The Echos Through Time

3. Whispers Across Time

As Ritik and Nayantara made their way toward the temple, the sun slowly set, casting long shadows through the trees. Ritik, with a hint of curiosity, asked, "Nayan, why did you give them the translation candy? You could've stayed back, and a guard could have come with me."

Nayantara, thoughtful, replied, "Yeah, I know. But our things are very different from what they're used to, and I don't want anyone else handling them. If anything falls into the wrong hands, we'll be in trouble when we go back. We could be charged, put on trial. As for the candy, I'll wipe their memories about us before we leave, so it won't cause problems later."

Ritik raised an eyebrow and teased, "Oh, so much planning in that tiny brain of yours." He poked her playfully.

Nayantara smirked, "After all, I am your wife." She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips before they gathered their things from near the temple.

Meanwhile, back at the camp, the royal family was preparing for the night. They gathered around the fire as the women finished cooking. The men sat in one circle while the women sat separately. Rhea, curious and hungry, approached the men. Dhruv, the ex-king, looked at her, a hint of emotion in his eyes as if remembering someone dear. "What happened, my child?" he asked.

Rhea, with innocent eyes, replied, "I'm hungry, uncle."

The men chuckled, trying to hold back their laughter. Virendra smiled and said, "Child, you should call him 'Dada Sa.'"

Rhea, confused, asked, "Dada Sa? What does that mean?"

Just then, the womens brought food to the men, and as they all sat down to eat, Devi, Dhruv's wife and former queen, gently explained, "Dada Sa means he is elder than you and your parents, like your father's father."

Rhea furrowed her brow in thought and then said, "But I don't know my papa's papa."

A silence fell over the group. The royal family felt a twinge of sadness. Rajendra, the current king of Magadha, seemed especially affected, though he couldn't explain why his heart was breaking. Devi continued softly, "Well, think of him like your father's mother then."

Rhea quickly shook her head and said, "No way! Aishi isn't that old like him. She always says she's younger than papa."

Intrigued, Devi asked, "Who is Aishi?"

"Aishi is my grandmother, papa's mother," Rhea explained. "She tells me to call her Aishi because calling her 'Dadi' makes her feel old."

The group laughed heartily at the little girl's story. Rhea added, "Aishi is so beautiful and strong. She can even lift me up on her shoulders! When papa tried, his back hurt."

The royals laughed even more at Rhea's animated storytelling. Rajendra, who had never been intrigued by anyone since the loss of his soulmate, leaned in with interest. "Is she really that beautiful? More beautiful than anyone here?"

Rhea, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, whispered, "Of course, but don't tell anyone! If my aunty hears, she won't give me pocket money anymore." She mimed a finger to her lips, and everyone chuckled.

Dhruv, feeling warmth after so many years, smiled and asked, "Okay, we won't tell your aunty. But is your Dadi really so beautiful?"

The royal family gasped—Dhruv rarely smiled or joked after the loss of someone dear to them. Devi, watching her husband's joy, felt a warmth in her heart.

Rhea, determined not to back down, said, "Of course! Wait, I'll show you!" She tapped her wristwatch, causing a blue screen to suddenly appear in the sky in front of them. The royals stared, astonished by the strange device, as Rhea navigated through her photos.

Dev intruiguedly, asked, "What is this, Rhea?"

"Oh, this is something... You can see pictures and call on it," Rhea replied excitedly. "Here it is—this is my Aishi! See, I told you she's not that old!"

The laughter quickly died. As the royal family stared at the image of Aishi on the screen, their smiles faded. They recognized the woman in the picture—she was the very person they had been searching for, the one who had vanished from their lives years ago.

Arpita, Dev's wife and queen of Kalinga, mumbled in disbelief, "Impossible... This can't be..."

With trembling hands, Arpita turned to Rhea and softly asked, "Rhea, what is your Aishi's full name?"

Rhea, scratching her head in thought, replied, "I think it's Aishi... No, that's her nickname. Her full name is Aishwarya."

The royal family exchanged tearful glances. The name echoed through their hearts, stirring memories of the one they had lost.

Rajendra couldn't believe his eyes. It was his soulmate, the love of his life, whom he had been missing all these years. His heart ached as he gazed at the image of Aishwarya on the screen. Devi, trying to hold back tears, leaned closer and gently asked Rhea, "Is there more, my dear?"

Rhea, smiling, nodded eagerly. "Yes! There's more!" She swiped through the photos, one by one, explaining each situation with childlike excitement. "This is when Aishi and I went out for a night drive to get some ice cream... This one is us eating our favorite ice cream... Oh, and this is when we went on vacation together..."

As Rhea continued showing pictures, a strange sound suddenly interrupted the moment—a ringtone that startled the royals. They exchanged confused glances, trying to understand what was happening.

Rajendra asked, "What is this strange sound?"

Rhea, without missing a beat, answered, "Oh, it's a call! Aishi is video-calling me."

Rajendra, puzzled, asked, "What does 'video-calling' mean?"

Rhea smiled, "it means Aishi can talk to me and see me, and I can see her and talk to her, right now!"

The royal family gasped in disbelief. Rajendra, overwhelmed with emotion, knelt beside Rhea and asked, "You mean... we can see her and speak to her?"

"Yes!" Rhea exclaimed cheerfully.

Dhruv, holding back his emotions, asked cautiously, "Rhea, can we see her, but... without her knowing we're here? Will she still be able to see you, but not us?"

Rhea nodded confidently, "Sure!" She tapped her wrist, accepting the call.

On the other side, in the future, a stunning woman appeared on the screen. Her features were flawless, and her medium-length black hair framed her face perfectly. Despite the passage of time, she hadn't aged a day. Aishwarya, dressed in a bathrobe, looked radiant as a team of stylists worked on her for an upcoming red carpet event.

She was casually talking to the people around her. "We've arrived earlier than expected. Why don't you all go have dinner and come back in 45 minutes?"

The head designer, a bit hesitant, asked, "Are you sure, Aishwarya?"

"Of course!" Aishwarya laughed, waving them off. "I need to eat something before the event, or I'll starve to death."

The designer chuckled and teased, "Aishi, you foodie! But don't eat too much—you still need to fit into the gown!"

Aishwarya grinned, "Don't worry, I won't! Go ahead, I'll be fine."

As her team left, Aishwarya moved to the side to get some food, settling at the table. A sudden thought crossed her mind. It had been a while since she last spoke to her granddaughter, and she missed her terribly. "I'll go visit her after the red carpet, but still let me call her," she mused to herself to call her grand-daughter

Back in the ancient era, Rhea joyfully greeted her, "Hi, Aishi! How are you?"

Aishwarya's face lit up at the sight of her granddaughter. "I'm good, baby! How are you? is daddy not feeding you ah?"

The royal family stared in shock at the blue screen in front of them. It was undeniably her—the woman they had been searching for, the one they had lost years ago. Tears welled up in their eyes as they watched Aishwarya speak so casually, unaware of the emotional storm she had just unleashed.