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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Aastha's face lit up with joy as Veer asked her out on a date. Taking his hand, she felt a rush of excitement spread through her body. "I would love to go on a date with you," she said, unable to hide her happiness.
Veer's grin widened as he led her down a hidden path in the sanctuary. The beauty of the surroundings took Aastha's breath away. When she had visited the sanctuary on New Year's Eve she hadn't fully appreciated its splendour because of the situation. But today, she had all the time in the world to experience its elegance. The changing colours of the evening sky made everything look so serene. Aastha couldn't help but admire the different types of plants, trees, and bird nests that dotted the garden. She turned to Veer, curious to know more about the animals that lived there.
"Are there any animals here?" she asked.
"Unfortunately not too many. But there are plenty of birds, and the pond is filled with all kinds of fish," Veer replied. "We wanted to create a small colourful world here. There are also rabbits and squirrels. They live in the dedicated part of the garden in the far corner away from the prying eyes of lodge customers. We've built warm burrows and tunnels for the rabbits to live in since the weather is always cold around here.."
Aastha's face lit up with excitement. "That's so nice! I would love to see them."
"I'll bring you here in the daytime," Veer promised.
"Okay!" Aastha replied, grinning from ear to ear.
As they walked through the sanctuary, Veer shared stories about his childhood spent playing in the gardens with his grandfather, who had breathed life into the dying garden. Veer's love for wildlife and passion for creating sanctuaries stemmed from this place, where he had felt so connected to nature. Aastha listened intently to his dreams, feeling drawn to him with each passing moment.
They strolled for so long that they didn't even realize how much time had passed. The moon was now shining bright, casting a beautiful glow over the pond as they arrived at the gazebo. Aastha was surprised to see the stunningly decorated gazebo with flowers, hanging lanterns, and a table for two in the middle. This was the same place where she had found Veer two days ago on New Year's Eve.
"Are you impressed?" Veer whispered in her ear from behind.
"If I can be impressed by sharing a cup of chai on the rooftop of a dilapidated building, this is nothing, Veer," Aastha said, giggling.
"I am a prince after all. I had to show off a bit, you know." He winked.
Aastha smiled. "I don't care for luxury, Veer. I am happy even if I am sitting under a tree, inside a cafe, or on a rooftop under the starlit sky. You don't need to show off opulence to impress me, ever."
Veer caressed her cheek, pouting. "Does that mean all of this is for nothing?"
Aastha shook her head. "Of course not, I'm starving! I hope you've got some delicious food on that table."
