Prologue
“You would have made an excellent chemical analyst!”
Looking at the herbs she had brought earlier for extraction, Saavi couldn’t help but wonder how would her life turn out to be if she wasn’t a Reevavanshi. When other kids failed to do the bare minimum, she amazed her teachers with her exceptional laboratory skills, synthesizing different molecules that even some of the teachers found hard to accomplish. No wonder Mr. Bose, her chemistry teacher felt disappointed when she chose to study Archaeology and become her father’s assistant rather than explore her options in the realm of synthetic chemistry. If only he knew what he perceived to be extraordinary was an essential for a Reevavanshi to win over their enemies.
It never bothered her; how kids her age were terrified of her for her temper and avoided her consciously. If anything, she felt relieved as their company simply annoyed her. While her classmates enjoyed their holidays with their families, she confined herself to Nishant’s study, learning more and more about different Kaalishaktis and training under his guidance. After all, that’s what she had seen her father doing for as long as she could recall. Long before she was mature enough to understand life or consider any other possibility, she had accepted her fate. She was a Reevavanshi - a protector of mankind and she took pride in her identity.
But now that Mohana was defeated, what was her purpose in this world? She poured herself a cup of tea and went near the window. The crimson rays of the late afternoon made her a little sad. Six years ago when they defeated all Kaalishaktis in Pralay Yudh, they knew they had shifted the dynamic between good and evil greatly in their favor. Yet, they knew it wasn’t over and Mohana was going to return sooner or later. However, it was different this time. With Ansh fulfilling his destiny of ending the Ekayan Yug, they knew that had truly set back the evil for eons. She could feel it; her intuition about the dark force had never betrayed her and she knew they were safe. The Reevavanshi clan had finally fulfilled their duty by bringing peace to this world and nothing could feel more gratifying.
Except… with the overwhelming feeling of victory, there was a lingering pain. A void in her heart that she didn’t know what to fill with. The more she tried the more apparent the cracks became until she realized the worrier in her might understand why the heartbreaks she suffered were essential in the grand scheme of things but the little girl in her still longed for her lost family and refused to accept the reality.
Perhaps it was because of her close association with Naman and his daughter that her unresolved trauma resurfaced after so many years. She loved the child. A part of her was happy that they were going to start a family. However, another part of her felt guilty. She did not belong here. It was Dilruba’s rightful place and Dafli deserved to know her mother; Naman deserved to be with the one he loved and both of them deserved to have the life they dreamed of building together. How did she fit into that equation? Why was Dafli expected to accept her in her mother’s place? Wasn’t it all wrong? Shouldn’t there have been another way?
At times Saavi felt alone. Conflicted with her contradicting thoughts, she felt ashamed for having the audacity to complain about her situation when both her father and sister seemed to have accepted everything gracefully. Why couldn’t she become more like them? She didn’t know the answer. For all she knew she was fated to be doomed with the burden that came along with being a Reevavanshi. It was both a boon and a curse. But as long as it maintained the natural order and ensured others’ safety, she was okay with carrying the weight of the world and moving forward no matter how much it hurt…
“Sure, I’ll inform Dad once he comes back. Is there…” Saavi stopped midway seeing the light coming out of their lab. Naman had left a couple of hours ago and Piya didn’t inform her about coming. Had Nishant come back already? “Hello, Saavi?” “Sorry Sir, something came up. Don’t worry I’ll give Dad your message.” She bade goodbye to the principal and put the phone down. Did something serious happen for her father to cancel his expedition and return home early?
“Dad!” Saavi called out Nishant softly. She was familiar with that blank look of her father. While his eyes were fixed on the scrolls lying before him, she knew he was engrossed in some deep thought. After all, that’s how she had seen him her entire life before they got Piya back and she discovered the more humane, emotional side of her father. She smiled inwardly, almost in a melancholy. The day the police declared Divya and Piya dead, she didn’t just lose her mother. She lost her father as well. She was aware of how much he loved her. In fact, she was the reason Nishant chose to live. But that didn’t change the fact that the tragedy robbed them both of a normal family. She grew up with an overprotective father who made sure she learned how to defend herself physically but was too scared to open up to her emotionally.
She wasn’t oblivious to the reason. After Danish’s death, Nishant was devastated. But with Divya and Piya’s departure, he lost himself completely. It was his fear of losing her that prompted him to conceal his feelings and put up a brave face. Hurt at the beginning, eventually Saavi learned to live with Nishant’s indifference; burying her own pain and anguish deep inside. But the feeling of abandonment never really left her. Yes, she felt abandoned by her mother who sacrificed her life for the greater good. She was frustrated at Piya and Danish for leaving her behind and teaming up in the afterlife. But more than anything, she was angry at God for keeping her alive, neglected and alone while Nishant dwelled in the past, reminiscing about the deceased.
Had Piya not returned, would she ever get to know who her father really was? She didn’t think so. She was grateful to her for bridging the gap between her and Nishant. Yet, too much time had been lost and she could only wish for her complete family in some alternate universe.
“Are you okay? You seem a little lost.” Nishant felt a tug in his heartstrings. His little daughter! He never realized when Saavi had become so mature; when calmness finally took over her temper and she learned to read between the lines. If there was anything he regretted more than losing his family, it would be his failure to become the father Saavi deserved. Time and again, he let her down. He was an amazing mentor, her greatest ally when it came to fighting the Kaalishaktis. But when she was trying to understand the meaning of life, when she needed a parent by her side, she got a professor instead of her father. How he wished he could change the wheels of time! How he wanted to correct all his wrongs! But now that there was a possibility he could do that, what path should he choose? “If you were given a chance, would you go back in time and change the course of your life?”
Edited by Nush_Rat - 6 months ago
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and we wanted to address those issues through our story. 
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