Streets were dimly lit in the milky mist. Manik's horse neighed and he knew it was tired after a long journey back home. He patted its neck and got off it. He could walk to the palace. His steps were urgent as he took the final turn towards the big mansion where she must be asleep. It was an entire day since he had seen her face, it was hours since he had breathed without feeling the ache in his heart. The guards at the door opened the gates for him and he handed the rein of his horse to one of the guards. 

Lights of her room were off and he couldn't wait to hold her in arms. With each passing day, he was realizing how she had become the sole reason of his existence. If she wasn't there, he didn't know what he was for. He was alive for her. In all these years of his extant, he finally knew why he survived. He turned the knob and pushed open the door. Her room was cold and he knew within a second how she wasn't there. He could read her warmth without even looking at her. Clock showed two in the morning and he wondered where would she be. It didn't take much time for him to realize where she was and a smile adorned his lips as he rushed out of that palace. 

________________

The wood crackled in the fireplace and Nandini stirred in her sleep. The warm mattress embraced her more as she shifted on his pillow. His cottage was bathing in orange of fire as she slept there all cuddled up in his bed. Manik entered the cottage stealthily and found it all warmed up. The small kitchen had something cooked on the stove while a book was left opened on the single chair beside fireplace. He closed it and turned towards his bed to find her fast asleep. He sighed deep as he gazed her calm face. Walking to his bed, he took in her soothing presence. How he had missed her entire day! He bent down and kissed her temple tenderly. She smiled sweet in her slumber as if acknowledged him. His fingers brushed the stray wisps off her face. 

Manik walked to the closet and took off his dirty overcoat. Discarding his upper body clothes, he walked to the bed. He needed the healing only she could provide. He knew since always how he was outlandish for this world. Every time he walked amid people, he felt more empty. She was the only one with whom he felt home.    

It felt like sin as he touched her warm flesh with his cold hands. Nandini flinched and then woke up in haste as he wrapped his hard cold arms around her. He was freezing cold. She shivered as she looked into his ached eyes. A smile played on her lips and he reciprocated it. They both kept looking into each other's eyes for minutes without uttering a word. His flesh started to warm over, his soul started to thaw out and he leaned in where he could sip the life off her lips. She closed her eyes and he kissed her softly. Soon enough, there was no space for frost amid them and they burned in same fire which stood for life. Her eyes scanned his as he parted. His arm was her headrest and his body her quilt. 

"How was your day?" She asked caressing his cheek. 

"Today was no day," He answered kissing her cheek tenderly. His words always had been puzzling. 

"The day starts now," He said and turned on his back gathering her along in his arms. She rolled over and adjusted her head on his chest while he sighed in content. 

"Your work, is it done?" She asked knowing how he was away for no work but for his inner turmoil. 

He didn't speak for few minutes while she didn't wonder why he hadn't. She could feel in his chest as she heard his heartbeats. 

"There was no work," He answered when her eyelids were getting heavier. She did hear him but chose not to ask any further. She knew he needed this sleep more than her. She curled up more into him while he covered them both in quilt. Soon enough, his breaths were even and she allowed herself to dive into deep slumber. 

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Nandini looked at him for nth time as she dried her wet hair with his towel. He was pretending to be asleep, she knew. She knew his each move. She knew when he woke up early morning and kept gazing her. She knew when he chose to pretend he was asleep just to see her carry out her morning chores. She bit her lower lip as she realized how intimate the detailing were. She felt closer to him as she felt his piercing gaze on her back. she knew how intently he was looking at her. 

"Stop staring," She spoke not being able to take in any further. She heard him sigh and then bed churning as he got up. 

He walked behind her and she felt his heat on her back. She didn't dare to look into mirror and kept fighting her tangled hair with the comb. 

His fingers touched her bare back and she quivered. Her eyes shot up to meet his in mirror. He still hadn't put on his shirt. He didn't step back meeting her eyes but moved his fingers on her back. Her wet wisps were clinging to her skin and he certainly didn't like it. His arms wove around her in summon and her wet back found warmth of his torso. 

His lips started to leave a trail of kisses in side of her neck while she found it intoxicating to put a stop. Picking her up, he put her on kitchen slab and reached out for her lips. She could see a glimpse of longing in his eyes before he shut them taking her lips in his. She soughed as his fingers tangled her wet wisps more. He was keen as mustard. She hadn't seen this side of him before. He had always reined himself around her. Her palms cupped his cheeks as she pulled away. Joining their foreheads, she worked her thumbs on his cheeks to calm him down. His hands now rested on her waist. She opened her eyes and saw his beautiful orbs adoring her. A smile was there on his lips and she sighed in content. He was in good mood. 

"I am starving," He said and that left Nandini amused. Her heart filled with joy and she jumped off the slab. It was the first time when he had expressed his human needs. She rushed to cook something in glee and then heard him chuckle. 

Did she do something hilarious? She wondered and shrugged her shoulders. 

He walked to freshen up and she indulged herself in cooking something delicious for them. 

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A scroll was lying on the table and Aabid pondered over something grave. Someone knocked the door and he hastily discarded the scroll in the fire. Asking the person to come in, he waited nervously. Manik entered the room and Aabid apparently tried to loosen up his facial muscles. 

"Manik," He got up and hugged Manik. 

Manik embraced him and Aabid withdrew in haste. The air was thick as Manik found a seat for himself in the messy room. 

"A lot of files," He quipped and Aabid's eyes traveled to the fireplace to see if scroll was burnt or not. It didn't escape Manik's eyes but he chose not to make it obvious. 

"Too much work, I guess," Aabid chuckled and then rubbed his palms together. 

"You weren't anywhere to be seen since two days," Aabid asked and Manik leaned into big chair observing the big man. Something was surely wrong with Aabid. He had been avoiding talking to Manik ever since they had come to this town. He looked sick half of the times they met. 

"I was around. I guess you were too occupied to notice," Manik answered calmly and gave a fair chance to Aabid to open up. 

"What's going on, Aabid Bhai?" He asked straight forwardly not getting an answer. 

Aabid looked into his eyes and flinched. 

"Nothing is going on. I guess I am overworked. Maybe that's why," He replied nervously. 

"Work had never fazed you. We have seen worse than this," Manik tried to dig out. 

"You're hiding something?" He asked and Aabid Bhai's face transitioned from horror to infuriated. 

"Stop fuzzing over it, Manik. I am not hiding it anything, Damn it. Can't you see I have been working endlessly?" He yelled and Manik straightened. His doubts were shaping up. Something was terribly wrong with Aabid. 

No one spoke for a minute. Aabid Bhai saw Manik getting up and then leaving room quietly. And that meant he had given away more than he could afford. He hid his face in his palms and groaned. 

The last piece of that scroll crackled in the fire and it blazed as if foretelling the upcoming inferno. 

_____________________

Aryan walked into admin office in a foul mood and collided with someone. Nandini winced as she rubbed her shoulder while Aryan muttered a sorry. He resumed his absentminded stroll and this time collided with a side table making the vase fall. The vase shattered into countless pieces and every one in corridor came to halt. 

"Are you fine?" Nandini asked unsure and he looked at her with a mix of anger and helplessness. Nandini felt so unsure meeting his irrational eyes. She could see something was going inside him. 

"In my office, Aryan," She said looking at people around and walked away. She was sure he would't come but she couldn't let him go knowing how disturbed he looked. 

The knob of her office turned and she saw Aryan walking inside. He looked turbulent. He walked to the window instead of taking the seat. Nandini thought to give him some time. 

"You can talk if you wish to," She said after a long time and he turned around. His face was illegible. 

"I am not sure if I can," He said shrugging his shoulders. 

"You can, Aryan," Nandini spoke softly. She had seen him as family. No matter what, truth couldn't be altered that he was half brother of Manik and had helped them at various occasions. 

"I don't think anyone would understand," He said unsure and took the chair across table. 

"If you keep bottling it up, You would end up doing something stupid. You know that, right?" Nandini reminded him. She had observed him and now could predict what he would do next. 

"Is it about your mother?" She asked and his facial expressions turned violent. 

"She was a good lady. There's nothing about her which would trouble me," He barked vehemently. 

Nandini licked her lips and decided not to be too upfront. She was surely the wrong person to press such buttons. 

"Then what?" She asked meekly and he palmed his face. 

"Aashi knows our mother in so wrong light. She still thinks how our mother was cruel with him," He blurted out finally. Him was supposed to be Manik, She guessed. 

"Aashi loves her mother so dearly, Aryan. I have listened to her when she remembered her. There's nothing like..." Nandini tried to reason him when he interrupted her brutally. 

"She cries for Manik at Ma's death anniversary when she should have mourned for our mother. She silently questions her when she should have understood our mother," He yelled in sheer defense. 

Nandini gaped him not knowing what to say. She didn't know how to reason his insecurity. 

"It isn't wrong to feel sad for two people you love equally," She said after a long pause and he glared her. 

"Manik is no comparison to my mother. He is just one illegitimate son of my father,"  He scowled and a sigh escaped Nandini's lips, "My mother was no evil. She just couldn't love a bastard."

 "Enough," Nandini said loudly and then tamed her raging mind. It was like million of needles had stung her and she was on fire. She closed her eyes and sighed deep. 

"You are at no place to judge him on the basis of what he hasn't chosen," She hammered each word and then got up to leave the room before she ended up saying something hurtful. 

______________________

Aashi pierced the delicate flower with the long needle and added one more flower into the garland she was making. Sitting alone in the garden was peaceful and she could finally feel at home. The previous day was not easy for any of them and she was glad they all survived without losing it to their demons. 

Someone joined her on long bench and she smiled knowing who it was. 

"Making garland for your groom?" Manik asked and she giggled. 

"No, for your bride," She answered and he looked away. Throwing a flower into the stream, he sighed deep. 

"I think you should ask her if she likes marigold," He replied and Aashi looked at him amused. He wasn't tainted like every past year but was at peace. He looked fine. She shifted on bench and put her head on his arm. 

"Thank you," She uttered without a reason and he wrapped his arm around her. None of them spoke for few heavenly moments. It was after long they both had shared such tranquil moment. Aashi smiled as she remembered Nandini. If she wasn't there in Manik's life, he would have beaten him up to the dark hole yet again. She didn't know how she could thank Nandini for being there for her brother. Her eyes welled up and she sniffled involuntarily. 

Manik looked at her at once and found her smiling through tears. 

"That's why I don't act normal because you start behaving abnormal," He quipped and she hit him on arm. 

_____________________________

"She just couldn't love a bastard."

Aryan's words rang in Nandini's ears and her blood boiled more. She had found herself a lone place in that big building where she could calm herself down. It was a huge portico which opened up to heavenly view of snow capped mountains. The cold wind wasn't living up to its trait. Her heart was still on fire. How this world saw Manik didn't concern her but she couldn't even imagine how deep it must have cut him growing up listening to such salutations.

"I usually come here to think," Veer spoke as he joined her. Nandini looked away and wiped the tiny tear off her face which had left her orb. 

"It calms your mind in no time,"  He added and looked at Nandini. She smiled at him in acknowledgment. 

"It is failing to calm me down, though," She replied and Veer chuckled. 

"I guess the fire was too vehement," He quipped and she took a deep sigh. Her emotions were at display and she didn't like it. 

"What brought you here?" She asked changing the topic. 

"A good news," He said with a grin and showed her an envelop. 

Nandini took it and opened the letter. As she read it, a smile played on her lips. Veer kept adoring her genuine smile as she ended up reading the letter. 

"South is ready to help us," He said and she almost jumped in her place. She looked at the vast lake and then at sky bidding some gratitude. 

"I can't believe it," She muttered and Veer giggled. 

"Your plan worked. They are ready to send their army," He said it aloud and she nodded. 

"Papa would be so happy....only if he could understand," She said with a tinge of sadness. 

"The scroll from North would take days to reach. Weather isn't too good up there," Veer said after a short pause. 

Nandini nodded in understanding and he excused himself. 

"Veer," She called him out and he turned around with a twinkle in his eye. 

"Thank you for being there," She said wholeheartedly. 

Veer smiled wide and bowed his head in coy. 

"At your service," He said coyly and left the place. 

Nandini hugged her own self as the cold wind tickled her belly. She bade another round of thanks to almighty before she left to share the good news with her father. 

____________________________

Nandini walked out of mansion after telling her father about new developments. Though he hardly understood anything but she felt much content after sharing the news with the man who had crafted this strategy. She smiled to herself as she looked across the endless greenery in the garden. Her smile remained there till she saw a figure running towards the mansion. She narrowed her eyes and saw Aashi rushing towards the mansion. Nandini's heart forebode for some unknown reason and soon the reason was apparent. Aashi's eyes were wet and she looked utterly disturbed. Nandini rushed towards her in worry while Aashi failed to notice her. Nandini held her in time before she could stumble over a flower pot. 

"What's wrong, Aashi?" She asked impatiently. 

"Why are you crying?" She asked and Aashi hugged her tightly. 

"Please go find Manik, Nandini. He has left for somewhere in a very foul mood," Aashi pleaded. 

Nandini tried to extract her from herself. 

"What? When? What's wrong?" She asked in terror. 

"He was all fine but then Aryan came and they both had a very ugly spat. Aryan said something so wrathful and Manik left. He didn't look fine. I looked around but he was nowhere," Aashi kept blabbering. Nandini's fears surfaced. She should have guessed. Aryan was bound to do something destructive. She should have been with Manik. She closed her eyes in regret. 

"You stop crying. I will find him. You don't worry," Nandini promised Aashi before she started to walk out of villa. 

His wound were open yet again and she needed to be there before he hid them under his skin without treating them. She needed to stop him from basting it when it bled.

Before he fastened it... 

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Unedited*

A/N

First of all, a big thank you for loving deceiving veils despite its erratic update schedule. Thank you for loving it so unconditionally. Secondly, I feel so blessed to come and read such beautiful reviews on both my books. It does fill in my soul. Apologies for being so late this time. Past two months were a little too hectic. 

Happy reading. 

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Love

Aditi