Seize Her And....

Chapter : 12

"We cannot break Tashi, not so soon. Now we fight back, we fight back and win or we fight back and die with our heads held high. That's what to become of us." He confirms with his determined grey eyes fixed ahead.

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"What?! When?" Aniruddha asks looking worried.

"Nalini said just a few minutes ago. He will beat her up again, Ridhu. Go and find her immediately." By the time Abha completes her sentence Aniruddha has already taken his shawl and started running out of his house. The more he moves towards the dense part of the wood, the fog becomes thicker and his heartbeat increases. Through the multiple curves and turns the growing frequency of the pine trees become visible. This part holds the oldest of the pines. The leaves look as fresh as new, particularly because of the heavy rain fall in the morning. Seeing the weather, it is clear that darkness will cover them sooner than the other days.

"Mrinal...." He calls out on reaching the part where he knows he'll find her but gets no response. He keeps climbing towards the particular spot while calling out for her again and again. After calling her for a few more seconds he hears it, her laughter and this weird warm feeling covers his senses. She smiles, yes, but she laughs almost next to never. Hence, whenever he hears it his heart swells with happiness but today that immediately fades the moment he remembers why he is here.

"Ridhu da." Mrinal calls from behind a huge pine tree. She starts climbing down along with some other girls who are younger than her. They scatter away to their separate ways as she keeps running down towards him with her open hair blowing everywhere. He wasn't home to braid her hair today.

This isn't a sudden occurrence for the others. By now the girls are used to seeing him here, he even takes a few classes whenever he gets time, so they pass by him without feeling scared or surprised for that matter. He sees as Mrinalini comes down with a huge smile on her face, her overlapping canines make her look even more beautiful. His heart clenches when he realizes he is simply going to wipe that smile away right about now.

"Do you know what happened? That calculation, I did that in one go and.." She starts to say happily but her words get interrupted the moment Aniruddha utters,

"Your father is back." And as he expected the bright smile from her face vanishes right then.

"We need to hurry up, Mrinal." He adds seeing her visibly gulping out of nervousness. How he wants to take that frown away from her face but he knows he cannot do anything right now. His hands are bound.

She looks at him and gives him a smile crushing his heart even more.

"It's okay. Don't worry. I am a grown up woman, I can handle it." She assures.

"Stop comforting me. I know what's to come. So just hurry up and let's go." He takes her hand with his jaw clenched and starts running.

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