The Beast's Beauty [On Hold]

Thirty Two | Fear Of The Charm

Aviram :

I stood in silence, before the hospital door.
Staring at it, thoughtlessly.

I had set out to drop Nayantara to the airport. She had been assured that her Maa was perfectly fine and there would be no problem anytime soon. She boarded the flight with Santosh.
Just then I had received a call from the hospital.

The doctor stood beside me, drawing in a deep breath.
"Vinay refuses any treatment, Rajaji. He says he only wishes to meet you.", He said.
"He'll die.. won't he?", I asked softly.
"If he doesn't let treatment be done, he sure will.", The doctor stated plainly.

I dragged my feet into the room.
I had the one who had hit him, so much so, that he was now here.

He was awake as I walked down to the hospital bed.
"Ram..", He mumbled.
I could see the cuts and bruises, clear in the hospital lights. His lower lip had a cut that constantly bled.

My heart wrenched.
Even after whatever he had done, he was my brother.
Step brother, but brother.

I inhaled a deep breath.
He slowly sat up, using all the strength he had.
"You can lie back.", I said in a whisper.

"You are too kind, aren't you?", He asked, breaking into a painful smile.
I felt my throat go numb.
"Am I?", I asked, softly.
"Yes.. you are a good man after all.", He said.
"Let them treat you.", I said getting to the point.

"I can't.. I deserve this Bhaisaab..", He whispered.
"No one deserves death, Vinay.", I said finally unable to hold myself back.

Being stone hearted and punishing people was truly difficult.
I placed my hand on his bruised hand, on the edge of a break down.

"You still have sympathy? You.. you still want me to live..? Why?", He asked, speaking through his pain.

"You were my brother, Vinay.. I trusted you. I-I loved you.", I mumbled finally, feeling tears itch my eyes.
There were good old memories with him, times when we didn't have a care about the throne, times where we were truly brothers.
There were moments when my father had abandoned me in the dark edge of the palace for the sake of punishment and he had come to rescue.

"Ram..", He whispered, "You must go back to Devika."

I looked up, taken aback.

"Anamika has something in mind.. it's not a physical attack or anything. It's a person. She had called him, I heard her.", He said.

I raised a brow.
"But—"
"I regret everything I did, but I deserve no apology, Ram. If you insist I will undergo treatment.. but let me suffer in the prison.."
"Regret is the greatest punishment, Vinay. You don't need to—"
"Please.", He whispered.

I drew in a deep breath and nodded.
He shut his eyes, almost giving up.

"Doctor! Check on him!", I shouted as I stood up.
The doctors rushed in.