Madhav had drifted to a state of limbo when the security called.
Well.... he knew it. She loves to run away.
He could have stopped her right there, but Madhav knew when not to interfere. And this was a moment she needed to run away from everything to clear her own mind.
The stubborn man lazily lingered in the shadows as she returned to her so called safe nook, her attic.
He stood by her door silently listening to her screams and sobs. Her incoherent mutterings were enough to give him an idea what caused this trauma. But then again, what she perceived was nothing but the truth.
So he decided to give her the space and time she needed to come around.
As the defeated man leaned against the door, his mind drifted off to the dark world of reality. Perhaps Maya was right, sacrificing a woman for every battle is a bad decision. But sometimes women are far more important than power itself. The thought made him sick, but, Madhav knew well losing his game to softness and fruitless emotions was not going to do him any good.After all , everybody is here for a purpose and he was there to ensure that good purposes are fulfilled.
Radharamanmati may have been clueless about her own identity but Madhav could not let her roam free.
Mother Earth manifests herself in women who are born with the gift of love and sensitivity. With each fresh body, a soul gains innumerable possibilities and if nurtured correctly a human body can manifest Divine power. If a woman can be motivated to rise above the world of illusions, she can be the best carrier of the universal grace because she is unknowingly connected to the universe through her willingness to feel unconditional love and reciprocate.
But Radha was more than any normal girl, she is a soul whom the universe is ready to acknowledge for lives of hard work, yet, she herself is not ready to realize that the time has ripened.
She needed to understand herself.
This denial wasn't doing her any good.
It was getting late and finally Madhav decided to knock. He knew he had to take the girl back to his house before people started looking for them.
After two knocks she opened the door quietly and shrank to the corner of her one room flat.
Madhav closed the door silently and took the nearest chair.
Lies had done enough damage, he decided. The silence was uncomfortable and Radha was not remotely interested to break it.
After much thoughts, Madhav took the lead.
"I am him and he is me....."
He said gesturing to the deity.
" I thought it was way too early to let you know.
Can you forgive me?"
She looked up but said nothing.
Madhav felt uncomfortable...
Why ain't she angry?
Why aint she screaming?
Why ain't she attacking?
"Radha.... Please say something...
You have always wanted me... You have always talked to me....
Don't kill me with your silence..."
Finally she looked up.
And Madhav froze.
Burning tearless eyes...
The same he saw after the humiliation at the court...
The same after she lost her sons...
The same when he begged her to get married to the Pandavas...
What has he done!!!
What has he done!!!
"I am hearing Madhav. I am trapped in your cobweb of lies. I will do what I need to do. Tell me."
Madhav could feel his t shirt drenching in sweat. It was easy to manipulate. But what could he say her now?
How much she knows?
What triggered her reactions?
Tactfully he tried to feel her thoughts.
Nothing.
Just darkness.
Madhav frowned.
What was happening?
"Ahem.... I am Madhav, Kiriti is Arjuna and you are..."
PANCHALI. I KNOW.
"I AM SORRY Radha.... Sorry for messing things up....
Kumari Radharamanmati, you are a royal woman denied your rights and I, Madhav Chand Rathore is your bethrowed , chosen by your birth mother and supported by your Foster mother.
We need to take our charge of the Royal duties and now that you know who I am, I can tell you that the woman you saw vanishing earlier is none other than Maya.... Mahamaya, my sister.
We are not amateurs but the real people....."
Uneasy silence continued and Madhav started feeling suffocated.
Finally she spoke, OK.
Madhav frowned. This was not what he anticipated.
"I just wanted to help."
Again silence.
And after a long pause came the next sentence,
"I wish I could choose my life and could live without your help Madhav. Since you have the world to look after, can I have a little bit of my OWN SPACE?"
So, that was it. Someone who didn't want his help. For Madhav, it was hard to process. Very hard. After a few moments, nah... may be after eternity he found his voice,
"If you dont want my help I am ready to let you have things your way. If you dont want a life with me, I will walk away, if you want me to fight for your Estate rights, I will side with you, if you want to become the Royal that you are, I will happily help you achieve it.
Just name it, you have it."
But she was now smirking and shaking her head. What was that spark in her eyes? Madhav fumbled.
Yes, THE MADHAV FUMBLED.
Something definitely didn't look right.
"So, that's all I get to choose from? "
Hands on her hips Radha raised an eyebrow and craned her neck while questioning.
"That's all the Almighty gives me? Three choices of which I care for none?"
Madhav was shocked.
" Ra, it's just a few of many options. You just name it. I promise to make that happen."
"Do I have your promise on that Madhav?"
"Yes"
"100%?"
"Yes."
"I totally doubt you. But fine, I will give you one last chance dear Almighty. If you are really a man of your words, turn back time and let me have things my way."
"Ra, what?"
"You heard me Madhav. If you are who you claim to be, it won't be something difficult for you.
And by now you have made it amply clear to me that you love me and you are my future. If that's so, why are you so insecured and so nosy? Dont you believe that we will end up together by Destiny's Play? You only preach trust in your ways. Then why are you this frickle?
Why cant you let me have things my way?"
"Radha -- I --"
"Can you, or can you not Madhav?Yes or No."
"YES."
"Then wipe out the last 8 days.
Take me to the point where I am just Radha, where my life is tough but it's my own. "
Madhav stood there motionless.
She is something else.
She is burning fire.
And she won't ever make things easy for him.
"Okay Ra. I am going to do that.
Just let me put you to sleep now.
I will meet you in the other side of reality Love."
Radha nodded.
She had said everything in a fit of rage without believing Madhav is who he claims to be. But suddenly, an unknown fear gripped her heart.
What if Madhav is actually Him?
What if He actually puts her back in time?
What if she never ever meet him?
What if .... what if....
Suddenly she wanted to take back everything she said, suddenly she wanted to hug Madhav so that she never loses him.
But she could feel her limbs numbing.
She could feel her eyes drooping.
She wanted to raise her hand to touch Madhav's handsome face one last time.
And then.....
EVERYTHING WENT DARK.
**************************************
Beep.... Beep.... Beep...
She could see the last granules of sand slipping from the hourglass.... The Pince was stretching his hand and she was trying to hold him....
Beep..... Beep..... Beep....
She felt her grip loosening as she began the descent.
He was fading....
But she could still see the hand....
Those fingers.....
The artistic long fingers with a single dazzling solitaire on his index....
Beep.... Beep.... Beep....
She took her last attempt to grab something....
Who are you.... Who are you....
And she fall.
Thump.
Radha landed on her back.
Slowly she opened her eyes.
The alarm was beeping.....
Beep... Beep..... Beep.
Reality sucks.
Monday morning.
Radha groaned.