Nandini sat frozen in her seat, the phone still held to her ear.  What had Sumer uncle just said… danger…. Prithvi’s life was in danger…

“Nandini, what’s wrong?” Nishi asked, alarmed at her expression.

Had she misheard something? Surely she must have…but what about everything he had said before, asking her to stop him…

“What happened? Is everything alright at home?” Vrinda asked anxiously.

“Whom do you have to stop?” Rishabh asked bemusedly.

She looked at the number again, and dialed it frenetically. But when all she got was a dull tone, she kept it on the table and leapt to her feet.

“I have to go outside right now,” she said urgently. “Nishi, keep my bag with you. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, so take it to class.”

“But where are you -”

“I’ll explain everything later,” she begged, and leaving a totally confused group behind she ran out of the college and towards the gate. She frantically scanned the crowd outside and the few people on the college road that led to the gate. There were no students making their way outside.

Prithvi had left around 10 minutes ago and was evidently already on his way to the main road. If she took her cycle, she would be able to reach him soon. She ran to the parking space and started to take it out onto the street. But a minute later she realized that the cycle wasn’t moving smoothly, and she checked the tyres. They were completely deflated.

Nandini felt helplessness and fear overpower her for a few moments. Then Sumer uncle’s words seemed to ring in her ears again, and she forced herself to think about what to do next. There was no time to waste…

She took the cycle to a side, parked it against a tree and ran outside with no thought but to reach him…

******************

Indrajit waited impatiently in the car. He had been rotting here for too long now. They had chosen this time and this winding stretch of the road that led from the campus to the main road after careful consideration. Most of the students who studied in the college were hostel students, very few were from Shamli itself. And at this time of the day, scarcely any students came this way; and if they did, they would be dealt with.

This lonely stretch of land was very striking, with beautiful trees lining the roads, and only greenery on both sides. But the beauty was lost on Indrajit. All he wanted now was the sword's location from Prithvi so he could get out of this terrible town.

The car, and the jeep behind it, had been parked after a slight curve on the road, so it wouldn’t be directly visible to anyone coming from the college. The car’s driver was standing at the turning, using the trunk of a big tree as camouflage, to warn them in advance of the arrival of their much-awaited guest.

“Shouldn’t we have brought some guns with us too, your highness,” Kundan Singh asked cautiously.

“No. We need to question Prithvi about the sword. If there are guns around, and any of them are fired accidentally at him, we’ll lose it forever. And besides, guns are only for killing commoners. I have something else in mind for Prithvi.”

 15 minutes more went past, and then finally, the sentinel came speedily toward the car, nodding meaningfully.

Prithvi came around the bend, and paused when he saw the car and the jeep.  Then he grinned to himself and continued to walk.

Indrajit got out of the car, as did Kundan Singh, who had a look of malicious excitement on his face. He had been waiting for this…to see Prithvi punished soundly for the way he had insulted him the last time, just because of some stupid girl who wasn’t worthy enough to wipe his shoes. If only he could see Prithvi die today, he thought with relish.

“You couldn’t complete a week without meeting me again, Indrajit,” Prithvi asked in mock wonder. “Your affection for me is touching.”

“You know perfectly well why I have been standing here, waiting for you,” Indrajit said acidly.

“And Jiva did give you my message about not meeting me when Sumer Baba is around; that man deserves a pay raise,” Prithvi continued seriously as though Indrajit had not spoken.

“This is the last chance I’m giving you,” Indrajit snarled, “Tell me where the sword is, and I’ll leave you alive.”

“You’ve got it all wrong, Indrajit, though that’s not surprising considering your intelligence,” Prithvi said pleasantly. “This is your last chance to learn that you will never lay eyes on the sword, leave alone get it. So stop asking me such a pointless question.”  

“Fine…I did warn you of the consequences.”

Indrajit gave Kundan Singh a sideways glance, and the old man bowed and with an eager smile turned to the jeep and gave a small nod.

Prithvi walked over to a tree, took his bag off his shoulder, and placed it against its trunk.

When he turned around, five men were coming out of the jeep, including the driver of the vehicle.

“Only five men this time?” he asked in a disappointed tone. “You have lost faith in me, Indrajit.”

“We’ll see about that.”

The men, who were dressed as royal guards, all in black with the traditional maroon headgear, advanced towards Prithvi.

“Hurry up…I haven’t got all day,” Prithvi said unconcernedly.

Some minutes later, Indrajit surveyed the wreck of his handpicked team with unconcealed rage. Three of them were groaning on the ground, with bleeding noses, mouths and what he suspected were a few broken bones, and two of them had been knocked unconscious.

And still, Prithvi was standing relatively unscathed, with not more than a small gash on his forehead, from where a trickle of blood was making its way down the side of his fair face, some knuckles that had been bruised when they had broken a jaw, and a shallow cut on his upper arm, which had left a tear and a dark red stain on his white shirt.

 The car’s driver had shrewdly stepped out and was lurking behind the car, where he had Kundan Singh for company. The attendant had been a bitter witness to the destruction of the team and was now only praying that he be able to go home in one piece.

The two guards who were a little better off than the other in terms of their wounds, dragged the two unconscious men and managed to bundle them into the back of the jeep. The third man, who was also bleeding, limped his way to the vehicle and his colleagues half-carried him and deposited him inside. Then they waited, unsure of what to do….if they stayed here, they didn’t think they would get out alive; but if they ran away with the jeep, Indrajit would kill them anyway.

“Who’s next, Indrajit?” Prithvi enquired. “You or that heroic attendant of yours, who is two steps away from vanishing.”

Indrajit turned sharply and looked witheringly at Kundan Singh, who had been slowly backing away from the car, all set to break into a run. But the minute Indrajit looked at him, he immediately halted, and stood up straight with an indignant look, as if insulted at the accusation.

“I was not going to -” Kundan Singh began to protest, and then shut up at his master’s expression.

Indrajit looked at Prithvi. “I shall teach you a lesson myself. This is how I prefer it anyways. And I am more than enough for you.”

 “That’s the attitude!” Prithvi nodded approvingly, “If you keep telling yourself that, maybe someday you’ll believe yourself.”

Indrajit turned to Kundan Singh, who hurried over to the car, and took out a sheathed sword from the back seat. He rushed over to Indrajit and placed its hilt in his outstretched palm.

“I would have carried one for you too,” Indrajit said, pulling out a glistening sword from the sheath. “But you have to be worthy to hold a sword like this one….which you are not.”

“I’m heartbroken,” Prithvi grinned, “Now can we start, or do you first want to give a display of your imaginary skills with it.”

Indrajit flushed with humiliation. “I don’t need to give a display. You’ll see my skills with it soon enough. And if you live through it, I’ll let you off the hook and find another way of getting to the sword.”

“Which ultimately means you’ll never get it,” Prithvi shrugged.

Kundan Singh, who had backed away hastily, looked from one to the other, a little baffled.

Prithvi’s death would have been the ideal happy ending if they knew the location of the sword. But he hadn’t revealed anything about it yet. From experience, Kundan Singh knew that his master was now fully set to kill Prithvi. But if Prithvi died without saying anything about the sword, what would they do….

Had Indrajit forgotten the original purpose for which they had come here? Kundan Singh wondered if he should say something, and remind him of the folly of killing Prithvi before it was the right time, but the murderous look on his master’s face warned him against it.

And at any rate, his master had a sword and Prithvi was weaponless. And his master had just freshly entered the fray, while Prithvi was already a little injured from the previous fight. This was the kind of fight he liked…..when the scales were titled entirely in his favour.

And so he went back to his position behind the car, and crouched next to the driver, totally unaware that the sword was no longer the issue in question. The roots of this fight lay far back in history….in a painful and poisonous past….

Indrajit wrathfully came at Prithvi, swinging the sword dexterously. His skills with it were evident, but Prithvi’s reflexes were far quicker, and he effortlessly evaded two deadly swipes.

Indrajit raised the weapon again and brought it down forcefully….but it slashed through thin air. Disoriented, Indrajit spun around on the spot, and saw a fist coming at him. The blow caught him on the jaw and he reeled backwards and fell down, but didn’t lose his grip on the sword. He recovered quickly, jumped to his feet and renewed the attack.

This time when he lunged with the sword, Prithvi swiftly moved to one side and hit Indrajit’s wrist ruthlessly, causing him to drop the sword with a bellow of pain. Prithvi punched him fiercely, and Indrajit flew backwards and landed with a thump on the ground.

*********************************

Nandini stumbled over something, and fell forward hard on the road. Without checking for injuries, and ignoring the acute pain in her knees and arms, she instantly rose to her feet. She was gasping for breath, but despite the effort and the afternoon heat, her body felt very cold.

And then she heard it.

It had been a straight road up until so far, but a little way ahead there was a small bend. And some strange, alarming noises were coming from that direction…

Suddenly, a man’s cry of pain rang out and the terror Nandini had been fighting since Sumer Singh’s call enveloped her entirely.

 “Prithvi!” she cried out in desperation, and without waiting to regain her breath, she started to run.

Her cry echoed in the silence, and Prithvi whirled around at the known voice, stunned. Behind him, Indrajit sat up on the ground dazedly, and Kundan Singh peeped up from behind his position, full of curiosity. The two injured guards, who were still debating their future course of action in whispers near the jeep, also stopped talking in surprise.

Nandini rounded the corner and stopped dead in ice-cold shock, as her eyes took in the terrible, bloody scene. She vaguely knew that there were some men standing, some injured badly, others fairly unharmed. But she only saw the boy who was standing in the midst of it all some 15 feet away…he was wounded….there was blood running down the side of his face, and his arm.

Tears of horror and agony blurred her vision as Nandini started to rush towards him.

“Nandini, go back,” Prithvi said sharply.

She stopped and looked at him disbelievingly. Leave…leave him….how could he even think she would…

Kundan Singh eyes swung from Prithvi to the girl. And in that instant of shocked silence, he craftily noted that his master’s enemy no longer looked as nonchalant as before. The unexpected arrival of the girl had shaken him a little. And Kundan Singh suddenly found a way for his master and himself to get the upper hand in the losing battle.

“Didn’t you hear what I just said,” Prithvi demanded angrily, when Nandini continued to hurry towards him. Fighting back tears, Nandini started to answer when her voice died in her throat.

Indrajit had rapidly got to his feet behind Prithvi, with the sword in hand.

 “Prithvi, behind you!” she screamed

He spun around.

Nandini screamed again as the sword came slashing down, leaving a long, deep gash down his chest. Prithvi winced at the wrenching pain, and then looked at Indrajit with utter fury in his eyes.

Indrajit was fuming himself. The weapon which had been aimed at Prithvi’s neck had missed its target because of her sudden cry, and the warning had helped Prithvi shift slightly in time. He raised his sword again, and at the same time, Kundan Singh dashed out from behind the car.

“Let’s catch that girl and bring her here!” he yelled to the two guards, who had been standing inert. He ran towards Nandini, who was standing immobilized with fear for Prithvi, tears spilling down her cheeks, with the men right behind him. The guards were careful not to take the lead because they had some idea where this fight was going, and if Prithvi was going to win, they had no intention of being in his bad books.

“No!” Prithvi roared in anger. He caught Indrajit’s hand midway, twisted it behind his back brutally and the sword dropped to the ground. Then he turned him around and punched him hard, and Indrajit grunted in pain.  Prithvi let fly with another blow, and Indrajit was thrown backwards; he hit his head against a tree and crumpled down unconscious.

Kundan Singh and the two men, who had been at just an arms distance from Nandini, swung around and looked at the scene of devastation.

Having dealt with Indrajit, Prithvi turned around and Nandini gasped in horror. The front of his shirt was drenched with blood.  Fresh tears sprang to her eyes and she started to cry in earnest.

But his furious gaze was fixed on the three men and he walked towards them slowly. The men backed away until they were standing a foot away from Nandini; the men on one side and Kundan Singh on the other. The guards had already borne the brunt of his blows once, and covered with sweat and quaking, they watched him come in their direction again. But they were not shaking as much as Kundan Singh, who was sincerely regretting his rash decision to take Nandini hostage. The last time too, Prithvi had been livid with him because of this very girl….he should not have forgotten….

When Prithvi reached the little group, he shifted his gaze from them to Nandini, and stretched out his right hand towards her wordlessly.

The act stunned Nandini so much that her sobs subsided into hiccups. She looked at him tremulously, and then placed her small hand into his. His hand closed around it securely, and he drew her gently towards his side.

Then he let go of her hand, and stepped forward until he was right in front of the three.

He surveyed their terrified faces one by one. Then he hit one of the men, who staggered backwards and fell. Another punch, and the second man doubled up, clutching his face.

Nandini cringed. As she shut her eyes, more tears sped down her cheeks, and she covered her face with trembling hands, unable to watch.

Then Prithvi turned to Kundan Singh, who looked almost paralyzed with terror.

‘Don’t ever think of touching her again,’ Prithvi said grimly and let loose a crunching blow, which knocked him down.

Astonished, Nandini slowly withdrew her hands from her face….had he really said that…

Prithvi stood over the fallen attendant. “I’m only leaving you alive so that you can take that trash you call your master and get out of here,” he said icily. “And not just here, get out of Shamli. I don’t want to see him…or you…in this town again.”

Kundan Singh nodded hysterically, with his hands planted over his face.

Then without looking at Nandini, Prithvi turned around and walked to the tree, at the base of which he had kept his bag.

“Go back to college, Nandini.”

Nandini, who was still standing unsurely near the elderly man to help him up if necessary, spun around to see Prithvi picking up his bag.

Behind Nandini, Kundan Singh got up to his feet unsteadily, as did the royal guards. They slowly made their way to Indrajit who was still out cold. The three men lifted him somehow and placed him in the back seat of the car. Kundan Singh got in next to the driver. But the driver was nowhere to be seen. He was hiding behind a tree far away watching the proceedings. Kundan Singh gestured to him heatedly and he came running towards the car, frantic to just get out of this place and situation. The guards walked to the jeep and got in wearily.

“Go back?” she repeated, dumbfounded.

“That’s what I said,” Prithvi said evenly, swiveling around to face her. “Do you have a hearing problem too?”

Nandini felt a mixture of pain and anger surge inside her. “Is that what you think of me? That I would leave you in this condition and just go back to my class?”

“I’m not in any ‘condition’,” he retorted, “I’m fine. So just go.” And he simply turned and began to walk towards the main road.

Aghast, Nandini ran to catch up with him and began to walk by his side. “Let me come with you,” she pleaded, tears running down her face again. “You’re hurt so badly.”

Prithvi stopped and turned to face her irately. “What is it that you didn’t understand in what I said,” he snapped. “This is the last time I’m saying this; I don’t want your help or your company, so get lost.” And he started to stride away again. Some distance behind, the car and the jeep’s engines came to life and the vehicles began to move. This time, the jeep was ahead.

Nandini fought to hold back the tears. He was not going to listen to her like this….

“I am not going back, Prithvi,” she said forcefully in anguish, “I’m coming with you whether you like it or not. I am not going to let you be alone, how many times must I tell you that.”

Prithvi came to an abrupt halt and turned around slowly. Nandini, who had half expected him to ignore her, waited uncertainly as he began to walk towards her.

The jeep whizzed past them, but he didn’t shift his gaze from her. The car also was coming nearer.

He halted right in front of her, and glittering black eyes studied her face with startling intensity. His intent gaze roamed over her tear-stained face, as pale and smooth as porcelain, and then drilled into her beautiful eyes, wide and studded with tears.

Nandini desperately wanted to look away from the searing dark eyes…and felt utterly powerless to do so. But she had to say something to break the silence…anything at all…

The thought had just half-formed when Prithvi slowly raised his right hand to her face, and Nandini’s breath got caught in her throat. With his fingers resting against her soft cheek, he lightly wiped away a tear with his thumb.

A loud screeching noise startled them both. The car which had been speeding along straight until now, was rapidly making its way towards where they were standing. Kundan Singh, who had been sitting idly near the driver so far, had abruptly caught hold of the steering wheel and had swerved it in their direction.

It happened in a split second, and before Nandini could even register what was happening, a hand roughly shoved her safely out of the way of the car .  

The push sent Nandini tumbling down the side of the road and she rolled into a tangle of wild bushes. The car rammed into Prithvi; he smashed onto the bonnet, the windshield shattered into many pieces of glass. Then the car reversed sharply. He fell off by its side, and the car raced away. And Prithvi lay bloodied and unmoving on the empty road.

***********************