At Sheesh Mahal, Lucknow.
The whole palace's presence twinkled with the anklet sound of the twins running around the yard. Dressed in the traditional choli, the elder girl held the favorite doll of her younger sister in her arms where she teased and ran escaping from her infuriated sister who was as if she could lose her cool anytime.
" Riya, give my doll," screamed Khushi with a pissed tone where Riya made faces at her and ran ahead with the doll clutched close to her heart thud, she dashed into her favorite person, Aman Mathur, her lovable brother, who will lay the whole world at her feet.
Both of them fell down with the intensity of the hit, and Aman and Riya giggled seeing each other. Khushi came to them angrily, where she snatched her favorite doll from Riya and walked away not wanting to say anything to the brother and sister duo.
It was waste of time arguing with them and she knows it better!
" Why are you teasing her ?" asked Aman with a smile.
" Teasing your younger sister is always our right, and I won't let it go," said Riya with a giggling smile.
" Then shall I tease you?" asked Aman pulling Riya's ears with his mischievous tone where Riya saw him for a second and ran back to the main palace where Aman followed her back with a smile.
As they did enter the Mahal, Khushi was seated along with Saanvi, Khushi 's mother with a traditional instrument, Veena.
Khushi had pestered her mother for singing the music for the day as she did reach her Mahal, to which her mother simply obliged listening her younger daughter wish.
Saanvi Mathur, was a simple lady, who always spent her time in household work. Her favorite time was when she did taught her Khushi to sing classical music with the strings of Veena playing along.
Riya's and Aman's most favorite moment was watching them both sing where they always come and sit beside them to hear the soulful music.
That day, as usual, they sat beside Khushi, where Khushi held the favorite doll on her lap, not wanting this duo to irritate her more.
She closed her eyes, to feel the strings of Veena where she also did start singing along with her mother, making the whole Mahal grace with their melodious voice.
Her lips had curved into a beautiful smile and her face expressed only the innocent child, who was enjoying her childhood to every bits.
But all of their attention was broken with the entrance of the owner of the Mahal, Subhadra Malik, where she came walking in to the hall, where they were seated with attitude and head weight.
" My son's will come any time soon, prepare snacks for them," she ordered in a ruthless tone, where Saanvi immediately stood up placing the Veena on the floor.
" Where is your pallu ?" asked Subhadra with a frown where Saanvi covered her head immediately with the pallu.
" You are the queen of Lucknow, so behave accordingly," she exclaimed with a complaining tone where Saanvi nods her head and left the kitchen.
Khushi, Aman and Riya stood up immediately once Saanvi did leave because they did know the devil would come to them only next.
" Khushi, Riya, clean this place. I don't want this messy instrument to irritate my son. I am asking Saanvi to throw them, but then she never obeys. What to do with an irresponsible daughter in law," she cursed shaking her head.
" Dadi, the one which you are telling as useless is goddess Saraswati for us. And if your curse her, then you will never get any sense in your life," said Riya replying back.
She always hated her Dadi with her behavior and taunts. And she is the only person in the three who always gives a tit tat answer to her Dadi, after all she had got the traits from her Dadi herself.
" How dare you," murmured Dadi with an angry tone where she raised her hand to slap Riya, that is when Khushi pulled back Riya and instead got the slap.
Riya and Aman looked at her with wide eyes seeing her getting slapped.
" What the hell is this Khushi ?" asked Subhadra.
" Forgive us Dadi, I will keep the Veena somewhere else," said Khushi clutching her cheeks which was stinging where she lifted the Veena and went to the store room where Aman and Riya followed her back.
" These kids na, now a days, unimaginable!" murmured Dadi, where she sat down on the sofa leisurely.
" Khushi are you mad ?" asked Riya with an angry tone as they did reach Khushi in the store room.
" I did what I felt right. Never will I let even someone raise hand on you," said Khushi.
" It was my punishment," said Riya.
" But it's my duty to protect you, as your twin sister. Never will I let any harm to you," said Khushi looking at Riya with a smile.
Riya hugged Khushi tightly.
" Khushi, you know, you are my favorite ," said Riya her usual dialogue to her sister. No matter how much she likes to tease her, her sister was always her favorite!
" I know!," replied Khushi where Aman just watched their twin moment with his hand tied up.
" I wish, I had a twin sister like you guys. It would have been great," said Aman.
" It can't happen now anyways, so get rid of the thought," said Khushi.
" I know what to do, my fate! Leave this for now. Just remember one thing, don't go out alone. Girls are missing now a days, yesterday also our aged girl had went missing. Please be careful both of you," said Aman with a little warning tone with concern for his both sisters.
Whenever he hears the news on the locality, his thought always goes to this duo. He did want them to be safe and sound and that is what his always wishes..
" What do you think Bhai, anyone will plan to kidnap the Malik Princesses ? Us ? No ways. Are you not seeing the security around the house, they can't even touch us," boasted Riya with a smile.
" What Aman means is be careful. Being careful is always better Riya," said Khushi where Aman nods his head
"Okay I will be careful," said Riya with a smile. Where in her heart she knows nothing like that is going to happen.
But then she didn't know how much she was wrong because the devil was not present outside this Mahal, but in the very inside of the Mahal, breathing the same air as them.
Meanwhile their Dadi's voice echoed again from hall as usual.
" Khushi, Riya, your father and Chacha is here," said Dadi.
" Started as always," said Riya making faces.
" Come lets go, I don't want you both to get scolded or beated for the same," said Aman.
Khushi and Riya both agreed and the trio ran to the hall immediately to the hall where Aravind Malik, their father and Surender Malik, their Chacha, was seated on the royal chairs, where Saanvi was removing their slippers.
Aman felt angry for his Bua, picking up their slippers, but then he couldn't say anything. Because it has three innocent lives interconnected to it.
He always did ask his mother why can't they take these three along with them, leaving this cruel royal family, but then it was his Bua's decision and they can't do anything.
" Hello Riya, hello Khushi," said Surender with a smile seeing Riya and Khushi.
" Come to me, see what I have brought for you guys," said Surender taking the chocolates from his pocket, where Riya's and Khushi's eyes glistened while seeing the chocolates in his hands.
They both ran to him and took the chocolates with a wide smile where he pulled them both in his laps, with his vile notions which only he did know.
Riya and Khushi just sat in his laps, where they both opened the chocolates and started munching it.
" When did you come Aman?" asked Aravind seeing Aman standing.
" Morning Phupa. Since vacations are going on, mom dropped me here this morning and told me she will pick me up at night," said Aman.
" Okay, don't need to feel any hesitance in asking anything, okay ?" asked Aravind to which Aman nods his head.
" I am there to take care of my son ji, so no need to worry," said Saanvi with a smile as she did kept the tray full of snacks on the front table.
" Son ? Whose son are you claiming as your son ? Not even capable of giving a birth to a boy baby and now speaking things," insulted Subhadra with a mock looking at Saanvi, where Saanvi just looked down.
" Even though she didn't give birth to me Dadi, she is also my mother and I am also her son. With all rights she can claim me as mine. My parents won't say anything but will just smile with the love I am getting," said Aman defending Saanvi with a calm tone
where Saanvi hugged him with a wide smile.
Khushi and Riya smiled seeing Aman's words where their eyes glistened. They both felt bad for not sharing the chocolates to Aman as they knew he was going to get taunted for the same by their Dadi if they did share.
They both didn't want any more further argument but then Riya did sneak few pieces of Chocolates in her shawl secretly without anyone's notice for her Aman Bhaiya.
" Khushi, Riya, get up, let him have his snack," said Saanvi where Khushi and Riya both got down from Surender's laps and immediately came towards Saanvi.
Surender felt to burst out for Saanvi for this but then he kept his cool. Taking the samosa from the tray he did have it controlling all his emotions.
" Amma, we are going to the lawn," said Riya, where she took Aman and Khushi along with them and went to the garden of the Mahal.
Once they did reach the lawn, Riya took the stolen chocolate piece and fed Aman with a smile on her lips.
" I know you will bring it for me," said Aman with a smile, tasting the yummy chocolate.
" Of course. I will always bring," said Riya.
" And she as usual won't bring at all," said Aman mocking to Khushi.
" I don't mind," said Khushi with a tight smile, where she sat on the swing attached from the tree.
She was about to push herself to swing, when Riya did push her from behind, making her swing.
Khushi smiled and closed her eyes feeling the fresh breath onto her face.
" You both sit," said Aman stopping the swing, where he made Riya also sit and swung it. The wing was very big to accommodate the two girls where he just as a dutiful brother did see swung it front and back.
The trio had a wonderful day, where Aman left that night when his mother came to pick them up.
Khushi and Riya reached the bed that day earlier as they were feeling hell sleepy and tired of the day.
Changing into their nightwears, both of them jumped on to the bed where as usual, both of them did fight for the blanket.
After a battle of 10 mins of pushing the blanket on each side respectively, both of them settled for a compromise and slept with a peaceful smile at their face,unaware of the cruelty which was away by just a few hours.
Both of them didn't know that this was the last fight they were going to have, this was the last few moments of happiness being together because the next day, they both were bound to be separated.
Riya's sleep got disturbed as she was feeling thirsty. As she was about to get up, she did find the whole blanket was grabbed by Khushi in her sleep and she was on the other side edge of the bed.
" Stupid girl!" she murmured with a smile where she just adjusted Khushi properly on the bed and tucked her properly.
Reaching towards the water bottle on the side table, she did found it empty, where she did went down to the kitchen present in the first floor to refill the water.
She was humming her favorite songs and refiling the water and that is when she could hear the muffled sound coming from the lawn of their house.
Feeling a bit werid with the sound, and deciding to check on what's happening she took her slow steps towards the lawn, where her whole world shook seeing the sight in front of her.
There was her father and Chacha holding a girl of her age, without any clothes.
Her body trembled as the realization dawned that these men were responsible for the missing girls in the area.
And, they were doing something to girl which She couldn't understand what.
Sweat formed on her forehead, where her hands which was holding the glass water bottle slipped and broke into pieces.
The sound of something shattering, alerted Surender and Aravind where they immediately turned and spotted Riya who was standing as if a stone due to shock.
" Shit," murmured Aravind frustrated getting up from the prey which they have hunted.
" Riya, come here," ordered Surender to which Riya nodded her head as no with tears spilling from her eyes, where she took behind steps seeing Aravind and Surender both coming towards her.
" Riya go to Mumma," she murmured to herself where she turned her side towards the Mahal where she started running hearing their footsteps and sounds behind.
She didn't enter using the usual entrance which had the hall and kitchen, but then she took the side entrance which leads to a balcony and then steps to first floor.
She started climbing those steps to reach the first floor, that is when she felt her whole body being pushed back as Aravind did grab her hair and pushed her behind where she did roll down on the steps with thud and severe hits.
As she did reach down on the step, she could see just the shoe of her chacha on which she fell, where rest of all the things went blurred...
The same day, morning,
Khushi opened her eyes freshly, where she got up from her bed with a smile.
She frowned on not seeing Riya on her bed because she did know Riya was always a late riser. It was always she who waked Riya.
Maybe she woke and went down, she thought, where she got refreshed and went down to the hall.
She did try searching Riya in the hall, lawn, everywhere on the ground floor, but then she wasn't there.
Worried, she went to her mother in the kitchen who was preparing breakfast to inform Riya's absence.
" Mom, where is Riya?" asked Khushi.
" I didn't see her from morning. She didn't come down at all Khushi," replied Saanvi with a frown.
" She is not in the room, I searched everywhere, she is not there at all," replied Khushi with worry in her face.
" Let me check," said Saanvi with a tensed tone with her heart thudding in its greatest speed with fear.
Hearing the news of girls disappearances already made her heart worry for her two princess. And now one of her princesses,missing made her feel as if she had lost all of her energy. She felt fear for the safety of her Riya where and prayed silently that her daughter is safe and sound.
" Riya," she shouted as she did reach every room of the Mansion, but then there was no reply at all.
She had enquired every worker in the mansion and none of them have seen Riya since morning. Feeling worried she stood in the hall defeated not knowing what to do
" Areey why are you shouting Riya , Riya, Riya. Is she dead or what such that you are screaming her name like this !" asked Subhadra frustrated coming inside the Mahal, after her temple visit.
" Maa, Riya is missing," said Saanvi with tears rolling from her eyes.
" She would be here only somewhere,leave that all, bring me a cup of coffee" said Subhadra without any remorse and not even a bit worried about her grand daughter.
Saanvi for the first time in her life felt to strangle her mother in law for her behavior. She was saying her daughter was missing and her mother in law was dancing above her head without any feelings
How can she be so heartless ? No, she can't let this matter go, it was her daughter whom its concerned about.
She was above to give a befitting reply but then there entered Nandhini and Aman where Nandhini was there to drop Aman there.
" Hi Bua," chirped Aman with a happy tone.
" Hi Aman, welcome Nandhini Bhabi," greeted Saanvi seeing them.
" My coffee ," said Subhadra with a rude tone stressing tone.
" Yes maa, I will make your coffee," said Saanvi taking a huge breath. It's not the time to fight with her mother in law. She will first inform Nandhini about this and her husband first on this she thought.
"Khushi can you bring your chacha's another phone? It will be in his cupboard," she added looking at Khushi where Khushi nodded her head.
" Nandhini, come with me, Aman go with Khushi," said Saanvi where Nandhini follows Saanvi into the kitchen where the two kids left upstairs to their Chacha's room.
" Bhabi, Riya is missing," said Saanvi with a teary tone as she boiled the milk.
" What, what are you saying Saanvi ?" asked Nandhini with a worry.
" I am unable to find her. Me and Khushi searched the whole mansion. Aravind ji and Surender ji did leave at early morning itself for a meeting, I don't know what to do," said Saanvi.
" Don't worry we will find Riya. First let's contact Aravind ji and Surender ji and ask them to come back. Till then we can go to the police and file a complaint , let's not wait any more as the issue is very serious" said Nandhini where Saanvi nods her head. She did ask Khushi to go to Surender room for the same. To grab another phone since their usual to use landline was out of service.
Khushi and Aman reached Surender's room where Khushi revealed the truth to Aman.
" Aman, Riya is missing," said Khushi searching the small cupboard where her chacha's phone usually lies.
" What? Where is she?" asked Aman worriedly.
" Don't know. Amma asked for chacha's phone for that reason," said Khushi where she gets frustrated on not finding the phone.
" Let us check the big cup board," said Aman, where he pulled the door open of the big cupboard.
As he did open the cupboard, a pungent smell did hit their nostrils where they did close their nose and mouth with their hands as it was so unbearable for them to bear smell.
" Don't know how much days unwashed clothes does your Chacha keeps," mumbled Aman where he pulled the drawer of the cupboard and pulled out the mobile they were desperately searching for.
" Here is it," he mumbled where he closed the drawer and that is when Khushi's eyes went on the down compartment of the cupboard beneath the drawer where a loud shriek escaped from her lips in fear.
" What?" asked Aman to Khushi in a worried tone where Khushi pointed out her hands down completely dumbfounded
As Aman's gaze travelled down, he shouted in his highest tone with fear as there was Riya laying down in the lower deck of the cupboard, completely filled by blood.
Both of the kids stood stupefied, rooted in their spots as it was something they both shouldn't see.
Their loved one covered with blood.
Saanvi and Nandhini came up hearing their loud shriek where their attention also went towards the side where their kids gaze went.
" Riya," screamed Saanvi noticing the petite curled up girl, stuffed in the compartment of the cupboard where she went over there swiftly and pulled up a lifeless Riya out of the cupboard.
" Riya dear, wake up, wake up please ?" cried Saanvi patting her daughter's cheek, but then no reply came back.
She shook her daughter, told her loving words, held her hands and pleaded her with to wake up but then her efforts were futile because her Riya had already left the world and she felt it difficult to accept.
Nandhini just sat down beside Saanvi and hugged her with tears brimming from her eyes too. Aman came out of the shock realizing the things, where he too went to his mother and hugged her from behind and started crying profusely as the loss of his sister did shatter his heart.
But then Khushi was exactly at the same point where she was standing earlier with her gaze fixed up on to Riya with her stilled eyes.
Her heart pricked a thousands of thorns as she did realize that her sister is not going to come anymore.
Her sister is no more to tease her.
Her sister wouldn't play with her as usual.
They wouldn't fight for the blanket as usual.
She is not there to say that Khushi, you are my favorite.
It felt too difficult to absorb the things where she didn't realize that she was facing the first heart break of her life.
Her sister leaving her!
And she didn't know that there were more heart breaks to come, which will sweep her leg out of the ground!
..........................................................................................
Completed the first part of Interlude. There are two more to go.
Any guesses on the heart break Khushi is going to face further ?
Any doubt on characters?
Any doubts?
Please give your views and comments.
This Sunday there won't be an update, but will try to post in middle of next week the next part of the story for sure.
Till then,
Bye
Akki