl of nearly 18 that she was.

Over time as she recovered the pain filled eyes became blank. It was almost as their owner didn't wish to share her thoughts and feelings. Nowadays they remained blank mostly. Vert rarely did any expression flit across the hazel depths.

End of flashback

To see the same fear and hopelessness in them again saddened him. Squeezing her shoulder gently, he told her:

"Anu, don't worry. You are not alone anymore. You are my child and I will keep you safe. Trust me my child. Your Baba is here for you."

"Baba ..." The fear in her voice came across very clearly and he winced.

"No Anu, not like this. You are my brave child. You just stay here with Garimaji while I go and talk with that Maharaja. Trust me."

He got up and tugged her up with him. They went inside where he left her with Garima after hugging her once more before he left...

Once Shashi had gone, Garima insisted on feeding Khushi. To pacify her Khushi ate a few bites before she said:

"Maa, I want to rest."

"Of course bitiya."

Garima took her to her bedroom herself and tucked her in. She sat there until Khushi had fallen asleep before she went to the kitchen to oversee dinner preparations.

Once she closed the door after her, Khushi opened her eyes slowly. She slipped out of bed on silent feet. She was scared; scared of the Maharaja. She didn't know what he would do with her now. But now that he had found her, very soon her gypsy tribe would also find her. She didn't think she could endure anymore punishments.

Baba had promised to keep her safe but Baba didn't know the Maharaja of Devgarh and his power. Khushi herself was a wretched girl but she would not allow her ill luck to strike the man who had looked after her for so long. She couldn't repay his kindness with her wretchedness.

She took but a moment to grab her hat before arranging her pillows and covering them with the blanket to give the illusion that she was asleep. Silently she slipped out of the house, making her way to the forest beyond...

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ne first...will read and comment.

UNRES...

Chinky,

The update is brilliant as always.

I wonder how Arnav is going to deal with the situation now that he knows Aniket is Khushi...and how Arnav and Shashi's conversation will shape up. What worries me is that even at this stage, Arnav's thinking is centered around himself and what he must do. He might bring up marriage but I have a feeling Shashi will oppose to it...he will think about Khushi's wellbeing and consent.

Poor Khushi...she doesn't know that Arnav regrets what he has done and is worried about Shashi and Garima. But she acted on impulse.

Wonder what Arnav will do...now that Khushi has runaway. Shashi has given his word that Khushi won't disappear. What will happen now?