Nandini looked around nervously as she picked up the receiver and quickly dialed the number. Having looked at it on-and-off for more times than she cared to remember, her fingers flew nimbly over the buttons of the phone. She only had a few minutes in which she could speak peacefully before any of the family members returned to the room. It would have been ideal if she could speak with him late in the night after her family had gone to sleep, but after the conversation she'd just had, if her grandfather happened to see her talking to someone at that hour….

She needed to speak with Prithvi….to hear his voice….it was the only thing that could help soothe the turmoil….

When she only heard the engaged tone, she closed her eyes tightly and prayed for patience and strength to avoid breaking down in a place where any of her family members could come upon her. For the umpteenth time that evening, she touched the thread on her right hand. It seemed to calm her somehow. Composing herself, she tried again….and again….

"Ring, please," she muttered desperately but only got the same disheartening response every single time.

Battling tears of frustration, she banged down the receiver, and rested her head in her hands, seeking protection from her own thoughts and conscience.

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

In a far away place, in a room that was the last word in luxury, Prithvi flung away the phone angrily onto the bed. He'd tried and had not gotten through. That was it from his side.

As it was, he was getting extremely irritated with himself. Until now, he had never found it difficult to deal with any kind of unnecessary emotional excess. Dismissing people, events, emotions had come as naturally to him as breathing. He had learnt early in life that to depend…to trust….meant rendering oneself vulnerable to pain and betrayal. So the detached, indifferent approach had applied to almost all aspects of his life.

But this time….

No, he wouldn't let this insanity overwhelm his life. From the start, he'd played the game of life on his terms. Always on his terms. And that was how it would always be.

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

The unfamiliar stress of having walked in the garden in the morning had taken its toll on him and Uday was huddled in bed with a very weak body. But his heart had come alive, and he smiled as the young man walked around his plush room, studying the portraits of various deceased family members, munching an apple hungrily.

Prithvi stopped in front of a heavily decked up and haughty looking woman.

"Why do you have all these ugly pictures in your room? To help you want to die faster?" he asked with a frown.

Uday chortled. "There is one very good portrait. I only look at that," he said, and raised a feeble hand and pointed to the one that hung on the wall opposite to his bedstead.

"Its not that big an improvement over the others," Prithvi muttered, reluctantly looking at his father's portrait again, which had probably been captured when he was in his mid-twenties..

A very handsome young man, with a twinkle in his eyes and an amused smile, like he was inwardly laughing at the ridiculous importance attached by his family to getting photographed in the royal attire. Prithvi looked away and tossed the half-eaten fruit unerringly into the wastebasket in the corner of the massive room

"Here, let me show you the picture I was talking about," Uday said, and reached out to the drawer and pulled out a velvet case. He drew out the photograph with rickety fingers, and held it out to Prithvi.

Prithvi hesitated, but then walked towards his great-uncle and took the treasured memory.

The resemblance did come as a bit of a jolt. This time his father was dressed in casual clothing, and was apparently at the same age as him. In the picture, Uday was standing with him at a racing ground, their arms around each other, both smiling.

"I'm way more better looking," Prithvi said at last.

"Yes you are," Uday smiled. "I think this was the last time I'd seen him so happy and relaxed….because it was just before his marriage with Vijeyta."

Prithvi remained silent for a moment. Then in spite of himself, he skeptically asked, "What do you mean?"

Uday looked at him in surprise, and then slowly murmured, "You don't know….but then hardly anyone did."

"What's the hype about? Prithvi demanded, though he sat down on the chair near the old man.

Uday sighed and looked away. When he spoke, his voice had a distant tone, like he was reliving the events of the past all over again.

"The family had the tradition of getting children married off while they were still in their teens. It was a tried-and-tested technique of ensuring that the children in the family wouldn't cause scandal by marrying below our class."

"That's just sick," Prithvi snapped.

"I agree…. I rebelled against it. I was determined to have my freedom and to live and love according to my wishes," he said wistfully.

"Your plan worked so well. Look at you now….all shriveled up and alone," Prithvi said admiringly.

Uday chuckled. "I admit my plan may have backfired a little." Then he turned sober.
"They forced Aditya to do the same. He wasn't like the other idiots in the clan. He had so many dreams…for himself…for his family, and for the people of the princely state. But at the age when he should have been working towards fulfilling those dreams, his parents forced him into marriage because they wanted to forge an alliance with a royal family and ensuring that the lineage continues."

"Aditya had barely crossed his teens when my brother forced him to get married. For months he tried to persuade his parents to give him a little more time, but they didn't budge. I came down from France to argue for him. They pretended to listen, and then did as they pleased. Finally, your father had to give in. For Aditya's sake, I attended the wedding. Right from the start, I knew there was something wrong with the girl," Uday growled with remembered anger. "There was a strange lifelessness in her appearance. She didn't utter a word all day, and went through the rituals mechanically. Not smiling….not looking at anyone. After the wedding I returned to France. Within a week, your grandfather called me up to say that everything – everything had been ruined. Only a couple of days after the wedding, they had discovered that Vijeyta was mentally unstable," he said bitterly.

Stunned, Prithvi stared at Uday who was trembling with strong emotions.

"I flew down immediately to see the situation for myself. The girl would be calm in one instant, and a raving lunatic in the next. Her parents had stuffed her with drugs to make her go through the rituals. She quickly grew obsessed over Aditya…..wouldn't let him talk to or spend time with anyone but her….not even his parents or me. Aditya was miserable. I could see that he was dying a little every day but he kept a cheerful facade and hid the trauma. I couldn't handle the horrible atmosphere, and I turned tail and escaped into the madness of my old lifestyle," he said guiltily.

"No one ever told me any of this….not even Sumer baba," Prithvi said quietly.

"He didn't know. No one outside the family and a couple of old, trusted servants knew anything about it. Sumer attended the wedding, but he left that night itself to return to his job. I remember because I had looked for him to arrange….something for me, and when it reached the wrong ears, the family came down on me like a ton of bricks" Uday said awkwardly, not meeting Prithvi's scowl at the obvious interpretation.

Then he hurriedly continued, "Just two weeks after the marriage, to keep the news from spreading, Aditya moved to another country with Vijeyta. He was determined to help her recover…..arranged for the best possible medical treatment, took as much care of her as possible, fulfilled every wish. His efforts bore fruit, and slowly, her condition improved and she turned nearly normal. Then she became pregnant, and for the first time in years, everyone in the family rejoiced, hoping that everything was going to be fine."

"But with Indrajit's birth, something changed drastically inside her….for the worse. Her condition deteriorated very suddenly. It was as though her obsession had found a new object….her infant son. She wouldn't let Aditya see his own child. He had found a ray of happiness with Indrajit's birth, and Vijeyta was determined to take that away too. She returned to her parents with the child, and sent a divorce petition. Aditya still wanted to give the marriage a chance so that he could be with his son, but Vijeyta was adamant. Ultimately, he had to give in because she threatened to go to the media and drag his family into the dirt. He was forced to agree with all her terms….which included the condition that he could never see Indrajit. It shattered him so badly….I truly never thought Aditya would smile again," Uday said, eyes glistening with tears.

Too staggered to say anything, Prithvi gazed at the photo of the smiling youth.
 
"But he did find happiness….. I didn't see it myself, but I heard a smile in his voice after ages when I spoke to him after he'd just met your mother," Uday ended softly. The long narration had tired him completely, but there was peace in his eyes as he observed the diminished hostility in Prithvi's eyes at his father's image.

After a few torturous minutes, Prithvi uncertainly asked, "Did you know my mother?"

Fighting the growing heaviness of his lids, Uday kept an unsteady palm on the young hand clutching the photograph. "I wish I did. Aditya was very keen that I should meet Priyamvada, but I was too busy destroying my life with my so-called friends. After that, I was moving in and out of clinics to treat my addictions. Most of the times, I barely knew where I was…." his voice trailed off.

Prithvi looked at him, but the old man had already dropped off to sleep. He sat still for a while, then lightly returned the hand to the bed and kept the photograph on the stand. He stood up and began to leave, then hesitated and picked up the velvet case on the bedstand. He kept the photograph inside it with reluctant gentleness, and kept it near Uday's pillow.

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

"He agreed to take his medicines! I can't believe it! He used to get angry if I'd even keep the medicines in the room. But for the first time he asked me for them!" Dilawar said happily.

"Now if only he agrees to have the operation too," Gajendra said earnestly.

"He will," Sumer Singh smiled and sipped at the tea. They were sitting in the commoner's hall, relishing the quiet evening, and enjoying the exchanges of old and new stories.

He had been initially surprised and then grateful for the stark difference between the tension-filled atmosphere he had feared, and the actual joyful, relaxed air that had spread through the palace. And he had been even more astonished and ecstatic at the easy, almost instinctive manner, in which Prithvi and Uday had taken to each other.  It was true that Uday's extremely poor health had been a deterrent, as frequent bouts of drowsiness overcame him during the day. But he was inseparable from Prithvi in the hours that he was awake.

In the free time, Prithvi hadn't sat still for an instant. He had enthusiastically scrutinised every weapon in the armaments room, and had also explored every inch of the palace with a very joyful Dilawar in tow. Then he had quietly left the grounds and visited the nearby villages. The news had spread through some over-diligent servant, sending the villagers into an ecstatic tizzy. Aghast at the outpouring of love and reverence, he'd returned in a foul mood and had steered clear of any populated areas after that. 

At the best of times, it was near to impossible to keep him confined in the house for a long period of time. But Sumer Singh had noticed an unusually intense agitation in his eyes at those times when the boy didn't have anything in particular to do. In the past, Prithvi had always enjoyed such quiet locations. But this time, he appeared to be only partially here, with his thoughts being dragged towards some distant place….or person, Sumer Singh thought and smiled to himself. 

"This visit has put a new soul into him," Gajendra said gladly. "I hope you'll convince his highness Prithviraj to come again."

"I will try, but it is impossible to predict anything with him," he said honestly.

Lolling against the wall outside the room, Bindiya pursued her bright red lips. He would have to come back, because she needed to prove that she could have any man she desired. She'd never felt so insulted before. Every attempt she'd made till now to grab his attention had failed, and the other maids, who had been just as unsuccessful in catching his eye, were laughing at her. But she'd show them!

He would have to come back, and then she'd see for how long he would resist her.

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

Nandini walked aimlessly through the bustling markets of the town, mechanically avoiding bumping into people. In the numb haze that had been her lot since yesterday, she had left the house for college, but while waiting at the bus stop, the first vehicle to arrive was one that went to the heart of the town. Suddenly lulled by the thought of  anonymity granted by crowds, and wanting to drown her horrifying thoughts in chaos, she had gotten into the bus without thinking.

After the quietness surrounding her home, she used to always feel a little overwhelmed with this noisy place swarming with people, full of vibrant shops and tall buildings. But this time she was grateful for it.

She had spent a good portion of the night alone on the terrace, silently enduring an agony that was almost akin to the pain of a flesh wound. Old memories had tussled with new ones, and changed loyalties had taunted her in whispers. And at some moment during those hours, a vague, unconscious decision had been made.

But how would she look Prithvi in the eye and tell him – and what was she going to say.

How would she tell him that they couldn't go ahead with the bond that had been forged by a destiny that cared little for their own wishes. Because if she had tried to ignore the strength of her love for him, she knew that he had fought his feelings even more fiercely to the last…. 

The words she would utter felt empty and hollow to her own ears, and each time, they were more scalding, more unbearable, whipping up a fresh flurry of pain.

How would she do it….how could she….

She stopped in her tracks, turning cold even at the thought of it. Two women caught in a shopping frenzy banged into her, and yelled something about standing like a statue on a packed street. She apologized, and with grudging forgiveness, they moved on. She distantly heard wolf-whistles and obscene comments hurled by some ruffians smoking by the side of the road but didn't immediately register that they were aimed at her. And even when she did, turning around and retaliating felt like a formidable effort.

Why had she been put in this position. Sharanya's story would not repeat with her. She would never destroy her family by eloping, and Prithvi would never ask her to. They were being penalized for a crime that they hadn't even committed....

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

Seated on a wooden bench at one of the small dirty tea stalls in the market, Sankatmochan was oblivious to the attempts of his companions to engage him in conversation. He was holding a glass of tea in his hands, but it had turned cold quite a while back.

He was troubled. Very troubled.

It had all begun yesterday at the temple where he had been assisting Nandini's grandfather.  Everything had been going on smoothly until a scrawny, middle-aged woman with an overtly pious appearance had gotten into conversation with Bhoothnath.

Eager to listen, he had initially shuffled a little towards them but stopped when he realized that he could hear everything clearly from his place. In fact, though the woman appeared to be straining to whisper, her voice had been audible enough for everyone in the shrine to hear the topic of her gossip.

Apparently, some girl in their acquaintance had tried to commit suicide. Juicy, but not juicy enough for him. Deflated, he had continued with his duties. Then he had heard a little more of the history behind the attempt and the woman's fervent warnings to Bhoothnath, and his disinterest had gradually been replaced by a strange nervousness.
 
A young love story gone kaput….parents shattered….society aloof…..reputation destroyed…. Be careful with Nandini…..you never know with children these days…..

As the woman ranted on and on, the trustworthy hackles on his back rose, and with intuitive hate, he wished she had never entered the temple.

After she left, one look at Bhoothnath had told him that the old man was very upset. He had waited, and when the temple had emptied to some extent, he had made cautious enquiries to console himself that he was getting jittery without reason.

 "I cannot begin to think of the pain of the girl's parents," Bhoothnath had replied heavily.

"But it is just a rare incident. Children of good families like yours and ours would never do such things," Sankatmochan had refuted swiftly.

"Yes…I know….but if Nandini ever does anything like that, I will certainly end my life."

Sankatmochan had laughed weakly, "Nandini! I assure you she is the last girl on earth who would sully her family's prestige."

"I have faith in her….but still…. I must talk to her when I reach home. I won't be at peace until I do."

And on that ominous note, they had to end the conversation as more devotees arrived with requests for special poojas. He had managed to do the needful, but the discussion had unsettled him very badly. Moreover, he had seen enough of life to know that his instincts were rarely wrong. On reaching home, he had taken out the horoscope of his best friend to study it yet again. It only said what he had known from the start….it was a beginning of a very tough time for Prithvi

Why had Prithvi chosen this time to go out of town. His absence would make everything worse….

He was staring absently into the distance, but all of a sudden, his unfocussed eyes sharpened. He kept aside the glass of tea, threw money at the counter and ran into the crowd, dragging his misshapen foot.

"Nandini!" he called out.

The girl he had been following didn't hear him, and he again shouted loudly to gain her attention.

This time she stopped and turned with a confused expression, then she saw Mochi and she smiled faintly.

Gasping for breath, Sankatmochan approached her, limping badly. And with increasing dread he took in the clouded pain in her eyes that the smile couldn't mask.

Concealing his growing apprehensions, he brightly asked, "Why is your beautiful face so careworn? Is it because he hasn't called you yet? You know his nature. He expects you to call him first," he laughed with forced gaiety.

At his words, even the ghost of the smile disappeared from her face and her eyes turned moist. To hide the tears, she looked away and didn't reply.

Frantic to change the topic so he wouldn't have to hear anything he didn't want to, he quickly asked, "What are you doing here? Don't you have classes?"

"I didn't feel like going to college today," she mumbled. "Mochi bhaiya, when is he returning?"

"Tomorrow before noon," Sankatmochan said eagerly, happy at the question.

But instead of appearing pleased, one tear spilled out of her eyes and sped down a pale cheek. A dreadful coldness seized Sankatmochan. But some relentless impulse continued to push him….to find out for sure before dragging his hair out by the roots. 

"Yesterday your grandfather told me about that girl who tried to kill herself. Is she alright now?" he asked with growing anxiety.

Nandini nodded dully, wiping her face dry. "She was my friend," she muttered.

"All my sympathies are with the poor couple. No matter what anyone says….there is nothing wrong with falling in love," he said impetuously.

She didn't respond at first, and then softly said, "I don't think I would be able to do it…..to destroy my family's happiness and peace for my own wishes."

"Don't say that!" Sankatmochan said desperately, abandoning all pretenses. "Don't do this to him….and to yourself. You – you should talk to him! I am sure it will make you feel better."

Nandini looked at him with tormented eyes, and through a haze idly wondered how he had known….but how did it matter….

"Until yesterday, I was just being stubborn in not calling him. But now, I can't…even if I want to," she said brokenly and turned around and walked away blindly into the teeming crowds.

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

Dilawar waited by the side of the bed as Uday drained the glass of water.

"Shall I arrange for your dinner, your highness?" he asked courteously, holding out the tray for Uday to return the glass.

"No, I don't want anything," Uday mumbled morosely. Dilawar bowed his head and left the room.

Tomorrow Prithvi would leave, taking away the unbelievable burst of energy that he had brought along. And he would be left behind in the darkness of a world filled with only regrets and the wonderful memories of the past two days. Because of the cursed tiredness that never went away, he might be asleep when they left. He had instructed his servants to wake him up but there were times when the medicine-induced slumber was too overpowering. 

He hadn't been able to spend as much time as he wanted with Prithvi due to his ill-health. All of those hours that should have been spent with his great-nephew had been stolen away by a dying body that demanded long bouts of rest.

There was so much he wanted to tell Prithvi…about Aditya….about his grandparents…about magnificence of their past. And there was so much he wanted to know. About those years of Prithvi's life that even Sumer Singh didn't know…..about his thoughts….

He was also very curious about the source of that bite on Prithvi's arm. He had failed to get even one word more out of his great-nephew about it. But it had to be a very special girl. Would he be lucky enough to meet her too? Young love. How precious and beautiful it was. It wouldn't be anything serious, of course. He'd fallen in love innumerable times since his teenaged years, and in retrospect, he could see that it had been mere physical attraction, and perhaps, a mild emotional affinity. But for however long it lasted, it was a blessing.

A couple of minutes later, the doors swung open. Uday raised his head from the pillows to snap at Dilawar to leave him alone. Instead, he found himself smiling in shocked happiness as Prithvi walked in, closely followed by a grinning Dilawar and a retinue of servants with two dinner trays.

"Since it's my last dinner here, we might as well have it together," Prithvi shrugged, as the servants set up a small silver stand on the bed and arranged the plates for Uday.
A few others arranged the same for Prithvi next to the bed.

"You wont come back to see me?" Uday asked hoarsely, utterly dismayed.

"Sure, I wont miss your funeral for anything," Prithvi said casually, sitting down to eat. Dilawar gasped.

"I am not going to die anytime soon," Uday said, stiffening. "I have a lot of life left in me yet."

"Right. The tumour will claw its way out, I suppose," Prithvi mocked.

"I don't need to have the operation, and I won't," Uday said stubbornly.

"You shouldn't, or you'll ruin all the grand plans I've made for your cremation," Prithvi said seriously and he looked at Dilawar, who looked like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or weep. "I had initially thought we'll have the funeral on the palace grounds. But now I think we won't bother with wood. The earth can't afford to loose any more trees. How big an oven do you have?"

"Your highness!" Dilawar exclaimed weakly.

Prithvi smoothly continued. "And before I forget, get me a photo in which he doesn't look as gruesome as in real life. It would be tough, but not impossible, I think. We need to decide the right one to put in the papers."

"Dilawar!" Uday thundered.

Dilawar jumped in fright and spun towards Uday.

"Call that idiotic doctor and tell him I want to meet him as soon as possible!" he ordered angrily, and he looked at Prithvi challengingly. "I will be alive when you come to see me next!" he announced grimly.

"Talk is as cheap as you were when you had real teeth," Prithvi said unconcernedly.

"I'll be more fit than you when we meet next," Uday snapped, "but I need your word."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll return," Prithvi said dismissively.

"That you will, but not alone. And by that I don't mean Sumer or that friend of yours whom Sumer complains about," Uday grunted.

To Dilawar's surprise, Prithvi didn't retort. He only turned a little red, and after a moment, nodded slightly.

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

Sitting alone in his room, with a bottle of whiskey opened near him, Sankatmochan downed the large peg in one go. He had been drinking for an hour, but this glass was the last.

He needed to solve this new problem that was threatening to destroy his friend's new-found happiness and peace. But he had always relied on the same friend to sort out issues. Yes, that was right. Who could be better than Prithvi in solving Prithvi's problems….

Keeping the empty glass aside, he picked up the phone and dialed the number of his friend.

On the way to the sweeping lawns outside, Prithvi halted as Sumer Singh's angry tone reached his ears. Puzzled, he turned around and saw Sumer Singh coming down the stairs with Gajendra and Dilawar, yelling angrily into the phone.

"Sankat, how did you dare ask for him when you're drunk! When we return, I will throw you out, and if you don't go, I will call the police and they'll deal with you!"

Prithvi frowned. Mochi was drunk, and if he had dared to call up in that condition, something was definitely amiss.  He walked up to Sumer Singh, who immediately lowered his volume on seeing him with an apologetic look but continued to denounce Sankatmochan.

"Give me the phone," Prithvi said calmly, holding out his hand.

Sumer Singh stopped in the middle of his rant and instantly handed over the phone to him. Prithvi heard the slurred words on the other end and automatically began strolling away towards the outside, leaving the three men behind.

"I called him, but he - he didn't pick up," Sankatmochan fumbled. "Need to tell him….he has to come back soon – soon."

"Mochi, what's wrong?" he demanded sharply, walking into the perfumed air of the night.

Sankatmochan's relief resounded in his voice even as he struggled to keep it from shaking. "Prithvi! You must return right now," he pleaded. "If Nandini talks to you, she'll not do it.

Prithvi came to an abrupt halt. "Do what?" he demanded roughly.

"Break – break off the relationship. And all because of that ugly woman who couldn't keep her mouth shut," he answered indignantly.

There was utter silence for so long that Sankatmochan was sure that the line had disconnected.

Then a very quiet question came down the line. "Mochi, tell me what has happened."

Slowly, jumbling repeatedly, Sankatmochan drunkenly poured out the story and his worries on the phone.

"Could you just repeat what she said," Prithvi asked inaudibly, when the narration had ended.

He listened to Sankatmochan in silence again, and then cut the call without saying another word.

The stars saw the shock and angst etched on his features, but there was no witness to the depth of the anguish raging in his eyes.

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

Nandini stood at the gate, gazing impatiently at the road that led to the highway. Why hadn't Prithvi come home as yet….
 
Mochi had said he'd be back by early afternoon, and it was already evening. She'd been dreading their meeting, considering the terrible uncertainty about their future. But as the minutes had ticked past, all her thoughts had gradually begun revolving only around his overdue arrival. What could be holding them up? Was their train – or flight – running late?

She wished she could have asked Mochi, but Ayodhya's doors had been locked since morning. Yesterday, she had unknowingly said so much to him….
 
Her throat felt dry. Forcing herself to abandon her post for a minute, she hurried into the kitchen for a glass of water, leaving the doors open, but fearsome thoughts continued to flash through her mind.

What if they were coming by that cursed bridge that had taken so many lives….

Her hand shook so badly that she dropped the glass and water spilled across the floor.

"Nandini, what was that noise?" Bhoothnath asked loudly from his room.

"Nothing grandpa," she said hastily, quickly mopping the floor.

When she was done, she put the cloth to dray and left the kitchen to go to the terrace. She'd wait there until he returned so she'd be able to know from a greater distance.

She had already reached the landing when there was knock on the door and she turned.

It was him.

For a few stark moments, she simply stared at him, unsure of whether he was really there, or she had conjured him up with her imagination. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them slowly again, but he was still there, looking at her silently….so tenderly that her heart stumbled over a beat….

In that suspended moment, there was no other thought in their consciousness, except that even though they had been apart for barely three days, it had been the cruel equivalent of over a thousand years….

For her, it was only an affirmation of her devotion towards him. For him, the realization was a nasty shock.

"Prithvi," she breathed under the onslaught of a joy so intense it could almost be mistaken for pain. Nandini ran down the stairs so fast that she almost tripped over a step.

He also walked in swiftly towards her, both having forgotten everyone….and everything else.  She was rushing towards him when her grandfather ambled out from his room, and on seeing Prithvi, paused and joyfully exclaimed, "You've returned! Thank heavens!"

Nandini turned white with fright and retraced her steps so rapidly that she banged against the stairs' balustrade.

At her terrified reaction, Prithvi stilled instantly. In a flash, the softness was gone - and his gaze on her turned icy. But he grinned as he turned to look at Bhoothnath.

Nandini knew they were talking, but she didn't hear a word. Her heart was hammering in her bosom, and she wasn't looking at either of them. It had been a very close miss. If her grandfather had seen them…..

She shuddered slightly.

"I have to go the temple now. I think I may run into Sumer by the vegetable stalls. But I'll come to Ayodhya at night anyway." Still beaming, Bhoothnath turned to her, "Nandini, give him the spare keys to the house."

He affectionately patted Prithvi's shoulder and finally left, leaving behind a taut, strangely chilling silence.

It was only then that she dared to look at Prithvi again, and the searing contempt in his eyes startled her. Why was he looking so….hostile….

Trying to get a grip on the situation, she smiled anxiously and asked, "Why were you so late? Mochi bhaiya had said -"

"Did you become deaf in my absence?" he enquired courteously. "I thought your grandfather asked you to give me the keys to the house."

The quiet indifference and viciousness in the words almost forced her to step back.

He was unsettling her completely. Unable to understand, she had just begun to ask him the reason for the antagonism, when he casually continued, "If you give it to me in the next hour, I'll be grateful, unless you think it will dishonour and destroy your family."

Nandini stared at him in dismayed shock. She was hearing an echo of the words she had unthinkingly told Sankatmochan the previous day, when she had been too emotionally trampled to think straight. The admission of the doubts that were assailing her had slipped out in an unguarded moment, impelled by her grief and the trust in their friendship.

Her mistake entirely. He was one of Prithvi's closest friends….she should have known that he would tell Prithvi....

"Prithvi, I can explain," she pleaded. "Just listen to me once -"

"I don't need any explanation," he cut in grimly, with an unbearable hardness in his tone. "And to be honest, I'd been expecting it from the start. When you trust a pathetic coward, you always need to be ready for this kind of stuff," he said brutally.

Every ruthless word was ripping into her, and a small flicker of anger started to burn insider her. 

But keeping her temper in check, with an unsteady voice, she said, "You haven't even heard me out. I was thinking about it but – I need to talk to you.  I was only thinking…if we could go back a few steps, just for a while?" she mumbled.

Prithvi smiled coldly. "Could you also tell me until when?" he asked with a politeness that chilled her.

She had expected the question from the start, and had failed to find a convincing answer. Staring at the floor, she whispered, "I don't know."

"Right. So I must just wait patiently for you to make up your mind, no matter if it takes days or years," he contemplated mockingly, and humiliated colour rushed to her cheeks at the scalding tone. "Brilliant while that plan is, I think I have a better solution. If you remember….that night, I had offered you the chance to go back to everyday life, forgetting that anything had ever happened between us," he said with unnerving anger blazing on his handsome face.

She didn't reply. Just shut her eyes, feeling physically sick, and tears rolled down. But he mercilessly went on, "Let's pretend that you backed out then, and we never spoke to each other after that."
 
"Prithvi,"

The shaky intrusion caught both of them unawares, and Prithvi spun around to see an ashen-faced Sankatmochan at the door. "The keys are with me," he said, holding them up with a wobbling hand.

Without another word or glance, Prithvi walked to him, snatched the keys from Sankatmochan and strode out the house.

Nandini collapsed to her knees and wrapped trembling arms around herself.

Sankatmochan hurried to her. "Forgive me," he begged. "I didn't mean to tell him anything, but yesterday, I got drunk and – I realized in the morning….and didn't know how to face both of you -"

"It doesn't matter," she whispered, "Nothing matters. It is over."

"No!" Sankatmochan gasped. "Nothing is over. I know him. When he really decides to cut out someone from his life, it is…terrible. But this time, he's not seriously thinking about ending the relationship. He's just angry that you thought about it. You can still coax him into forgetting everything. He's not going to listen easily, you'll have to try very hard, and don't give up patience. I'll help you! I'll – I'll make everything alright! I promise!" he beseeched.

In tears, Nandini looked up at his round face uncertainly, and saw the earnestness and determination in his damp, bloodshot eyes. And a trickle of hope returned to her frozen heart.

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