ENTANGLED INTERLUDES -A SwaSan FF -Chap 10- Page 2; AN- PG 86 PLS READ

My dearest SwaSanians 🤗

Chapter 8 is posted below. Expressions of likes, indifference or even disgust can now be sent in 😆. It is a fairly long chapter. I hope you will like what unfolds below and please do let me know if you can- the feedback is hugely valued. I am away for a work conference next weekend so updating will be very challenging but I will do my best to be back with 9 as soon as I can manage; please do bear with me if I am delayed. I will catch up on outstanding reverts as soon as possible too 😃.

Lots of love,

Shru x

PS: Not proofread at all! Will correct errors later in the day but wanted to ensure this was posted as soon as I could manage. Also as said on 7, PMs will only go to those who have indicated they want them through likes and/ or comments:)

CHAPTER 8

"Make sure she is comfortable. Why is she twitching like that? Are you sure she is stable and not in danger?"

Sanskaar Maheshwari fired the questions at the harassed looking nurse who had not been far from Swara's side since she had been entrusted to Dr Shalini and her own care almost three days ago. The woman tried to reassure him even as she made sure Swara was securely strapped in to the seat, which had been adapted to ensure it would allow the stretcher her patient was on to be adequately fastened to it. She tried to suppress her disquiet at the forthcoming journey, deliberately not paying too much attention to the compactly comfortable interior of the small jet. She didn't feel like admitting to Mr Maheshwari that she was a nervous flyer at the best of times and the thought of being cooped up in what seemed a very small aircraft was frightening, but no more so than facing Mr Maheshwari's displeasure. If she had needed any proof at how much clout the overbearing man whom she currently answered to, at Dr Shalini's orders, commanded, seeing the arrangements he had made to spirit them away to whatever secret destination he had in mind, would have put paid to them. She had been aware of the Maheshwari family; you had to almost be living in an underground bunker if you didn't know who they were as a Kolkata resident. She had seen and heard of their numerous exploits and had even admired the dignified Durga Prasad Maheshwari and sighed at the handsome brothers whenever their faces had flashed up on television or in the newspapers. Truth be told, when she had recognised Sanskaar Maheshwari at the Clinic she had been rather awed and a little excited in his presence in the almost silly way one is when they meet a celebrity. However, soon that nervousness had come from his sharp demeanor and rather coldly angry attitude. He was just so... driven... was the word that came to her after some uncertainty. And yet there was more, she acknowledged. He seemed possessed by some strange fever within him; it was mainly evident in the way he was around the young woman he had rescued. She didn't know all of the details; she was Shalini's choice to be assigned to this case, as she was well known for being discreet and getting on with her job with minimum fuss. And it had been made clear that Sanskaar Maheshwari wanted no questions asked and expected his commands to be obeyed. As she had mouths to feed, she knew to keep hers shut and had reluctantly accepted the assignment put to her by Dr Shalini which would involve being away for some unspecified time to continue ministering to her patient. The money offered for the job, no doubt by the magnate, was too considerable and would make all the difference to her own situation so she had agreed and had overlooked the challenges she saw in ensuring her demanding customer was kept contented. That was however offset by the genuine interest she had developed in the young lady suffering from amnesia after whatever terrible accident befell her. She didn't know much, but did know vaguely that there had been some dastardly attack and after having rescued her, Sanskaar Maheshwari was keeping her presence and location closely guarded so as to prevent putting her in any further danger, especially whilst she clearly didn't know who she was, and neither did he apparently. Yet, the latter was difficult to believe for anyone who observed them closely enough, as she had the past few days. Surely a total stranger would not command such strange reactions as she had seen him provide to the girl. When the girl had regained consciousness and not had any clue about who she even was, there had been something about him that had momentarily made her think he did know but whatever it was, was masked so swiftly she wondered if it was her imagination. That was until the feeling returned yesterday when the question of her identity had come up again. She was interrupted in her recollections momentarily as she heard the excited voice of their pilot addressing Sanskaar.

"Sir, we are all set I think. We won't take long at all in this beauty. I am so pleased you went for the Embraer Phenom 100 this time round to upgrade from the Cessna. The features on this one are really something and it will be very exciting to see what we average today."

He was politely but firmly cut off before he continued waxing lyrical about what the nurse guessed was the private jet they were to travel in, not that she understood one word of whatever they were really discussing about the machine.

"Glad you approve, Sharad. We need to get going though. I would like to reach ASAP and your estimate of forty minutes sounds great. We will talk later perhaps."

The pilot understood at once and with one more curious glance at the nurse and Swara, he began to take position as Sanskaar too climbed in, again making to check on Swara. The nurse wondered with a spurt of irritation why he had bothered to bring her if he had to do it all anyway. Then her annoyance subsided as she reminded herself that those crisp questions of his were his way to appear unmoved for some reason. He was at it again, as he began to ask her something else and as the doors whooshed shut to enclose them; he took his spot on the seat adjacent to where Swara was fixed, just as she did facing her. The size of the aircraft meant that they were all rather snug despite the seats designed to be luxurious for those rich enough to afford travelling in this way. However, the stretcher being in there made it more constrained than it otherwise would be and in any event, both her and Sanskaar would be able to reach Swara if needed during the flight. She hoped however, that her patient might sleep through. She had been pretty well dosed up over the past few days and despite having made more than expected progress and having avoided far more serious physical injuries in the form of shattered bones, she was still in considerable pain and hence they had kept her as sedated as possible, without affecting her overall recovery.

As the craft began to taxi for takeoff, Swara must have been jolted from her stupor and the same twitching that Sanskaar had earlier commented on began once more. He was immediately attentive and barked out an irritable comment at the nurse and took Swara's hand stretching his own across his seat, as if by being agitated he would save her any more discomfort. Somehow, this roused Swara and she blearily came to and turned her limpid gaze on him, arresting him in mid movement. Her voice was very faint, and the nurse and Sanskaar heard her almost whisper,

"I will be fine. You shouldn't worry and it's not Akanksha Di's fault. I thought I was falling this time instead of drowning, but I see that you have caught me so I know I won't fall. Where are you taking us though? My head hurts..." As she said this, she tried to bravely smile although it seemed more a grimace that intensified as the noise of the engines of the light jet droned on and the aircraft shuddered as it prepared to launch into air.

Sanskaar clutched her hand tighter,

"I am not worried. And it's ok, we will soon be there and you will be comfortable. It won't be long. Try to rest now, Shona, you won't fall."

His voice held the usual strain the nurse had come to expect from him when he was around the girl, but as she knew it would, it seemed to penetrate through to her patient who fluttered her eyes shut and gave in to her disturbed rest yet again. They took off then and Akanksha was left to resume her ruminations, wondering for the umpteenth time what sort of connection bound these two people. The wounded girl was a sweet soul; the fact that she couldn't remember who she really was or where she came from could not detract from the gentleness in her that must be inherent and shone through, even in the few days since she had known her. Her calling her by her name just now as well as defending her to Sanskaar despite her semi-comatose state was a small but striking example of it. Akanksha wondered at how the girl had managed to fight off such grave injuries since she had regained consciousness two days ago, having spent the first day before then totally unconscious. When she had realised her amnesiac state, she and Dr Shalini had feared a bad relapse but it seemed that the frail-looking woman was made of sterner stuff. Of course, the fact that she had only yesterday had that very small but possibly significant breakthrough about her name might have helped her, thought Akanksha, as she remembered the excitement that had brought.

Swara had regained her faculties again after her initial conversation with Sanskaar, before and after which she had been totally disoriented and unable to recall anything. She had shown no interest then in her surrounds as such and was trying to battle what must be severe pain as well as straining herself desperately to try to remember who she was. She kept asking for Sanskaar as he had been the one to bring her to the Clinic and when he came to see her again, Akanksha had observed their interplay with interest. He had stood with shuttered eyes, a tiny frown between those striking eyes and his stance rigid. He had originally stood stiffly by her bedside, but the young woman after a few minutes, began to demonstrate that she was not as easily intimidated as Akanksha herself was, the latter recalled with a slight smile.

"Can you sit please? You are so tall and my neck can't go back any further so it sort of hurts to look up so high at you when lying down?" She had began her conversation thus, and he had looked totally stunned and then nonplussed, before he simply dragged the chair nearby and sat, still only reinforcing his height and spread of shoulders in the small seat.

"Why are you asking for me?" His voice came out quite harsh and her eyes very slightly widened, confusion rife on her face at his rather annoyed manner.

"I... You brought me here and as I can't remember anything, besides saying thank you to you, I wanted to ask you how and what happened to me. Do you know me?"

He looked at her for a long moment before he replied, his lips curling with what seemed like sarcasm. Akanksha had felt her hackles rise in a protective instinct for the young woman as she had carried on checking some of the charts on the side, but observing them too.

"I don't know you at all."

Swara too frowned in response.

"What happened? How do I come to be here? Surely there was something on me to give an idea to my identity?"

He had slightly turned away and wouldn't meet her eyes immediately.

"My driver and I had to take a detour off the highway and as we drove up, you were struggling with a man who was ...attacking you. He had another with him and they had a car. I saw you...you struggled, and he hurled you and you hit the railing." His hand was fisted at this although Swara had her eyes fixed on his face. "As they saw us, they were in a hurry to get away but he seemed to be rifling through your bag before he tossed it away. When we found you, you were badly hurt. My man picked up whatever there was of your belongings and I have them- I will give them to you but there's an almost empty bag, with some small items of no import and a ring. Nothing else- no wallet, phone, nothing that could say who you are. This is the ring- do you recognise it?"

He pulled something from his pocket and held it out to her, now pinning her with his eyes as if hoping seeing the ring would make her remember everything she claimed she had forgotten. She took the gold band with the carved "G" on it and studied it carefully, hope shining on her face for a few seconds before her mouth turned down again and tears shone in her eyes. She looked up at him.

"I can't remember this ring. I hoped...I just want to recall! I wish I knew my name at least." The tears trickled down her cheeks and he shifted sharply as if he would dash out of his chair, either to her, or away from her, it was hard to tell. Akanksha was about to intervene as she didn't want her patient upset but Sanskaar was already speaking.

"You have only just come round. A lot clearly happened to you. Shalini, Dr Kapoor- says you need to not strain yourself and let your body and mind recover. If she hasn't, Shalini will explain, but she seems to think that there may be some damage to the part of the brain where memories are stored, or to the nerve or nerves that connect to it. Depending on the nature and extent, your brain could find another path to ensure the retrieval of those memories but you need time to heal and over exerting yourself to force the process will hinder, not help. So I suggest you try to rest and do what the staff tell you. Shalini tells me in a lot of these cases, the effect is the sort of concussion that could begin to be reversed or recover in even just hours or days."

"I know all this but ..."

"But nothing, you must stay calm and patient. You WILL remember- I am sure of it." There was something strange about how he said that and it served to confuse Swara further.

"But until then, I have no way to even be responsible for my treatment."

"That is not something you should be concerned over. I found you and I take full responsibility for you."

"But why? I mean, that is very generous of you, and I am grateful, truly I am, but surely you simply want to report this to the Police so they can help trace my identity and perhaps there is something that can be done in the meantime which doesn't need to bother you. My family- whoever they are...they must be worried for me! We...I need to find them somehow!"

"I have already spoken to the Police and they are searching to help trace you and find out what happened. But it's imperative we are careful. Those men- they looked dangerous and not common robbers. You were in a location you had to have got to with a car. There were no other cars but the one those men escaped in and then mine. Either you were dropped there and went to meet them or you were with them when they attacked you. There was something they wanted from you and they almost killed you. Either way, they are at loose so until we are sure things are safe, we have to be very careful and the Police agree with me. They are also checking to see if anyone reports someone matching your description missing. I will handle all that and you need not worry. I do feel responsible and we need not argue over those things at this time. Once you remember who you are, we will ensure you are safe with your family, whoever they are. Until then, just concentrate on feeling better and remembering what you can."

She had been exhausted and he had left soon after. Later that afternoon, Akanksha had put on some television for her, in an effort to distract her. Another very strange request by Sanskaar Maheshwari had been that she not be allowed to watch any news channels or given any newspapers. All Akanksha was told was that it was to prevent the girl from hearing disturbing events or much about the Maheshwaris and thus making her stress further about being beholden to her benefactor but the reason didn't ring true for a moment. However, Sanskaar's will was done as expected and somehow only a few channels with strictly entertainment on them were made available in Swara's room. It was one such that was turned on as Akanksha tried to make her comfortable, something showing Bollywood film songs. The girl was not really watching, she stiltedly answered Akanksha when questioned and often turned her head to look out of the window and kept fingering the ring Sanskaar had left with her, as if staring at it would bring memory back quicker. She had just told Akanksha that she didn't know how she knew that but she really liked Varun Kapoor's films. Akansha was just explaining to her that amnesia wouldn't really affect her likes and natural instincts and it certainly wouldn't make her forget any skills she had for example. Just then, Swara suddenly snapped her head to the television screen, where Saif Ali Khan was crooning, "Hey Shona, Hey Shonaaa" to Rani Mukherji in Shaan's melodious voice. Swara tried to sit up straighter and exclaimed. Akanksha rushed over to her, asking what the matter was. Swara looked at her with wild eyes and even as she threw her head back against the pillows she was clutching her head like she had before. Akanksha began to check her over, and talked to her gently, asking her what was happening. Eventually looking at her, she said,

"Shona- that is my name. I can hear some women- there is an old woman I think and another, but I can't be sure. I cannot see their faces but the old lady is shouting for me. Someone is saying Shona and ohh- there is something else- Swara- that's my name too!"

Akanksha had beamed at her and told her she should be proud as she had just remembered her name and what a positive step it was. This had made Shona or Swara as she laid claim to both, Shona clearly a nickname, somewhat happier but when she began to strain to recall more, she was overcome and soon went into a deep sleep. Later when Mr Maheshwari was told that the girl had recalled her name, he had reacted puzzlingly.

"Shona?" He had looked disbelieving before adding, "So she said Swara? Did she say another name? Are you sure? Damn!" For a man who claimed he definitely didn't know the girl, he seemed to doubt the name she herself remembered with too much vehemence, thought Akanksha, who of course wisely kept her thoughts silent. She noticed though that he had taken to calling her Shona, the words rolling off his tongue in that smooth baritone in the most pleasant way. Akanksha looked at him but he was still staring at a now sleeping Shona and he still held her hand, as the jet cut through sky and clouds to take them wherever Sanskaar Maheshwari had decreed.

Swara tried to take her mind off her physical ills as she glanced about, seeing a rather small but functional looking space seemingly carved out amidst an open field surrounded by dense greenery in the distance. The air was crisp and cool and even before she slightly shivered, Akanksha was covering her with a warm blanket as a couple of men took charge of her stretcher, being instructed by Sanskaar to be careful. Swara wondered at the possibility of an airstrip in what seemed like the middle of nowhere but then she had just arrived in a private aircraft. No one had answered her questions that she had tried to formulate but without much persistence given how much else she had been dealing with, about Sanskaar Maheshwari. She had gathered he was a businessman of some sort but not much else. Akanksha had been very evasive and Dr Shalini herself had cleverly avoided answering much, only saying that she was sure Sanskaar would tell her more about himself and that he was a very private person who wouldn't take kindly to thinking he was being gossiped about. Dr Kapoor had then added, not unkindly,

"Please rest assured Swara, you shall be more than safe with him. You can trust him to ensure you are cared for and that nothing impedes your recovery. He is able to command resources most cannot, and for you, he wishes to see you safe and unharmed so I have every confidence he will."

"But where is it that I am to go to with him? No one seems to know!" Swara didn't say that she didn't fear that Sanskaar Maheshwari, for all his strange manner towards her, would harm her. She was just at a loss to understand what was really happening and it all seemed out of the pages of a suspense novel, which niggled at her. Dr Kapoor had looked very uncomfortable at that.

"Sanskaar wants to ensure that the location is not widely known, Swara. It's somewhere he goes when he needs peace and quiet and the fact that he is opening that up to you should say a lot. For your safety, it is best less is known about it but you will be there as soon as I can allow the brief journey and he has convinced me that it might actually be the best place for you to convalescence. Plus, Akanksha will go with you and stay as long as you need the care. Hopefully in some days you will remember everything and by then, your injuries should be much better too. You already show great signs. You were very fortunate there are no serious fractures, except of course the contusion in the brain and there are numerous hairline cracks that will heal, plus the other damage that will be assisted with physio that Akanksha will provide."

And so they were at Sanskaar Maheshwari's mysterious hideout he wouldn't talk about. Swara tried to stay awake but even the brief journey and attendant activity, however restricted, had taken it out of her. She found herself deposited in a long van-type vehicle. Sanskaar Maheshwari clearly thought of everything, she thought, again looking at him as he hovered overseeing her being put in the car. He also got in, as did Akanksha, all the while dealing with some practicality or other and as they sped away, Swara let the motion of the car bring on a further bout of fitful slumber.

Once more, the stretcher underneath her was moving and a fresh round of pain attacked her body. She tried not to, but a slight moan escaped her and Sanskaar was at her side.

"Are you hurting? We are here now. The nurse will give you some meds in just a minute. Hang on just a few moments longer."

She tried to smile through the pain, even as she mumbled about being fine. Akanksha was repeating what he had said and then she saw the building they had stopped in front of. The sound she now made was one of surprised pleasure. It was difficult to take it all in as she was being "unloaded" and carried in with brisk efficiency but she had the imprecise impression of a hacienda style set up and the most gorgeous Spanish-styled mansion with sepia coloured stones rising amidst verdant greenery. An elderly man had made his way outside by now and even as she tried to suppress the spinning vertigo that assailed her, she heard him greet Sanskaar with affectionate familiarity. Sanskaar briefly dipped his head, seeking his blessing, a gesture she found at such odds with the autocratic Mr Maheshwari. She caught sight of a plaque on the side of the main doors that were set in the centre of a series of curved pillared openings. It read in slanting script on a stone plinth in simple letters carved within the stone, "Jannat". Just then, one of the men navigating the stone steps carrying her, slightly lost his footing momentarily and Swara exclaimed as she felt herself beginning to tip off the makeshift bed and grabbing for its sides to stop her downward descent. Sharp and sudden pain flared through her hip, travelling up her spine to jar her every muscle and bone, making her teeth grind together and tears pool behind her lids. Even as she felt her head knock a little against the side slat of the stretcher the men managed to right themselves and she was somehow steadied. However, there was a furious explosion from Sanskaar. She wanted to tell him it was fine before he flayed the poor men for their tiny lapse, but she had to close her eyes and the vortex that she had been frightened of before and during the flight, finally had her in its grip and pulled her under.

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Sanskaar ignored the mug of strong coffee in front of him that had been brought to his study and ploughed through the pages of the tome-like contract before him, marking various amends as he went, occasionally stopping to deal with the steady stream of emails his open laptop screen faithfully delivered. As the phone next to him began to judder, he glanced at it and on seeing the name of the caller announced, picked it up.

"Hello Mr Tyagi, how are you?"

He leaned back slightly, his expression giving way to quiet satisfaction as he listened to the man at the other end, hearing the fruition of his past two days of Machiavellian planning confirmed.

"Oh please Mr Tyagi. It is nothing- it's only a small token to say thank you for your kind understanding of the situation we find ourselves in. Maheshwari Industries and Karma Group both have been the targets of a sordid conspiracy and I am so glad you listened and understood our plight. The bid for the model City infrastructure project is of course the biggest thing going on nationally and I understand how much pressure you guys on the main Board would have. There are investors, the Government and internal politics aplenty, as I well know, so the fact that you acceded and ensured that the whole project is presently delayed, means so much to me. Of course the situation is only a temporary impasse for Karma and I totally understand that you can only grant this reprieve for a short period, after which I know the bidding has to recommence with or without Karma Group. The Karma bid won't be long stalled, I simply need a very short period to resolve our difficulties, that as I assured you, were not of our making. I wouldn't like to make accusations as to who is to blame for the situation our end, but it is undoubtedly one of the rival companies and it was most kind that you introduced the delay at your side to avoid us having to pull out at this critical juncture. Even more so, I value the trust you place in me by not forcing me to disclose my exact circumstances, but as I mentioned, I have been put in an unenviable position that I either lose the bid or risk my family's safety and thus the process being delayed your end, takes the heat off for a few days and it's all I need to recover my position. As to being in your debt, that doesn't need to be said and we Maheshwaris are in the habit of repaying like with like so rest assured that when you call on us to look after your interests, the call shall not go unanswered. Thanks again for your discretion and for your assistance. I will be in touch very shortly."

Sanskaar finally picked up his coffee, savouring the slight bitterness on his tongue; fitting given his present frame of mind. At least he had managed to avert the disaster that was waiting for them otherwise, courtesy of Shekhar Gadodia and potentially his side-kick, Sahil Sengupta, who was surely in on Shekhar's plan of having Laksh kidnapped and held as ransom to force them out of the project race.

"Let's see what you do now Mr Gadodia- you are hamstrung. The bidding is delayed, thanks to my breaking through to Mr Tyagi and getting him on side. You won't be able to do anything if the Government-appointed Board itself cites unavoidable delays and postpones the decision for a short while as to who wins the tender and you will chafe but that will hold you. I will make sure my brother is found by then, and of course you are still in the same position that you cannot harm him as you need him safe to continue your dirty game with me. In the meantime, I am sure your deceitful daughter will regain her memories and tell me what I need to know and even if she doesn't, we are in a fairer "exchange" position with me having her than I would be otherwise. You will never trace her here. Sundervan* was chosen for this retreat I built here some years ago as literally a handful of people know of my base here and those that do, are entirely trustworthy. The place is secluded and hard to get to; I have been so careful and I know you have not managed to have me successfully trailed. All arrangements were done under the radar so there is no official record of the private flight and even less so of its passengers. You keep looking for your daughter. My contacts at the Police will leak to me as soon as you break and involve them in the hunt you are surely conducting for your child. I hope you suffer for her in the meantime, you deserve that and as for her..."

As ever, the spite in him met the abrupt but solid block it always seemed to encounter when he tried to direct it towards her. "Why?" thought Sanskaar as he tried not to hurl the mug away in anger, "Why is it so hard to truly detest her as I do her father? It has to be as she is so hurt and helpless. Yes, that is it. As soon as she is better, and especially once she remembers she is Ragini Gadodia and not this Shona or Swara her amnesiac brain clings to, it will be all too easy to treat her as she really deserves- with contempt only. These feelings are just natural in reaction to someone who has been so cruelly wounded, especially when she presently has no idea of her own treachery. It won't be a fair fight. I will wait for her to be better and then she will face my wrath in earnest. I have to in the interim humour her and if she thinks she is Shona or Swara, I have no choice but to play along and help her recover."

That dervishes that had taken residence within him since he had discovered the truth about her began their gleefully mocking dance again, laughing at the way he sought to convince himself of the lies they knew he told, and the ones he had to uphold as the only truth he was allowed.

* I have very loosely based the area Sanskaar has brought Swara to on Sunderbans, the well-known natural forest in Southern Bangladesh. Most of you will be familiar with the place, which is a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO. It contains a National Park, a famous Tiger Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve too. The location is only for an inspired setting but won't be geographically or in other ways factually accurately reflective to the actual Sunderbans and I have thus slightly turned my setting to Sundervan, within which Sanskaar's estate, Jannat is located. I hope I will be granted artistic licence as needed!