Shourya's POV

The gathering ended late with lots of laughters, talking and offcourse eating. I sighed as I entered the room and looked around. It looked exactly the way I left it only if you ignore the calm woody fragrance from the window garden.

Courtesy of my Bhabhi I am sure.

I quietly went and sat on one edge of the bed, taking in the familiar and peaceful ambience of my room, I took out the pendrive from my pocket.

Throughout the whole day the weight of this little equipment felt too heavy to carry. I have no clue about Asad's wishes, specially those which had me in it but I knew if it hadn't for him today alot of us wouldn't be home and that was more than enough for me to fulfil whatever he asked.

I was about to plug it in my laptop when somebody gate crashed into my room. I hid the pendrive in the table drawer as my eyes met those little doe ones. "Chachu (Uncle), you have changed" grumpily she sat on my bed with her arms around her chest.

I felt myself grinning at her. I swiftly walked and sat beside her. "Why Anu? Why do you say that?" With the speed she snapped her face in my direction, I was a little off guard. Her glares were making her look ten times more adorable and I just wanted to grab her.

"You don't even know what you did! How can you be so ig-ig-vant?" This was the limit, I picked her, placed her on my lap and rained kisses on her, she is too adorable to control, my princess.

"Ignorant? That's what you wanted to say". She smiled and nodded. But the smile was gone in a moment as she realised that she is being manipulated by the enemy.

She jumped off my lap "How can you forget about our tradition? You promised me na that when you will come back, we will.." she stopped, looked at me with anticipation.

I bend to her level, "Veg out?"she grinned while nodding furiously. I quickly pulled her in my arms again and cradled her small figure. She was the best gift from Bhabhi, specially to me. I don't even want to imagine how would it be when she will be all grown up and boys would chase her.

Instinctively, I brought her impossibly close to me and vowed that I will never let any guy even be in one metre radius with her. Soon I heard soft snores as she snuggled in my arms. I tucked her under the blanket and kissed her forehead.

"I love you Anu."

My eyes fell on the clock and it was a quarter to midnight. How did an hour passed so soon? I looked at her once more and proceeded towards my unattended task. I quickly plugged the pendrive from the drawer into my laptop along with my earphones connected.

Heaving a deep breath, I pressed the play. There he was smiling and waving at me goofily like everything is just fine. Tears brimmed in my eyes as I swallowed a lump down my throat.

"Lt(N) Shourya Singh Rajput, Asad Ibrahim reporting sir."

He saluted me and said our regiment command.

"Shourya, mate, firstly if you are watching this video clip then I am sure I am not out there to celebrate our victory and coming home, together."

The emotion his eyes held was something that was too strong to avoid yet too fragile that it made my eyes avert there gaze like a guilty criminal.

My eyes fell on the picture of my dad on my desk. One look at it and my eyes fell back on the screen and the video continued.

"You know Shourya I am, sorry 'was', always used to believe that no matter what I will protect my country even putting my life at stake but along with it never isolate my family responsibilities. I.."

Mid sentence he stopped and looked straight as if pleading me to understand that this is equally tough for him and needed my support.

"My sister, Anah. Shourya I love her the most in the world, her happiness and safety means the world to me. I can't go without ensuring her safe future. Shourya.. I"

He hesitated.

"I want you to marry my sister, Shourya. She is the best girl you can get. I know the religious and cultural differences are there but thats beyond you. Meet her Shourya and trust me you will never regret it. Fulfil this last wish for me, I have recorded messages for both of you."

He paused for a minute and I am thankful that he did because it was too much for me to absorb all together.

Marrying his sister? But why me? His voice brought me back to the reality as he continued.

"You are the person I trust the most Shourya, I trusted you with my life and I am sure you are the right guy for her. There is alot that I want to tell you but it's not my place to tell , I want you to hear everything from Anah herself."

"It's overwhelming and maybe conflicting but atleast meet her. Thankyou mate for being there till the very end. I hope you find your happiness and maybe a future in Anah soon. Goodbye Captain!"

The screen went blank and I sighed big time. Overwhelming and conflicting? It's the understatement of the year. There is a storm going on in my mind as the whole video kept playing in fast forward in my sub conscious brain.

Marriage was the last thing I expected from him as a wish. I got up and sat beside the window, looking at the full moon I realised the weigh of Asad's wish. It didn't only involved me but also his beloved sister.

"Anah" I softly murmured her name and a few memories of Asad talking about her back then, came in front of my eyes. Whenever he talked about her his eyes always held proud and pure adoration.

But marrying her is a completely different thing? I am sure she is one in a million but just because she is special doesn't mean that for me she would be the special one. Plus as I said marriage for me has always been  the bottom of my priorities, okay maybe not even that. Unlikely my brother who met my Bhabhi during their college, I never met anybody as such.

"Oh god! This is way more tougher then planning a mission" My body felt tired by now.

Let's think about it tomorrow..

I quickly looked at the sleeping figure of Anu snuggled into pillows and went to change. Assuming that tonight she would be sleeping with her chachu I pulled her small soft body as she snored loudly. I smiled and kissed her forehead. With the thought of Anah in my head, I fell into deep slumber.