Us again

2-baby steps

Avinav Singh Raizada stepped inside Sheesh Mahal with his assistant. The assistant handed the gifts to the servant.
   Ratna,Amar Mallik greeted the elder Raizada with faces full of smiles. They sat down to have chit chats. Avinav noticed every time the topic of children were brought forward,it would be Anjali as their main point. Arnav was never mentioned,like he was not their own.
  
   It was all piling up his suspicion of something amiss. The time Ratna gave birth to was coincidentally same as his daughter in law,and they were both hospitalized in same hospital. And the sudden death of new born Raizada prince and healthy baby of premature birth of Ratna,when doctor clearly said that Ratna's baby was in danger and it was too difficult to save.
   Not to mention,how could he forget that Ratna was the daughter of the man who tried to kill him.
    Malliks obvious to the thoughts of elderly Raizada,were happy seeing the expensive gifts brought over by the man.

  All busy in their own thing failed to notice a little toddler from distance who was monitoring each and every expressions of the people in front of him.

   "Well,its time for action" thought Arnav to himself and smirked.
(Well,you can imagine a two year old toothless toddler smirk.)
  Arnav walked slowly limping towards the hall. In fact he was crawling with his little chubby legs and red eyes. There was paleness on his face and dark purple mark on his forehead. It was so pitiable that even a ghost would pity him. But the great devil was smirking inside.
  "Nanaji" called a small voice.
  And the elder Raizada looked towards the voice only to find a pale Arnav with big purple bruise on his head. The child was looking like a fearful bunny and had teary eyes.
  Avinav Singh Raizada came to confirmation that Arnav was treated badly by Malliks due to him being not their own child. So he decided to make sure of his doubt.
   The elderly Raizada knelt in front of the pale toddler and took him in his arms. Arnav began to wail loudly. And it caught the att3ntion of the greedy couple and their daughter.
   Ratna came close to them and began chiding Arnav for his behavior. Even Anjali accompanied her mother and raised her hand to slap the now standing and whimpering Arnav. Arnav cowered in fear and his behind Avinav's back.
   "Enough Anjali" shouted Avinav.
   Anjali and Ratna stopped in their tracks.
   "I am taking Arnav to hospital with me. He is burning in fever" said Avinav Singh Raizada in his low but powerful voice and picked up Arnav in his arms and walked out of Sheesh Mahal.
   Arnav,who was in Avinav's arm began to shed tears in the memory of his past life. His grand father died after his visit to Sheesh Mahal by an accident. Now he was sure it was Malliks who were the reason behind his death.
    Avinav looked at the child in his arms and felt very sad. He might be a true heir to Raizada and Raghubansi family and here he was tortured by servant family.
    Arnav fell asleep in his grandfather's arms. He was a toddler after all.
    Avinav Singh Raizada did not go to any hospital. He put some cold clothes on Arnav's head to reduce his temperature and ordered to directly go to Delhi.
   He had to confirm his doubts and protect the child.