"You made me realize that no matter how the person looks from outside but no one can tell what's going on inside him..."
The day passes well and everyone went for their rooms for sleeping.
Nandini is sitting in the balcony while Manik isn't there.
She's missing Veer. How good it could be if he was with her. She remembered their childhood while playing he promised her that he'll marry her when they will grow up. She gazes at the stars and smiles.
Manik after sometime enters the room to see Nandini standing in the balcony. "Nandini.. it's cold there, come inside..."
Nandini nods and comes back to the bed. Manik moves to the couch to be interrupted by Nandini. "Manik.. you don't need to sleep there.. The bed is big enough for both of us..."
"I'm fine here.. You sleep there. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable.." Manik replied lying on the couch.
"I'm saying that I'm fine with it.. Pls.. Kbhi toh humari baat sun liya kijiye aap.." Nandini said arranging the pillows on the bed dividing it in two parts.
Manik sighs and moves to the bed. Both of them lies on the bed and pull over their blankets.
It's around midnight when Nandini opens her eyes feeling thirsty. On seeing no water in the jug kept nearby, she decides to go and fetch water by herself rather then disturbing the maids at night.
Nandini is moving towards the kitchen area to get some water when she heard some sounds from Dadi's room.
Nandini moves inside to see dadi lying on the floor with her hand on her chest. She quickly rushes to her and gets to know that she suffered from a heart attack.
Nandini shouts for the maids to come but as it's night no one came. Nandini gets worried and panicked seeing dadi in that states.
"What should I do now? No one is listening and I can't leave dadi alone here like this... Her pulses are dropping. I have to do something.." Nandini says to herself rubbing Kalavati's palms.
Nandini then remembers the thing she read from books. She joined the fingers of both of her hands and pumped her hands on dadi's chest for a few times.
Iravati who is passing from there sees it. "What happened to her?"
Just then Ishita too arrives and gets worried seeing dadi like this. "Oh god"
Nandini continued her pumping and at last she succeeded. Dadi slowly opens her eyes to see Nandini sitting near her with moist eyes. Nandini hugged dadi.
The maids then calls the other family members and everyone rushed to Dadi's room listening about her attack.
The vaidh too examines Kalavita. "She's fine our Majesty.."
"Thank you so much vaidh ji. I can't even think what would have happened to her if you were not here.." Manik said to the the lady while holding kalavati's hand.
"You don't have to thank me but you should thank the one who saved her life. Whoever has pumped her heart at the time of attack has saved her. If the treatment wasn't given to her on time, she must be not with us.." The lady said to the family with a smile and leaves.
"But who saved maa sa?" Raheshwari asked looking everyone around.
"I know..." Iravati said looking at Nandini. "I'm really grateful to you for that.. I know we don't talk much but then too I want to thank you because dadi ji is very humble and she has helped me a lot and I never felt that I'm living among the strangers here..." Iravati said looking at Nandini. Everyone smiles at Nandini including Manik. They are really thankful to Nandini.
"I know you think that why I'm appreciating you but you deserve it beta.. If you didn't treated her on time anything could happen to her... I just want to hug you once.." Iravati said with a smile spreading her arms. Nandini couldn't believe it and she smiles back with tears filled in her eyes.
Nandini steps forward but Iravati hugs Ishita who is standing behind Nandini. Everyone are shocked to see this.
"Don't worry darling.. I know that Nandini did all this but I very well know that you aren't happy on seeing her being appreciated by everyone and specially by Manik. I too don't want that and that's why I'm doing this so continue this drama..." Iravati whispered to Ishita while hugging her. Ishita smirkedsmirked while Nandini is shocked but stayed silent.
"You saved Dadi's life?" Manik asked Ishita having a doubt.
"Y-yes... I was passing from here because I wasn't feeling sleepy and then I saw dadi lying on the floor.. So I just helped her.." Ishita said innocently.
"Thank you ishita.. I'm very thankful to you for saving maa sa life.." Rajeshwari said to Ishita with a smile while caressing her head.
Manav and Gauri looks at each other finding something creepy but stayed quiet.
Manav moves to Ishita. "Thank you so much Ishita. I'll be grateful to you for saving dadi's life.. If you didn't helped, she must be not... Thank you.."
"Nan-nandini.. But I remembered you.. rubbing my palms... then.." Dadi said looking at Nandini in a weak voice.
"Yes dadi, nandini was there too but she just stood there.. She gets panicked quickly seeing someone in that state.." Iravati said looking at Nandini who just looked down.
"Yes, she reached here before me but she neither call anyone nor did she helped dadi... When I saw her standing just looking at dadi.. I was very angry but at that time I didn't said anything because saving Dadi's life was much important than her..." Ishita said with a innocent face while she smirked looking at Nandini who is just trying to control her tears.
Not able to listen anymore she left from there. Everyone also leave from there.
Rajeshwari stayed with Kalavati while others moved to their respective rooms.
Gauri moves to Nandini who's in the garden. "Princess... you saved Dadi's life right?"
Nandini just stayed silent.
"Your silence is giving me the answer princess.. I and Manav know the truth because Princess Ishita doesn't know anything about medical treatments. Why you stayed silent? You even know what everyone must be thinking of you? They will think that you did this to take revenge from our Majesty.." Gauri asked Nandini holding her hands.
"Gauri, I don't care what everyone thinks.. I'm happy that dadi is safe..."
Nandini said in a broken voice.
"But princess.."
"Gauri please leave me alone for sometime.."
Gauri just nods and leaves from there.
Manav here blocks Ishita's way. "What? Leave my way Manav!"
"Why so hurry princess Ishita?" Manav asked again stopping her from leaving.
"What do you want?" Ishita asked being annoyed.
"Just answer my question.. I need to know how do you saved dadi's life. I mean how you pumped her heart.. I should know that too. Who knows in future I need it to save someone's life..." Manav asked folding his hands near his chest.
"Umm.. Vo.. It's like... I'm sleepy Manav.. I'll talk to you later.." Ishita said and escaped from there while Manav smirked. "I knew that.. It was bhabhi not you!"
Nandini enters her room back to see Manik standing near bed. As soon as she enters the room, Manik holds her by arms tightly.
"What are you doing Manik? Leave my hand.." Nandini said trying to release her hand from his grip.
"Shut up Nandini! Just shut up! How can you steep so low? Just because I made your family suffer, you didn't help dadi... Forget about help, you didn't called anyone! If Ishita hasn't arrive their on time, I don't know what would have happen to her.. She could have died because of you!! I thought that you are not like your family. You are different from them with an innocent heart but you proved me wrong! You made me realize that no matter how the person looks from outside but no one can tell what's going on inside him... You proved that you have the same dirty blood running in your veins!" Manik said angrily looking at Nandini.
Nandini pushes Manik and gets released from his grip. "Don't you dare utter a word against my family! And what revenge? Just clear everything today! Tell me what's the reason for your revenge? Say na! Now why are you quiet.."
"You won't believe me if I told you!" Manik said in the same tone filled with anger.
"Because I know, you will made some stories and put it in front of me... And just get one thing clear in your mind, I never learned to take revenge! And secondly, I don't care what you think about me... If you think that I didn't saved dadi then yes I didn't, happy now? You want to hear this right? You are no one whom I need to explain... Those who knew me and people around knows the truth.. And I'm just happy that dadi is safe.." Nandini said with tears filled eyes and moves to the bed.
Nandini lies on the bed with tears cintinously flowing through her eyes. Unknowingly her past is again in front of her in some another form. She is not hurt about what everyone think or what Manik said but about what happened today is same that happened years ago. What if dadi died? What if the past repeats itself. She's scared again drowning in those past moments.
Manik too lies on the bed and both sleeps without uttering a word.
It's been only about an hour when they have slept. Manik then heard some cries. He opens his eyes and turns to see Nandini crying in pain.
Nandini is crying in her sleep and sweating very much. Manik gets worried seeing her like this.
Manik gets some flashes from past of a girl crying and sweating in sleep just like Nandini.
Manik quickly removes the pillows from between them and shifts towards Nandini.
"Nandini... Nandini, what happened? Open your eyes Nandini..." Manik said to Nandini but she didn't stops.
Manik then shakes Nandini a little. "Nandini... Open your eyes. It's just a dream.." He then caresses her head softly. Nandini stops struggling in her sleep and gets relaxed. Manik sighs.
Manik then covers her properly with a blanket when he hears that Nandini is murmuring something in her sleep.
He leans near her lips to hear her. "I-I didn't do th-that... I-I can't... She wa-was... I do..." Nandini then goes silent again.
Manik didn't understand much that what is she talking about. He arranges the pillow back and lies down on his side. What is Nandini talking about? She seemed so scared and was sweating a lot? It's just a dream or there's something more into it? I'll talk to her in the morning about it.
Manik then glances at her once and then drifts to sleep.
Next morning, Nandini wakes up first and gets ready. She wears a beautiful lehenga and adorns herself with elegant jewelry.
Manik then wakes up to see Nandini combing her hair. He didn't said anything and gets ready.
Nandini is about to leave the room when she's interrupted by Manik. "Nandini.."
Nandini turns to him.
"Did you saw a bad dream at night?" Manik asked her.
Nandini looks down and nods. "Sorry, if I disturbed you.."
"No... I mean, it's ok. Umm you were mumbling something in your sleep too.." Manik said to her which shocked Nandini.
"I-I was mumbling? Wh-what did I s-say?" Nandini asked him being worried.
"Don't panic.. I didn't understand what you were saying. I just heard, I didn't- no - I can't -" Manik replied.
Nandini sighed. Manik again spoke, "something serious?"
"No, it's just a nightmare... Sorry for disturbing you again. I must leave now.." Nandini quickly left the room before Manik can say something further.
She's strange..Manik said to himself and went out for the court.
Here's another update!
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