UN-RAVEL : The inner strength.....

UN-RAVEL 55...

UR 55...

The palace in Rajasthan was something Zamira had never expected in her life. It wasn’t just gorgeous, it was ancient but most of all it was made of trees more than anything, it was the most beautiful monument Zamira had seen in her life or maybe anyone could ever see in their life.

‘This palace is beautiful.’ Both Zamira and Leo were in awe seeing the palace.
‘Zamira, you have to stay away from this palace.’ Rishab said trying hard not to let his anxiety take better of him.
‘But how can anyone stay away from this palace. It’s the most beautiful thing I have seen in the world.’

‘The walls of this palace are colored in people’s blood. This is Nachiket’s palace.’ Both Zamira and Leo look at him. Irrespective of the alluring beauty of the palace it seemed to have lost its charm in Zamira’s eyes in mere seconds. ‘Zamira every single person in and around this palace wants you dead. You must stay away from it.’

‘I don’t think that would be possible mamu. This palace and I have seemed to be tied long before I was even born.’
‘That’s true kiddo but this palace… it has never brought any happiness to anyone, only pain. Your fate might be entangled to this palace but that does not mean you have to fall a prey to it. You don’t have to be here.’

‘You never wanted me to run mamu then why now.’

‘Because you deserve better Zamira not all the things that are happening to you.’ He says irritated by the felling of helplessness.

‘I have run before and see where I am. A lot closer to this place then I ever could be. Even if I run again, I doubt I can outrun my destiny. Nachiket wants me and he won’t stop till he gets me.’

‘I don’t get why he needs you. He has everything he wants. The palace, the people and an army of his own, what the hell he wants from you now.’

‘Yeah… I have been thinking the same.’ Zamira mumbles looking out of the window as the palace fades away. Her tone makes both Leo and Rishab look at each other and then her. They both were evidently worried for her. Being a Malhotra Raghuvanshi was a curse and Zamira could either be the bearer or the end of the curse either way she is a part of it.

Another few hours and they reached the woods, their destination. Manik’s mother Trisha had been living here ever since her retirement. She shifted to this place so she could help the people affected by Nachiket’s mercilessness. The process has been slow but not her efforts, she has put in every single effort along with Manik’s teacher aka guru ji Retired Lieutenant Colonel Dhuraindra Pratap Singh. Both of them were waiting at the entrance of the house, looking as tensed as any person possibly could look.
‘Are you alright.’ Trisha asks even before they got out of the car.

‘Don’t worry mom, we are fine.’ Rishab answers.

Trisha hugs him in relief. ‘Thank God. Manik told me everything and we have been so scared.’

‘You don’t have to worry nothing happened on the way. We were safe.’

‘Not for long.’ Dhuraindra says. ‘Is she the girl?’

‘Zamira.’ Rishab calls her.

Zamira walks towards two people, two very different people. One is her grandmother who seemed elated to see her but really worried and another is a complete stranger and trying to figure out his reaction wasn’t possible. He seemed stern and rigid but really hard to understand.

‘We are so glad you made it here safely, Zamira.’ Trisha says creasing her face.
‘Yeah… I am alright. Did dad call you?’
Trisha nods, ‘He did. He told me a few things. I guess you are going to be safe here. So why don’t you go in and freshen up. Food is also ready.’

‘Thank you but I am not hungry. Can you tell me when dad will be here?’

‘In a few hours. But you should eat and take some rest till then.’

‘We ate on our way. I am not that hungry.’

‘It’s okay. Come I will show you to your room.’ Rishab said taking one of her bags. He could understand that Zamira didn’t want to eat, truth being told she hadn’t had a morsel since she met him and honestly, he doubted she had eaten anything on plane as well.

‘Okay…’ She replied. ‘But how long will it take for dad to be here?’ Her heart pumped at enormous rate.

‘Four more hours.’ Trisha said making Zamira sigh but nod.

‘Thank you.’

Rishab grabbed her shoulder and took her inside while Leo followed the two silently. ‘Manik bhaiya will be here soon. He will take care of all of this.’ Rishab says trying his best to comfort her.
‘He isn’t talking to me mamu. What if I made a big mistake?’

‘You didn’t kiddo. You did what you think is best and sometimes that is all we need to do. He will understand.’

‘What if he hates me? What if something happens before I can talk to him?’
Rishab rubs her shoulder, ‘He can take care of himself, Zamira and everyone else. Don’t think all of this. You both will meet and everything will be fine.’
Zamira nods not so sure about his assurance. After getting changed she just lied on the bed. Turning from one side to another, her mind played awful games on her. Every nightmare came back to life in her head, each and every moment vivid as daylight. This turning continued for hours, she slept in between for a while and woke up to a nightmare. This made her hate her mind. All these tricks were going to do her no good but they made her life so much more unbearable. All the same things and incidents playing in her head, screwing with little peace she was yearning in her life. She felt like crying but tears seemed so meaningless now.

While her eyes were blinking in some sleep, she heard footsteps in the doorway. She hoped it was her dad but something within her didn’t let her move. It wasn’t just a little exhaustion but a lot more than that.
She could feel someone sit besides her and crease her hair, she shivered under the touch.

‘She is burning up.’ The voice that she yearned to hear spoke making her tear up.

‘What? She was fine when we came here.’ Rishab sounded alarmed.

‘Did she eat something?’ Nandani who settled on the other side of Zamira asked creasing her hair.

‘I doubt she ate anything at all. She seemed pale but she wasn’t feverish.’
Manik turned to Zamira after feeling her tears on his palm. ‘Zu…’ he called out worriedly.

Zamira opened her eye to look at him. She couldn’t say why her eyes teared up feeling her father near her. The past hours seemed like an eternity to her. ‘Papa.’ She sobbed even more. ‘I am sorry.’

Manik looked in her eyes and sighed, ‘Rishab go get some soup for her.’
Rishab nodded and left.

Unsure of what to do there Leo had been following Rishab everywhere. Everyone seemed too tense to talk normally so he felt uneasy among all of them. 

‘Why are you following me?’ Rishab asks turning to him.

‘I am trying to be productive.’

‘By following me?’

‘You seem tensed. What is it?’

“Nothing…’ Rishab says shaking off his thoughts.

Pulling Rishab towards himself Leo asks gently, ‘What is it? You can tell me anything.’

‘Why are you even here? You shouldn’t be a part of all of this.’

‘Why not? This is your family. Your life. I want to be part of all of it.’

‘You shouldn’t be.’

‘That’s why you never let me meet your family.’

‘My family literally lives in hunger games and you hate Suzanne Collins.’

‘Yes… I do. There is a lot of inappropriate violence in there. And maybe in your life to. But I still love you. This doesn’t change anything. I don’t want to leave. I seriously don’t. If I would have to leave, I will but I just don’t want to. So, you don’t have to worry about me and moreover I really liked Zamira. She is such a cutie pie... just like you. I feel bad for her. She deserves a better life. And this is your family. I mean I always wanted to meet them and I finally got an opportunity. Why would I leave it?’

‘Did you just say you love me?’ Rishab asks with a smirk.

‘Is that all you heard.’

Rishab pulls Leo with his arm, wrapping another hand around his waist, he leans in and sucks his lips gently. Leo’s lips shiver in response making him breath heavily. Leo gently pulls his hand out of Rishab’s grip and entangles it with his hair as they join their lips, tasting each other’s flavor of love. Rishab keeps pulling Leo while in response Leo circles his arms around Rishab and kisses him passionately. After few minutes Leo pulls away.

‘To all the things I said that you so royally ignored. I will repeat Mr. Murthy. I don’t want to leave you.’

‘Never do.’ Rishab says lovingly looking at Leo’s lips which he wants so badly on his. He leans in again but this time Leo pulls away.

‘Soup… Zamira...’

Rishab sighs and nods, ‘Right. We will continue this later.’

Ignoring his last comment Leo walks to the kitchen.