Part 31 Without Sand Clock

Khushi was shocked to the core not finding the sand clock on the table. She looked at Arnav with the same shock.

"What?"

"The sand Clock is missing," She said nervously.

"Whaaat?"

"It was on the table..."

Arnav looked at the table and said,

"It must be here... I think one of us would pushed it down"

He started searching for it. Khushi also did that with Arnav while blabbering,

"Hey Devi Maiya, why are you testing me this way? What will I do without the sand clock? How will I go back to my ear?"

Arnav stopped searching and looked at her jerking.

"What did you say?"

"Without the sand clock, how could I go back?" She kept her hand on her head.

Arnav straightened himself.

"Then don't go..."

Khushi glared at him.

"Did you pray to show you a nice path to this problem?"

Khushi said nothing but was looking at him.

"Tell me, yes or no?"

She nodded yes.

"See, it went missing... because your prayer was heard... that's why God is helping you to decide. God wants you to be with me"

"Please, stop it, Arnav..."

"This is why... your heart doesn't want to go back but your mind is not ready to accept the decision. That's why the sand clock went missing"

Khushi looked at him shrinking her eyes.

"What does your look mean? Do you think I would have stolen it?"

"No Arnav... you were with me only... no one knows about the sand clock except for you. But where did it go? Who took it?"

"I too don't know... though I'm happy it went missing I can't allow a thief to be at our palace," he said in a Princess style.

"Please FIND it, Arnav"

"Mmm"

"But, how will you do it?"

"I will order my spy team to observe people in the palace. Then, it won't be a big deal to find the sand clock. Because no one knows its purpose"

"But, what if they unintentionally twisted it thinking of some other era in their mind?"

"No way, Khushi, no one knows about future eras"

"But, they knew Alexander, Chandra Gupta Maurya, and Buddha..."

Arnav nodded yes.

"Khushi, understand one thing, we can't change anything. if it has to happen, it will happen. So, don't stress yourself. Go to sleep"

Khushi nodded OK slowly. Arnav touched her head lovingly with a smile and left the place. Though Arnav asked her to sleep, she could not. How could she think of sleeping after losing the sand clock that was the only medium that could take her back to the Modern era? What would she do now? Could not she go back to the twenty-first century? Should she be here for her whole life? What about the parallel universe? Could not she avoid it? What would happen now? She didn't know.

Arnav came to his room all smiling. He was angry about the thief no doubt but at the same time, he was happy because Khushi would not leave him. He wanted to find the thief of the sand clock. More than that, he wanted to know why did they steal it. He could not leave it. So, he called Satyam, his spy head.

In the meanwhile,

Chandrika came to the backyard garden with Parvathy. They laughed like mad, looking at each other. Chandrika removed the knot of her saree pallu and looked at the sand clock.

"Princess Chandrika, what if the magic thing will affect you? Don't touch it"

"I didn't touch it... See, It's being wrapped by my saree pallu. I didn't even touch it while taking it from the table"

"That's good. What are you going to do with this?"

"I'm also thinking about it only. Khushi should not get it back. We have to make it possible"

"Then, we should break it"

"No no, what if some spirit came out of it?"

"Yes, you are right. There is a chance for it. This is a magic thing after all" Parvathy agreed it.

"Not just a magic thing, it can be a witchcraft I suppose. Or else, Prince Aparajith would not have spellbound with her"

"Yes, what will we do to this?"

Chandrika thought for a while.

"We will bury it in the garden. What say?"

"Fantastic idea. Let's go"

They came to a jasmine plant. Taking a stick, Parvathy started digging the ground. Chandrika was watching their surroundings cautiously. She dug the ground a little deep.

"Is it enough?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's enough. No one will dig this place as this jasmine plant blooms a lot" Chandrika said while putting the sand clock in the pit and putting mud on it. They stood up dusting their palms with a satisfactory smile.

"Let's see, how that Khushi will trap Prince Aparajith from here on," she said gritting her teeth.

"Let's go, Princess Chandrika before anyone sees us..."

"Mmm," They walked looking at the place they buried the sand clock.

Two days later

Khushi was fed up as Arnav didn't find the sand clock. He looked busy with some administration work. She didn't even meet him. She started losing her hope. She came to Arnav's room and knocked on his door. Arnav opened the door and pulled her inside, making her shock.

"You don't have to knock on my door, understand?"

Khushi shrugged his hand and asked,

"Do you still remember me?"

Arnav raised his brows and chuckled.

"You're talking like a typical lover Khushi"

Khushi got stuck and asked,

"Where is my sand clock?"

Arnav folded his hands and looked at her.

"I want it, Arnav" She pleaded.

"It's a small item. Don't you know finding it is not easy?"

Khushi sighed.

"Then how will you find it?"

"I have formed a team to find it"

"What did you tell them?"

"I said it's a spiritual thing given by Saint Shah Rukh Khan. Whoever stole it will vomit blood and die"

Khushi widened her eyes in shock.

"Why did you say so?"

"Then only people will not wish to keep it with them"

Khushi chuckled.

"Thank God, you smiled. Don't be gloomy. It doesn't suit you" he smiled.

Khushi smiled. That was when she noticed Arnav was wearing a grand dress. The prince's crown had been kept on the bed.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"To the court"

"Anything important?"

"Yes, today, the king is going to select the new commander-in-chief of the force"

"Oh... Did Hemadri and the Priest behead?"

"On the same day itself..."

"Is it?" she asked unbelievably.

"What do you think, we will give a chance to the criminals?"

She nodded no.

"I wanted to thank you for saving our kingdom from them," Arnav said.

"No need... after all... we are..."

Arnav kept his index finger on her lip and stopped her from speaking more. Khushi was stunned.

"We are not friends... I don't want to be your friend. Understand?"

Khushi blinked her eyes. Arnav lowered his finger gulping down.

"Let's go..."

"Me?" she stammered.

"Yes, I was supposed to come to your room to call you. you are the guest of the king. Don't forget it. Let's go"

Arnav took Khushi to the court. She saw VIRAJ also sitting in the court. She smiled at him waving her hand. He stood up and greeted her, joining his hands. Arnav took her to the guest seat and made her sit.

"When did Viraj come from the camp?" She asked Arnav.

"Yesterday"

"Oh..."

"I was busy with the arrangements. That's why I could not tell you"

That was when Khushi understood what kept Arnav so busy.

"Mmm... but why Viraj is here?"

"I think breaking the Royal secret to you is no harm"

"What secret?"

"Viraj is the next commander-in-chief"

"Is it?" Arnav nodded yes smiling.

"It must be you who forwarded his name. right?" She asked.

"No wonder if you understand me. Who else other than you could do that?" Arnav smiled and Khushi was embarrassed.

"How won't I love you if you are so understanding?" he added.

"Do you think I will cope with you? Our habits are different. I'm from the modern world. Didn't you see how it works?" she tried to corner him.

"Yeah... I saw how BEAUTIFULLY it works" he said sarcastically.

Khushi made a face and he chuckled.

"Don't think much about going back. We will think about it after the sand clock is found. Ok?"

Khushi sighed. Arnav was right. Without having the sand clock, what was the use of thinking about going back? They continued talking. They didn't notice every eye was on them. People already started gossiping about their Prince and the foreigner. They had no doubt about their relationship in which Arnav and Khushi themselves were not clear. People didn't like Chandrika as she was the reason Arnav left the palace and stayed away from them but People liked Khushi very much as she saved the kingdom from the cheaters. They started to admire her pair with Arnav. Arnav knew it. Didn't he know HIS people?

Chandrika fumed, seeing them talking with each other not minding about anything. Arnav noticed it too. No need to say, he didn't give heed to her. Chandrika couldn't tolerate it. She thought she could separate Arnav and Khushi if she took the sand clock away from her. As it was not happening and they looked closer than before, she decided to destroy the sand clock that night.

To be continued...