Part 29 Promise

Khushi was stuck. INNOCENTS? Like really?

"Sir, they are not innocents but tried to rape a girl," Khushi said.

"So, would you wound them? Who gave you the rights madam? You should have called the police instead of taking the LAW into your own hands" The inspector talked illogical.

"How could we wait until you reach the place?"

"You should have to... because we are the authority. The public should not act as they want"

"They would have raped the girl, Sir"

"They are not such guys. The girl was the one who teased them"

"Sir, we saw them slapping the girl and pouncing on her"

"Madam, stop talking unnecessarily. Call the man who hit them"

Arnav came there, hearing the argument.

"What happened Khushi? Who are they?" He asked looking at the police.

"They are the police"

"You mean, guards?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"But, why are they here?" He asked confusingly.

The inspector frowned as he could not understand the language he spoke.

"They are here to arrest you for wounding the guys," Khushi said wearily.

"Whaaaat? To arrest me? I think they misunderstood"

"No, Arnav, they are so clear"

"What do you mean?"

"It seems the guys are BIG SHOTS"

"So what?"

"They would have bribed the police..."

"Bribed? The justice must be the same for all"

"It won't work like that here"

"Then?"

"They will blame you and will frame the scene like you are at fault"

"What the hell..."

"We have to leave this place immediately and go back to your kingdom," Khushi said.

"Do you want me to run like a coward?"

"Your bravery will do nothing with them, Arnav"

"Then, let me show my arm power to them... I will behead them swiftly" he said furiously.

"They have a gun. They will shoot you"

"Gun means?"

"Didn't I tell you about weapons? The gun will kill you in the blink of an eye"

Arnav was about to ask her something, but he stopped hearing,

"Hello, madam... what's happening here? What is he asking?"

"Sir, he doesn't know Hindi and English. He is from a village in Northeast India. I'm explaining him about the issue"

"Is he talking Assami?"

Khushi nodded NO...

"It's a tribal language," She said without thinking.

"He is under arrest in the attempt murder case"

"Whaaaat? Attempt murder? It's not true" Khushi exclaimed.

"Their parents filed a case"

"Sir, it's not even one hour since we reached home. How could they file a case so fast and you found us out?" Khushi lost her patience.

"Madam... we are not answerable to you. You can talk about anything in the station. Let us take him with us"

The inspector extended his hand to clutch Arnav's nape. Khushi was horrified. In no time, Khushi pushed him hard. She turned towards Arnav. Clutching his hand, she dragged him inside the house and locked the door.

"Khushi, what are you doing?" Arnav asked.

"I have no time to explain the severity of the issue"

The police banged on her house door. Arnav looked at the door and tried to open it. Without thinking of anything, Khushi took the sand clock out. That was when she saw the bag in which Arnav's old-era dresses were. She took it in her hand and gave it to Arnav. Clutching Arnav's hand, she said,

"Take me BACK to the Maurya Kingdom" and took an evasive action.

The next second, they appeared in Khushi's room in Arnav's Kingdom, from where they disappeared.

"What have you done, Khushi? Why the hell did you bring me back?"

"What else do you want me to do? How could I let them disrespect you?"

"We could have managed them, Khushi"

"You can't... You have no idea what would have happened to you. They would have put you in jail"

"Jail? But why? What's wrong I did?"

"There is no right and wrong, Arnav. The influenced person can BUY anyone in India... If you have money, anyone will be behind you for money"

"This is so cheap"

"Yes... but it's the bitter truth"

"You should have let me kill them... and then should have brought me back," Arnav said wrathfully.

"How many people will you kill? Half of the people in our country are like that only" She said wearily.

"Another half is enough for your country... why would such cheap people live? Those brutes tried to ruin a girl and the police wanted to put me in jail for punishing them?"

Khushi was silent.

"I should have killed those B****. I should not have let them run"

"I already told you, there is one Hemadri in your kingdom but there are many Hemadri in our country. We can't extinguish them... this is how the world would be after 2500 years..."

"I don't like it"

"I know you won't like it. That was why I didn't want you to come with me"

"I don't want YOU also to go there again,"

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Touch your heart and say, do you like your era more than mine...?"

Khushi closed her eyes. How could she say so? Who would like hell over heaven?

"I don't care about the parallel universe and all. You are not going there. that's final" Arnav said strictly.

Khushi sat on the bed, holding her head. Arnav sat next to her.

"Khushi, listen to me... I just can't think of you going back there. How could you survive in that hell?"

"I used to it, Arnav... I have to..."

"Why should you, when you have a CHOICE?"

"It's not a matter of ONLY me. Just think... as per the history, you should have been supposed to marry someone. If I marry you, history will change"

"Khushi, it doesn't matter whether you will marry me or not but don't go back to your era. I'm not asking you to stay here to marry me. I can't be peaceful after sending you back to hell. I can't do it. There is no safety for women. There is no justice... Guards who should protect people are totally unfair to people. What kind of life do you live, Khushi? Do you want to live it again?"

Khushi was silent. She knew Arnav was angry, emotional, and disappointed with the new era. He would not accept any of her explanations.

"Promise me, you will not use the sand clock without my permission," Taking her hand, he kept it on his head.

Khushi looked at him perplexed.

"My father wanted you to be his guest. Stay here, accepting his invitation, and honor us. Will you?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"I believe you won't cheat me."

"You are making me suffocate, Arnav"

"You would be suffocating in your era for your whole life. Will you say no?"

"I won't say no... yet, I have to go. Because I know this is not permanent. I'm a visitor here... just a guest. I feel honored to be the guest of a King. I will surely accept it but staying here forever and marrying you will not happen, Arnav. You should accept the reality"

"No, I won't accept it... Prince Aparajith will never accept the defeat... definitely not in your matter. I love you so much, Khushi. I can't replace you because no one is like you. I like all the qualities you have in you. How could I forget you?"

"Arnav, it's a timing grief. You will forget me if you find a nice girl for yourself... and..."

"Shut up... shut up, Khushi... don't talk like this. What do you think of me? Do you think I will change my mind just like changing my clothes? I don't raise in the way, Khushi... it might be a simple thing for your era guys but for us, it's a life-taking issue"

Khushi gulped down hard.

"I have a huge respect for you. I admire your skills... I liked your morals... don't try to pretend like you don't care about me. I saw you being much distressed to solve Ganga's problem. If you are so concerned for a random girl, I'm sure you will feel bad for me for your whole life if you leave me"

Khushi's eyes tear up. She didn't know what to say. How could she say anything when Arnav spoke the truth?

"You can go leaving me, or, tackling me, but don't think I will forget you and live my life getting married to someone. It will never happen"

"Arnav please stop it..."

"No..." he pulled his sword from the hip belt cover that he kept on her bed with his jewels. He raised it.

"I will never get married to anyone other than you... it's my promise on my sword" Arnav said looking at Khushi sharply.

Khushi was horrorstruck. She knew what it meant promising on the sword. The worriers could even die but won't break the promise they made on their sword. She stood up from the bed, jerking.

"What have you done, Arnav? Why don't you understand?"

"You are the one who doesn't understand Khushi. You think, your era is not a nice place for ME to live. Then, why are you going there? How will I (He stressed) send you there? Why can't you be here with me?"

Khushi tried to say something,

"Don't you dare say you don't like this place... I saw an extreme level of happiness on your face every day"

Khushi looked at him painfully. This was why she didn't want to take him to her era. It was because she knew Arnav would not let her live there if he got to know its features.

To be continued...