THE ROYAL MISFIT

Ch19: Vikram's backstory Part 1

{Previously...}

"Aunty...whoo... Aditya said you wanted to see me?"

Aunty's smile grew by the minute and I realized I forgot to do the customary pranam and immediately folded my hands in front of her and did a small bow.

She waved her hand in front signaling that it was fine and gestured towards the car.

"Come on, let's go somewhere. Just us two."

I nodded and moved towards the car with aunty getting in from the other side. I couldn't conceal my curiosity any further and asked her softly

"Aunty where are we going?"

"You'll see." She smiled again.

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NARRATOR'S POV:

After a drive of about 20 minutes with both of the people being quiet, they finally reached quite an abandoned place. A vast jungle expanded across the acres of land and the car stopped as soon as it entered the gates.

Aradhna Devi looked at Chandralekha and said.

"We'll have to go by foot further. The lane is too narrow for a car to pass."

Chandralekha nodded once more and got out of the car.

Aradhna asked the driver to wait in the car as she and Chandralekha went forward.

Few minutes passed and no one spoke a word but then Aradhna said

"I know Vikram will be upset with me once he finds out that I brought you here. This is his special place. He doesn't want to show this to anyone."

Chandralekha listened to her intently as they both walked slowly.

Soon, they could see a big palace sort of structure in front and although abandoned, in the evening sun, it looked spectacular.

"Beti, this is the Vijaygarh fort. Our ancestors acquired this in the 18th century. You might be thinking its beautiful?"

She looked towards Chandralekha and she nodded with curious eyes.

"However as magnificent as it looks, it hides the darkest pasts ever known to us. The worst mishaps in our history took place here. Vikram lost a lot in this fort."

They both now reached the main entrance of the fort and now that Chandralekha got a full view of the fort, bile rose to her mouth.

It was burned to the ground and a very sad vibration hung to it.

Chandralekha's heart began to sink as she looked at it.

"What happened here?"

She let out in a small whisper.

"Come with me."

Aradhna's warm smile was replaced with a sorrowful one.

They both entered the ruined fort and Aradhna led the way from one corridor to another.

There was burnt furniture everywhere and one big room opened the way to another.

A weird stench lingered in the air and Chandralekha was quick to point it out to which Aradhna replied

"Oh its because nobody comes here and so its not cleaned. Although it was Vikram's orders that this place be cleaned every 10 days, the workers are too afraid to come here."

She looked towards Chandralekha with a slow smile marking her wrinkled expressions.

"They believe there is a soul trapped here."