Manjha A String of Complicated Relations

Where was her life heading to?

The next few days, all Shambhavi did was study and work tirelessly on her drills. Studying had always been a priority for Shambhavi but after everything, it had become more than that it was. It was a way to be herself, to not lose her sanity. That was the one thing in her life that was completely her own.

Nothing would have stopped her from making this dream turn into a reality, a reality her mother had wanted for herself and later on for Shambhavi.

But Aniket's betrayal had come with a sense of such numbness that she could never have foreseen it. So, it had almost made her lose sight.

But Shambhavi Sakshi Vyas had not been through all this trouble and hardships in her life to let all her efforts go in vain over a man, even if the man might have had a reason she could not think of right now.

So, she gave it all she could. She pushed forward no matter how much she wanted to cry, no matter how much Choti Ma and Nitya called her to try and talk to her. She pushed forward.

And it was only a matter of days before the exams started. The written exam had been a breeze and the drill was even easier. For some reason, a broken heart could get you much better at physical drills, channelling the hurt and anger into those drills.

Shambhavi was sure that she would be an officer. It was, after all, the one thing she had stepped into the academy for but then she had not even fathomed what this one year would bring to her.

On the last day of the examination, Aarti called her and asked her, well, more like pleaded to her to come home after the exams, Nitya and Adhya had been called home as well. At first, she thought Aarti meant the Vyas home but later Aarti clarified that she needed to go home as in the Vashisht Haveli.

Shambhavi would have outright denied but the urgency in Aarti's voice had Shambhavi thinking that it might not be a bad idea to go home to Vashisht Haveli; she needed answers.

Shambhavi had realised one thing after she had given her Strategies exams, that there was no one better at making strategies in the army than Aniket Rai Chauhan other than her father, and because her father still had no idea that Shambhavi and Aniket were getting married, she assumed he had no hand in this.

It was clear that something big was at play here. Something beyond her vision, something that involved her grandfather, Narayan Vashisht.

So, she asked if Anisha and Anant wanted to accompany her which they did not even take a second to agree to. She was lucky to have such friends, she thought. Of course, Advith had also agreed to come even though no one had asked.

Advith had surprised Shambhavi in a sense no one ever did. He had given up his friend's side for her sake and when she had asked why, he had replied, "He broke my sister's heart when he already knew the consequences to that happening. I warned him way before." And with that, he had won her and Anisha's heart all over again.

So, the day came and all of them went back to Kumbhalgarh, only this time they took a different road to a different house.

When they reached the Vashisht mansion, Shambhavi was overwhelmed with the memories from her childhood. She was born there; it was where she learned to walk and talk, where she became an elder sister.

Speaking of the sisters, both the Vyas sisters were also waiting at the gates looking at the big gate and even larger Haveli.

Shambhavi also exited the car to go and stand with them looking at the house that should have been theirs. All the Vyas sisters had so many emotions running through their minds: what the hell were they doing, why had they been called there, and would they meet their father, their family?

Raghav came running out of the house and looked at all his sisters, his elder sisters that he never got to play with or ever grow up with, the sisters who he should have been able to tease and fight with over the remote.

The gate was opened and out came the rest of the family with Aarti and Yash at the front and the rest of the family not there. Shambhavi saw Narayan Vashisht who looked as if he had swallowed a whole citrusy lemon, watching them from what she assumed was his room.

Aarti looked happy, and so did Yash. He looked proud and on the verge of tears. Yash had dreamt of this moment for so long and today it was finally happening. 20 years was a long time. His girls were coming back home.

He looked at Adhya standing there behind her husband, an air force officer, and he was so proud. She was so much like him but much like their mother too. It warmed his heart to see that she was happy and successful.

Next, he looked towards Nitya, his youngest daughter, barely a year older than Raghav. She was a bundle of joy. Even from where he was standing, he could see her eyes bright, full of wonder, light and determination. She was constantly looking at her sister and Yash knew that something was up between Nitya and Shambhavi and from the way Aarti had been tense, she was involved as well.

Yash just smiled and shook his head at the girls. They would be back to their usual selves again as soon as whatever misunderstanding there would be cleared up.

And, finally, his eyes landed on Shambhavi. She was looking somewhere else, so he also followed her line of sight to see his father. Yash gave him a smile that told him his days were few.

Shambhavi and Yash both looked towards each other and Yash smiled widely. Shambhavi also gave a small smile and they both knew they were on the way to mending everything. Yash gave her a small bow which made all the girls smile.

Arti waited as the girls came inside the gate and towards the main door of the house. She, funnily enough, was waiting with an aarti in her hand. Nitya and Raghav both giggled at the scene, and Adhya smacked both of them and Shambhavi shushed them all.

Yash's happiness knew no bounds.

Arti did the aarti and let the girls enter the house.

Shambhavi remembered the house a little bit and it was mostly the same, a grand living room with an overly extravagant chandelier, a set of stairs leading up towards the rooms, and a sofa set that while looking very pretty, was very uncomfortable to sit on, and all curtains were red which she thought was too much.

Everyone went in talking and Yash stopped Shambhavi to talk about something.

"I will need all of you to be a bit patient today. The upcoming days will happen to be very... dramatic," Yash told Shambhavi.

Shambhavi knew even her father was planning something. " What is it with all of you making secret plans and strategies you tell no one about?" Shambhavi said, a bit exasperated with all the secret plannings.

"Because if it is a secret then it saves those who do not know about it. It's Strategy One o One, Bhavi," Yash said.

Shambhavi shook her head at his inner teacher, "Well, I do not like secrets," she said pouting a bit.

"Yes, but the secrets will be revealed, Bhavi. And things can get dangerous for you and your sisters. If that happens, I have a plan set. Advith and someone else will be here to take you girls away till I sort everything just in case something inadvertent happens. I tried contacting Aniket but I could not get in touch with him at the base," Yash said gravely.

Shambhavi registered everything but when he said that he could not get in touch with Aniket, she almost lost her footing.

"You can't get in touch with Aniket but why? He has been sent to Leh, right?" Shambhavi was utterly confused as to what was happening.

Yash looked like he did not want to tell Shambhavi the news but he did.

"Well I just know that he arrived and joined his post. After that, he went towards zone zero and then nothing. Even Advith can't contact his Battalion nor his base. We will wait for 2 more days before another battalion is sent in for a rescue mission."

Shambhavi once again could not fathom what was happening, what would happen and where was her life heading to?