Riya was dreaming..
Then
" Baba you got me a doll", asked a young girl.
" Yes Dhara".
Who is Dhara?
" Baba what did you get me", asked a boy a bit elder to her.
" A toy horse Dhruv" , said their father.
Dhruv??
" Swami", a woman entered.
" Sumati", said the man.
" Brother Gautam and Aditi are here", she said.
Aditi....
Now
Riya awoke with a jerk. Aditi.. Aditi again. What was this dream about? How was she related to Aditi?
She looked around. She was in some kind of hut. She was covered with a man's jacket. HIS UNMISTAKABLY. Sandalwood scent. She was on a bed of hay. A fire burned. Something was cooking in a clay pot. It smelled okay. She was hungry. Her stomach growled. Just then someone entered. HIM.
The Devil.
He was the last person she wished to see and talk to. She closed her eyes faking sleep.
Vikram stirred the rice and duck stew he was cooking. He added a few herbs and salt. She was awake he knew. He sighed as he remembered.
Then
" We are all going to hell", said Kishan.
" First I am sending that two faced wh*re there", said Lakhan.
" She was bragging about how she destroyed Gunjan", said Adheer.
They were talking about Reshma.
" I whipped her", said Lakhan angrily.
" I am the biggest culprit", said Srikant as he drank. " My sins will never be forgiven "
Dheeraj said nothing. Rajjo left him. She was now living as an ascetic in Agni's ashram.
Now
She slowly peeped at him. He was shirtless. A fine young man. Young? His chest looked well built and strong. His biceps, his chiseled abs. Shiva help her. His back.. Oh Shiva!! So many scars. His face sharp jaw and those lips. She had felt yhem. She started feeling hot.
" You can open your eyes and properly ogle me beautiful", said a deep voice. " I am all yours."
Okay busted.. whatever.
Her eyes fluttered open.
" So you can even read minds"? She raised a brow.
" No I saw you peeping", he chuckled. " Hungry"?
Her stomach growled again. Traitor.
She shrugged. " Yeah".
As they ate rice and duck with vegetables she asked,
" Where are we"?
" An abandoned house in a small isolated village", he replied.
" Food"?
" Nearby farm", he replied.
" Hmm", she said." Can we go home now"?
" I don't think so. A storm was brewing and you conveniently passed out on me", he said.
"Are you brewing this storm to keep me locked here with you", she asked angrily.
" Intriguing idea", he smiled. " But nah pass. I was badly hurt remember. This is your Shiva's doing".
" Y.you h.hurt y.yourself", she stammered
" B.blood, head crack", she sobbed. " All the bones breaking", she teared up.
" Heeey ssshhhh", he hugged her. " Its okay. Its okay. I am fine", he said.
" I am supposed to hate you", she cried. " I still hate you".
" Acceptable, now drink water", he said. He gave her some water. She drank slowly.
" You should not pull such stunts", she said. " It does not impress me".
" It was not for your benefit. It just eases the pain", he said.
" Pain"?
" In here", he pointed at his heart.
" You deserve it", she was back in non forgiving mode .
" No arguments ", he said.
"So what are you actually", she asked.
" Monster,Devil or vampire.
He shook his head.
" None of those", he said. " Just a very powerful human. An elemental ", he answered.
" Elemental", she was confused.
" One who controls forces of nature Air , water, fire, earth and sky", he said.
She remembered the storm and hurricane. She shivered.
" How is life as an immortal? What did you do for so many years", she asked casually.
" Life is tiring and lonely. All your loved ones leave you. Making bonds. Death of others. Its painful", he said.
He halted.
" And all I did these years is try to find a weapon that could kill me", he said.
" Y.you want to die", she asked. " Why"?
He shrugged.
" To end the curse. To end my miseries. To leave this sinful dirty body. Just like you wished back then".
" What about your father" she asked.
" He knows and understands", said Vicky . " He is my support system; the reason I could go on."
And what about me? She wished to ask it. But could not.
" Do you think of past? Or remember someone", she asked.
" I miss Kishan", he said remebering his friend.
Then
" I have decided to leave army after this battle. I bought a farm and bulls in the village", Kishan said to him.
" Why", asked Adheer. " You were about to be promoted."
" I can't be away from Radha", he shrugged.
Srikant patted his back. " Good decision".
" Even I wish to do the same", said Dheeraj. " I will be a scribe".
" What about you", Srikant asked Lakhan.
" I don't know. I am uneducated and have no talents except for fighting", he said. He can't leave Meera right.
Now
" Do you think they are reborn too", asked Riya.
" Maybe", he shrugged.
" I miss Rajjo", she said. " She was my wing woman".
" Yeah a bit too much", said Vicky. He looked irritated.
Then
" You cannot keep her locked up in room for whole day", argued Rajjo. " It is girls time".
She was arguing with Srikant.
" You just kick a stone here and there or throw a rubber ring", said Srikant.
" We also complain to each other about our husbands", she said haughtily
" NOW THIS I WANT TO HEAR", Srikant said looking pointedly at Gunjan.
" I..I. n.noo.s.sometimes. M.mostly good", stammered Gunjan.
Now
Vicky and Riya laughed out loud remembering it.
" She sure had a big mouth", said Riya.
" Yeah", he said fondly.
" Will we meet them again someday", she asked.
" I hope so", he replied.
" Will we recognize them and become friends again", she asked.
" We will definitely Gunjan because heart recognises love just like I recognised you".
" I WISH WE ALL COULD BE TOGETHER AGAIN", she wished.
Destiny stirred. It took a turn. Riya felt a shift..Vikram too. It was unrecognizable but a bright future erupted from the depths of dark abyss like a volcano. Light prevailed.
Forever
In the future horses will run, bikes will race, there will be palace, balls, prince , princess, break ups, make ups,courts and board rooms there will be teams, there will be camps and picnics, love songs and dances,there will be arguments, hurts, heartbreaks , also there will be soothing of wounds.
AND ABOVE ALL THERE WILL BE AN ULTIMATE BATTLE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
Penance will pay. And forever will come.
It will be a life of right choices.
A life they imagined and wished.
Riya got a vision.
A man stood in centre of a group of boys and girls.
"This is my team. Our team. We fight and make up. We keep each other's back. No one is prince or king or commander. We all are partners. Merit and talent are my only criteria. Are you with me"?
" Yes we are ", said boys and girls in unision.
The vision ended. This life has to wait.
" Was this forever" , she murmured.
" You saw something", said Vicky brightly.
" I.I", she just stammered.
" Keep it fo yourself. And pray it comes true", he said.
Inspite of the anger she held, justice she craved and the confusion she was in she did.
She prayed for forever. ❤❤