Prithvi didn't look up from his phone as something flamboyantly red and heavily perfumed occupied the seat near him.

"Hey Prithvi," a husky voice said.

"Hey," he said absent-mindedly.

"What is that drink?" the voice asked with fascination.

Prithvi glanced thoughtfully at the neon pink liquid in the glass on the table. "I don't know. I just asked the bartender for the ugliest pink mocktail in existence," he admitted, looking at his phone again. "But I suspect it has been made out of one thousand fairies and elves - by drunk leprechauns."

The voice laughed throatily. "You have a great sense of humour,"

"It's absolutely fantastic," he concurred.

"Prithvi, I - and all of us here - will miss you once you leave for India," the voice regretted.

"That's natural," Prithvi consoled as he typed out a reply to an email. "My personality is to blame. It's just too ******* adorable and magnetic."

"It is...Listen, before you go, how about taking me out to dinner?" the voice purred. "We could have a lot of fun together."

"I can't. Indrajit will be heartbroken," he regretted.

The voice vanished for some seconds. Then it warily asked, "What do you mean?

"He likes you very much," Prithvi shared seriously, his eyes on the screen. "Talks about you all the time. In fact, if you could wait for a minute, I'll take you to him."

With a slight note of crazed panic, the voice murmured something, and then the flamboyant red was gone from the periphery of his vision.

Grinning, Prithvi continued to work.

He glanced up moments later to see Kadambari marching back to her seat with a blue drink in her hand. "Choti maa, how could you leave me defenceless in the midst of these vultures?" he asked in a hurt tone.

"That girl's mother wasn't letting me return," Kadambari said grimly as she sat down. "But she's lucky she left before I could deal with her." The young females in the party were waiting for her to move from her seat, so that they could make one last attempt to snare Prithvi before he left for India. But now that she was back, none of them would have the courage to come near him.

"What did you tell her to scare her away like that?" she asked Prithvi suspiciously.

Prithvi put aside the phone and smiled mischievously at her. "Only that Indrajit was interested in her."

Kadambari laughed.

About twenty feet away, his mother had ceased to converse charmingly with a large group of acquaintances whom she hated, and was gazing at him. He smiled drolly and raised his bright pink beverage in a toast.

Priyamvada smiled at her son and looked away.

"By the way, where is Indrajit?" Kadambari asked cautiously, looking around the attractively lit and decorated room that contained about fifty people.

"Not sure," Prithvi shrugged. "But I know Mr. Sinha has a collection of antique weapons in one of the rooms on this floor. I can bet a hundred billion dollars that Indrajit is in that room right now...probably doing the salsa with a 200-year-old rusty spear," he nodded.

Kadambari chuckled, but then she apprehensively said, "You tease him too much at times, Prithvi. It scares me. He might have changed a little but I don't trust him."

"Relax, Choti maa," Prithvi dismissed. "He just looks like a flesh-eating giraffe, he's not one."

Kadambari didn't reply. Her opinion about Indrajit was not going to change. She could not forget or forgive his attempts to kill Prithvi. She was hoping that, after they landed in India, Indrajit would spend more time in his own palace, looking after his wealth and estates.

She was waiting for the days to pass till their departure from this scenic but extremely cold country. It was sad that she wouldn't see Prithvi for a long time after their arrival in India. But she also knew that he was the happiest when he was in those mountains, and that thought always brought solace to her heart. And she really was eager to meet her friends and relatives. They would love the gifts and chocolates. And she would stay in her old house until it was time for Prithvi to return from the mountains.

Kadambari's good mood dimmed as a stunning young woman in a pale-yellow gown approached the table.

"Arundhati is coming towards you," she said agitatedly.

"Arun's okay," Prithvi said vaguely.

"There's something off about her," Kadambari frowned.

"Choti maa, you think there is something off about all the girls around me," Prithvi said dryly.

Kadambari did not have time to give her usual reply that she was always right. Arundhati had almost reached their table. She sat down opposite Prithvi without speaking.

Kadambari smiled at her and received a serious nod in answer. Her irritation went up. She disliked Grishma as well. But at least that girl was normal. Arundhati was not. But they had two things in common - both of them had their hearts set on Prithvi, and neither of them was fit for him. She would not allow any less-than-perfect woman to enter her son's life. She had trusted a despicable girl once, Kadambari recalled coldly. She was not going to make that mistake again.

"This party is the worst," Arundhati said soberly.

Prithvi looked at Kadambari. "See, I told you Arun's okay," he said solemnly, and then grinned at her acute embarrassment.

Noticing Kadambari's discomfiture, Arundhati earnestly said, "It's fine, Kadambariji. I know you don't like me. But it's not necessary that we should like everyone. In fact, we have every right to feel whatever we feel for others, especially hate. It is liberating to hate freely."

"Hear, hear," Prithvi said enthusiastically.

Insane...the girl was insane, Kadambari thought with a faint shudder. To change the ridiculous subject, she primly said, "Your parents have given this party in honour of Prithvi's mother. So, you shouldn't speak badly about the occasion."

"They're fascinated by her for reasons even they don't understand, and they're eager to impress her. But I think they despise her actually," Arundhati informed her.

"Arun, my respect for you goes up every time you speak," Prithvi declared.

Arundhati smiled. "Thank you. Now I have a question for you. You didn't attend the party that your mother gave in your own house. But you're attending the party given by my parents for your mother. How do you decide which functions to attend?" she enquired.

"I don't decide, the queen mother does," he stated gravely.

"I see...she didn't ask you to attend the party at the chateau, but asked you to be present for this one," Arundhati pondered. "Prithvi, I think she's planning something huge."

"Get out of here," Prithvi exclaimed in apparent horror. 'Planning' was what the queen mother had done in kindergarten. Now she created mindbogglingly elaborate multi-layered stratagems with a Machiavellian cunning that could help a man living alone on an island that only had coconut trees conquer all the countries in the world.

Kadambari moved about agitatedly in her seat.

"She is," Arundhati insisted. "But it must be something that's good for you...since your mother is a fabulous woman, and loves you very much. She's a real blessing for your family."

"Now that I can believe," he said innocently, and muttered under his breath, "She's so great a blessing that I wish God had a return policy."

"I didn't hear you," Arundhati said, leaning forward inquisitively.

"I didn't want you to hear it," Prithvi explained seriously, and then glanced at the phone that had vibrated to indicate the arrival of another important work-related email.

Satisfied with the response, Arundhati sat back. "Okay. I'll miss being around you after you leave for India, Prithvi," she said forlornly. "You're the only one among my friends who understands that it's best to be blunt at all times even if it ruins everything."

"Yeah, the spaceship could accommodate only a dozen of us," Prithvi said distractedly while going the email.

He looked spectacular as always in the dark blue business suit, Arundhati contemplated. Then she wondered if he knew that she and Grishma were in love with him. She sometimes felt that it wasn't that he didn't know...it was that he didn't care. He was fine with them being around, and he was just as fine - or even more so - if they weren't.

She had fallen in love with him because he was caring and honourable and more dependable than any other man she had met so far, and on a mental level, she felt more comfortable with him than with her own loving family. But he was calm, detached and rational to an unnatural degree. So much so that she couldn't believe that he had ever been in a romantic relationship with someone. The story about the girl in India had to be false...

With a imperceptible sigh, Arundhati looked at Kadambari. "You will be happy to return to India, won't you? You must have missed it terribly."

Kadambari unclenched her teeth with difficulty and said, "Yes, I am looking forward to it."

"I hope we meet again soon," Arundhati said sorrowfully.

God forbid, Kadambari thought. "I will pray for that to happen," she said virtuously.

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

Meenakshi's face brightened as she read the contents of the email that had arrived in her inbox moments ago.

"Nandini, did you see this?" she said excitedly, looking at the occupant of the desk to her right. "The boss has appreciated your work in this week's mail too."

The middle-aged man who occupied the third desk in the small cabin cheerfully said, "Congratulations, Nandini."

"Thank you, but she's just trying to encourage me," Nandini said uncomfortably.

Meenakshi sighed.

"You're the only woman I know who hates compliments," Sudhakar said, shaking his head amusedly.

"I don't hate compliments. I just need them to sound like criticism," Nandini insisted, and then giggled.

Her colleagues laughed.

As Nandini's attention went back to her computer screen, Meenakshi looked at her fondly for a moment and then returned to her own work.

This minor branch office had been opened mainly for the company's marketing team that was dedicated to this region of the country. But a small cabin had been allocated for her, Nandini and Sudhakar. All three of them worked for the corporate communications department. She and Sudhakar were part of the designing and formatting team.

The rest of their team members worked at the major branch in Bhanupur, which was three hours away by train. The entire team only came together during training sessions and important company events.

The same was the case for Nandini, who worked for the internal communications team, writing reports and other official communication for and from the senior management, and creating newsletters, bulletins and training documents for the employees of the company. She was hardworking, intelligent, and creative, and could draft impeccable content out of terrible source material. The accolades had begun coming in within months of her joining the office. But Nandini showed neither pride nor pleasure at the appreciation. The praise had not gone to her head, and she was still the same cheerful, humble and generous girl who had joined the office a year and a half ago.

She was extremely simple in her dressing too. The hair was usually tied up in a large knot or a ponytail. The clothes were of sober colours, and were never well-fitting. She didn't wear any jewellery apart from small gold stud earrings, and there were no adornments on her face apart from a small black bindi on her forehead.

But the simplicity only highlighted her unusual loveliness, which was why the obnoxious, aggressive males from the large marketing team had gone crazy over her.

Even one of the married ones was besotted with Nandini, and the bachelors had lost their heads completely. However, most of the wishful Romeos had thankfully grown wary of Nandini's acidic retorts and sharp temper, and had reconciled to a future of only staring at her longingly from afar. But three of them were continuing with their useless efforts, albeit with great restraint and caution, apparently convinced that the tenacity that helped them secure deals was also the way to Nandini's heart.

If they were not so insufferable, she would have advised them to give up their hopes, Meenakshi reflected. As a married woman with two children, she had considerable worldly experience. And she could give it in writing that only a truly exceptional man with extraordinary qualities would be able to cause any flutters in her young colleague's heart...

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

Nandini glanced tensely at the phone lying between her and the computer screen.

Over the past four years, she had become accomplished at keeping her feelings hidden and exhibiting a façade of normalcy. She'd faced mornings when she'd barely been able to get out of bed. She'd spent entire days in the grip of excruciating heartache and guilt. And she gone through evenings when her complete focus had been getting through the hours until she could retire to her room for the night and allow herself to grieve peacefully in private. But no one around her had suspected what she was going through.

The past three days were the latest proof of her abilities. Her friends, family and colleagues had not realised that she was going insane as she prayed for a call from Rajeshwari. Each time her phone emitted a sound, her stomach would turn over.

But it would serve her right if Rajeshwari did not get in touch. She did not deserve to have any peace. She deserved to live and die in uncertainty.

Yet, her heart wouldn't stop yearning...

Sankatmochan had not mentioned him in front of her for years now. And ever since she had begun spending about ten hours away from home because of work, she had hardly heard her family talk about him.

She knew where he was and that he was healthy...and she was extremely grateful for that. But she was also desperate for a morsel of information that would tell her that he was happy and pleased with his life. She wanted to hear that he was loved unconditionally by everyone, that he had amazing friends and that he shared a good bond with his family members. And she wanted to learn that she was only a bad memory for him.

Sankatmochan or her grandfather wouldn't be able to provide any of those assurances. There were only two people in the world who could give her the answers that would satisfy her heart...Sumer Singh and Kadambari. And she did not have the right or courage to get in touch with them.

And so, she had given up hope completely...until she had seen Rajeshwari.

However, the encounter had also thrown up more questions. After her emotions had settled down slightly, she had analysed the meeting from every angle, and many things had ended up puzzling her.

As far as she knew, Rajeshwari had been staying with the family for all these years. The others were still abroad, weren't they? They had to be. Sankatmochan wouldn't be able to keep that a secret. So why had Rajeshwari returned to India?

And though their last, and only, meeting had happened too long ago, she was certain that Rajeshwari had changed in some major way. Not physically, apart from the changes that might have been caused by the passage of four years. But there had been an extremely childlike air about Rajeshwari last time. This time, she had seemed to be more...grown-up? Was that it? Maybe...

The strangest part, however, was the fear that Rajeshwari had shown just before getting back into her car. She had been scared of something or someone. But whom?

Nandini's brain answered the question by showing her a repulsive face.

An old rage flared up.

Nandini got up from her seat and headed to the door, then halted for a second and returned to her desk to pick up her phone.

She left the cabin and walked quickly towards the white door located at the rear exit of the office, ignoring many greetings. The stairway that lay beyond the door was a space to which she had escaped many times when she was in need of solitude. The problem was that she had to walk past certain desks on the way, and the occupants of those desks made her want to smash something into their faces.

Nandini pushed open the door and entered the stairwell. She strode to the large window and gazed down at a bustling street. It always helped her to study the people moving about on the road. She could imagine that they had joy and peace in their lives, and that the world was very kind to them and their dreams. And the visualisation of their happiness would soothe her heart...as it was doing now...

The ringing of her phone intruded on her thoughts.

Startled, she looked at the screen, and saw an unknown number. It was probably yet another marketing call, but if it wasn't...

She answered it unsurely.

"Good morning, I'm Disha Kumari," a woman said briskly. "I'm Princess Rajeshwari's personal attendant. We had met that day outside the shopping centre. Do you have a minute to speak?"

Stunned, Nandini didn't respond for so long that Disha doubtfully asked, "Hello, are you still there?"

Spurred into speech by the fear that the call would be cut, Nandini quickly said, "Yes - yes, I'm here."

"Princess Rajeshwari is willing to speak to you," Disha informed her formally. "But she will not do so on the phone. We are staying in a bungalow in a place called Nikumbh as of now. It will take you four hours by train and five hours by bus from Shamli. We will be here for only two more nights. And after that, it would be difficult for you to meet the princess. If you wish to meet her, you will have to come to this village tomorrow...that is Thursday. Would that be possible for you?"

"Yes," Nandini said immediately. "I will be there tomorrow. Could you send across the address?"

"I will do that. It's a long journey, so I would advise you to carry an extra pair of clothes in case you have to stay back for a night."

This brought Nandini's thoughts to a screeching halt. "I would prefer to return home on the same day," she said guardedly.

"I understand. But I hope you wouldn't mind staying back if it gets too late."

"This bungalow you mentioned...who owns it?" Nandini asked bluntly.

There was a surprised pause, and then Disha warily said, "It is owned by a local family. We have taken it on rent for a few days."

Nandini exhaled in relief. As desperate as she was for this meeting, she would not have travelled to any house owned by Rajeshwari's immediate family. Still, she would try her best to return on the same day.

"If you're arriving by train or bus, I will send a car to pick you up and bring you to the bungalow."

"Thank you, but you don't need to do that," Nandini said. "I can manage on my own."

"It will be difficult if you don't know the route. The bungalow is located in a place that cannot be found easily. You might end up wasting time trying to find the right address."

"Okay, but I will pay for the transportation as per the usual rates."

There was a moment of surprised silence, and then Disha reluctantly said, "Alright, you may do as you wish. You can call me on this number at any time if you need clarifications."

"Thank you," Nandini murmured.

"You're welcome. We will meet you tomorrow then. Have a nice day."

Nandini stared at the phone, unable to believe what had happened. Her heart flooded with relief...and then immense gratitude towards Rajeshwari, and also towards the divine powers that had given her a miraculous gift.

She quickly conducted a detailed online research on her phone for her travel plans.

She had not heard of Nikumbh before. It was apparently a big village, and its main attractions were some historic structures and handloom sarees. And Disha was right about the travel options...

Nandini began to pace in the small area between the window and the white door, trying to solve the practical problems associated with the trip. She could reflect upon the emotional issues once she actually was on her way.

She would have to lie to her family that she had a training session in Bhanupur, and to be on the safe side, she would have to tell them that she would return the next day. They would not suspect anything...because when the training sessions at Bhanupur were full-day ones, she and the others were accommodated in comfortable apartments in the company's huge residential quarters in the city.

She would have to apply for leave for two days. Since she had hardly taken any leaves so far, her boss - Mrs Kapoor - was unlikely to create a fuss.

She wasn't sure of the reception she would get at Rajeshwari's residence, but she did know that she would not eat or drink anything at the bungalow. However, it was Ekadashi tomorrow, when she fasted for the whole day without food or water. So, she wouldn't have to lie to them or appear rude.

God forbid, if she ended up returning on Friday, her weekly visit to the Kali temple would be missed. But on similar occasions in the past, she had gone walking to the shrine on the subsequent Tuesday to compensate for the break.

She would not stay in the bungalow in Nikumbh. Her online research had showed that there were respectable three-star hotels in a nearby town that was apparently a popular tourist spot. They would be very expensive but would also be safer than the other options. She would finalise one of them and head towards it after meeting Rajeshwari.

The thought of deceiving her family was flooding her with anguished guilt. But there wasn't any space for doubt or hesitation. This was a God-given opportunity, and she would not let go of it at any cost...

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

With a large khakhi green backpack slung over her shoulders, Nandini stood at the doors of the train and waited for the first glimpse of the station. It was very cold, and she'd put on her black sweater about half an hour ago. Disha had kept in touch with her throughout the day through messages and had also assured her that she would be waiting at the station.

The train had been running an hour behind schedule when she'd boarded it at Shamli at ten in the morning. And after that, it had halted at every station for about twenty minutes. Ultimately, the trip that should have taken four hours had taken almost eight. Now it was close to six in the evening and it was getting dark swiftly.

Her co-passengers had been upset and angry at the train's slow progress. But she'd scarcely been aware of the time. It felt as though she had entered the train ten minutes ago. She usually read books or interacted with her female co-passengers during her travels. But she had not been able to do that during this journey. Luckily, she'd gotten the window seat, and so had spent the hours staring blankly into space while striving not to allow panic and anxiety to overwhelm her.

Until Disha's phone call, she had been preoccupied with the gruelling anxiety about whether Rajeshwari would get in touch. Post the call, she had struggled to decide what she would say when she met Rajeshwari. But everything that came to her mind seemed inadequate and pointless...

Nikumbh's station slowly came into sight. It was very small, with hardly any people and a couple of shops. She thought she could see a woman clad in a grey and white western outfit and a grey sweater, and a man in a black suit. No one else in the compartment seemed to be getting down here, so she could disembark in peace.

As the station drew closer, Nandini tried to focus on practical things to avoid facing her emotions. If she stopped for a second to contemplate what lay ahead...and to imagine what could happen when she finally got the chance to talk to Rajeshwari, she would not be able to get down from the train.

The train slowed to a stop at last. Nandini felt ill as she disembarked. She had travelled for hours to visit an unknown village to meet a person who must surely despise her, and would also have to be prepared to stay in some unfamiliar place for a night. An endless number of things could go wrong...and this evening could easily become another horrid memory...

Disha and the guard hurried towards the girl dressed in a dull wheat colour kurti and dark brown leggings.

Nandini smiled awkwardly at them, and received polite greetings.

"You can give him your backpack," Disha said, indicating the guard.

"That's not necessary," Nandini said courteously. "It's very light."

Studying Nandini with concern, Disha stated, "You don't seem to be feeling okay. Would you like to have water or tea before we set out?"

"No, thank you. I'm fasting for Ekadashi, I won't have anything," Nandini mumbled.

"Oh...no fruits or water too?" Disha asked inquisitively.

Nandini shook her head.

"Alright, let's leave then," Disha said, and then muttered an instruction to the guard, who hurried towards the exit.

They began to follow him.

Disha looked at Nandini and ruefully said, "I should apologise to you."

"For what?" Nandini asked blankly. "You've only helped me since we've met."

"For asking if you needed financial help," Disha said ruefully. "I didn't mean to insinuate that you appeared to belong to a poor family or anything on those lines. I've just personally witnessed many cases in which women who are as beautiful as you - and don't have the backing of riches and power - often land in trouble," she shrugged.

Nandini turned red.

Disha noted bemusedly that it wasn't the blush of a woman who was proud of or even comfortable with her looks.

"Please don't feel bad," Nandini murmured. "I have only gratitude in my heart for you. You helped me when I was...I won't forget the favour," she said with a genuineness that touched the other woman.

They walked without speaking till they reached the maroon car that Nandini recognised from the shopping centre, and were soon on their way.

"Is the house far from here?" Nandini enquired, trying hard to sound relaxed and confident.

"About thirty minutes," Disha replied. "I hope you've changed your mind about staying at a hotel. It wouldn't be safe for you to travel late at night."

"I don't know...I'll think about it," Nandini mumbled.

They passed small houses and a reassuringly busy marketplace with shops and eateries. Gradually, bigger houses with large courtyards started appearing by the roadside. Then they also vanished, and only trees and bushes were visible for a long stretch.

Disha pointed out a cluster of old structures in the distance, and told her something about some ruins. Nandini tried to look interested and reply sensibly but she didn't really know what she was saying. She had gone beyond the normal levels of tension by now. The meeting she had prayed for was just a short while away and she had still not decided upon the right way to begin the conversation...

"We've reached," Disha said.

Nandini clenched her backpack tightly on seeing a brightly lit building through the thinning trees. Within moments, the car was gliding past large iron gates and pulling up in front of a large two-storeyed mansion. She got down with her backpack, and looked numbly at the doors that were being opened by one of the bodyguards she had seen at the shopping centre.

"Please come inside," Disha said courteously.

Nandini followed her into the house and found herself in a spacious, well-furnished living room. The house was old but had been maintained well.

"The princess's room is on the first floor. She has her dinner at this time," Disha informed her. "She will meet you after that. In the meantime, I will take you to your room so you could freshen up. When the princess is ready to meet you, I'll come to your room and take you to her."

Nandini wanted to tell her that it was not 'her' room, and that she was not going to stay for the night. But she didn't have the energy for the conversation as of now. She would raise the subject after her meeting with Rajeshwari. So, she numbly said, "Okay."

She was aware that they were passing by staff members who were looking at her inquisitively. But her mind was too preoccupied to notice anything else.

Disha led her to a large room on the ground floor itself. It contained a double-bed, large windows that were covered with mosquito nets, and other some other small pieces of furniture. There was a clean bathroom attached to the room.

When Disha started to leave the room, Nandini quickly said, "Could you wait for a minute?"

She placed her backpack on the bed and opened it to take out two boxes of sweets from one of her favourite shops in Shamli.

She offered them to Disha shyly.

"You can give these to the princess when you meet her. It will make her happy," Disha said gently.

"I have a separate box of the same sweets for her. These two are for you and everyone else in the house."

Disha looked at her in surprise as she took the boxes. "This is very sweet of you. Thank you. I hope you will stay back at least till breakfast tomorrow," she added in an enquiring tone.

"I'm sorry, but I would like to leave by 7," Nandini said apologetically. "There is a train to Shamli at 8:15, and I don't want to miss it."

After Disha left, she sat down heavily on the mattress. She was here. She was going to meet Rajeshwari. And by the end of their conversation, she would either gain a bit of peace or endure the shattering of whatever little was left of her heart.

Nandini rubbed her hands together for warmth. It felt colder in the house somehow. But she had an idea that the source of the chill was internal, not external...

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

Rajeshwari evaluated her sober green outfit in the long oval mirror on the wall and was pleased by the effect. It set the right tone for the conversation, she decided. Of course, the pink sweater reduced the severity of her look, but it was her favourite. She was about to have a difficult conversation, and needed the comfort it offered. She walked back to the sofa and sat down, attempting to look graceful and dignified.

About three nerve-wracking minutes later, there was a knock on the door of the charming sitting room, followed by a respectful question. When she granted permission, Disha opened the door and walked into the room, closely followed by a gorgeous woman who was clad in a drab outfit and was holding a yellow cotton bag.

Nandini smiled at her hesitantly.

Shifting slightly in her seat, Rajeshwari hurriedly recalled the points she had written in the diary. She had to maintain a cool, impersonal attitude and not be swayed by anything. She had to be truthful and not make things up just to make Nandini happy. And she had to state the points she had rehearsed well before Nandini got a chance to manipulate her in any way.

"Nandini, please have a seat," she said civilly, indicating the smaller couch that was placed opposite hers. "Disha, you may leave." Her throat was already parched...

As Disha closed the door behind her, Nandini held up the bag and politely said, "I brought some sweets for you."

"Thank you. Please keep it on the table," Rajeshwari said graciously, gesturing to the centre table between them.

Nandini tentatively said, "Thank you for agreeing to see me." A series of thoughts about Rajeshwari darted across her mind, but the impressions were vague and confusing. She could reflect upon them later when she wasn't being slaughtered by her own thoughts...

Rajeshwari cleared her throat. "Nandini, you're my guest today, and that means I should be polite towards you. But I need to tell you upfront that I did not want to meet you at all. I feel I am betraying my family by even speaking to you. But then I remembered you had helped me out when I had come to your college, and so, I owe you a favour. And I don't want to owe anything to a person like you," she finished weakly, and then felt simultaneously appalled and relieved and proud.

"I'm sorry for putting you in this position," Nandini said quietly, faintly flushed. "If you want me to leave, I will do so."

"That's not what I meant," Rajeshwari said, dismayed. "I don't want you to go. I just wanted to tell you how I feel about this meeting."

"I understand...and I'm grateful," Nandini said softly. After an awkward pause, she tentatively asked, "When did you return to India?"

"About three months ago. I didn't want to go through another winter there. It's horrible," Rajeshwari shuddered. "Our chateau is in a region that's supposed to have the warmest climate in the country. But the cold is still unbearable. But now I'm told that this year's winter is the mildest they have experienced in a decade. I felt bad at first, but not anymore because all of them will be returning to India for good on Monday. Just three days more," she said happily. Then she winced on remembering that she was not chatting with a friend. She had to revert to her previous attitude.

Nandini didn't notice the change on Rajeshwari's face. The news she had heard had shaken her. Three days...he was going to be back in the country after just three more days...

Nandini forcefully brought her attention back to the room, and heard Rajeshwari say, "....and I don't wish to talk about their plans anymore. In fact, I want to tell you a few things before you ask me anything."

"You can tell me whatever you want," Nandini muttered.

Rajeshwari thought of a few people and felt emboldened. And it helped that she was able to recollect everything she had noted in the diary. With a little more confidence, she said, "After we met outside the store, I spent a lot of time trying to understand why you had approached me. There could be many reasons. Maybe you wanted to hear me say that Prithvi is miserable without you and is barely living...or some nonsense of that kind. Because that would be good for your ego. Or your intentions could be much worse. Maybe you wanted to ask me to help you reconcile with him. Or -"

"No!"

Startled, Rajeshwari gaped at her guest.

The single word had come out as a burst of pain.

Nandini's tear-glazed eyes contained untold anguish and anger. "You don't have to talk to me, Rajeshwari. I told you...I will leave if you want me to. But please don't..." Too distraught to continue, she lapsed into silence for a minute, and then miserably said, "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry for the trouble you and your staff took"

Aghast on seeing Nandini start to rise, Rajeshwari leaned forward hurriedly and extended a placating hand. "No, wait - you cannot go," she said anxiously. "Look, I didn't mean to be hurtful. But surely you can understand why I thought of those reasons. If you were in my place, wouldn't you have assumed the same things?" she asked earnestly. "Please, Nandini...you must listen to what I have to say."

Nandini hesitated, then half-heartedly sat back again.

Almost delirious with relief, Rajeshwari rapidly said, "I thought about all those reasons initially. But then I felt I was wrong. Sankatmochan lives near your house, doesn't he? I know he's in touch with Prithvi. If you had anything like that on your mind, you wouldn't have needed to meet me. You could have taken Sankatmochan's help. So, I thought about it for some more time. And then I felt you might have wanted to know more about Prithvi's emotional state and his everyday life. And you could only understand that from someone who has been close to him for over four years now...like me. Isn't that true?"

Nandini lowered her gaze and whispered, "Yes."

Rajeshwari gently said, "If you've broken up with someone, you wouldn't want to know that the person was leading a great life without you. But I cannot invent stories just to protect your feelings. The truth is that Prithvi is very happy. He has a group of fantastic friends. He takes care of our grandfather's business, and he has his own consulting business too. But he manages to complete all his work, and also finds time to go with his friends for hiking and camping and archery and horse riding...all kinds of activities. It's amazing! But the best part of his life...and mine too...is our whole family. Both Prithvi and I...we didn't have happy childhoods," she muttered, but then her eyes shone as she said, "But now we finally know how it is to have loving and caring family members. And you have to see Prithvi with - wait - where are you going?" she asked in consternation.

Nandini had gotten up from the couch. But she wasn't heading to the door. She was strolling towards the windows, outside which there was only darkness.

Faintly worried, Rajeshwari looked at her doubtfully for some time. Her ability to handle situations had improved drastically in the past few years. But she did not know what was the right thing to say to a girl who had broken her brother's heart in the past and was now distressed on learning that he was perfectly fine without her.

When a few minutes had passed, Rajeshwari stood up and walked towards Nandini, diffidently asking, "Nandini, are you alright?"

Nandini turned around. Tears were flowing down her red cheeks. But her eyes held immeasurable joy. And though the lips were quavering, they were curved in an exultant smile.

Nandini's hands came together and she bowed her head. She tried to speak. But her voice wouldn't come out. She gave a tearful laugh, and then somehow said, "Thank you." Then with a strong effort, she unsteadily whispered, "I hope you receive all the happiness, all the love...all the peace in the world. May you always be protected from harm and sorrow. I will pray for your dreams to come true..."

Taken aback, Rajeshwari disbelievingly asked, "You wanted to know that Prithvi's happy? Oh my god.."

Looking tremendously touched, she rushed ahead to hug Nandini but then stopped and retreated quickly. "I'm sorry for being mean to you."

"You were not mean. You are no less than God to me right now, Rajeshwari," Nandini said shakily.

Rajeshwari beamed at her and led her back to the sofa. She offered her a tissue paper from the dispenser that was on the nearest corner table.

"Would you like to have a glass of water?" she asked kindly.

"No, thank you. I'm fasting," Nandini said hoarsely while wiping her cheeks.

"Oh...yes, Disha told me," Rajeshwari said, looking intrigued. Then she sat down near Nandini, and said, "I'm so glad to know you want Prithvi to be happy. But I should have known from the start...You were kind to me when you had nothing to gain. And if Prithvi liked you once in the past, you couldn't be a bad person. You wanted to meet me because you were feeling guilty about what happened, right? But you don't have to feel so bad anymore," she mollified Nandini. "It happened so many years ago. Time changes everything, doesn't it? Prithvi has moved on with his life, and you must have done the same. It was stupid of me to think you were still...I mean, when I think about how I felt about life about five years ago, I don't find any connection to my past self," she chuckled.

Nandini smiled wanly while praying internally that the subject should be changed.

Then the cheer on Rajeshwari's face reduced again. "I wish I could tell you more about Prithvi and our family. But I can't. You don't have any place in his heart anymore, but I still feel I've betrayed him by talking to you about him. So, we can talk about something else now, but not Prithvi or the family. Is that okay?" she asked keenly, oblivious to the blow she had inflicted with a few words.

Nandini smiled and said, "We can talk about whatever you like."

Rajeshwari's face showed a little more liveliness. "Great! So, tell me about you...what have you been doing?"

"I work with the Fortitude group...in their internal communications team."

"It's one of the oldest industrial groups in the country, isn't it?" Rajeshwari said, agog with curiosity. "You work for them? And they pay you some money at the end of the month?" she surmised with a fascinated look.

Despite her inner state, Nandini smiled amusedly at the innocence in the question. "Yes."

"What do you do there? What does internal communications mean?" Rajeshwari asked interestedly.

Nandini tried to give an explanation of her job profile. But with her mind tangled hopelessly in wholly different matters, she wasn't sure if she was saying anything remotely intelligent.

It was after about an hour, when Rajeshwari's attention was diverted by a message on her phone, that Nandini remembered to voice one of her own doubts.

"Can I ask you something about yourself?" she asked uncertainly.

Rajeshwari looked up from the phone with faint alarm, and timidly said, "What do you want to know?"

"What are you doing in this village?"

With an air of relief, Rajeshwari said, "Oh that. I'm doing some charitable work." Then she unhappily added, "But I can't talk about it because it's connected to my family. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. I just want to know if you're okay living in this isolated place," Nandini said intently.

"I am," Rajeshwari said a little too quickly. "I like the experience of living in villages like these and interacting with the poor."

Nandini sensed that she had encroached upon a sensitive topic, and reluctantly decided against asking about Rajeshwari's terrified look outside the shopping centre. The question would be considered more intrusive than the one she had asked just now...

She gently said, "Okay, but if you ever need anything or just want to talk to someone, give me a call. Or you could also visit me in Shamli."

"I can't do either of those things...it wouldn't be right," Rajeshwari said unhappily. Then she wistfully asked, "Could you tell me about your family? I would like to know more about them. I've heard Sumer Singh talk about them at times, and they sound amazing."

"They are," Nandini said warmly. "They are the most wonderful people on earth..."

She spoke lovingly about her mother, her grandfather and Prakash and the temple. And all the sweet elements of their life in Shamli. And as she described them, her guilt at lying to her innocent family increased steadily. She felt worse on recalling the recent occasions when she had spoken harshly to her mother. She would try to be more patient in the coming days...

At one point, Rajeshwari opened the sweets box, and showed her liking for them quite enthusiastically while asking endless questions.

It was close to midnight by the time their conversation ended, and Rajeshwari summoned Disha to take Nandini back to her room on the ground floor.

As Nandini began to leave the room, Rajeshwari sheepishly said, "I hear you will be leaving by around 7... I don't wake up so early."

"So, we'll say our goodbyes now," Nandini said lightly, and embraced Rajeshwari. She was hugged back tightly.

She stepped back and affectionately said, "Bye, Rajeshwari. Take care of yourself."

"You too," Rajeshwari said in a small voice, looking downcast.

Feeling unexpectedly sad herself, Nandini left the room along with Disha.

Back in her room, she opened the outer pocket of her backpack and took out a small marble idol of baby Krishna. She switched off the light, and then without changing into her nightdress or removing her sweater, she lay down on the bed and covered herself with the blanket.

Nandini kissed the idol and hugged it to her chest fervently.

Streams of blissful joy and peace were flowing through her as her imagination created glorious pictures of the wonderful life he was leading. Images of him surrounded by adoring friends and family members made her smile elatedly in the darkness.

She didn't want to think too deeply or analyse anything for now. Rajeshwari believed he was very happy and had great relationships with everyone in the family. So, she was going to put her faith in Rajeshwari's belief. Yes, it was the easiest way out...but when had she ever been brave in love...

Anyway, her brain, supported by her instincts, would eventually come up with doubts that would ruin her peace. But for as long as possible, she was going to ignore the chatter of her intuition and accept Rajeshwari's words as the gospel truth.

And Rajeshwari had definitely been right about the effect of time.

Her perspective on many aspects of life had changed during the last four years. It was the same for her friends. They often laughed when talking about their school and college days, and the silly things that had seemed so important.

But life had taught her that was the reverse also was possible.

Instead of making an emotion seem trivial or insignificant, time could reveal its actual beauty, intensity and power. And it could make a relationship more real...more alive, even if that relationship existed only in her heart...

Now when she looked back at the most beautiful as well as painful phase of her life, she was able to study every aspect of it with objectivity and wisdom.

The beauty...the joy...the innocence...the darkness...

And at the very core, a radiant, pure love that had possessed the majesty of the universe...

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

Nandini opened the mineral water bottle she had purchased from Shamli and quenched her thirst. She replaced the bottle in her backpack. She ran a comb quickly through her hair and then imprisoned it in a pony tail.

Nandini glanced at the mirror to apply a black bindi between her eyebrows, and disinterestedly glanced over the off-white kurta, light pink churidar and black sweater to ensure that she looked neat and tidy. She placed the bag of toiletries in her backpack. Then she picked up the backpack, scanned the area for anything she had left behind, and left the room. The backpack contained an envelope with sufficient money for a two-way trip between the station and the bungalow. She would give it to the driver once he dropped her at the station.

Outside, the sky was only beginning to lighten. The car was waiting for her in the large compound, and Disha was standing near it.

"Are you sure you won't have tea at least?" Disha asked anxiously for the third time.

"I'm sure. I usually have tea about two hours after I wake up," Nandini lied blithely.

"Okay, please send a message after you reach Shamli," Disha said amiably as she opened the door for Nandini.

"I will," Nandini said warmly. "And Disha...if you need any help at any time in the future, you just have to give me a call," she said sincerely, and gave the astonished woman a quick hug before getting into the car.

Nandini gazed out of the window and waved smilingly at Disha as the car passed through the gates. Then she turned in her seat and leaned back. She had slept for four hours at a stretch last night, which was a miracle. Although she was tired physically, her mind was fresh.

Thoughts about many different things and people were running through her head. She let them come and go. There would be plenty for time for dissecting them after she reached Shamli. For the time being, she wanted to hold on to the happiness she had experienced after so many years.

After a while, she looked absently towards the window on her right and saw a crumbling. ancient wall made of large stones just moving out of her vision.

"Could you stop the car for a minute?" she asked quickly.

The driver promptly did as she had asked and brought the car to a halt by the roadside.

"I had read about some historic structures here," she asked the driver curiously. "Is that one of them?"

"Yes, memsaab, that's the stepwell. The villagers say it is more than five hundred years old. There are some very old havelis too in this village. Tourists come often to visit them. But we've left that area behind. Shall I turn the car around?"

"No, that's okay. Can I go to see the stepwell?" Nandini asked keenly. "Do we have time?"

"You can spend half an hour there, and we will still have plenty of time to reach the station," the driver assured her. "The main entrance is further ahead. But you could just walk in through that big gap in the wall to see the stepwell."

"Okay, I'll be back in five minutes," she promised.

Feeling a flicker of excitement over something after a very long time, Nandini grabbed her phone from her backpack and got down from the car hurriedly. The cold made her pull together the neck of her sweater as she crossed the vacant road.

Nandini kept a suspicious lookout for any scary surprises in the shrubbery adjoining the dilapidated wall while she made her way through the large gap.

The area on the other side wasn't well-maintained, with overgrown grass and large pieces of stones lying haphazardly. But Nandini's eyes went straight to the massive square-shaped subterranean structure in the centre of the ground.

She knew stepwells had been built centuries ago in many parts of country to store rain water, and had seen stunning pictures of them in newspapers and magazines. But this was the first time she was going to see one for herself.

With increasing amazement and a sense of thrill, Nandini hastened towards the stepwell's nearest edge and then stared into it with wonder.

It was a spectacular structure that went deep into the earth. This stepwell wasn't as deep or architecturally elaborate as the ones in the pictures she had seen. But it was still stunning. There were stairs on all four sides, along with platforms and columns, leading to the bottom. She gazed in awe at the complicated geometric design of the steps. They made the stepwell look like a captivating maze of stone. After every five steps, one would have to turn to the left or right to continue descending...

In the light of the early morning sun, the stepwell appeared nearly magical.

Unfortunately, it was dry now. But she could imagine how beautiful it would have looked when it contained water...

She was not in the habit of taking photographs, but she wanted to capture the beauty of the stepwell in the early morning sunlight. And it would be a lovely memory of this village where she had found some peace after eons.

Nandini clicked a few pictures and was pleased with them. Then she counted the number of steps. There were 40 in total. She looked towards the car through the gap in the wall. She had planned to just look at the stepwell. But now she couldn't resist the pull of those fascinating steps. And hadn't the driver told her that they had ample time to reach the station...

She started to descended carefully, enjoying herself as she tried to decide if she ought to go this way...or that way...

It was hard to believe that at this time yesterday she had been at home, feeling so stressed and uneasy. And now she was prancing around like a child in this ancient stepwell in a village named Nikumbh. And after a few hours, she would be back in Vrindavan, being forced to consider marriage proposals again...

Nandini stopped moving. She had almost reached the bottommost step, but her excitement had died out abruptly. The depression and hopelessness that overcame her were more severe than usual. Perhaps because she had spent most of the previous 24 hours thinking about him. And for the same reason, she was suddenly beset by an unendurable restlessness that she hadn't felt for years.

Feeling burnt out, Nandini sat down on the steps.

She wanted to go back to the Vrindavan that had been her haven. She didn't want to return to the house where her mother would extol the virtues of marriage for the zillionth time, and caring neighbours and relatives would give her well-meaning advice about understanding her family's anxiety and encouraging her to consent to meet eligible candidates.

Nandini hugged herself and rubbed her arms. Just the thought of what was waiting for her at home was turning her restlessness into physical uneasiness.

But what could do...where could she go....

She didn't have a choice. No choice that her conscience would accept anyway.

So, she had to continue to do what she had done so far. Listen to everyone for as long as her innate patience would permit...and then end the conversation somehow without giving any clear response. Because she couldn't possibly explain to anyone on the planet that she wasn't unmarried.

The seven vows that were taken at the time of marriage...the seven steps that were taken around the fire...

Her heart had performed those rituals five years ago on a November night, though she hadn't understood it until much later. She honoured and celebrated that occasion every year with the seven lamps that she lit on the anniversary of that day...

She was wedded to him in her heart, mind, spirit and soul. And that truth was all she needed to spend the rest of her life alone.

Nandini stood up wearily, feeling unable to remain in the serene spot with the rising agitation in her heart. She turned and glanced up ruefully at the steps that she had to climb. They appeared to have doubled in number. Still, it would be interesting to go up the intricate network of stairs.

Nandini looked down at the steps and began to climb. She was starting to experience palpitations and feel strange. Was it because she'd not had food or water yesterday? Yes, that was likely. Maybe she should have had a cup of tea before leaving from the bungalow.

Far above, a tall, well-built man was strolling idly to the edge of the stepwell, hands tucked into the pockets of charcoal-grey pants. A waistcoat of the same colour had been worn over a white shirt. The shirt's sleeves were rolled up.

Nandini looked up involuntarily.

Prithvi came into view at the top of the stairs in that precise second.

They beheld each other at the same time...

...and were instantaneously stricken by an unspeakably powerful shock that was as electrifying as it was violent...

They stared disbelievingly at each other, remaining utterly still for so long that a bystander could have been forgiven for believing that they had transformed into sculptures of stone.

Then as the minutes passed, the disbelief on Prithvi's face started to fade, and savagely intense emotions exploded into life in his jet-black eyes. But they vanished within seconds. And then there was only a grim impassiveness in the gaze that was locked forcefully with hers.

Trembling fiercely, Nandini dropped her gaze. The initial jolt of disbelief had almost made her fall to her knees. After that, she'd not known what had happened...until she had seen and sensed a frightening change in him...

She felt a desperate need to escape somehow. But the shock hadn't just frozen her emotions, it had also destroyed her thinking capacity. Fearfully avoiding the topmost portion of the stairs, she looked helplessly at the intricate array of steps in front of her. They seemed to run up to several thousand feet now - as high and insurmountable as a mountain.

She needed to calm down but she couldn't. Each breathe was a struggle, and her heartbeat was thundering in her ears.

Prithvi was standing almost in the centre of the topmost level. She had to figure out the route that would take her to the corner. Her brain cooperated enough to inform her tauntingly there were many ways in which she could get out of the stepwell without going close to him. But despite struggling madly, she couldn't figure it out. It seemed to her horribly confused eyes that whichever way she chose to ascend the stairs, she was going to end up at the spot where Prithvi was standing...

The complexity of the architecture that she had admired a short while ago now seemed to be a conspiracy against her...a devious web that had been designed to trap her forever in the line of the brilliant gaze that had always been able to see right through her.

Or had he moved...or left...

A sudden despair made Nandini glance up jerkily.

Encased in the red-gold light of the rising sun, Prithvi was standing in the same place, still gazing at her...

Dizzy with many different emotions, Nandini lowered her head quickly.

She had to start moving...she had to...

Forcing her shivering legs to move, Nandini began to walk up the steps. In the same manner of her descent, she paused after every five steps to determine which way to go. The difference was that now her decisions were being driven by pure panic...and one all-important goal. She had to avoid going anywhere near him.

After going through the longest minutes of her life, she had only five more steps to go, and she was beginning to feel relieved. She had selected the right way to proceed, and now she didn't have to be afraid of looking up and -

Five steps above, Prithvi was directly in her path, looking at her silently with an unfathomable expression.

He had moved to deliberately stand in her way, Nandini thought in an unthinking frenzy. Then she looked frantically in both directions, and understood that he hadn't...

She had walked up the exact route that would bring her closest to him...

Almost on the verge of crying with frustration, Nandini turned carefully to the right and covered a lot of distance towards the corner, and then climbed up again. But she realised only when she started to ascend that she had not covered more than a couple of feet, and was going to have to pass so close by him that he could touch her without having to even stretch an arm...

But she was too overwrought to change her direction again. With her breath stuck in her throat, she rushed up the remaining couple of steps and hurried past him, feeling oddly defenceless in the face of his overwhelming physical presence.

For an insane moment, she was wildly certain that he was going to yank off the cotton band to free her hair. But nothing happened...no one stopped her...

She didn't know how she found the car, but eventually found herself struggling to open the rear door. She heard the driver say something, and then he opened the door for her. Quivering, she clambered into the vehicle clumsily, and begged him to hurry to the station.

As the alarmed driver did as she asked, Nandini managed to look ahead for a few minutes. Then she turned sharply in her seat and stared wretchedly at the empty road behind...then she couldn't see anything as a watery curtain fell over her eyes...

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