Rishte...

Chapter 11

Year: 1899

Anika was calm outside, People believed that she was ready to move on in her life. But none could understand the raging fire in her. She intimated her pain and sufferings through words in her diary. More than that, She can't do anything. Her sister-in-law Niranjana decided to celebrate Diwali as they couldn't able to celebrate Navrathri in the presence of Anika's daughter. For Diwali, Everyone is decided to celebrate it grandly but Anika smirked in her thoughts when she ended up plotting in her mind. 

The day arrived, She lightened the first lamp of destruction taking blessings from Durga's idol in the temple. Tears crossed her eyes recalling her whole life again in her mind without breaking eye contact with the idol. Chills pass through her heart when the image of shivaay crossed her heart. She became so weak at that particular but when she saw her daughter's burned image crossed her vision, She understood her mission and waked ahead.

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Present

"Shivaay do you know the history of this forest?" Anika asked him breaking the ice when they proceeded their way inside. Shivaay smilingly turned towards her when she asked him this question out of blue. 

"It means you know history!" He said with a confirmation. 

"I researched! People living in the village nearby saying, It's a cursed forest. It has an unsung story behind it, the Betrayal story of takurayan of that haveli. Which in turn became a curse." - Anika said clearly narrating the story which she heard from other people. Shivaay was slightly shocked hearing those words from her which were clearly not true. 

"do you believe it?" - He asked her again. Instead of replying, She turned towards him and smiled. 

"It was the soul of takurayan which protected this forest or still protecting the forest. Don't know why, But my heart says there must be some terrible reason behind Takurayan's cruel revenge. She burned the whole haveli and her family members present inside. Meanwhile, She also burnt alive." - She said walking further inside. 

"Not everyone! Thakur escaped!" - Shivaay added, She was stunned to hear it from him. 

"You knew it." - She asked him surprisingly. 

"Even I researched!" - He replied with a smile. 

"But he also died, Right! After 5 years, Same by burning alive! People saying it was takurayan's soul which killed him. Do you believe it?" - She replied. 

"You know what I came to know after the research?" - He asked her walking in sync with her. She looked astonished when he was ready to say the other side of the story.

"What?" - She asked.

"Takurayan was five when she got married to thakur. She got married to him without knowing the meaning of marriage. And started to know things which she didn't suppose when she was a kid. She was being sexually abused by her own husband. But her best friend kept her alive, Staying with her when she's weak. He was a reason behind her smiles and chuckle when takur was a reason behind her tears and pain. Soon, She distanced her friend by sending him away from the village. After that, She got pregnant with Thakur's child but thakur and his family..." - He stopped when Anika stopped walking hearing his story. 

"What happened?" - He asked her. But she was stuck. He scared whether he didn't do any mistakes by saying it to her. 

"How cruel?" - She exclaimed. 

"It wasn't so cruel! When her life turned hell, Her friend came and rescued both of them. And they both eloped and live happily ever after." - He said smiling at her with a heavy heart. A breath of relaxation escaped from her heart hearing it to him. 

"To cover it up, Thakur framed everything." - He lied it to her, Just to see the smile in her face, He saw her smiley face. 

"We can't believe the history, merely. But this ending soothing my heart like anything. And she ended up living her life peacefully even though she tended to see many things beyond our imagination." - She said relaxed with a smile. Shivaay smiled at her, Even though it didn't happen, At least he could able to narrate something like that. He wished it would have happened for real. 

"Oh my god! Shivaay, look at there. Mango tree..." - Anika exclaimed and ran towards the mango tree. It was the same mango tree that they planted together. 120 year old one, It already saw their older version, Now it's witnessing their newer version. It's the only living thing that knew everything that happened with them.

"Shivaay. Hold me." - She gave her hand to him when she climbed the tree to take some mangoes from the tree. She plugged two raw mangoes and jumped down, Shivaay caught her from falling. She felt the chills when his hands held her waist tightly close to him even after the ground.

"Err. Don't you want mangoes! I bought it for you too." - She said and offered one to him. Breaking the awkward moment, He took it from her hands. They leaned towards the branches and took a large bite. 

"It's sweet!" - She exclaimed in happiness. Even his mango sweetened. But he took it as a chance and took a bite of her mango from her hand. 

"Yeah, It's sweet. Wanna taste mine?" - He asked her offering his mango to her. She sighed away and smiled. 

"Hey, Ani. Do you have any plans of coming back to my house? I hope you trust me, Now that I am not playing with you." - He added when she continued smiling and taking bites from her mango silently. 

"Oh, That's why you brought me here? You want me to move in with you?" - She asked him with a lopsided smile. 

"Well, I wanted to ask you for a long time. But didn't make up the courage. Now I am asking, Come back, Please." - He asked her in a pleading tone. 

"Shivaay, Things became different between us. Do you think we can be like before?"- She asked him with the same smile in her face. 

"I am having a solution for that." - He said taking something from his pocket. When he found that, He went on his one knee leaving her startled. She couldn't able to gulp the mango piece in her throat. Her eyes forgot to blink and stared at him shockingly. 

"Let's make a lifelong commitment. Marry me!" - He said while taking out the ring. It was the same ring which he found in the hut. Along with the bridal saree. Her favourite ring came back to herself.

"What the hell?" - Words escaped from her mouth looking at him in that state. 

"Is that a 'no'?" - Shivaay asked in a low expression. 

"No. I mean yes. I mean no. Oh my god! What am i even saying?"- She hit her head when she left with no words in answering to him. He smiled at her reaction And slipped the ring in her ring finger. She didn't stop him but tears escaped from her eyes when her eyes locked with his eyes. He stood up from the ground and wiped off the tears from her eyes with his thumb. 

"Happy tears..." - She whispered and fanned her hand to her face. 

"You didn't say anything." - He asked her holding her two palms closely. 

"Should I have to say anything? You know my answer!" - She said before throwing herself to him. He held her upwards off from the ground, Tightly to him. 

"I don't know you love me this much!" - She whispered in his ears. 

"I never loved anyone this much in my life, Ani. Thank you for coming in my life." - He said kissing her shoulder which made her chuckle. 

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