Arshna FF: A Twice-Told Love Story

prologue

~.~ 1970 ~.~

...Dwarka...

"Then you should have told me!" Krishna exclaimed, her voice cracked. "You should have said something!"

"And what Didi, you would have given up on him for me?"

"Yes! A hundred times. You are my sister, I love you, I'd have given up anything for you. Anything. Even him."

"Then there's no problem. He's gone. It's just you and me. We can go back to how we used to be."

"No."

"Yes, Krishna Didi," Mohini took a step forward, reaching out for her sister. "We are sisters. We are forever. No man can break that, can he?"

She hesitated a moment before engulfing Krishna in a tight hug. "Forget it, whatever happened forget it. We can start afresh."

"You can forget, Mohini," Krishna hugged her back equally tightly, her voice choked. "But I will never."

The shock was so wild that Mohini didn't feel any pain for a few long seconds, then her knees buckled as the sharp edge of the dagger twisted in her abdomen. "Didi! What did you do? Why?"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't let you live. Not after everything," Krishna cried. "I'm sorry. It has to be this way."

"Fine then," Mohini's lips curled into an ugly sneer. "You think you won? Wrong. I'll find him even in death, he'll never be free of my shadow. In every birth, Krishna Didi. Have fun living out this life as a widow, while I'll go hunting."

Krishna didn't believe in second lives, second chances. She knew Mohini was just instigating her, hurting her one last time so that she writhes under the weight of these words, these fears for the rest of her days. It was rare but for once she felt the need to have the last word. "Then you listen to me too. You will never reach him. If I'd ever done anything to please Kanhaji, then I'm asking this from Him. You will never, ever find him in any universe, in any dimension. It's over. Forever."

"Then let's go together, Didi," there was a mad gleam in her eyes as she mustered up her last strength to grasp Krishna once again, tightly. Even bleeding out to death didn't deter her maddening cruelty. "You and me, forever. He loved you so much! I bet he'll find you. And when he does, I'll prey on him again. In every birth, every dimension, Krishna Didi."

Mohini fell off the cliff and took Krishna down with her, into the water they went, entwined. Krishna struggled but the grip was too strong. Death grip. She felt Mohini's last breath and wondered what Aryaman had thought before breathing his last. In this very water. Had he thought about her, cursed her? Or was it just pain?

I wish I'd done better. I wish I'd saved you.

That was Krishna Chatterjee's last thought on earth.

Her last view was a beautiful silver ornament floating around, tiny yet glittering. Her brooch, it must have fallen off her saree. He had it made for her with all the love of his heart. A wedding gift. He had died clutching it in his fist. His brother had recovered it and given it to Krishna, after. 

Remember and regret, you witch! May you be cursed for as long as you live, and after you die! No one will ever love you the way he did.

If she had any conscious thoughts, she'd have reached for it. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Well, second most beautiful. After his eyes. 

It was shaped like Kanhaji's flute. 

***