''What if we are late bhai?''

''pray we shouldn't be. I don't want anyone do die, not today.'' Ranvijay replied looking out of the window. 

''Did you try the guards?'' Veer asked, he too had been very anxious since he got to that Dipika had taken Rani along to Suryagarh. He was sure his wife was planning to kill all and feed them to her pet cat.

''They seemed to be in some other planet, none of the numbers are reachable. They were mine and now they belong to my mad wife.Tell me Veer, who all are there, one name who would listen just to me.''

Veer thought, ''Chitra!'' A smiled covered Ranvijay's lips, he knew she was the only one who would follow his words to T.

Ranvijay pulled out his phone dialling one of his favourite girls. Chitra blinked at the name flashing on her phone, she answered without a minute . The voice on other side made her dance in happiness. 

''Chitra, listen to me carefully. Do all you have to but Ananya should not kill any one.''

''Vikram Hukum has locked me in the room to keep me safe.'' She replied making Ranvijay groaned , he should have thought of that. Vikram wouldn't let Chitra get involved in anything like that. There was a silence and then Chitra spoke, ''I promise, no one will die today.'' With that she disconnected and looked around. The  room had just one exit, she knew that was unlikely but she had no time to search. How she wished she had a gun to shoot the lock but according to all she was underage.  She looked up and found a ventilator, ''I know I am not that good, but today my mother's genes should work.''  Pulling out the bed sheet, she threw it around her neck. Pushing the huge table next to the wall she started mounting small stools over it. 

Rubbing her palms, she climbed one after the other finally reaching the ventilator. Once on it, she tied the bed sheet to the hook on the ventilator and threw it on the other side. ''I am going to break my bones.'' Chitra slowly climbed down to realise she was still about three feet above the ground.  Taking a deep breath she let go falling on her back, she groaned in pain as her elbow felt the impact the most. 

She got up limping , making her way to the dungeon, continuously reciting the promise she made to Ranvijay. Her feet halted on finding her mother guarding one of the exit. She knew there were other guards too and none will permit her to step in She thought of all but nothing came into her head, the best was just to barge in.

''Chitra stop!'' Sitara warned, she was taken by surprise when her daughter suddenly ran past her like a stike of lightning . ''I can't.. sorry.'' 

''Ranvijay made a mistake I won't.'' She heard Ananya say and then her gun moved to Dev

''You won't.'' 

''I will...without a hitch...'' Chitra forgot her pain and ran the double speed, all she wanted was to keep her promise to Ranvijay.

Ananya fired and Sona let out a scream all scared for her brother.

***

''turn off the main switch, and switch it on only after five minutes'' Ranvijay commanded the staff.

''Bhai have patience, we have already reached.'' Veer tried calming Ranvijay who still wasn't very strong. Though Veer had arranged for a wheel chair but Ranvijay Rathore looked ready to run. Veer somehow made him settle down as he wheeled him in. 

When they reached, they heard the gun shot and a scream , They froze, ''Get the lights.'' he ordered. When lights came back, Ananya stared at Chitra shocked, who had pushed Ananya's hand towards the ceiling , ''Why?'' But Chitra couldn't answer as her body gave up ,fainting next moment

''Because I asked her to.'' The voice echoed the stone walls increasing Ananya's heart beats. Her lips stretched as She looked up towards the balcony and found Ranvijay standing with Veer's support. His eyes locked with hers, ''Ranvijay...!'' She whispered. 

''Take me down Veer.''  Ranvijay ordered. Ananya's eyes never moved away from his movements. 

Vikram moved quickly towards Chitra, ''She is hurt! Mad girl must have jumped off the ventilator.'' He gathered her in his arms lifting her up. Ananya forgot all around her, she walked to Ranvijay her eyes just on him. Once close, she roamed her palms all over him as he carefully took the gun off her hands. ''its really you.'' she whispered kneeling down. He caressed her face, but for now there were more things to settle.

***

Vishambhar caressed Rani talking to her slowly , he had managed to bring her up and has been waiting for one moment. He had seen Ananya pointing the gun towards Dev he wished she fired and ended the lineage of monsters. He still was being haunted by the heinous crimes he committed in his past. His ears echoed with the screams of men he killed for Mahendra Singh and the women destroyed by them. He still couldn't forget when his own cousin committed suicide  in order to protect herself from Mahendra Singh and his son

If not for Dipika, he would have killed himself but she gave him another life helping him in coping up with dark past. His eyes went to Netra and he knew this was only day he would get to avenge all.

***

Veer's eyes went to his niece who had hers frozen of broken Dev, supported by his sister. He shook his head, Rolli deserved best and Dev didn't count anywhere. He looked around, ''Baljit, get in.'' The Guard walked in and Veer gave him the command, ''Take Chitra an Rolli home , stay back there.''

''Chachu...'' Rolli's words died with lift of Veer's palm. He looked at Baljit once and latter nodded. Lifting his daughter Chitra, he requested Rolli to move and she did not before giving Dev a final painful glance.

He then went back to Ranvijay and helped him stand up, walking him closer to Netra, ''I left you and you son alive because I could see that your son was different from all of you but you decided to pull him back into your game of hatred. Not bothered, that it would eventually lead to his end, if not me my brother or kids would definitely would have stopped him. What were you thinking?''

Netra didn't respond, she was still simmering in the fire of revenge and failure. Dipika walked to them, ''Bhai, the truth is out. We are done here, let's leave.'' He nodded, Veer helped him walk back to chair but Dipika stood there taking a moment to give Netra a final warning, oblivious of Netra's mind. She waited for Ranvijay to be seated , her back to the evil sister in law.

''Mom No.'' Dev screamed. Dipika turned to find Netra lunging at her with a knife but she never reached. To the horror of all  present Rani acted when it saw its master in trouble. The growl of the tigress gave chills to everyone present as they watched bloodied Netra lying on the hard floor, her shoulder split open and Rani on her, still growling.''Rani come to Me!'' Dipika called the cat and it obeyed mellowing like a kitten. Not being bought up in natural habitat, Rani wasn't a good hunter but it definitely knew how to protect the one it loved

''Get a doctor!'' Dipika pleaded

''Let her die hukum.'' Vishambhar said, his heart content staring at Netra's bloodied form

''You were under a command, I said to keep her away. Now take her back to dungeon before I lose my senses.'' The man obeyed but it did give shock to Vikram and Veer, the woman they knew as an epitome of calmness looked fiercer than an animal. 

Dipika quickly moved to Netra placing a cloth on her wound , ''Why do you want to save her? All she gave you was hate.''

Dev asked as he watched his aunt desperately trying to stop the blood, ''Not for her'' she paused and then looked into her nephew's eyes, ''for you, because you already lost too much. I know what losing the one you love means'' Ranvijay commanded the guards to help Dipika in shifting Netra to a room, he knew none would relent till her warned as they hated the woman more than him.  

''You kept a lioness as a pet?'' Ranvijay asked once the family was alone in   a room waiting for doctors to respond on Netra

Dipika fidgeted, ''Yes, but planning to find her a home!''

He shook his head, ''Rathore women are crazy!''  The knock on the door ended the conversation, Vikram answered and found Sona standing there. He moved aside allowing her to step in,. ''Hey kid, won't you greet me?'' Ranvijay asked with a smile. Though he knew everything, he also knew that Sona was innocent. He had seen how much Vikram and Sona loved each other and didn't wanted them separated .

Sona found a hope in Ranvijay but it got squashed by Dipika, ''You were saying something.''

Sona gulped ''Doctors are done.'' Dipika nodded and walked out taking Sona along. Ranvijay shook his head, he had lot to do now.

''How is she?'' 

The doctor huffed, ''Will survive. She would need grafting on the wound, its too deep.''

''How  many days does she need to be all fine'

''days!! She is not walking for months or a year. The impact not only ruptured the shoulder also her tail bone.'' Dipika nodded and got the doctor escorted out of the Palace

Once alone with Dev, she walked to him, ''I will send you the papers for all that belongs to you, and....I would prefer that you stay away from Rolli.'' That made Dev turn, his aunt's eyes held a warning. he wanted to argue  but she stopped him, ''I know you were being mislead but I don't care. You are Netra's son and that's enough reason for me to warn you against stepping anywhere near my girl. You were spared because you were innocent, there would be no more excuses if I find you anywhere near Rolli.'' Dipika left the room leaving Dev hurt and pained, when she pulled open the door she found Sona all nervous, ''You always wanted to leave the monstrous Rathore Palace. I am granting your wish, no need to come back.''

Sona couldn't say a word, her eyes met that of Vikram at a distance but he too turned his' away. She knew, it was late.

***

Ranvijay agreed to live only when Rani was escorted out of the place to a vacant one. He had decided to get the wild pet a safe place first thing in his list.  There were many things his brother didn't tell him and he wanted to know everything before he acted.

''You are not allowed to think of anyone but me.'' Ananaya warned when she found him lost. He smiled, opened his arms inviting her to join him, ''You are one mad woman. I never thought you could go this length.''

She watched him emotional eyes, he was his life and she knew she could go any length for him, ''Ranvijay Rathore, there is nothing I have loved or will love more than you, even my kids. And there is nothing I can't do to keep you safe.''

''I know that, but Ananya that kid was innocent so is Sona.''

Ananya huffed turning away her eyes, ''Can today be just about us. I am not interested in talking about anyone.''

He turned her face to him, ''What should I say? My wife is feisty an this why I fell in love with you.''

''Promise that you would never leave me alone again.'' She sounded desperate

''You bought me back! You fought for me, there is nothing which could ever separate us my Queen.''

''Anu...just Anu.'' She smiled getting into the cocoon of his arms. The era of her sleepless nights were came to end and the same began for Ranvijay, he had many things to fix.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On public demand. Now next one won't be early.