When Aastha met Veer, she knew they had a connection.
However, the connection would be from two centuries ago, she never could have imagined.
A love story that remained unfulfilled, broken by evil, and destroyed to ashes - whose reference hide...
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Roopgarh, 2005
"What are you doing here, alone?" Aastha asked watching Veer sit on the small step, away from their families.
His gaze flickered over to her for a moment, taking in her presence before he turned his attention towards the commotion behind her. Their families were gathered, exchanging jokes and chuckling heartily, their joyous laughter echoing through the air. The cause of their amusement was evidently something their cousins had said. Veer heaved a deep sigh and said, "We are leaving in three days."
"So?" Aastha asked, sitting next to him.
"I won't see you for a year, Aastha!" Veer huffed.
Letting out a giggle, Aastha threw her arm around his shoulders, "Uffo! Idiot. We still have 3 DAYS left!"
"Only 3 days." Veer pouted.
"I have an idea!"
"What?"
"Why don't you join my school?" Aastha asked, excitedly. Veer thought for a moment and then frowned. "Mom and Dad won't allow it."
He recalled his parents' advice to "follow your brother's footsteps," which included attending the same school and college as his older sibling, and ideally pursuing a similar career and taking over the family business. Initially, this directive didn't faze him much, but his well-planned life didn't include Aastha. Now, she was his closest friend and a month-long summer getaway in Roopgarh had become his saving grace. He hoped to find a way that his life had Aastha in it, every step of the way.
The sound of their families' laughter intensified, causing Veer to glance back in their direction. He recalled that Aastha's cousin, Shipra, was about to tie the knot with Kaushik, a relative of his. Veer remembered his recent chat with Kaushik.
Kaushik had been singing and dancing, like a Tarzan the moment his engagement date was fixed. "Why do you have to marry her?" Veer asked. After watching his relative's sudden burst of happiness, Veer had been curious about what the heck the marriage deal was.
Kaushik looked confused by the question and gave a feeble reply. "Because...um...we are supposed to marry?"
Veer persisted. "What happens after you marry?"
Kaushik scratched his head, clearly at a loss for words. "I will spend my life with her," he finally replied, after a deep thought.
Veer scrunched his nose, trying to understand. "What does that even mean?"
"It means she will always be with me. She will stay at my house, she will stay in my roo-...I mean, she will be beside me. Always," Kaushik explained before quickly exiting the room, hoping to escape Veer's inquisitive questions. Both Veer's and Aastha's families were having a gala time celebrating the engagement announcement.
