Seeing the noble looking lady, Bhargav stepped out of the room and then looked at his parents.
"Yeh kaun hai ?" He asked.
"Yeh mere Mitra Acharya Dayanand ki putri hai, Damini. Unke dehant ke baad se humare saath hi rehti hai. Tumhare Mata ke sanidhya mei." Padmamukh said.
"Kintu Acharya Dayanand ki mrityu kaise huyi ?" Bhargav asked, he remembered that private tutor of royals coming at their homes a few time for dinner, when he was younger.
"Kumukh." Padmamukh said.
"Kumukh ?" Bhargav frowned.
"Ha putra. Kumukh ek danav hai jisne do varsh poorv Acharya Dayanand aur unke sampoorn parivaar ka annt kardiya. Bhagwati ki kripa se Damini bach gayi. Kintu Kumukh ki ku-drishti abhi bhi iss asahaye kanya par hai. Damini ko praapt karne ke liye woh kuch bhi kar sakta hai." Aparna said.
"Toh kya woh Kumukh hai, jiske karan Kanchi ki yeh dasha huyi hai ?" Bhargav asked.
"Satya kaha Bhargav, Kumukh ke karan hi Kanchi ke log bhaye mei hai. Uske bheje asur sabko aatankit karte hai. Koi bhi suryast ke paschat ghar se bahar nahi nikalta. Raj-parivar mei bhi usko parajit karne ka samarth nahi." Aparna said.
Bhargav nodded understanding the entire situation. It was a sad thing that happened to Acharya Dayanand and his family. One could only imagine how Damini must be holding up, all alone.
Well she wasn't all alone, she had her 'best friend' by her side, or in front of her.
"Sakhi, yeh bhog maine swayam banaya hai. Aur pata hai, aaj toh maine Aparna Kaki ki bhi sahayata na li." Damini said keeping the plate of food in front of the idol.
But suddenly a thing dawned upon her as she face palmed herself.
"Dekho na sakhi, punah mai aapse baat karte karte aise kho gayi ki mujhe smaran hi nahi raha ki Aparna Kaki ki sandhya dhyaan samapt hone ka samaye ho gaya hai." Damini said.
She stood up brushing her cloths, and then took one last glance at the idol.
"Ab aap Shanti se bhog ka anand uthaye, mai kuch hi kshan mei aayi." Damini said and left.
Outside she saw that Aparna's meditation had already completed, which confused her a little.
"Kaki ? Aapka dhyaan aaj shigreh samapt ho gaya ?" Damini asked.
"Mera Putra jo laut aya hai." Aparna smiled keeping her hand over her son's shoulder.
And it was at that moment, Damini saw the young man in front of her who was so pleasant to the eyes that they got completely stuck at him. She kept looking at him like how a chakori looks at chandrama.
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A/N
Chakori Chandrama ko nihaarti hai...
Prapt nahi kar paati....
Kyu ki Chandrama uske pahuch se bahut upar hota hai....
Vijaya, Jalasya and ab Damini.... Inpe Dua Lipa ka song yaad aya -
Oh no, I was doin' better alone
But when you said, "Hello"
I know that was the end of it all
I should've stayed at home
Cause now there ain't no letting you go
Am I falling in love
With the one that could break my heart?
*Sighs* Yes, you're falling in love with the one who would break your heart....