The warmth of the rising sun embraced the earth and there inside the small room full of glorious deity frames, doing the aarthi ringing the ghanta she chanted the mantras in sincere devotion.
Adjusting her pallu, sat with her legs hands cross eyes closed whispering some inaudible prayers to her goddess Durga, an epitome of fearlessness.

Feeling satisfied got up and exhaled, instantly shivered as his coarse hand slipped under her saree just little above her midriff while his other hand smoothly glided on her cleavage, and resting his chin on her right shoulder, his nose fondling on her soft cheek inhaling her fresh smell.
"Patibabu..." she sprang in his arms adrupty yet remained confined in him,
"Bonditaa..." he whined curling down his lips, she felt ineludible at the loss of verity.

Standing back of her, nestling his body against hers, "Bondita... sirf ek bar... aour," she felt her heart pounding hard against her chest though his vicinity was so enticing and weakening her, the strong fragrance of the sandalwood incense sucked in drifting her to the actuality.

Instantly squirmed, anxiety inside her flaring up and she griped in irk, "Kya patibabu? Mein yehaan itni pareshan hoon aur aap..."
Tensed, holding her hands turned her and pulled towards him, discerning fret on her aesthetic face, "Kya huha Bondita... kis baat ki tension ho rahi ho? Sab teek toh hai na,"
Shaking her head sideways, "Nahi patibabu... kuch teek nahi hai."
Leaving her hands, caught her shoulder and vibrating, "Kya? Kya teek nahi. Kya huha?"
"Pariksha ki nathija..." she sighed in wistfulness.
Stepping back he gaped her top to bottom as she remained perplexed, and soon began to guffaw.
Feeling rediculed moving closer shook him, "patibabu... has kyun rahe?" was too annoyed with his bursting.

Drinking the miffed beauty in front of him, gulped and his hands caught hers, his intensely enraged eyes boring deep into hers and atlast the slight lewd flick of their obscene front against each other.... allured them.
His actions overpowering her senses causing the unusual tingles in her nerves while her exigency to his pressure excited and jolted his insides.

Stooping over her perilously in sedate, "Mere saraswathi ko dar hona chahiye kya? Woh kudh uttam joh hai...."
His words barely got registered in her mind as she was more involved in his ministrations that was magically working and diminishing all her fright.
He smirked in exultant feeling her loosen, thus tending downwards nuzzling on her neck placed a soft osculate on her sentient skin over there, she gasped "patiba....." feeling stirred up.

"Onnirudho...." hearing the simple bawl both bounced back in agitation and realizing their vulnerable state inside the small room of divinity, swallowed.
As Bondita rushed out he too followed with an exasperated face,
"Onnirudho... yeh lelo Tulsipur se yeh lifafa ayee hai. Tere liye." Arvind said handing over the envelope to him.
As both father daughter duo gawked at him, his face lit up as his eyes perusaled the paper.

With a broadened smile squeaked, "Meine kaha na.. kaha na... tum uttam ho. Meri Bondita sach mein atti uttam hai. Tumne pure vidhyalay mein aval ayee ho, pure vidhyalay mein..."
"Kyaaa? Shotti patibabu." She squealed back and as he nodded startling him she sprung into his arms, "Aapne kar liye, aap jeet gaye, safal ho gaye safal ho gaye. Hai na patibabu?" stroking her head, "Tum Bondita, tum jeet gaye ho, tumne muje jeet dilayee aur yeh sab tumari mehnat ka fal hai. Sirf tumhari."
Releasing, shaking her in excitement, "Shabash Bondita. Bravo. I am proud of you" both their eyes glistening, also Arvind brimmed admiring them feeling fortunate to witness and cherish their success.

"Good Morning, Good morning, Good morning......" the simple greeting intact with the intelligible british accent had transmuted her momently gaiety into trepid indignation.
Her body trembled in angst, widened eyes blinked rapidly trying to believe the occurrence a lie, dreaded as her brain flashed the awful past, the nasty she wishes to forget every night, the horrendous her heart yearns to erase from her life. The rising presentiment alarming her, instantly hid herself behind her husband her fingers swirled around his arms who was baffled at her adruptness.

Walking in unsolicited, a gentle bloke in a vintage suit made of pure virgin wool sleeves lined with Earl-Glo-Rayon grasping a wooden cane and adjusting his rhinestone glasses sat himself on the divan as his henchmen stood encircling him,
"Boudimoni..." one among the grouchy shouted to which flinching her eyes, she fisted his arms.
And it was at that second, he fathomed her turmoil the cause of her horror.

"So, You are the one?" the rich bloke started as his eyes scrutinised the trio.

"Richard Hastings...?" he cognized.

"Jesus! You recognised," the bloke let out a bray.
"Am surprised. The world is truely small, isn't it?"

Though blood rushed through his veins at the sight of the British, knew he'd have to be patient atleast for her, "It is. May I know the reason of your uninvited advent?"

The tinch of rudeness did not go unnoticed by the minted bloke. "To offer an advice," chortling "hope a much valid reason to meet the mighty Barrister."

And before him, Richard spoke again "Heard you fight for helpless woman, Great. Opt out these destitute peasants, you get nothing in return.
But, if you stand by my side I promise you a title, a luxury, a wide lavishness...."

Cutting, he jeered, "A Regal Zamindar before a Mighty Barrister, Mr. Hastings." mockery apparent "and woman or peasants... they are not weak as they pose or assume and that being the only reason for our masculine savage robust but soon one day when they realise their eminence indeed all creatures including arrogant men will know their position in the sphere of human race" huffing out "and I take pride in fighting for such people, and will battle for their righteousness till my last breath."

"For these deficient, badly off and loathsome pea..." Richard tried but was interrupted, "Nah. Nah... Cannot go a day without food and you hate those who provide it. They are givers and givers have the upper hand, am sure you are well aware. Mr. Hastings." He made his point.

Richard's face turned pale, perceived the Barrister was a tough nut to crack and so bluntly ordered, "Back out."
"Not possible," his immediate answer, downright.

"Your last chance, remember you will not be spared," Richard blurted but as he stood unharmed, it raged and so continued, "You will suffer... and you will regret too.
"In your dreams, man," he spit fire in return.

Arvind stood indifferent to the brawl though inner his chest puffed up in pride for his strong head son in law.

Epigrammatic Barrister's confidence and vaunt hurt Richard's ego, the British mind fomented, raced to churn him and it was then his eyes landed on her hidden frame.

Forcing a smile, Richard crooked eyes at her, she blenched pressed her face on his back as her fingers grasped his shirt. He acknowledged her brood yet stood composed, and Richard neared with a evil grin, "Seems like the successful Barrister failed to infuse courage in his dear wife,"
"Not a word about her, she is a paragon of courage..." he raged out in trust.

"Ha...ha..Haha..." Richard's baleful laugh triggered her frightening her, unfettered tried to bolt out of the situation but he instantly tugged her hand stopping her, and so continued, "Convinced. Your wife did not forget Stephen ofcourse my brother was the one who showed her stars in daylight. Am I Right Misses..?" to which jerking his hand she ran and latched the doors of her room and feeling triumphant at their drained out faces, Richard walked out with his henchmen.

It had been early evening even after multiple attmepts and pleadings it seemed she has sworn neither to be out of the room she had locked herself into nor to be free of her fateful past.
"Bonditaa.... meri Bondita... meri pyaari titli," he called out sitting outside leaning on the door to which she just pressed her cheek on the same door from inside, her heart wanting him to soothe to aid her and he knew that more thus placing a kiss his lips lingered on the door and inside feeling his infantile act her heart melted.

Though Anirudh was losing his restraint with the back of Arvind and Batuk to whom he had shared her horrifying past, he was holding up trying to pose calm.
Both Arvind Batuk were terrified and equally astonished hearing what she had gone through, they felt it earth shattering as it was not easy for them to digest.

All his aplomb, equanimity long gone banging her door he yelled, "Bas bahut hogaye. Bahar aao abi ke abi, hum sab hai na tumhare liye tumhare sath. Tumhe saamna karna hai, Jantha hoon pichley baar nahi deh paya tera sath par abb yesa nahi hoga... vishwas rakh. Bahar aa.."

Her back resting on the door sat idly, exhausted conflicting between his belief on her and her dogged fright. She was tired posing intrepid, hearing him she wanted to dash open the door hurl into his arms hide in his chest seek refugee in him away from all her torment and foreboding.
But the constant fear of him wanting her to fight back had stopped her, it was impossible to her, knew she was coward and the past incident was just an instinct to protect her, it was unintentional and was her unexpected win against the brutal animal.
Before just like him she too believed her dauntless valiant inbuilt but that single incident had shooked revealing her inability to herself.
And now with all her senses, she knew the actuality the true harsh reality of her frailty, and the thought of breaking his trust, belief was restricting her to take a step.

Fatigued at his failed efforts moreover her stoic to him and his words though it astound him proved that he failed to win her trust atleast that's what he jotted out. He felt crushed.
Leaving her, packing the much needed materials he paced to the door but was stopped by Batuk "Dada, iss wakth kaha ja rahe hai. Aap?" to which he roared for her to hear, "Muje jeetna hai, Batuk. Kal case ki doosri hearing hai aur bahut sare log ki zindagi judi hai isme, mein nirash aur kamzor log ke sath nahi reh saktha." She felt a pang inside, "yese viphal log ke sath rehkar apne bal ko koh nahi saktha.
Shukar hai, abb bhi kuch aurat yese hai jo bina darre apne baat apne soch vichar samaaj ke samne rakh rahe hai. Muje bahut garv hai unn aurat se.. varna aaj mein samaj gaya hoon bahaduri sab aurat ki bas ki baat nahi hai." The harsh words had stung her heart making her feel impotent though it was baseless for him as he truely still believed her strength and efficacy also knew it was just her trauma being a barrier.
His faith in her was solid intact and with a glance on her closed door, he left.

Pushing the doors wide open, in her dishevelled state ran outside. Lifting her saree began to sprint through the unfamiliar roads where her legs took in the alien city. She was in search of strength her lost courage.

Wearied, her legs gave up but her heart did not and as her drooping eyes make out the large contour of the divinity that fell on the road, dragging herself to it fell on steps led to the podium that had the large graven idol of the auspicious lord Shiva embellished with colourful flowers.
Resting her head on the podium closed eyes as the sanctity of the place calmed her restless heart and soul, "patibabu..."

Though was sick and tired felt someone pulling her, placing her head on their soft lap caressing her tears dried cheek and as the soothing warmth engulfed her was so enervated to resist the comfort and fell asleep in the stranger's abode, "Maa...." soon felt herself being cuddled.

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Hi all! I am back, will meet you with frequent updates from now on as promised.
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