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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
[A/N: I don't own the copyrights for the lyrics used in this chapter, it's taken from Manmohana from Jodha Akbar. Added the link above, feel free to play it on a loop in the background while reading.]
***
Aastha hurried upstairs, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach. When she reached the floor, her steps faltered as faint music and the soft jingling of anklets filled the air. Walking past a small corridor, she noticed the room she had seen earlier from downstairs—the one under renovation.
As she approached, realization struck—someone was dancing. But why would anyone be dancing close to midnight in an unused part of the building?
Who could it be? What on earth was going on?
The lyrics of the song grew clearer as Aastha moved closer. It was a devotional tune, calling out to Lord Krishna. Confused, but drawn in, she pressed on. The room was vast, with windows lining the corridor. The sound of dance steps echoed, vibrating through the floor.
Aastha's breath hitched as she peered inside through one of the windows. The curtains billowed wildly in the heavy breeze sweeping through the hall. Her eyes widened in shock.
It was Kiara.
She was wearing the ghunghrooslike the ones they had seen at Rudragarh Fort. Dressed in a long, flowing skirt and a crop top, Kiara danced as though nothing else in the world existed. Her movements so intense it shook Aastha to her core.
Aastha stared, aghast. Kiara's steps, her flow, her energy—it all felt different. Unnatural. The song that was playing was on a constant loop, and Kiara didn't pause for even a second. She danced as though she would never stop.
There was pain, anger, and an overwhelming storm of emotions in every step. The sight terrified her, but Aastha couldn't tear herself away. She couldn't make sense of what was happening—or why.
Despite her fear, Aastha found herself moving down the corridor, her gaze locked on Kiara through each passing window. The curtains danced with the music, vibrating to the rhythm that was now painfully loud, loud enough to make Aastha's head throb.
Finally, she reached the door and tried to unlock it, but it wouldn't budge. A wave of anxiety washed over her. She took a deep breath and, with all her strength, pushed the door open. To her surprise, it swung open easily, pulling her inside with more force than she expected. Aastha stumbled, staring at the door, her mind racing with confusion and fear.
But she had no time to process what just happened. Her attention was drawn back to Kiara, whose dance had become even more intense. The song was playing slowly, and its lyrics were of a devotee's cry to Lord Krishna. Every word, was her longing, yearning to her beloved Mohana.
"Kiara?" Aastha called, her voice trembling.
But Kiara seemed completely lost in the dance, not sparing Aastha a glance. The final verse of the song began, and Kiara twirled endlessly, her movements more frantic with each turn. Aastha watched in horror, her own head spinning just watching her friend. "Kiara!" she shouted.
