Panic-stricken, Nandini rushed into the living room to find Janki sitting on the sofa with a faintly worried expression.

"Aunty, grandpa's coming here? Now?" she asked in disbelief, approaching the older woman.

Janki gave a nod. "He wanted to give us a surprise but he misplaced my address. So he had to call me up. I think he will be here within an hour."

"If he sees me like this, he will be upset," Nandini said distraughtly.

"That is an understatement," Janki said dryly. "He will probably try to curse this town into oblivion."

Nandini knelt before her and caught a wrinkled hand. "Please don't tell him anything about what happened," she said, frightened.

Overcoming her surprise, Janki stroked Nandini's head comfortingly. "Don't worry. I will handle it. We will stick to the story that you tripped down the stairs, and I will tell everyone else in the house that they should not speak of anything related to you once your grandfather arrives. Now go to your room and try to compose yourself. And listen, your grandfather did not want me to tell you about his arrival. So, do act surprised on seeing him...and leave everything else to me."

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

Nandini tapped out a little talcum powder from the bottle she had borrowed from Janki and applied it as liberally as she could on her face without looking like a hideous ghost. Then she applied kajal in her eyes and placed a small black bindi between her brows

She was trying to decide what else she could do to improve her terrible appearance when a dreadful realisation made her spirits sink deeper.

She had given her silver chain to the battered woman in the destitute home. And she hadn't been wearing these bangles and anklets when she'd left Shamli. Her grandfather was unlikely to recall these details...but what if he did? And even if he did not recall any of it, her mother definitely would.

She needed to have answers ready about the silver chain, but the anklets and bangles could be removed and hidden away.

With a heavy heart, Nandini started to remove the bangles.

However, despite her best efforts, they stayed put on her hands. They had fit her perfectly before but now their size seemed to have shrunk drastically.

The skin on her hands began to turn crimson and each attempt became more painful than the previous one.

Salty tears started to seep down her face, pushed out of her tired, burning eyes by emotions that she did not want to acknowledge.

Finally, using excessive force, Nandini managed to pull the bangles off her hands. She threw them on the bed fiercely, where they fell in a scattered pattern.

Crying openly now, she sat on the bed herself and angrily started to remove the anklets next.

It proved to be even harder.

The hooks had been fastened so securely that it appeared unlikely that she would ever be able to detach the anklets from her feet. The more she tried, the more they seemed determined to stay wrapped around her skin.

Whimpering with frustration, Nandini struggled stubbornly for long, then with an enraged strength, she wrenched open the hook of one and threw it on the floor. The other anklet followed suit

She stared at them through a sheen of angry tears.

After a few minutes, she walked to the shining silver threads and picked them up, then headed back to the bed and gathered up the bangles.

Nandini gazed at the invaluable treasures in her hands, then she raised them to her lips and kissed them tenderly.

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

Bhoothnath peered out of the autorickshaw, trying to identify the landmarks mentioned by Janki Bhargava.

"There is that yellow house, and two houses after that....yes, this is it!" he proclaimed victoriously. "You can stop in front of that large gate."

In a few moments, he was standing before the house that contained his beloved granddaughter.

Bhoothnath studied the lovely façade of Janki Bhargava's house with cheery approval. Then he looked at himself. His off-white cotton kurta had a few creases because of the long journey but its condition wasn't bad overall. The contents of the bags in his hand were also intact.

Bhoothnath patted his hair into place and rearranged the strap of his cotton jhola . Then he opened the gate and walked towards the doors of the house. Presumably on hearing the sound of the gate, Janki appeared at the threshold, smiling and welcoming him warmly.

"My house is blessed now that you finally decided to pay us a visit," Janki said lightly, doing her best to suppress ferocious guilt pangs.

Bhoothnath chuckled and handed over the bag with the snacks and sweets. Janki accepted it after a short protest.

He looked around the living room eagerly and said, "You haven't told Nandini about my visit, have you?"

"No, she doesn't have any idea," Janki lied.

"Wonderful," Bhoothnath said happily. His true intention had not been to surprise anyone. He had not shared his actual plans with a single soul merely because he'd not wanted to be dissuaded.

The house had become barren without Nandini, and he knew that his daughter-in-law and Prakash too were feeling her absence acutely. Some of their neighbours and small children in the locality too were asking about Nandini's return. She had taken sparks of light from many homes when she'd left for Vishranti Nagar. But those were not the main reasons for his trip.

"And how is your husband now? Is he feeling better?" Bhoothnath continued keenly. "Can I visit him?"

"His condition has improved, especially after Nandini's arrival."

Bhoothnath smiled and proudly said, "She has always been auspicious."

"She is," Janki said sincerely. "Why don't you sit down and have some tea and snacks. Or water at least."

"No, I want to meet him first," Bhoothnath said staunchly, keeping his jhola on a chair. "All else can wait. I have brought some prasad from the temple. I want to give it to him at the earliest."

Feeling both grateful and contrite, Janki led him to her husband's room. She felt touched as she watched Bhoothnath speak gently and encouragingly to the ailing man and give him the prasad. She was too old and cynical to allow guilt to overrule common sense, but that didn't make the shrill voice of conscience any easier to bear.

After a short while, with her prompting, Bhoothnath took his leave of the patient and headed back to the living room.

"You can call Nandini downstairs now," he told Janki eagerly.

Janki smiled tensely. "Before I do, I need to tell you about an incident that happened today morning."

All good humour vanished from Bhoothnath's face in an instant. He sharply asked, "What incident? What happened? Is Nandini okay?"

"You don't have to be worried. She's fine. Sit down here, I'll tell you what happened."

"I don't want to sit," Bhoothnath snapped. "I want to know what happened."

"Well...today morning, Nandini tripped on the stairs while she was coming down for breakfast and she was slightly hurt," Janki said warily.

"She fell down the stairs?" Bhoothnath exclaimed in horror. "How could you not tell me this happened! I want to see my granddaughter right now. Where is she?"

"Upstairs, I will ask Varsha to -"

Without waiting for Janki to do anything, Bhoothnath hastened to the stairway and gaze upwards, loudly calling out, "Nandini! Nandini!"

Janki exasperatedly said, "Will you please listen to me for - "

Bhoothnath turned to her and heatedly asked, "I send Nandini to your house for just a few days and this happens! Why do you have these beastly stairs in this house anyway? Why do you even need a floor above? My poor child...I shouldn't have allowed her to leave Shamli," he cursed himself.

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

Nandini almost jumped out of the bed in alarm on hearing her grandfather's frantic summons.

Mrs Bhargava had obviously told him about her 'accident'. She'd been strengthening her mind for this moment, but now that it had come, she wasn't afraid at all. She knew how aggressive her usually docile and sweet grandfather could get on these occasions, and she also knew how to calm him down.

Suddenly feeling more in control of the situation, Nandini hurried out of her room and ran down the steps.

"Don't run, don't run," Bhoothnath called out in fear.

Nandini looked at her frazzled grandfather.

The simple joy and comfort of seeing a familiar, loved face after traumatic morning brought out a genuinely happy smile on her face. Her injured lip complained through a dash of pain but she didn't let the smile falter this time.

"Grandpa, you didn't tell me you were coming," she accused lightly with sincere happiness.

Horror on his face, Bhoothnath walked to her "My child, what happened to you? It looks like someone hit you! And you've been crying..."

Assailed by a suspicion, he abruptly asked, "Did someone hit you?" He looked accusingly at Janki. "Did she hit you? Tell me honestly, Nandini. I will get her arrested. I'm not afraid of anyone," he declared angrily.

Dumfounded, Janki could only gape at him. She had known her childhood friend would be upset and livid, but she'd not thought he would lose his marbles...

Nandini too froze on hearing his threat. Priyamvada's face appeared before her eyes. She saw the diabolical woman's hate-filled rage. Then she saw her hapless grandfather pitted against Priyamvada's calculative brain and untold riches and power.

She had made the right decision. There would be no going back now.

More determined than before to maintain a mask of normalcy, Nandini clasped her grandfather's wrinkled face and made him look at her. "Grandpa, no one hit me," she said firmly. "I fell down the stairs today morning. I cried a little at the time, that's why my eyes are red. Janki aunty wanted to get me examined by a doctor but I refused because I was fine."

Bhoothnath looked at his grandchild uncertainly as his fury and anxiety abated.

"Is that really what happened?" he asked doubtfully. "You're not lying?"

"When have I ever lied to you, grandpa?" she asked with pretend indignation even as her conscience tore her into bits

Bhoothnath smiled sheepishly. "Never."

He looked at Janki with slightly less outrage. "I should not have suspected you. I know you wouldn't hurt her," he conceded grumpily.

"Thank you for acknowledging that," Janki said wryly.

Bhoothnath squirmed briefly, then his face crinkled up with resentment again, "But those stairs are evil and dangerous, I tell you," he declared, casting a distrustful glance at the prime villain in the story. "What if Nandini had hurt her head or broken any bones. Never in my life have I seen such injuries on her! I think you should demolish the upper floor and remove these stupid stairs from here," he said stoutly.

"Grandpa, think about what you're saying," Nandini chuckled. "Come with me, sit down here," she ordered affectionately, taking him to the sofa.

At that opportune moment, Varsha appeared with a tray containing a glass of water and a cup of hot tea.

As she proceeded to take a seat herself, Janki watched Nandini tend to Bhoothnath with love and respect. The girl gave him a glass of water and then a cup of tea, asking concernedly about his journey from Shamli.

Janki was amazed at the transformation in both the people in her room. 

Bhoothnath now had the air of a school-going lad who had thrown a duster at his teacher and was trying to cover up his guilt.

But the change in Nandini was positively astonishing. It would be impossible for anyone to know that the girl was shattered on the inside. So convincing was her cheerful manner. A nineteen-year-old girl with the acting prowess of a thespian movie star... or the strength of the earth itself...

With his mood bolstered further by tea, Bhoothnath was almost benign again. He sanctimoniously informed both the women, "I knew something was wrong. That is why I decided I should visit you, Nandini. Yesterday morning, there were two ravens in our courtyard. Two! And in the evening, it took me eight tries to light the main lamp in the shrine. I knew then...I knew something bad was going to happen," he nodded vigorously. "I didn't tell your mother because I didn't want her to worry. But I decided right then that I was going to visit you today."

"It was the best surprise for me," Nandini said affectionately.

Bhoothnath beamed at her. Then he grew solemn again and gingerly said, "I want you to come back to Shamli today. I won't be at peace if I leave you here again. You don't mind, do you?" he asked anxiously.

Only Janki noticed the turmoil in the young girl's eyes.

Nandini smiled at her grandfather. "I want to come back...I've been missing everyone at home. I'll go to my room and pack my things right away."

Gladdened, Bhoothnath said, "Okay, then we will leave in another ten minutes."

"You'll cannot leave so soon," Janki said insistently. "My cook is preparing samosas, paneer pakoras and kachories. And she is an excellent cook," she smiled at Bhoothnath.

Bhoothnath's eyes brightened up. He piously said, "It would be a sin to refuse an offer of food. But we cannot wait for long, or we will reach Shamli too late. I also want to buy some snacks for home. What would you recommend? Are there any good shops nearby?"

As the conversation changed lanes into food, Nandini excused herself to go to her room. Only when her back was to them did she allow every sign of cheerful normalcy to disappear from her face.

This was going to be her life from now on, Nandini thought with a shiver. One face for the world...one for herself...

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

Prithvi stared at the screen of his phone. He had been doing so for about five minutes, feeling uncharacteristically confused.

Nandini had asked for space to think. Then there was the issue that her phone wasn't working, which meant he would have to get in touch with Janki Bhargava first. And that line of action would make Nandini angrier. He felt certain that she would have been forced to divulge the truth to Mrs Bhargava, but he was also confident that she would have wrapped it in a tangle of lies.

But he needed to speak to her. Only one call for today, he convinced himself uncomfortably as his fingers moved on the screen. Just listening to her voice would be enough...

Prithvi put the call on speaker and placed the instrument next to him on the mattress. Interlinking his fingers tightly, he waited. The phone seemed to ring for hours before it was answered, and then he heard Mrs Bhargava's cautious "hello".

"This is Prithvi," he said uncomfortably. "I – "

"I assume you've called about Nandini," Janki interrupted gently. "But I'm afraid I cannot allow you to speak to her." She hoped he would not prolong the conversation. The short, terse conversation she'd had with Uday had been sufficient to exhaust her.

"I did call to speak to her, but I also wanted to apologise to you," Prithvi muttered. "I'm assuming Nandini told you what happened...she was safe and well in your house. I insisted on bringing her back to the palace. I should have taken better care of her but I didn't. I'm responsible for what happened. I'm sorry about everything."

Janki felt at a loss for words. Most people adamantly refused to accept their smallest mistakes, and here, the boy was taking responsibility for something he hadn't done.

"Don't be hard on yourself," she said kind-heartedly. "It's all in the past now. Nandini told me that the relationship has ended. I understand it must be difficult. But I think it's for the best. For you and her. I hope both of you find happiness in your own paths. But I cannot help you speak to her. Nandini's grandfather dropped by unexpectedly and he's taking her back home. They will be leaving shortly. So, I -"

Prithvi didn't hear the rest of what she said. He put his head down and placed his hands on the sides of his head. Then he arose in a rapid movement and paced about mindlessly in a haphazard fashion, trying to breathe...

He didn't know when he became aware that Janki was still speaking.

"Prithvi? Prithvi, are you there? Can you hear me?"

"I – I'm – yes, I'm here," he muttered numbly, coming back to the bed and sinking down at its foot. Unaware of the desperation in his tone, he asked, "Can I talk to her for just a minute...please?"

The automatic refusal that came to Janki's mind was trounced by a strong gush of compassion. She could tell that the boy was on the verge of an internal collapse. It would be cruel to deny him a simple request at this point.

Her car had gone to the petrol pump to fuel up, and while waiting for it to return, Bhoothnath had gone to visit her husband again. Then he had gotten into conversation with the male nurse, and he was currently listening to the latter's family problems and providing sage advice for the same. Nandini had stood by Bhoothnath initially, but she had left discreetly when the counselling session had begun, and then she'd had sat with her in the living room, trying to converse cheerfully. And that was when they had heard the phone ring. As the instrument in the living room had been behaving erratically since morning, she had used the one in her study room. And now it all seemed fortuitous...  

"Okay, wait for a minute. I'll see what I can do," Janki said hesitantly.

"Thank you," Prithvi murmured with relief. But a sadness flitted through him on realising that it was the first time that the mention of Bhoothnath had not cheered him up.

He waited for what seemed to be a hundred years.

Then the silence took on a fresh quality, and he knew instantly that Nandini was on the other end. He could picture her vividly...holding the phone to a delicate ear but struggling to open the conversation, and also hoping simultaneously that he would get tired of waiting for a response and hang up.

"You're leaving?" Prithvi asked suddenly, shock still echoing in his tone.

Anguish passed over Nandini's features. 

When Janki had gestured wordlessly to her to go to the study room, she had immediately known why. And instead of behaving rationally and refusing to attend the call, she had almost bolted to the study.

After she had picked up the receiver, though, her mind had gone haywire. She'd wanted to bid him a final farewell, and she'd also wanted to prolong the silence till he ended the call...

"Yes," Nandini muttered. "We will be leaving in a few minutes."

There was no response for a while, then he quietly asked, "Do you want to go?"

"I do," she admitted. "I know this is the worst time for me to - and I don't know how to apologise for what I'm doing. But I have to go..."

In the longer silence that followed, he wanted to tell her a thousand things, beginning with a plea that she should stay.

Instead, he resumed the conversation by tiredly saying, "Don't tell Mochi about Maa being found. I'll let him know after a day or two."

"Okay," Nandini replied softly.

A stillness fell between them again. But it was not the comfortable and peaceful quietness that they were accustomed to...this was the empty silence that followed complete devastation.

Then he casually asked, "Did you read the letter?"

"No," she admitted uneasily. "But I thought - I thought your mother might want to see your – that man again. And I know how you feel about him. I felt...if there was a possibility that you could find something about him that would...make things easier for you, then..." she halted, and awkwardly said, "Prithvi, I have to go now."

"Maa told me the truth."

Her temper flared up instantaneously. And she didn't try to subdue it. A woman like Priyamvada would never have admitted the truth of her own accord. He had definitely used a backhanded tactic to make her confess.

"Your mother told you? Or did you manipulate her into saying it?" Nandini asked angrily. "Hadn't I asked you to leave her out of this? What is it that you can't -"

"She told me she hit you. I still need to know why," Prithvi said calmly without responding to her question.

The response only made Nandini angrier. She should have known that Priyamvada would not have told him everything. And since he couldn't persecute his insane and stone-hearted mother, he was going to hound the only other person who knew what had happened until he got the answers that could satisfy his egoistic obsession with the truth...

"I've told you already," Nandini snapped. "I will not give you any more explanations. Do whatever you want. You are good at forcing people to do what you want, aren't you? But you won't win against me."

"I've never won against you," he said quietly, then in a lower tone added, "Mrs Bhargava seems to think you've already made your decision."

Nandini felt deflated all of a sudden, as her temper subsided as quickly as it had risen.

Her mind scouted weakly for an answer, then she stoically said, "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Please don't call me or try to meet me again."

"I can't do that," he said flatly.

"Naturally... it's impossible for you to do anything apart from what you want to."

"You owe me two promises," he reminded her.

The reminder came out of the blue for Nandini. She had forgotten about that...but now, she could recall the rain drops splashing against the window panes, the wingback chair and the lovely garden outside. And on the inside, the trivial arguments...the flaring of tempers...the smiles...the warmth...the tenderness of a love that she'd thought was hers for eternity...

"They don't matter anymore," Nandini replied dully. "I can't fulfil any of the promises I've made...I'm sorry...I – I need to keep the phone now. Grandpa is.."

"Wait, don't hang up," Prithvi said quickly, then uncomfortably said, "I wanted to tell you...I know I haven't been the person I should have been. I've said...and done things that were unforgivable. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused. Give me just one more chance," he said in a low, urgent tone. "I can't promise I will not hurt you again but I will never do it intentionally. Punish me for my mistakes in any way you want...but don't...don't choose a life that I can't be a part of," he said unsteadily.

Nandini held the phone tightly, afraid that it was going to slip out of her fingers.

When it came to him, intense love and venomous hate had always danced closely in her heart. But at this moment, they had fused into one single emotion. She had never loved and hated him as she did at this moment...

He was finally giving her an apology. It was an apology she'd wanted...one that she deserved...and it was as perfect an apology as she could expect from him. But it should have come a long time ago. Why had he chosen to offer it at this juncture in their relationship when they were about to part ways forever, she thought miserably.

He's Priyamvada's son, the abhorrent voice in her head answered savagely. Manipulations come easily to him.

Nandini placed down the receiver quickly as if it had caught fire.

As she waited in the empty room to calm down, she heard a car's horn. It was time to go back to Shamli...

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

Uday Singh looked up from the floor only after Sumer Singh had coughed faintly for the third time.

"Oh...you...what is it? Is Prithvi okay?" Uday Singh asked distractedly.

Astonished at being asked the same question that was troubling him, Sumer Singh hurriedly said, "I had gone to his room because I needed to inform him of a few things and ask him for further directions. The door was locked, so I think he was inside...but he did not open the door."

"Leave him alone then," Uday Singh ordered with a frown. "He should be given space and privacy whenever he wishes."

"I agree, Your Highness. But I needed to speak to him about - about a few things," Sumer Singh said hesitantly.

"You can tell me," Uday Singh said shortly.

Sumer Singh fell into a quandary. It was not his place to tell Uday Singh about Rajeshwari and the others. But he needed some guidance and didn't know whom else to approach.

"Your Highness, has the prince told you about his cousin sister, Rajeshwari?" he asked tentatively.

"Rajeshwari? The daughter of Harshvardhan, who was died in the car accident?" Uday Singh queried with a vague interest. "What about her?"

"She arrived today morning."

"She's here? Why wasn't I told?" Uday Singh asked in astonishment.

"You were asleep when she arrived, Your Highness, and the prince did not want you to be disturbed with more surprises after...yesterday."

"He is a very caring child," Uday Singh remarked warmly.

"He'd intended to let you know later, but I think, with everything that happened...well...the princess had travelled all night so she was asleep until now. But now she is awake and wishes to meet him."

"I will meet her in Prithvi's absence and make her feel at home," Uday Singh said readily. "Place a request on my behalf...ask her if she could come to this room. If she's not comfortable with that, I will go to her suite to meet her."

"Yes, Your Highness," Sumer Singh said unsurely, and then vacillated.

"You have something more to share," Uday Singh stated astutely.

Eager to share his apprehensions with someone who could actually be of help, Sumer Singh worriedly said, "The queen has asked Prithvi to bring one of her oldest servants to the palace. It is a woman named Haimavati, who will surely inform Prithvi's grandfather immediately."

Uday Singh repressed his usual annoyance at Sumer Singh's casual usage of Prithvi's name. Then he reflected, "So, Rajyavardhan Singh will also land at our doorsteps soon. Quite the family reunion happening here. Hmm..Prithvi hates his grandfather, doesn't he?

"With good reason, Your Highness," Sumer Singh said tightly.

Uday Singh nodded. "I've heard the stories. I despise him too. However, I will have to pretend to be comfortable with him to maintain peace and decorum. But I assure you, I will do my best to keep him away from Prithvi," he said grimly.

He pondered in silence for a minute, then thoughtfully said, "It's painful to think of everything that Prithvi has faced in the last two days. Priyamvada, Indrajit, Rajeshwari, Nandini...and now Rajyavardhan. I was a strong man in my youth, but I would have crumpled under the strain of such developments. When I think of the impact on Prithvi....all of these life-changing events happening together...it would be too much for any human being. I'm amazed he's still standing tall in the face of...everything."

Sumer Singh hoarsely said, "I'm afraid for him, Your Highness."

Uday Singh smiled kindly and said, "Don't be. The men in my family have always been tougher than they appear on the outside. And Prithvi is toughest person I've known in my entire life. But he will need our complete attention and help to get through this nightmare. Our main responsibility now is to make the coming days easy for Prithvi, and lighten his load in whatever way we can."

"Your Highness, we must bring Nandini back," Sumer Singh requested urgently. "We must do something to bring them back together. If she's with him, he will be able to -"

Uday Singh shook his head in refusal. "Nandini has told Janki that her relationship with Prithvi is over. Her mind is made - for the moment at least. I'm extremely fond of Nandini, but she's not part of the family...yet. She would have had to return to her home at some point in the near future. And then it would be even more difficult for Prithvi to handle everything without her support. If you think about it calmly, in a way, it is good that Nandini left at this point."

Horrified, Sumer Singh spluttered, "Nandini said – she actually -"

"Prithvi is in tremendous pain right now, Sumer," Uday Singh cut in gravely. "But he is still trying very hard to fulfil his responsibilities. And no matter what happens, I know he will do whatever it takes to bring back Priyamvada's...health. That could take months or years. It's impossible to predict as of now. But I do know that once Prithvi achieves his goal of seeing his mother happy and healthy, he will pick up the threads of his life, and at that point, if he still wants Nandini, he will get her back one way or the other. So, leave their relationship alone...its destiny is their hands, not ours."

"I haven't done anything for him so far," he continued regretfully. "But I will do everything in my power to make his life easier from now onwards. For a start, I will ensure that the family members living under this roof are introduced to each other. Get the usual awkwardness out of the way. They might become a part of each other's lives someday...or maybe they won't. But why else would all of them end up coming to Aadyabhoomi at the same time like this," he mulled philosophically for a moment, and then returned to cold reality. "Prithvi is the only tie between them, but it will put too much strain on him to handle these diverse and complicated relationships. I will manage them for him...to the extent that I can."

It was Uday Singh's level-headed tone rather than his actual plan of action that helped Sumer Singh restrain his emotions and think practically himself.

He cautiously said, "Your Highness, Prithvi doesn't want the queen to know about his cousin's presence in the palace. He intends to inform her after a couple of days."

"He is just being careful about Priyamvada's mental state," Uday Singh deduced confidently. "But women are stronger than men in these matters. And I'm sure Priyamvada would be happy to meet her niece. It's decided, Sumer. You should go to Rajeshwari's suite and convey my message. It is impolite to keep a lady waiting."

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

Rajyavardhan Singh didn't open his eyes even after his nap was disturbed by the annoying ringtone of Manohar's phone.

He also didn't react when Manohar presumptuously asked the driver to pull over to a side so he could listen to the person at the other end of the call. Or when he heard Manohar step out of the car.

It was probably yet another dull update about his several businesses...or about his useless granddaughter who had fled the palace, Rajyavardhan Singh thought disinterestedly.

He knew where she had gone, and it brought him great relief to think that he did not have to see the dratted girl's mousy face again. However, it was unfortunate that Prithvi would be burdened with a pathetic relative like Rajeshwari.

His mind wandered to the painful subject of the letter again. Would his grandson have read it, Rajyavardhan wondered despairingly. He did not have much hope. And even if that miracle happened, the letter would not change anything. Nevertheless, his heart would be a little lighter if he could know that Prithvi had given him a chance to explain his side of the story.

He didn't have anything else to look forward to. Even if Priyamvada was alive, it would take months or years to find her. Furthermore, he didn't believe destiny would allow him to see his daughter again. The sins he had committed would not be forgiven. Despite his riches and power, he was going to die alone and unloved. Still, he had begun looking forward to death in whatever shape or form it came for him. That was why he had sent the guards away earlier along with Rajiv. He no longer cared about security or prestige...

Rajyavardhan Singh permitted himself to wallow in self-pity for some more minutes. When that time ended, the vehicle was still stationary at the side of the fairly deserted road.

Rajyavardhan Singh opened his eyes and sat up straight with an irritated grimace.

What was taking Manohar so much time...

He received a start when he glanced out of the car's window.

Manohar was staring at him. The phone was lying on the ground near his feet. The usually calm fellow was obviously overcome with some strong emotions.

Cold sweat broke out on Rajyavardhan Singh's face. With a foreboding of disaster, he opened the door by himself and stepped down. The heat outside caught him in a suffocating hold and he began to feel sick.

Facing Manohar, he fearfully asked, "Prithvi is okay, isn't he?"

Manohar gulped hard and unclearly mumbled, "Yes, yes, he is."

Rajyavardhan Singh heaved a sigh of relief, all his discomfort vanishing instantly. Nothing else was of any importance to him.

More out of curiosity than interest, he tersely asked, "What is wrong then?

"Your Highness...," Manohar said quaveringly. "Haimavati called to inform us that...that..."

"What is it? Speak up now," Rajyavardhan Singh said impatiently, tiring of Manohar's faltering speech.

Manohar somehow managed to speak again. "Prithvi has found her. She is in Aadyabhoomi right now."

Rajyavardhan stared vacantly at him for some time. Then with a great deliberation and calmness, he said, "Take me to Aadyabhoomi."

Manohar was too shaken to give any thought to the king's staid response. He wanted to spend a long time in silence, simply offering his gratitude to God for returning Priyamvada. But the call of duty was stronger.

Wiping his eyes hurriedly, he picked up his phone and followed the king to the car, and sat down next to the driver's seat.

Behind him, Rajyavardhan Singh sat with an almost unnatural rigidity.

An onlooker would have thought the old man was staring ahead vacantly.

In truth, however, Rajyavardhan Singh was gazing upon a cherubic four-year-old girl in a blue and white frock made of the softest velvet. The child was fiercely tussling against the hold of her nanny, and then was scooting towards him with a whoop of delight, a gleeful grin on her chubby little face...

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