The Rising Phoenix // Vani Fanfiction

#56. Deewane

"Veeranshu, hume kisi bhi tarah se naagmani Jay se wapas laani hai." Bani told Veer. Veer sat lazily on the bed.

"Bani, unfortunately, by now, woh Naagmani Chandrakala ke haath lag chuki hogi." Veer suggested. He knocked out one of the rooks off the chess board.

"But mujhe abhi samajh nahi aa raha ki Jay pohocha toh pohocha kaise Naagmani tak." Bani paced.

"If I was a naag, I would've managed to do it too." Veer answered. Bani looked at him confused.

"Flashback mein jaao, Bani. Nageshwari's first ever mistake which was the last one she made." Veer reminded her.

"Jaise Aakesh injure hoke aaya tha and pleaded Nageshwari to help him. Similarly Jay bhi toh kar sakta hai. He must have found someone who knew where naagmani was kept and managed to save himself."

"Aisa kon ho sakta hai jise naagmani ka pata hoga?"

"Naagrani."

"Kisi bhi haal mein nahi. Bela kisi bhi haal mein Jay ke haath naagmani nahi lagne degi. Impossible. Main aankh band karke yeh baat keh sakti hun ki Bela ek second ke liye bhi Naagmani ka pata Jay ko nahi degi."

"Bani, do you know that if the pawn goes enough step ahead into the enemy's territory, it becomes a queen?"

"Veeranshu, main yahan important baat kar rahi hun aur tum -" Bani looked at Veer. Veer was clever. He wouldn't just say something like that. The only other Naagrani was Shreya. Shreya did know Jay. He looked at her and winked when he realized that her train of throught went to the right direction. "Tum kehna chahte ho ki dadi ne Naagmani ka pata Jay ko diya hoga? After how he tried to kill me at Naag Mandir?"

"Bani, those who keep their stakes high would be ready to take big risks."

"Veeranshu, main yeh baat maanti hun ki dadi ko tum pasand nahi ho and she also doesn't approve of us par itni badi baat nahi kar sakti. She had herself been Naagrani once. To think ki woh aisa kuch karengi. Main nahi soch sakti. Not to mention, she's my grandmother. AT the end of the day she is on my side. Mujhe pata hai meri family tumhari jaise nahi hai ki ek durse se chipak ke rehte and stay together. But I don't think she'll betray me like that. Not to mention ki Jay ko Naagmani ka pata dena is the same as going against me. Jabki maine yeh bohot clear kar diya tha ki maine Jay ko kis category mein daala hai."

"Look at the chess board, Bani. Jab hum castle banate hai toh ek taraf safety hoti hai but if they break through the castle, its checkmate."

"Paheliya mat bhujao. Seedhe seedhe batao."

"Think, gharwali, think. Aisa konsa trump card tha Jay ke paas yeh prove karne ke liye ki he's your match?"

"That he's Adi-Naag. Adi-Naagin and Adi-Naag are said to be each other's soulmates."

Veer gave a distasteful look.

"Point sahi pakda hai but you didn't have to say that you and that dhabewala are soulmates."

"So, you're saying that its entirely possible ki dadi ne use pehle hi bataya hoga about Naagmani?"

"See, if I was that dhabewala. I'd have a plan of action. Motives 4 hai uss point pe. One, hum dono ko alag karna. Two, somehow convince your family that he and you are the perfect match. Three, to find a back-up. Four, Somehow marry you. Agar woh tumhari dadi ko iss baat ka thought de sakta hai ki tumhe maine apne charm mein phasa liya hai. The very next point is the safety of naagmani kyuki sabhko pata hai. Aakesh Naag Mandir Nageshwari ke liye aaya tha but baaki cheel naagmani ke liye aaye the. Question arise hoga hi about its safety. Especially when even Naagrani Bela seems to be in your support. Tumhari dadi Naagrani reh chuki. She still considers herself in that post. Itna toh unhe dekhte hi samajh gaya main. She's already a traditionalist. Not difficult to convince her that someone with a modern approach as you, for marrying and loving a cheel, you'd be fooled into giving cheels the naagmani. Toh jab Jay unhe brainwash kar raha tha ki main tumhare liye khatra hun tabhi naagmani ke security ka sawaal bhi uthata hoga. Bas uss moment of brainwash mein bata diya hoga."