Prithvi... [Volume 4]

Chapter 108

"He is Prithvi," Nandini replied unevenly.

Dumfounded, Sakshi almost blurted out that Prithvi was dead. But she restrained herself. The young man was obviously holding himself together with staggering difficulty, and she couldn't ignore a niggling doubt that any more revelations at this point could end up worsening the situation.

Yes...disturbing disclosures from her end would have to wait. At present, she needed to ask so many crucial questions that it was difficult to figure out where to begin. Her head was crammed with an endless list of them. However, it was an inconsequential query that came to her lips first.

"Where have you come from?" she asked.

"Devgarh," Prithvi said absently, and immediately felt disbelief and revulsion rush through him.

Jolted by the name, Nandini looked at him, and her heart broke on seeing the vulnerability on his features.

Prithvi gazed back at Nandini with a hurt bewilderment. Her damp eyes were radiant with limitless love and empathy.

Something shifted inside him in that instant. The stranglehold of the past did not vanish but it eased remarkably. Ferocious self-control and resilience, which had been submerged temporarily by overwhelming circumstances, regained their dominance. The miasma that had invaded his mind became less oppressive and began receding, meekly surrendering to the potent reality of who he was...and what he had to do...

He could breathe. He could think.

"Aadyabhoomi, Daheer," Prithvi muttered.

Sakshi had waited patiently for the reply, intrigued by the undercurrents in the air but not recognising them fully. The relationship between the youngsters, however, had become crystal clear. Now she curiously asked, "Aadyabhoomi? Isn't that a palace?"

She had heard Vanaja talk about it. Her friend had carped about the fact that, unlike many other palaces across the country, Aadyabhoomi had not been opened to the public.

"Yes," Nandini mumbled.

"You stay near the palace?" Sakshi asked quizzically.

"No, in it," Prithvi said distantly.

Sakshi tried to digest the information. He couldn't possibly be saying that Priyamvada belonged to some royal family. There had to be another explanation.

She pensively said, "We'll take Priya to the small office of the staff, and she can sleep there while you tell me -"

"No," Prithvi refused.

Sakshi looked at him questioningly.

"I'm taking her home right now," he stated flatly.

"I understand your feelings," Sakshi said benevolently. "But all of us need to sit down and discuss this situation and I need to know –

"I assure you I have more questions that you do," Prithvi said quietly, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. "And I will get in touch with you soon for the answers. But for now, you only need to know that she is my mother, and I'm taking her home with me. If you're against the idea, you can create a ruckus. I'll deal with the repercussions."

Sakshi gaped at Prithvi, taken aback by the casual insolence. Was this the same young man who had appeared traumatized just minutes ago? She began to reply sharply but then stopped at a subtle sign from the girl.

Nandini glanced up appealingly at Prithvi and said, "Let me talk to her."

Obstinacy flashed in his gaze fleetingly, then he grudgingly released her hand.