Chapter 12 : Vile Appearances
"What do you mean he got saved?" He threw away the cup full of Soma, as he hissed, "Didn't I tell you to kill that boy at any cost?" His scaled body was shaking with fury.
"We had tried your majesty!" The eagle was shivering, "But when Goddess Crina herself descended, we couldn't do anything!" In the end, their head boss Iagle had to pay with his life.
'It all had started with a greed of power.'
The eagle thought how they had planned it, he even had disguised as Shyam to abduct Aarav.
'Now forget the dream to rule the eagle world, we are even banished by our community.'
"We were fortunate enough that Mother Goddess didn't pay attention to us", The eagle replied making the giant serpent before him more angry, "and we somehow got saved from her wrath!"
"But who would save you from my wrath!" His eyes were red, partly with the alcohol and partly with the anger.
When the eagle looked at the crawling body, his legs started moving back, "What! No..." The eagle was trapped in his clutch, "Please, I beg you King. Don't kill me. I had helped you so much....aaah!!"
He coiled his tail around the eagle's neck while he struggled to breath, "To leave you alive? I am not a fool to do so!" He smirked giving the last squeeze, and his prey took the final breath. "Vasuki doesn't leave any task undone!"
'But Iagle was really a fool to not concentrate on his real aim!'
Vasuki was gritting his teeth as he threw away the lifeless bird,
'He died but left me under this grave situation!'
._._._.
"I want my Mom, now!!" Aarav screamed, with his famous scowl inherited from his uncle, ASR.
After avenging Iagle, Payal had taken a weak Aarav in his embrace, ready to start a new life with her son, but it wasn't as easy as it seemed.
Being a human, there were many necessities, from hunger to shelter and to manage them all alone was a big challenge.
That's when Krohini had lent help to them.
'Birds aren't that bad!'
Payal had thought, after Krohini had offered a temporary accommodation to them,
'I'll soon find shelter for me and my son!'
Payal had decided, not to bother the Raven Queen any more.
After feeding Aarav, she had made him sleep. But since the time he had woken up, he was asking for Khushi.
"Aarav beta, from now your Amma is your Mom. Tell me what do you want!"
"No, you can't be Mom, you are only Amma. I want my real Mom!" He was having those big tears flowing from his eyes as he tried to wipe them hurriedly, "Where is she? Doesn't she know I miss her?"
Payal was feeling dejected hearing it. Before she could reply anything they heard Krohini entering behind it.
"Aarav baba! Good kids don't trouble their mothers!" Krohini had appeared to check on them, "Now have your medicines to get well soon!"
"Don't tell me what I have to do!" Aarav pushed Krohini as she tried to caress his hair, "and don't touch me hair!" He sulked, trying to bring them back in the latest shape like his Chachu.
"Aarav!!" Payal tried to scold him but he glared at her as he ran away from them.
"It's ok Payal! Khushi had really spoiled him." Krohini gritted her teeth, "He will be normal soon!" She assured an embarrassed Payal.
"I don't know how to thank you Queen Krohini!" Payal was cut by the Crow Queen as she smiled fakely.
"No Payal. In fact it is my guilt. If I had agreed to help Khushi earlier, your son might not have got into that problem!" Krohini repeated her blatant lie, "But Khushi showed her attitude, made me angry and...!"
Payal had bought every lie of Krohini, trusting her without any doubt while Krohini had caught her in her deadly web.
"Now take some rest Payal. I'll come later!" Krohini said sweetly as she withdrew herself.
'Just few more days Payal, soon you'll see my real face!'
She was fuming from inside on the insult by Aarav but had to endure it for one selfish reason she had.
"Messenger! Visit Nagraaj Vasuki with a loving message!" She had a cold smile as she dusted her black feathers lightly.
._._._.
"But why does Khushi think Krohini is a harm to Aarav?" Lavanya and NK were travelling in a car owing to injured leg of NK.
"Krohini is a shrewd creature Lavanya! She could never help anyone without any hidden motive." NK answered as they sped up towards Ravenland, so did a white SUV, which had been following them since they started the journey.
._._._.
Khushi had already reached the destination, changing herself into a crow. Her heart was going restless, looking for a way to reach Aarav.
'Will jiji listen to me if I tried to make her stand!!'
She was lost in her own thoughts until she saw an angry Nagraaj moving in the chambers of Krohini.
'Nagraaj? Why is he here?'
She was puzzled as she thought to follow him to know the reason of his gracious presence.
._._._.
"How dare you to blackmail me! Did you forget who am I?"
Krohini looked at his red eyes, as Vasuki threw his tail on ground, shaking the whole Ravenland.
"Cool down Nagraaj! You are not in Nagloka anymore!" She was all calm and composed. "Won't you have a seat!"
Vasuki flared his nostrils on her saccharin talk, wanting to get in business quickly.
Krohini got his message as she proposed her demands, "As you already know your one precious thing is with me!" She smirked, "if you want it back safe and sound, I want something in return!" She saw the impatient face of Vasuki, "Give me a control on snakes!"
Vasuki fumed fire, "Are you out of your mind! Why will a powerful species of serpents be under your control?"
"That's your problem Nagraaj!" She smirked, "Hand me the royal Naagmani, and I'll manage the rest!" She said shamelessly, "Can't you do such a small thing for your....love!!"
While Vasuki tightened his fist, Krohini just smiled. But unknown to both of them, Khushi was listening all of it.
'What is the precious thing that Nagraaj is getting blackmailed for?'
She was puzzled with their talks,
'Is Nagraj doing it for Aarav?' She thought, 'Or is it...' her eyes widened with realisation '... Jiji?'
._._._.
Lavanya parked the car before a rock as she and NK moved towards the mammoth stone.
Using her strong tale she slided it as the secret passage opened allowing them to enter the Ravenland.
"If your leg is hurting, wait outside NK! We'll call you if needed!" Lavanya asked him but he assured her to be fine, going in with her.
As they moved it, the car dickey opened and he came out of it. 'What is it happening?' He looked at both Lavanya and NK getting in through a silly passageway opening in a splendid palace. It looked like a bed-time fairytale which Nani used to tell him.
He gulped his anxiety, hurriedly entering the passageway before it gets closed automatically, 'I have to do it for Khushi!' He took the risk.
._._._.

'Your past is always with you!'
The tale was a century old, when Nagrani Janaki had breathed her last, orphaning the Naglok, leaving it in sorrow for weeks.
But as the doom subserviated, the need of next queen was being felt for the matriarchal realm of snakes.
Janaki had no daughter of her own but before her death, she had desired something.
"Payal and Ratna both were favourite of Nagrani Janaki!" Nagraj Vikrant, had elaborated, "We will arrange a competition, to choose a queen between you two!"
Ratna was a young Naagin that time, lively, energetic, vibrant and spirited. On the other hand Payal was more mature, intense and profound who had instantly won the heart of Prince Vasuki, the son of late Queen Janaki and King Vikrant.
The contest ended soon, declaring Ratna as the new Queen of Nagloka. "The Coronation will start with the ceremonial wedding of Rajkunwar Vasuki and the new Queen!" Vikrant had declared as per their years old tradition.
The lure of power and the honour of norms seemed more important to the Prince that time, as he ignored his affection for Payal and married Ratna. But the suppressed love only hurt, as the years passed.
It is said that 'You can't hide love!' Soon the news of silent love of Nagraaj started speaking, reaching to every corner of the Paatal-loka.
But Payal was unaware of the feelings of Vasuki. "It's all a rumour Khushi!" She had ignored it when her sister had asked.
Only if Nagrani Ratna could also do so, but the matter wasn't that trivial to ignore it. Vasuki was her destined mate, their species was known for their unadulterated love.
'I can't let my life become a joke for the world!'
Ratna had determined, which soon gave birth to enmity between her and Payal.
Irritated by the growing insecurity of Nagraani, Payal decided to leave Nagloka. "I would like to assist Sheshnaag in Vishnu Temple!" She had declared her wish, making the old temple her new abode.
Time flew away soon and the old rumours died down with time. But Vasuki was still living with the pain. The charade would have kept going on but the predestined happen, and Payal found her love in a human.
Ratna got an opportunity to take the revenge as she stripped Payal off all her powers, cooling her burning heart, "I haven't expected you to do this Payal!"
But the same couldn't be said for the Serpent King, who had become raged after knowing that Payal slept with a human.
'How could she!' He was devastated.
Even the circumstances favoured him when misunderstandings increased between Akash and Payal.
'This Arnav man is working in my aid!' Vasuki was happy but soon the bubble broke.
"According to our sources Payal is expecting a human child Nagraj!" The messenger had informed him, compelling him to step in the scene.
That's the start of a new life of Vasuki, his new face, which he had been hiding from the world, including his own mate Ratna.
'But Krohini found out about it!' He thought now sitting in a hot water spring, thinking about his encounter with her earlier that day. 'And she is blackmailing me using Payal.'
"I want a control on snakes!" She had cunningly asked, the hold of the Royal Nagmani which Vasuki possessed, knowing fully that he was trapped now.
'What if I just kill her?' But he couldn't so. It would attract unnecessary attention and if Payal would hear about it, she would hate him.
'No, I can't let it spoil this time. I have waited years for this moment!' Payal had finally disowned everything, including her sister, 'Now I have to just save her from Krohini and she will be mine!' He was obsessed now as he thought of some idea to trick the black queen.
._._._.
Arnav hid himself behind a pillar as he saw some weird creatures looking like humans but having black feathers all over body.
'What the fcck is going on here?' He was total clueless.
When he had met NK the previous night, he didn't give amy satisfactory explanation. That's when he had got suspicious and kept an eye on him.
At the end it all had become productive as he had seen the woman Lavanya, talking about Khushi. Before Arnav could probe them further he had seen them hurrying towards their car, talking about Payal and Aarav.
Not having much time he had instantly hid himself in the car dickey, which landed him here in this bizarre land, when he had followed them inside.
'Where had they both vanished!' He thought now as he tried to find any sign of them, cautioned enough to not get caught by anyone.
But his struggle seemed to be futile as someone put a hand on his shoulder from back, "Care to explain?" The person asked in a familiar voice while Arnav widened his eyes.
._._._.
Do vote⭐️ and comment friends, thanks for support, a few updates and story going to end😉
You might have guessed already who wrote the letter.😏 Will Payal and Khushi able to know about it.🤔
So it's Vasuki who loves Payal.😛 I had already put some hints in last chapters🙄
Arnav already reached there, but who had caught him.😜
Maybe next update will open all secrets or the update after that🙈
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