Raavana's Mandodari

My Happy Place.

"Whether or not he was in it, whether or not he could see or touch it, he'd thought there would always be a Fillory out there somewhere. He loved knowing it was there. It anchored his sense of happiness, the way a distant stockpile of gold might underwrite the value of a paper bill."

― Lev Grossman

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~ Mandodari ~

Solace.

That is what I feel now, here. Being surrounded by the people I love. At peace and happy. I haven't felt this content in so long. It felt like true freedom. Being alive again. 

This morning Raunak sent me an 'SOS' telling the members of the 'gang' to assemble in my apartment to discuss a matter of 'paramount' importance. So, at 10 in the morning, here they were Raavana, Raunak, Vatsav, Keerthi, and Trijay. While all the others are sitting around the table wondering what was the matter with eccentric Raunak calling people up at six in the freaking morning, to call for an 'emergency' meeting. And Raunak, the man in question, is sitting at the head of the table and thinking something very seriously and deeply.

Honestly speaking, I never saw Raunak this serious. For a moment, I thought that something was actually consequential and started to panic, but seeing Raavana sitting so calm and composed, I cooled down. I know that Raunak is not jovial all the time like when he is with me. I mean, he behaves like a brooding man who has no reason to live at times, but since he met the woman, whom he calls the love of his life, he started being more alive and outgoing than normal. It must be something important that made him turn back into this stoic person.

It has been ten freaking minutes and Raunak hasn't started talking yet, which is quite alarming. He just came in, ten minutes late than the time he told everyone to come, sat down on the chair and that's it. Since then he is as still as a statue, staring into the oblivion. No movement. Unable to hold onto his patience any longer, Trijay starts, letting his curiosity get an upper hand, "Bro, what's wrong? Why did you call us so early in the morning?"

"Oh that," he sheepishly grinned looking at all our faces, "You people wouldn't believe that I have something important to talk about if I called you all on normal hours, and then you'd give excuses. So, I woke up at six to call you all." This stunned me. Is he serious?

"As if already expecting a ridiculous answer like this, Raavana turned to Raunak in a bored tone and asked, "Why did you call us?"

Raunak again turned back to his act of being silent and serious, which is disconcerting. Not the brooding serious but the passionate serious. Am I making sense?
I mean the seriousness one has towards something he is passionate about.

Clearing his throat, Raunak replied, "I have been thinking about all this for a while now. I want to set up a foundation for educating poor kids. You know, scholarships and all. Specially to those who have no support - both financial and emotional."