Manjha A String of Complicated Relations

The Harsh Truth

Coming back home was a feeling in itself. It felt like the smell of the distinct petrichor after the first rain. That was exactly what Shambhavi felt when she stepped inside IOTA. It had been almost 9 months since she had first stepped in this Academy and she only had 2 more months left till she graduated.

The cadets had been sent to their rooms as soon as they were inside the campus. Major Khan looked a little miffed at the Captains. Surely they were going to get an earful for being back so early.

As the cadets were going towards their room, Aniket's eyes were following Shambhavi. She might be able to fool others about herself but not Aniket. He could see the toll that night's event had taken on her.

Maybe physically she might be alright, which she was not as evident by her slow gait, but emotionally she was shattered, even though she was smiling and pretending that she was alright.

Aniket was taken back to what Arti had said, 'She is so much like her father. They never say what they are feeling. If they are hurting they will pretend everything is fine even if it isn't.' Arti was right, Aniket thought. How when he had first met her on the day of the interview, he had seen immense pain in her eyes, and now that he thought about it, Yash also always had that pain in his eyes.

Aniket and Advith went into Major Khan's office and got some news that was definitely not good. Shambhavi needed to be informed but he still had time and they had more important things to deal with.

Aniket got a call later that day. "Khamaghani Kaka Sa. Any Information on what I asked you about."

Someone on the other side said something which had Aniket worried. He needed to move fast if he wanted to sort everything out. He thought that he could have had a few days but this was not good. He needed to move his pieces very carefully and he needed to guard his queen as well.

"I will be in Kumbhalgarh tomorrow. Tell our pilot to ready the jet today by midnight," Aniket replied and hung up the call.

He did not want to leave Shambhavi in the state that she was in but if he was to solve this maze of mysteries then he had to leave her.


Shambhavi was sitting in the library, catching up on the week's classes and whatnot when Anant told her to go to Aniket's room.

Shambhavi was a bit baffled at Aniket's boldness, calling her into her room, but she went anyway. When Shambhavi got to the room, she saw Aniket had taken out another bag. That meant he was going somewhere.

"You can come in, you know, Miss Vyas," Aniket said without even looking up from his desk that he was sitting at looking through some papers. Aniket had his glasses on which always left Shambhavi thinking how could one look so handsome with their glasses on.

"How did you know I was standing at the door?" Shambhavi asked, looking at him, genuinely interested in knowing his answer.

"Well, Miss Vyas, I could sense you even if I was blind, or even if you were miles away. I can sense your heartbeats or maybe it's just my heartbeats increasing their pace whenever you are around," Aniket said looking at her.

Shambhavi looked at him and saw that something had changed in him, as well as in her. She could not exactly say what it was but it was as if they both had crossed a milestone, something so profound that they could sense each other now without needing to see. Maybe they had.

Shambhavi went towards him and sat in front of his desk, Aniket was looking at the paper intensely and Shambhavi was enjoying seeing him like this. A few minutes later, Shambhavi took the papers out of Aniket's hands and kept them down on the desk.

Aniket looked at her with his eyes widened and then took off his glasses. She pouted mentally at the loss of the specs.

"I have to go home for a few days, maybe a week at most. I did not want to leave but then Kaka Sa called and no else could look after all this and I just... I do not want to leave you and go," Aniket said, sighing in frustration and running his hands on his face and his new stubble.

He was stressed. Shambhavi could see him taking on too much at once.

"I can live by myself, you know. I have been doing so since I was sixteen. You need – " Shambhavi was going to tell Aniket to not worry, but she was cut in between.

"That is the thing though, isn't it? You have always been alone, And I made a promise to myself to not let that happen anymore, and I won't leave you alone unless you tell me to," Aniket said fiercely.

Shambhavi was stunned for a few seconds as she saw the determination in Aniket's eyes. She was overwhelmed at just how much this man cared for her. She got up, went to him and took his hands in hers.

"You are not leaving me alone. I have Everybody here and if anything happens, I will call you, but you need to look after yourself as well, Aniket," she said as tenderly as she could.

He nodded and told her that he would be back in a week. She asked him to bring back some Ghewar.

He left that night and she kept eagerly waiting for his return.


Aniket reached his home at 2 in the morning and went straight to bed. The next morning, he was awakened by his Kaka Sa. He freshened up and went to his study.

Maan Singh had worked at the palace since he was a child and had served the previous king of Kumbhalgarh as he was serving the present one. He knew everyone in town as it was his job but he had not expected the things he had learned about the Vashisht family.

He knew that the Vashisht family was important to his Hukum and the Vyas girls were more than important. They were his family. He knew that this would not bode well for either Aniket Sa or Shambhavi Sa.

Aniket asked Maan Singh for all the information that he had collected and one thing was for sure. He was going to have to be very mindful of how he would approach this and he had to get some help from the family.

The papers and photographs in front of him could potentially ruin everything.


Aniket had been in Kumbhalgarh for 3 days now and his plan for some of the things were already set in motion. The pieces had been placed. He was confident that everything would be alright with minimum damage.

But it would not be life if it were that easy. That day Arti called Aniket asking where he was and how Shambhavi was. Arti had sounded worried, so he asked to meet her.

Arti came to the palace in a hurry and went straight to Aniket's study.

"He knows. Narayan Raj Vashisht knows about Shambhavi, Adhya and Nitya. He knows where they are and what they are doing. He is not happy about Shambhavi joining the army or any of the other girls being well off," Arti said as soon as she entered.

Aniket cursed. He knew his time was up. They had to do something now. Firstly, he had to look for the girl's safety. So, he called Mrityunjay and told him everything in detail. Both agreed that it would be for the best if Mrityunjay called Adhya to his base; it was where she would be the safest.

Next, he called a friend of his, a doctor who was working in the hospital that Nitya was studying in. He asked him to keep a close watch on her.

Lastly, he called Nitya. He would need her help. He told her everything, each and everything that she needed to know and all throughout Nitya stayed silent, listening to everything with a calmness that one would not have thought she was capable of.

"You're shitting me right?" she asked after Aniket had told her everything.

"No I am not. It's all very true and I need your help. I need you to ... " Aniket explained to her the rest of the plan and while she was against it initially, she could not deny it was their best bet.

"She will be very angry when she finds out you know and she does not forgive easily," Nitya said in a very soft voice as if readying Aniket for the storm that he himself would be bringing into his and Shambhavis lives.

"I know but if it saves her life then I would gladly go through hell," Aniket replied in a defeated tone.

"Fine, I will talk to her and send it over to the academy. The rest is up to you," Nitya said achingly as if this was the last thing she wanted to do.

Aniket thanked her and then after talking for a few more minutes kept the phone down. He called Maan Singh to arrange the jet as he would be leaving the next day. He had to get back to Shambhavi as soon as possible.
 
Somewhere across town, a man had delivered the photographs of his granddaughter's wedding here in Kumbhalgarh and he had no idea.

He was angry. Those three girls should have been killed as soon as they were born. After all, he had killed off his own daughter because he had wanted a son first. But he had to keep the younger one alive, as was the wish of his wife. A wife who had provided him with 4 daughters and one son.

3 of those were born before his son so naturally they had been dealt with but the one born after his son was allowed to live.

And then his son had gone off and married that good for nothing girl who wanted to be an army officer. What a disgrace! A woman in the army! He thought. He had dealt with that woman as well. The only mistake he made was to let those three girls live.

Now one of them had joined the army and the girl had the audacity to not use his name but use her filthy mother's name.

Nayaran Vashisht would not let Shambhavi Vyas become an officer, certainly not with her mother's name attached to her. She had to be dealt with.

Nobody could know that he had three granddaughters.

Narayan ordered his man to go to IOTA. He would also like to see how his son was going to save his daughters now.

He smiled maliciously looking at the girl's photograph.

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NOTE: Female infanticide was very common in the world at one time, especially in Indian rural areas. While it has been made universally illegal, it is a hard truth of the society. It was common, it happened and even today you can see its impact on our society. India still has a low ratio of females compared to men. This is a practice I do not condone and strongly abhor. Sadly, this kind of sick mentality still exists and I want to show what it's effect is, and what its result should be, while it may seem gruesome now, I assure you this will get the due punishment in my book later on.