"You are a blessing Nandini, an angel.. And angels didn't hurt anyone, they just spread love and happiness like you always do.."
"It's when I was around 6 before the death of my father... I was apple of his eyes being the youngest of all and being only daughter. He loved me a lot and used to fulfill every demand of mine. One day I along with Ishaan and Naman bhai sa were playing together. Both Ishaan and I have to hide and bhai sa had to find us. I was hiding in choti maa's room when I heard her talking to a maid to.. give poison to my father by mixing it in food because her earlier trick wasn't successful.." Nandini said.
"Earlier trick?" Manik asked.
"I heard them talking that choti maa mixed sleeping pills in my father's food so that she can take his Royal signature on the papers of. .." Nandini said and started coughing.
Manik quickly offers her a glass of water and makes her drink it. "It's ok Nandini.. tell me some another day.. You aren't well right now and weak too. You shouldn't speak this much.. We will talk about it some another day.."
Nandini give him a small smile. "Don't worry Manik, nothing will happen to me.. I won't leave you that easily.."
Manik smiled at her. "I won't let you leave me too... Now please sleep it's already very late night. You aren't well.." He said with concern.
Nandini keeps her hand on his. "Manik, please let me speak today, if I didn't tell you today, maybe.. I never can... Please.." Manik stared at her for a moment but then agreed. "Okay.."
"But what papers were they? I mean what were they about?" Manik asked.
"As I already told you, baba loves me a lot. So he has assigned the kingdom of Meerut under my name. Those papers stated that I'll be ruling Meerut when I'll turn 22. He always wanted me to be a queen of the empire that I have established on my own. And Meerut was the biggest empire he had under him.. When baba announced that he'll crowning me as the queen of Meerut, that's the time where the differences between choti maa and maa started taking place... Choti maa was insecure about Ishaan. Although baba gave Ishaan Siroshpur but choti maa wasn't happy about it.. Her thoughts were that baba didn't love Ishaan as he loves me and bhai sa.. She thought that baba always used to difference between all of us but it wasn't true. He always treated us equal... Choti maa tried to take baba's signature on those papers so that she can snatch Meerut from me and give it to Ishaan but she failed.. She had a fight with baba too regarding that and she even bad mouthed about my mother saying she has affairs with other men of soldiers and something like that.. Which cause a drift between choti maa and baba and the matter reached to the point that baba slapped choti maa too.." Nandini said.
"What happened then?" Manik asked.
"I was hiding and listening choti maa and her conversation with a maid who planned to poison baba's food. I thought to tell all this to maa when I'll be escaping from here... After sometime, when choti maa left, I started leaving the room when choti maa caught me...
FLASHBACK-
6 year old Nandini was escaping the room seeing Iravati leaving. But when she was leaving, she felt like someone held her wrist. She turned to see Iravati and gets shocked while Iravati smirked at her.
"Where are you going babygirl?" Iravati asked bending to Nandini with a fake smile.
Nandini snatched her hand from her grip. "I'm going.. You are bad choti maa! You try to poison baba! I hate you! I'll not talk to you ever and complain about you to maa and baba.."
Nandini started leaving when Iravati harshly pulled her back. "Even I hate you too darling and don't want to talk to you but you know na, i can't act rude with the only and beloved princess of Anjumgarh.."
"Leave my hand... I hate you. Leave me" Nandini said trying to release her small hands from her strong grip.
Iravati then took a knife from nearby table and pressed it on her lips. "Shh.. Princess doesn't shout like that Nandini.."
Nandini being a kid got scared and tears welled up in her eyes. Iravati smirked. "Princess, doesn't cry too, they are strong, they don't cry Nandini.." Iravati then removes the knife from her lips.
"You are very bad, I'll ask baba to punish you.." Nandini said with tears filled eyes.
"Awww Princess Nandini is so dumb! I thought you will understand that what I want to tell you by showing you this knife.. But my little doll is so poor to understand it... Okay let me tell you properly.." Iravati then picked Nandini in her arms and makes her sit on the bed.
"See Nandini, if you tell anything about me to your baba or maa then you know what? I'll harm them too and will directly kill them without even giving them poison... And your bhai sa too.." Iravati said in over sweet voice.
"No! You can't kill them! I'll protect them... I won't let you.. You can't do anything.." Nandini remain stubborn.
"Tsk tsk... I don't want to hurt you Nandini, but you are fearless I guess.. So I had to do this.." Iravati then picked the knife again. "You know how much painful it is to die? Wait! Let me tell you..."
Iravati then held Nandini's hand and made a cut on her soft hands with the knife which made the little girl cry. "Is it hurting babygirl.."
"Please don't do it choti maa... It's paining.. Please.." Nandini cried in pain.
"Aww you started crying on just a small cut, now imagine how painful it is when I'll stab your parents and bhai sa directly on their stomach.. It will hurt them na?" Iravati said.
"Answer me Nandini! ANSWER ME!" Iravati yelled at the crying figure. Nandini just nodded crying.
"You don't want them to get hurt right? Then what you have to do to save them... You have to keep your mouth shut. If you even said a word about me to anyone then I'll..." Iravati then made one more cut on her hand making her cry more. "Understand now what you have to do?" Nandini just cried.
"UNDERSTAND!!" Iravati yelled.
"Ye...yess.." Nandini said crying.
"Good, now stop crying okay and don't tell anyone.. Now go and play. Go.. my sweetheart go.. And remember to stay silent otherwise you know na..." Iravati said with a glare scaring Nandini.
Nandini then quickly wipes off her tears and ran to her room. Ishaan and Naman arrive there searching for her.
"What happened Nandini? Why are you crying?" Ishaan asked seeing Nandini crying sitting behind the bed.
"Who made my sweet sister cry? Tell me Nandini.. I'll punish him!" Naman said and then spots the cuts on her hands.
"Who did this to you Nandini? Are you fine na?" Naman said being worried.
"I got hurt.. by the glass piece.." Nandini lied while sobbing.
"You are so careless Nandini.. Now come, I'll treat you wound.." Naman said cleaning her wound.
"You will be queen when you will grow up.. You shouldn't cry like this.. You look like a witch while cryit" Ishaan said with a chuckle.
"Don't teach her lessons, my Nandini is more strong than you.. You came fighting with your friends and hide behind her when they trouble you.. It's Nandini only who deals with them.." Naman said treating her sister's wound.
Ishaan gets embarrassed. "Because she's the strongest na bhai sa.." While Nandini giggles looking at Ishaan's face.
Naman then wipes off Nandini's tears
"I love you.." Naman said.
"No bhai sa, I love her more.. Right Nandini?" Ishaan asked.
"I don't know about you.. but I love you both.." Nandini said and the trio shares a group hug.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Manik feels his kurti getting wet. He realizes Nandini crying. His blood is boiling knowing the evil face of Iravati and is hell angry at her for making Nandini suffer so much since such a young age.
Manik then wipes off her tears. "Don't cry.. She can't do anything now.. I know how you are feeling... She just tortured you both mentally and physically... Don't cry please.."
"This is not the full story Manik... I have something more to tell you... I-I don't know how you will.. react after knowing this truth of mine... but I don't want to keep anymore secrets from you.." Nandini said sobbing.
"Tell only if you are comfortable and I won't judge.." Manik said holding her hands.
Nandini keeps her head back on his shoulders and continues. "After a month or so baba was murdered as I told you earlier near the waterfall... I had a doubt on choti maa but I never found any proofs against her and her fear was also scared me everyday... So I didn't even get courage to tell about this to anyone... Few years passed well when one day the most dreadful day of my life arrived. I was 10 by then.. And was practicing shooting arrows...
FLASHBACK-
10 year old Nandini after completing her shooting practice was going to meet her mother. Nandini entered her mother's room to get shocked.
Nandini saw Iravati choking her mother with her hands. She quickly ran to her mother and pushed Iravati with full force which made her fall down.
"Maa, are you fine? Drink this..." Nandini offered a glass of water to her mother. Her mother drinks the water.
"What's happening here? I did as you said and never complained about you to anyone then why you did this to maa.." Nandini asked shouting at Iravati.
"Because your mother is making my life a full mess! Being the elder queen only her orders are followed and she's the one who's ruling... And after her your brother! Where will Ishaan go? And today, she insulted my words in front of the whole court!" Iravati said glaring at her mother.
"Because you were wrong! You can't take the personal matters of my and Shreeshank's life to the court like that! You started arguing about how many nights he spends with me as compared to me and was insulting the rules made by him for the welfare of the kingdom! And being a queen it's my responsibility to bring those people on correct path who insults the rules and this kingdom!" Her mother said without any fear.
"Wrong! You aren't a queen but you were!" Iravati said and pushed Nandini from her.
Nandini fell down and get hit by a table resulting in twisting of her ankle due to which she wasn't able to move from her place.
While Iravati started choking her mother again in front of her eyes. Nandini being helpless didn't understand anything but then spots her bow and arrow.
Nandini then aimed her arrow at Iravati's arm in order to save her mother but her arrow instead of hitting Iravati hit her mother directly into her stomach.
Nandini gets shocked seeing what she did. She quickly dragged herself to her mother and her mother fall dead in her arms. "Maa... Maa please wake up.. Maa, I didn't want to kill you.. Maa please wake up.. Maa.." And she cried her heart out.
"What did you did Nandini? Why you killed your mother?" Iravati said with a smirk yet a shocked face.
"I-I didn't.. I didn't do that... I was trying to save her.. I didn't kill her.. I didn't kill her.. She's my mother. I can't kill her.. I didn't..." Nandini said crying her heart out hugging her mother who's lying dead in the pool of blood.
"You did..." Naman said standing at the door shocked.
Both Iravati and Nandini turns to see her Naman standing there along with Ishaan.
"Bhai sa... Ishaan.." Nandini said crying.
Iravati smirked to herself. This is the right time to drop Nandini's image in front of everyone. "Nandini, beta why did you do that? Why you killed her? Just because she said she will give Meerut to Naman, you killed her... Why beta? Was Meerut more important to you than your mother?" Iravati said showing fake tears.
Naman moves to Nandini and pushes her away from her mother. "Leave my mother!"
"She was my mother too bhai sa..." Nandini said crying.
"No! She was mother of my Nandini who never ever killed a small ant and has so much love, care and affection for everyone around.. She was mother of that Nandini who was her most lovely daughter and loved her the most! But not of you! Who for the sake of a piece of land killed her own mother in selfishness!" Naman said with tears and anger in eyes.
"Bhai sa... listen to me.. I didn't want to.. I was just saving her... Choti maa tried to.." Before Nandini could complete Iravati interrupted. "I tried to stop her but she pushed me and then..." And she started showing her fake tears.
"Bhai sa... I didn't..." Nandini stammered.
"Don't you dare utter even a single word Nandini! If you didn't kill her then why's this arrows and bow are in your hands? I never thought that my Nandini was like this.. So selfish!" Naman shouted. "Just leave from here!"
"But listen to..."
"LEAVE!! It's my order! Don't you get it!" Naman said at the top of his voice scaring the hell out of the little soul
Nandini leaves for her room and cried her out. Ishaan consoled her telling her everything will be fine and that be trust her but nothing changed.
Years passed, they grew up but Naman stopped talking to Nandini after that day. Choti maa as always keep scaring and torturing her. Everyone in the palace thinks that she's the killer of her mother. She stopped going between the people of her kingdom as whenever she goes, it's only allegations she heard against us which broke her to the core being called as the killer of her own mother.
Soon she made her life only in the walls of palace with only Ishaan and 2 of her friends cum maid to talk and share her thoughts with..
FLASHBACK ENDS
Nandini cried hard hugging Manik whose eyes are filled with tears too seeing Nandini in pain. "I gave up on.. shooting from that day... Manik... I just.. just want to save maa. I didn't.. I didn't want to.. shoot her.. I can never think of... killing her even in my dreams... But no one believed me... Manik, trust me, I'm not.. a killer and... selfish... I didn't do it on purpose I just want to save her but..everything turned wrong.. I didn't want to killed her.. I don't.."
Manik for a few minutes let her cry and just rubbed her back but when he realised her breathing getting heavy, he tried to console her. Manik wipes off his tears and cups her face in his hands. "Nandini.. look at me.. look here.. I trust you Nandini.. even if no one, I trust you and I promise I always will. You didn't do it on purpose.. I believe you. My Nandini can never take anyone's life.. Never... Don't blame yourself. I trust you and believe you.. You are not selfish nor a murderer.. You are a blessing Nandini, an angel.. And angels didn't hurt anyone, they just spread love and happiness like you always do.. Don't cry. You are strong na.." Manik then made her drink water and made her lie on bed.
Nandini keeps her head on his shoulder and wraps her hands around him. Manik too holds her hands. "I never knew Nandini.. that there's so much under this smile. Even after suffering so much, you stayed strong.. You smiled and spread happiness and even make others smile.. I never thought that you have suffered this much.. I still can't believe that after suffering so much.. how can you just stay like nothing ever happened.. No one can tell seeing you that you suffered a lot.. If I was at your place, I would have gave up on my life... But you.. you fought and stayed strong.. I'm so proud of you Nandini.."
"Manik you are saying all this to just make me happy... But I know that.. you also think the same even if you say so.." Nandini said between her sobs.
"Nandini, I'm not saying all this to make you smile but because I really feel the same.. Trust me, I'm not at all disappointed about what you did.. It was just a mistake.. You didn't did it and I don't care what others say and think, because I know you better then everyone.. You are the purest soul I have ever met.." Manik said with a smile and kissed on her forehead.
Nandini smiled at him with tears and hugged him tight. Manik just caresses her back and after sometime realizes that Nandini has fallen asleep.
Manik kisses her forehead. "I promise Nandini.. I will bring the truth out soon and will prove that my Nandini isn't a killer.. I will make everything fine and bring your smile back leaving your fears.. Ishaan is a good brother and I was knowing that but I don't know that Naman loved you too.. But still I can't forgive him for what he did! I'll never forgive him for the pain he gave all of us! And about that Rajmata Iravati... No! Only Iravati! I'll take the revenge of each tear Nandini has to shed because of her! There will be a new morning for Iravati from tomorrow and I swear she'll regret messing up with Monster's wildcat!"
Nandini then snuggles into Manik's chest. Manik smiles at her. He then removes her hair from her face and pulls the blanket over her covering both of them. He then hugs her too. "From tomorrow, it will be a new beginning for you Nandini... A beautiful beginning for you and a dreadful beginning of Iravati!" Manik then pecks on her cheeks and sleeps cuddling Nandini.
Here's the most wanted update!
Please please vote and comment. The response was much low on the previous update. Please comment and let me know your views so that I can update quickly!!
Hope you like it?
How's it?
What do you think about Nandini's past?
What do you think is Manik's past that he hates Naman so much and killed Veer?
What do you think Manik will do now?
What will happen to Iravati now?
Thank you❤