Fate's Imprint

The Raichand Brothers

"It's not easy being them, you know ? Especially when you watch your parents being shot dead in front of you when you are at a tender age"

Prathna looked at Eisha as she looked at the mountains ahead of her, the light of the setting sun glistening in her eyes and the snow-capped mountains standing in their full glory, intimidating the sun. She looked ethereally beautiful as her eyes focused somewhere into nature. She turned towards Prathna and gave her a smile that quite did not reach her eyes.

"Armaan and Veer were the sons of Tej and Avantika Raichand. Veer was much younger than Armaan, being born well later during Armaan's teens. Tej and Avantika dotted over both their sons, perhaps Armaan a bit more because he was nearing his phasing age."

"What is the phasing age ?"

"Like your kind - the naagins, werewolves have an age. While you complete your transformation to a shape-shifting serpent at 21, werewolves phase for the first time at the age of 23."

Eisha took a pregnant paise inbetween her talk. The surrounding was silent and what could be heard was only the sound of a cricket chirping in he shadows of th night and the bats screeching at the freedom of the dark.

"When Armaan was at the brink of his teens, that was when Veer was born. A full thirteen years younger to Armaan. Armaan used to tell me how he used to capture every memory of Veer as a baby in a corner of his mind so that it would stay forever and how much he loves Veer."

Eisha's face turned from smiling to one of a reaper in a second. Her voice had lost the life that it had, moments earlier as she spoke

"And then the fateful night happened. Veer was just 18 years old. The family was out hunting. Veer was trailing behind his mother while his father and Armaan were leading at the front. It was on that fateful night that both Tej and Avantika were shot dead."

"How did Veer and Armaan get away to safety ?"

"Armaan always told me that he did what he was asked to do. He whisked Veer away to safety. And that was the last night of Veer's human life."

"But didn't you just tell me that werewolves phase at the age of 23 for the first time ? Veer was just 18"

"Prathna. Physical maturity and mental maturity are two different concepts. When your mind gets an inclination of something severe or when you witness a grave phenomenon, your body reacts differently. Veer's temper combined with the pain of watching his parents die infront of his eyes made him phase quite before the expected age. And he holds Armaan responsible because Veer feels Armaan could have done something to prevent the deaths. His pre-mature phasing came forth with a lot of anger filled within him. When a werewolf phases, he/she is taught basic skills, how to control phasing spells, control and so on. Veer never got any of those. He left the place in a fit of rage and learnt to survive on his own. Prathna, he was always a lone wolf. Surviving alone in the forests and amongst people made him raw. Raw to people but vulnerable to himself. He doesn't realize that he needs people. That is why that get him into loggerheads with Armaan. His sarcasm is his wy of dealing with situations. You know what Prathna. I am happy that he has Shaan. Shaan is a gift. He is the only one that Veer trusts and loves."

Prathna brought her knees together and rested her arms on top of them as she turned towards Eisha even more comfortably. Eisha looked back at her with a knowing look on her face. A look that was asking if she were understanding what was being told to her. She was remembering her own situation. Her mother and father stabbed by her aunt Mehak as a token of revenge. How she had cried over their lifeless souls, how she had killed Mehak in a fit of rage and disappeared under the Earth. Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered he loved ones and she blinked them away.