Gayatri Devi gazed at the group of girls before her………. Each one was beautiful, eager to please……………Gayatri was at their estate , angad hovering near her , his eyes greedily rowing over the girls………..meera , who hid behind the window , looked hatefully n jealously at the girls……….. gayatri had made up her mind……………… 'madhuri, u can stay…………the rest can leave…………' Gayatri ordered…………………….. The girl called madhuri stepped forward , smiling in glee , a smug look on her face………………… while the other girls groaned in disappointment n walked out of the door……………….angad said 'why ma, they could stay here…….' his tone hankering n lusty………… gayatri silenced him with a look……………… 'madhuri , come with me to the haveli……. I will teach u how to behave there, especially in front of him…………….although I doubt u would last more than that good for nothing meera……………nobody ever does………..' sighed gayatri dramatically …………….
Meera bristled silently near the window 'ha! As if u want anyone to impress chote thakur !...' Angad pulled at his mother's sari once the girl nodded n left the room………….he said , snarling in anger 'u said she will be mine before he gets her!' gayatri looked at him, her tone dangerous…. 'dear, learn to control ur lust n jealousy……………. What I am doing is for ur good future only…….. a mistress for him is a must………… n u know how he is ……………… what if he brings any girl he picks up in pubs or parties to haveli?... what if he decides to persist with any one of them? Although I am certain , that won't happen………….' Gayatri said , smiling ………………. Angad fumed angrily ….. gayatri said, caressing his chin 'I have given u what u want , meera………… once u have grown bored off her , we will decide what to do, happy?...what about the other girl here, which u brought last week? U send her away too quickly !'………………. Angad looked shocked n he stepped back, as though hiding something n he walked off in a huff………………. Gayatri sighed , coping up with her son's demands r becoming a headache for her …………..
Ramu parked the innova infront of the temple ……………….. Pratigya got out , as her body guard stepped beside her , muttering dangerously 'any silly step , Madam, n I will just phone minister sahib n he might just break ur mother's neck ' Pratigya looked at him in anger n contempt n started climbing the steps ……………The temple looked deserted n she knew why as she saw the body gurad requesting the gatekeeper to close the gates …….. she gave the thali to the priest , eyeing the Shiva idol with disdain…………. she felt like screaming at GOD……….. every where she looked , darkness stared back at her……………………. She stemmed the tears that were threatening to spill over n forcefully folded her hands ………………. She prayed for her mother , the only relation she has in this whole world…………
Krishna stopped his Rover to a screeching halt near the innova………… Chandu looked at him n asked him quietly as krishna made to get out of the vehicle 'What r u going to do?' 'What do u think I am going to do?' Chuckled krishna, getting out n closing the door …………….. 'taking her , ofcourse ! an eye for an eye……………..!' he said , jovially …………….. Chandu , who had got out of the car , gulped …………… for the first time in his life , he felt like stopping krishna from doing something………… why , he don't know………..what relation he had with that girl……oh, yeah he happened to have saved her life …..…! He felt a jolt as he saw ramu smiling up at him ……………Ramu didn't notice krishna who went around the other way…… Chandu returned the smile feeling guilty…..……. The gate keeper opened the gates reverently as he saw krishna ………………….Thakur sajjan singh n krishna offered yearly pooja there …………………
the body Guard came running , his angry eyes on the gatekeeper………………. 'what r u doing? No one should enter until madam finishes her pooja! Didn't the minister phone u?' the gatekeeper looked horrified at krishna …….. krishna , followed by chandu , just ignored the guard n climbed up the steps…………….. the guard stopped krishna , placing a threatening hand on his shoulder………………. Krishna cocked his head to Chandu, sideways, as he said to chandu 'just knock him off , Chandu ….. don't kill……………. He will any way be dead in an hour from now…..' the guard looked at Chandu n then at krishna , thinking what stupidity this man was saying …………krishna tilted his head in the direction of the Gurad n said 'n u may need to remember my name…..Krishna Singh Thakur…..' …… krishna walked forward, shrugging off the man's hand from his shoulders ………………… the guard didn't even got around to say 'what r u…' when Chandu's hand smacked him right across the back of his neck, hesitating for a fraction of a second…………………… krishna turned n winked at the gatekeeper, who was shocked ………Ramu, who was staring in the opposite direction didn't notice all this………… ***************************************
'now u have to tie this sacred thread on that tree' said the priest….. Pratigya looked across to the tree………………… she hated marriage n love…………….. n men……………….. what's the purpose of doing all kinds of false rituals! She thought to herself as she walked towards the tree…………. She tied the knot , as krishna came climbing up the steps , his eyes sweeping the area………………….. pratigya started a slow parikrama around the tree , just as krishna saw her shawl moving behind the tree……………… he smirked n walked, not even removing his shoes , towards the tree………….. just as Pratigya finished her parikrama, he came right behind her , his eyes taking in her form, of a girl with , flying jet black hair ………Krishna felt something closing on him, a kind of eerie feeling he couldn't comprehend ………. Pratigya felt a pair of eyes on her , the feelings alien to her, n she gasped , trying to turn……………..
Krishna caught her , one hand along her left elbow n the other covering her mouth n pulled her towards him………………..Pratigya could feel a very hard male body behind her , can feel his muscled arms n chest at her back, as she struggled , her eyes widening in fear , fingernails clutching at the strong, callused hand across her mouth, trying to get free , writhing in his iron grip………she felt her body stiffen , not just from fear, she couldn't comprehend the other feeling….. 'shhh…. Come with me obediently , girl, or I will have to make u……..' Krishna said , his lips near her left ear, her hair flying across his face……………… n he inhaled ……………. Involuntarily…………… he felt strange , as if breathing for the first time…………… the sweetness of the scent surprised him…………Pratigya felt shivers pass down her spine as his warm breath hit the back of her neck……….the moment was gone when Pratigya kicked out at him, stamping , as instinct ruled her………………….
Krishna hissed , tightening his grip on her making her shudder , a jolt passing through her body 'keep struggling n I might just break u…..' why was his voice sounding familiar to her, Pratigya thought , frantically……………n she realised with a jolt that it was him!! The devil she saw yesterday night at Royal…………….that womanizer n killer…………Pratigya , horrified , lashed out at him , using every ounce of her feeble strength , n well, her elbow hit him right against his groin…… krishna doubled up , a bit, a soft groan escaping his lips n his hand around his mouth slackened …… that was what pratigya was hoping for ………………..she bit down hard …………….. 'ouch' krishna released her , shaking his palm , but now he was angry…………….. no man ever had the guts to draw his blood n this mere girl has had the pleasure of doing just that……………..
Pratigya didn't even get time to move away an inch from him, as krishna gripped her elbow tightly n turned her roughly to face him, his injured hand smacking her across her face…………………….. the impact was muffled by her hair , which got in the way , but he had made sufficient contact…………….Pratigya swayed , feeling dizzy n she fell backwards , her hands instinctively trying to clutch at him , her nails scratching across his collar bone…. N krishna, bend forward , not knowing why, n caught her , his good hand around her waist…… he looked at her limb form, lying across his arm , her face masked from him by her hair………she had passed out…… krishna lifted his injured hand n removed her hair from her face, his eyes glancing across her teeth marks, between his thumb n forefinger, over the back of his palm, droplets of blood oozing from it…………. He removed her hair, his fingers brushing roughly across her face to look for the first time at her ……………..
she is beautiful …………..that was the first thought that came to his mind……………….. strange , he thought , he had never found any girl beautiful, even as his eyes rowed over her hair, her forehead, her closed eyes , her reddened cheeks , especially left one, where he could clearly see his finger marks…………………..his gaze moved down to her lips , half open , breathing ………………. His face was inches from her he felt a sudden , insane urge to kiss her , his gaze arrested on her rose lips…………….. strange again, he thought , shaking his head as he straightened , pulling her with him easily ………………….. he had never felt like kissing any girl, any where for that matter…………………….. let alone lips……………….
Chandu turned around the corner to find krishna holding Pratigya as if she were made of glass , his face inches from hers……………. Chandu felt strangly happy as he gauged krishna's body language ……………..it was tender…………………. Almost………. Atleast he was not going to hurt her …………….. but that thought vanished as he realised that Pratigya was unconscious , as krishna , seeing Chandu , immediately hoisted her up on his shoulders , as if he would a rag doll, n walked towards him……his mind noticed that she was light n fitted well in his hands………….'she is a wild cat ' he winked at Chandu , showing him his palm………………. Chandu gaped at him as krishna walked down the steps easily , saying ' I doubt if she is sane though…………… no one in their right mind would agree to marry that worm' …. Chandu thought he was having hallucinations……………… if he was not , then he had just heard krishna giving an opinion about a girl, any girl……………….. whatever it was………………….if, calling a girl wild cat or insane , was a sort of opinion……………………..!
suddenly all thought vanished from his mind as he saw poor ramu Chacha , shocked beyond belief ran across to krishna, as he passed the gate , stepping over the guard's limb form , the gate keeper looking shocked …………… 'oh no!' Chandu cursed under his breath , as ramu tried to hit krishna with his feeble hands shouting 'leave my malkin…………. Leave her u rascal …………..!' krishna pushed the old man aside , saying sternly 'keep out of this ………….or I would forget ur age………' ramu looked around to see chandu , his face lighting up in relief n hope ………….'Chandu beta!….. chandu beta ………..save her…………. That devil is taking her………..' krishna paused , adjusting pratigya on his shoulders n turned to Chandu , his eyebrow raised …………… that man knew Chandu! N by the tone of his voice , quite closely ….
Chandu gulped , his face ashamed, as ramu clutched at him ,urging him …………………. 'whatever it is, settle quickly ……………….. I will be waiting ……………' krishna said , his eyes piercing into Chandu's……………. Chandu looked back at him , saying 'krishna……I…….' but krishna walked to the Rover n dumped Pratigya in the back seat , trying not to inhale her again, why, he don't know………he felt a sudden sense of loss , an empty feeling as he lost contact with her………..he closed the door shut , more strongly than he intended …he got to the front, his eyes on Chandu n ramu ………. … 'pls help……………… pls………………' ramu stopped abruptly , noticing the excahnge between the men……………….. 'u r with him!' he shouted , shocked , repulsed , his hands leaving chandu's ………… Chandu looked down, ashamed ……………… Chandu walked towards the Rover , his feet dragging n he looked apologetically back at ramu 'I am sorry chacha……………..forgive me………… but believe me, we won't hurt her………………….. she will be back at her home , soon…………' something in Chandu's voice made the old man relax…………… inspite of himself……
Chandu climbed into the car , his head hung…… Krishna , waited till Chandu closed the door n he asked , trying not to sound accusing 'What was that all about?'…. Chandu looked up at krishna , as krishna started the vehicle n swiftly turned to the main road……Ramu watched the vehicle drove away , fearfully ……….Chandu looked back at Pratigya , laying unconscious n he sighed ….. he proceeded to explain , when he had first met them…………………. Krishna didn't notice , but his hands turned white as he gripped tightly on the steering as chandu was telling about the hooting n abusive men, his eyes on the reflection of Pratigya , as she lay unconscious , in the mirror……………'Where r u taking her?' asked Chandu , after a moment of silence…………..'to the estate …………'krishna replied curtly……… …….. Chandu groaned inwardly …………… Hope u liked it 😳
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Anupamaa
