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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"Did you get your answers?" Gouri Devi, Aastha's grandmother, asked as she followed her into the room.
Aastha sighed, sitting on the bed. "I'm not sure, Daadi sa."
"Why, darling? What happened?" Gouri Devi's voice was filled with concern.
"I intended something else, but something entirely different happened," Aastha said sadly, shivering at the memory of her confrontation with the crows.
Gouri Devi gently caressed Aastha's hair. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Aastha shook her head, her eyes growing moist. "Not yet, Daadi sa."
Gouri Devi smiled softly. "I'm here for you whenever you're ready."
"Thank you, Daadi sa," Aastha said, resting her head on her grandmother's lap. Gouri Devi was a bit surprised by the gesture but felt her heart warm as she stroked Aastha's head lovingly.
***
"You need to check the fittings for all these dresses, jiji!" Saanvi called out as she entered the room with Meenu, their maid. Behind her, two more maids rolled in a rack full of traditional and Western outfits.
Aastha, still drained from the trip, was in no mood for fittings. "Later, Saanvi," she groaned, flopping onto the bed.
Saanvi shook her head firmly. "Nope, not happening! Maa sa specifically said this has to be done by tonight, or she's going to withhold my favorite designer wear. She thinks you've been lazy avoiding your fittings."
Aastha sighed in frustration. "I wasn't lazy, I was busy!"
"Yeah, busy at Rudragarh," Saanvi shot back, sarcasm lacing her words. She hadn't been happy about the trip and had made her displeasure clear. If Aastha hadn't insisted, they wouldn't have gone. During the trip, Saanvi stuck close to their cousins, giving Aastha and Veer some private time while still keeping a watchful eye on her sister.
Little did she know what would unfold at the fort. By the time she reached Aastha, the drama had already happened. When Suraj recounted the events, Saanvi was shocked, and she'd been silently blaming herself ever since for not staying closer to Aastha.
Noticing the worry lines forming on Saanvi's forehead, Aastha stepped in front of her. "What's wrong, sweetie?"
Saanvi looked up, her eyes misty. "I'm such a bad sister, aren't I?"
"What? Why would you even say that?"
"I should have stayed with you at the fort," Saanvi mumbled.
Aastha suppressed a smile. "Oh? And what would you done?"
"I don't know... maybe I could've fought with you... protected you..."
