Lightening the Sky (Sloth Updates)

Chapter 1

In Maheshwari Mansion Swara requested Ragini to tell their parents the truth behind her absence from the marriage. She admitted to every accusation coming her way yet Ragini refused. Told her, now she was married to the person she loved and the revelation of truth would cost a bit too much. Swara was there, to unite their parents once again.

As Swara stood outside the house of someone she once loved, holding the broken pieces of the decorative piece Lakshya had destroyed before her eyes it all became too overwhelming.

No Swara, the girl in blue kurti chided herself, you wouldn't fall here. You aren't as weak, you would unite your maa and baba yourself, it's all just a misunderstanding. A huge misunderstanding-a lie, deception.

"Swara! Swara, Stop!"

The car honked behind her, turning around she found Sanskar getting down from the driver's seat with a frown. Quickly wiping the tears down her cheeks, Swara moved towards him.

"What?"

Her question was met with Sanskar's sigh, "Swara, I am so sorry for whatever happened-"

"It's not your fault Sanskar, I couldn't see how much I was hurting everyone... Ragini, Maa, Baba, Dadi, even you," she smiled,"my presence in Lakshya's life doomed everyone. Don't apologise."

He shook his head, "It is my fault Swara. It is. I will set everything right, like it was. I promise."

Swara turned around to face blurry roads before her, "You followed me out to say this? I should leave now."

Sanskar's hand reached out but stopped before touching her, "Swara wait!"

While she turned, he took his traitor hand back to his side not meeting her eyes, "I would drop you back to Baadi."

She nodded.

Sanskar drove in the streets of Kolkata while Swara's attention remained outside the window. Alas, the colours were a bit too hazy from the tears filled eyes. She failed to understand, of all the events in her life on this day which one was worse. Ragini? Lakshya? Or Maa and Baba?

Nothing would ever be the same Sanskar, no matter whoever tries because the truth is my sister hates me, my ex-fiance couldn't trust me and Baba...

Crossing the road leading to the Kuldevi's temple, it all made sense, she needed to get away from everyone's life for everything to improve. Be better.

I did pray for happiness in everyone's life while giving tribute to the Hooghly.

Her mind returned to the bridge and the river. It was Sanskar who snapped her out, "We are here."

Swara offered him a small smile before getting off from the car.

"Are you fine?" He asked to assure himself she was holding herself as bravely as it appeared, to lessen the guilt at the consequences of what he initiated.

She merely thanked him at the question, and then disappeared in the Baadi's entrance. Something forced Sanskar to be still in his place, stare at the gate she vanished into until he understood, in his quest to hurt Lucky it was her whom he brought down. That too to a strangling place he visited after the demise of Kavita.

Sanskar didn't return to Maheshwari Mansion the whole day instead choosing to sit on the stairs of the temple beneath which his life turned upside down. It was the silence from the lack of devotees around post conclusion prayer for the night that drove him to escape the physical manifestation of seclusion he only felt. Something, he had decided, need not be true until he admitted it or wasn't between people.

On the way to Maheshwari Mansion he witnessed a confrontation between Swara and Lakshya under the streetlights. He stopped, however, couldn't bring himself to interfere as Swara was doing a great job of persuading Lakshya to return home. At least, he didn't bring attention to the eyes watching them from a distance till Lakshya's physical strength started overpowering Swara.

She is still weak from the drowning incident, if he injured her in his anger it would only hinder her recovery. Deciding Sanskar came between Swara and Lakshya to put distance between them.

While Lakshya's mouth spouted poison, Sanskar held his arms and asked the girl behind him, "Why are you here at this time?"

"Lakshya called, and he sounded drunk on the phone. It worried me, he was supposed to be with R-," she paused to shake her head, "his wife."

Sanskar sighed, "You should go home, I will take him home."

Just as she agreed, police on its routine round reached them.

"Swara leave, I would sort it out." Her protests were ignored as Lakshya's voice increased, inverse to the indifference she held towards the insults directed her way.

Swara reached Baadi, but instead of the Bose house her eyes turned to the verandah which held her marriage altar. With one last glance at the Gadodia house, she walked away.

***

So, how was it?

That's the way I try going about my fanfictions, trying to say true to the story line until and unless there's a core change disabling me to do that anymore. It was a particularly simple chapter to write considering I am not considering the actions, I only have to consider the different reactions to the same actions.