THE ROYAL MISFIT

Ch22: I couldn't save her!

{Previously...}

Meanwhile, Vikram dragged Chandralekha towards the corridor to her room. Soon they were standing outside her room as Vikram first sent her inside and then entered himself.

"Vikram what are you doing-"

She couldn't say anything as he suddenly pushed her on the bed and she fell on it with a thud, scared of what he might be up to.

"V-Vikram?"

She looked at him as he unbuttoned his shirt, one by one the buttons fell open and she was forced to look down. Her eyes on the ground as she soon saw his shirt being thrown on the floor.

Now she was extremely scared.

I trust you, Vikram. Please don't do any of the things I'm scared about!

She didn't dare look up as his roaring voice could now be heard

"Look up!"

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She slowly gathered all her courage and looked up. She gasped as she looked at his body. Although sculpted beautifully, his body adorned scars. Lots of scars.

He held her shoulders as her hands awkwardly stood in between their bodies, scared of what he might do. She felt tears prick in her eyes as she stared at the scars.

Starting from his shoulders all the way till his waist.

She didn't care how the scars looked on his body, she knew he was a warrior for the battles he fought, but she sure was concerned of how and where he got them.

"Since you already know about her, courtesy to my mother, I have to tell you my whole story. From the beginning till the end."

He then pointed towards the scars on his waist.

"I got these the night I lost her."

She nodded dumbfounded.

"And these after I scratched myself so hard, blood oozed out from my skin."

Then he proceeded to point towards his shoulder saying

"And these after I burnt a few paintings that I made in her memory."

He then left her shoulders and sat on the bed as he sighed, the memories of his hidden past once again being refreshed in his mind. The tears he had long forgotten to shed, were now threatening to come out once again.

Chandralekha knelt down to his level and patted his back trying to calm him down.

"You can cry. I'm right here. Let it out. It will calm your heart."

He shook as he gripped his hair showing that he was extremely frustrated. A few seconds later, a tear fell on her dupatta. Then another and another.

It kept on going as she rubbed his back with one hand.

She then put a hand under his chin and saw the same 18 year old boy's reflection in him that had his vulnerable side out for the world to see.

Tears trickled down his cheeks as his eyes became red and Chandralekha wiped them away only to be replaced by new tears a second later.

"Keep going. I'm here. You can cry. "

He held one of her hands as he sobbed putting his hands between them. He cried for nearly 10 minutes after which he calmed himself down a little and spoke up slowly.

"I know that you already know but I want to tell you whatever happened with me before you leave. I know you deserve to know my past."

She shushed him slowly as he still hiccupped.