*** CHAPTER 45 ***

Life has never been fair and Sanskaar has always learned it the hard way. Ever since the day he is born, he has been fighting for what he rightfully deserves. Be it the longing for the love of his parents, or be it the yearning for the little moments of happiness, he has faced a lifelong fight to finally be able to understand what it feels like, and he cherishes this feeling with all his heart. However, the moment he knocks at his grandmother's door and it is opened seconds later, he realizes that the fight is not over yet.

The minute he enters the room, his eyes meet Anshika's who has been cowering in the farthest corner of the room. He has not been expecting her presence at all. His heart shudders with an unsettling fear when he notices the two women standing in the room beside his grandmother. Cladded in all white, they support an unfriendly demeanor. None of them smile or acknowledge his presence in the room, let alone greet him. Frowning a little, Sanskaar focuses his entire attention on his grandmother.

Sanskaar: Dadi, you asked for me? What is it that you wanted to talk about?

Narmada: Anshika's parents will be here soon. I just wanted to make sure that you are well-prepared to meet them. We have a reputation, a name to uphold, Sanskaar, and I absolutely cannot have anyone tarnish the Maheshwari's name and honor. And when I say anyone, I mean anyone.

Sanskaar: (nods his head) Yes, Dadi. I understand.

Narmada: Talking is not one of my fortes, Sanskaar. So, let me keep it short. Words travel fast enough. You must be wary of your actions and must be responsible for them. Once the rituals begin, you cannot back out from this marriage, if that is what you are planning to do.

The warning bells start ringing inside Sanskaar's head instantly and he gulps nervously. Is she suspecting anything? For sure, she would not have seen his secret rendezvous early in the morning. Has she?

Sanskaar: Dadi, I do not understand!

Narmada: Oh yes, you do! You very well do! Do you not think that you are awfully close to Swara when it should be Anshika instead? Or should I take it as if your heart is wavering?

The moment he hears this, something bursts inside of him. Sanskaar has this sudden urge to say it out loud that his heart has never wavered. Not even for once. It has always belonged to only one person and that beloved of his is Swara. But the stern looks on the faces of the three ladies right in front of him have him rooted to his place. There is much more to the picture than it seems. Glancing to his side, he looks at Anshika who has a worried expression very much like mirroring his own. She shakes her head in denial letting him know that she has no idea what it is about. Turning his face towards his grandmother he tries making a convincing reply when her words cut his speech short.

Narmada: Temptation tends to be quite evil, my dear grandson. That is why, I have called for help. They are Shyama and Barsha. Offer your greetings.

Sanskaar's eyes immediately dart toward both the ladies who have now sat up even straighter, if that is even possible. Nodding their head, they acknowledge the introduction.

Narmada: They are from the Widow's home located right outside the village.

And Sanskaar's heart drops. His entire being shivers dreading that he already knows what his grandmother is about to say next. A shiver runs down his spine and he stumbles back. He has willed to shout, to say that as long as he is with her, they cannot even dare to lay a single finger on her, but his mouth runs dry and he chokes on his own breath. The air seems suffocating and the unshed tears sting his eyes like never before. He shakes his head in negation as his grandmother opens her mouth to speak again.

Sanskaar: NO! Do not say anything further. I do not want to hear anything.

Deciding not to hear the utter nonsense any further, he turns around to leave when the words that follow stop him dead in his tracks.

Narmada: Whether you are willing to hear it or not, Sanskaar, Swara will go to the ashram.

Sanskaar: NO! She will not!

Anshika: You cannot do that, Dadi Ji.

Both Sanskaar and Anshika shout at the same time.

Sanskaar: Swara has done nothing wrong. You cannot do that to her. If anyone is at fault over here then it is only I who is.

Narmada: (shakes her head) It might be your fault but what she has committed is a sin. She is your brother's widow. She has dared to go against the will of God.

Sanskaar: It was not God's will to kill my brother. It was a human, very much like you and I. So, why should Swara suffer on account of others? Do you really think that is fair? She does not deserve a life like that. If there is anything that she deserves then it is all the love that this world has to offer.

Narmada: Seeing the way you are fighting for her; it appears that my guess was right. You have indeed fallen prey to the unholy temptation.

Sanskaar: DO NOT call my love, unholy. No one has the right to.

Narmada: So, does she love you too? Is she willing to fight for you, the way you are fighting for her?

Sanskaar's entire being agreed in a heartbeat. He feels... No! He knows that she will fight for him as well. There is no denying that.

Sanskaar: Yes! Yes, she will. And you have no right to send her to that place.

Narmada: Then get married to Anshika.

Sanskaar: W-What?

Narmada: Get married and I will not send Swara to the ashram. And do not be foolish enough to challenge me. You will not be there to protect her all the time. You will not even realize when she vanishes from the lives of you all. Do you get that?

Sanskaar takes a deep breath, both his hands tightened into fists on both his sides when Anshika steps forward in an attempt to explain the entire situation.

Anshika: Dadi Ji...

Narmada: Do not even bother to say anything. The moment either of you back down from this marriage, I will send Swara far away from everyone's life. So far that you will not be able to find her ever. And you cannot even imagine the life a widow has when she is at the ashram. So, you are getting married. You can leave now.

Realizing that arguing will not do any good, Sanskaar turns around and storms out of the room. He will have to find another way to sort this whole mess out. There is no denying that it has been foolishness and desperation that has landed them all in such a plight.

As soon as Anshika dashes after Sanskaar and out of the room, Narmada turns towards Shyama and Barsha.

Narmada: (sighs) Your services are no longer needed. You may leave for now. I want to see how far they are willing to go.

✨

When Sanskaar finally manages to regain his strength, he rushes right after Swara. He has no idea where his feet are taking him, but his heart does. In a matter of minutes, he finds himself standing on the terrace of the house. Huddled in a corner, he finds Swara slumped down on the floor. Ragini has her arms wrapped around her shoulders, while Laksh holds both her hands trying to console her as she sobs inaudibly. A loud rumble that shakes his very core brings him back to his senses and he realizes that it has begun raining all over again. Drenched from head to toe, he can already see Swara trembling uncontrollably and the very state she is in has not been helping either.

Soon enough, the realization dawns upon him. She will not be able to hold on for much longer. At that very moment, a decision is made. After all that they have gone through, he should not be doing this. He cannot do this. He cannot just sit back and get married while he, along with the one he loves, is suffering beyond measure. He just cannot!

Rushing towards the three of them and scooting down on his knees, he takes Swara's hands away from Laksh's hold and calls out to her slowly to which Swara murmurs something incoherently. She has already slipped into an inebriated state. His heart begins thumping crazily with fear and guilt of not being able to protect the one he loves.

Laksh: Bhai, you should not be here.

Sanskaar sighs after hearing the same thing for the umpteenth time. Deciding not to pay any heed to his brother's voice, he tries pulling Swara back to her feet. But the moment she stands, she slouches down and is about to fall when Sanskaar wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her back in his embrace.

Ragini: You are to be engaged the day after tomorrow, Sanskaar. Do you even understand the gravity of the situation?

Sanskaar: (frustrated) I understand, Ragini. I understand everything. But what you guys need to understand is that we cannot let Swara out here for much longer. Do you even see the situation she is in?

Nodding without a single word, Ragini realizes that their utmost priority right now should be to get Swara away from the rain. Knowing that they have come to an agreement, Sanskaar scoops Swara up in his arms and carries her down to her room.

Soon enough every family member gathers in her room and the doctor is called.

"She needs proper rest. Apparently, she is physically and mentally exhausted and all of it has taken a serious toll on her health. I have given her an injection and she is most likely to sleep for quite a few hours. Please do not try to force wake her up or she will have severe headache and fatigue," everyone is informed as the doctor completes examining her. Nodding her head, Annapurna assures everyone to take proper care of Swara, and everyone else is dismissed.

Sujata: Jiji, I will take care of Swara. You have to check on the arrangements for the function. After all, it is your son's engagement.

Annapurna: (sighs) No, Sujata. It is alright. I will not be able to sleep if I am not here.

Sujata: (nods her head) I understand. Do let me know if I can help in any manner.

Annapurna: I have no idea what went wrong. None of them deserve this. I just want my children to be happy.

Sujata: And they will be, Jiji. Trust me, they will be.

✨

It is past midnight and sleeping has not even been the last thing on Sanskaar's mind. Plagued by Swara's worn-out face, he realizes how foolish his actions have been in the last few months. He has been so desperate to find out what happened to his brother that he even disregarded Swara's plight for a moment. Yes, he wants to know who has wronged his brother but not at the cost of his love. There has to be another way of finding out who that bracelet belongs to but he cannot let Swara suffer anymore.

Knowing that his heart will not be at peace unless and until he sees her, Sanskaar takes a deep breath as he opens the door. Walking down the stairs and trying to be as silent as possible, Sanskaar looks around. Rushing towards Swara's room, he contemplates whether he should knock or not. But coming this far and not being able to see her will mess up his heart and mind even more. Realizing that there is no turning back, he huffs and raises his hand to knock at the door when it is suddenly opened. He sucks in a deep breath when he comes face-to-face with his mother.

Annapurna: Sanskaar? What are you doing here?

Sanskaar: Maa... I... Why are you not asleep yet?

Annapurna: I was sleeping. Just got up to get some water from the kitchen.

Sanskaar: And...

Annapurna: And Swara is asleep as well. You came here to see her, right?

Sanskaar shakes his head in denial, then takes a deep breath before nodding his head in agreement. He is rendered speechless for he knows he is not supposed to be here, that too at such an odd hour.

Sanskaar: Are you going to say the same thing as well? That I should not be here?

Annapurna: (shakes her head) I am going to get some water. I guess it will take at least ten minutes. What do you say?

Smiling, she pats his shoulder before stepping out of the room and making her way toward the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, Sanskaar steps in. The moonlight seeps in as the stream of milky white glow from the gaps in between the curtains, and outlines Swara's features, rendering Sanskaar breathless. She is still under the effect of sedatives and he knows that she might not even realize that he is here.

Walking to the side of her bed, Sanskaar kneels down next to her. Caressing the side of her face, he sighs as she sub-consciously snuggles deeper into his palm resting on her cheek.

Sanskaar: I wish I could just take you away. Far away from everyone who is trying to pull us apart. Please get up soon. I feel so lost without you. I miss you. I miss us. I cannot do this anymore. I want to have one last fight for you... for us... for our love. I love you, Swara. I love you so much.

Holding her palm between his hands, he kisses her knuckles before resting his head on their joined hands. He does not even realize how minutes have passed but the reverie is broken when he hears his name being called. Raising up his head, he finds his mother standing at the doorstep with a jug of water in her hands. Taking it as his cue to leave, he places Swara back on the bed to her side, kisses her forehead, and leaves without a single word.

✨

The searing pain and heaviness have Swara's head reeling. She tries opening her eyes but the stinging blurs her vision and the tears welling up in her eyes fight to find a release. After several feeble attempts to open her eyes, she finally manages to get a hold of her surroundings. Bathed in all dark, all she can decipher is that it is nighttime. She looks around and on finding nobody nearby, she wonders, how long she has been sleeping. Hoisting herself up on her palm, she tries sitting up in a desperate attempt to find water.

It is then that she hears loud chattering outside. What are so many people doing outside? Bursting with curiosity, she drags herself to the door and finds it already open. Unsure about what is going around, she walks out as quietly as possible. However, the blinding lights outside have her eyes closed instantly. Taking a deep breath when she opens her eyes seconds later, she finds a myriad of people in front of her. Weaving through the crowd, she tries reaching out to the front when something caught her eye.

From the gaps left in between the people, she can see Anshika standing out in the front with a smile on her face. However, it is not the smile that catches her attention. It is the shiny diamond ring that adorned her finger. She is engaged... Happily engaged! But how is this possible? For sure she has not been sleeping for two days straight. That is highly unlikely. So, what has she missed? Standing on her tiptoes she takes a quick glance once again trying to make sure that her brain is not playing any games with her. It is then that she finds Sanskaar standing right beside Anshika and talking to a couple of people she does not recognize.

No! No! No! This is not possible. How come she has lost it all without even realizing it? He is not engaged. He cannot get engaged. Is this how it is supposed to end? She can feel her lungs constricting and with every passing moment she finds it harder to breathe. Raising her head, she tries looking around for help when her eyes meet Sanskaar's. Wide-eyed, he dashes towards her as she feels light-headed once again. She can already feel herself falling and even before she realizes darkness engulfs her in its embrace as hears him calling out her name.

✨