Part 41 End of differences
In the meanwhile,
Parvathy ran to Chandrika's room and saw her writing a message on a silk cloth.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Writing a message to my father. I want him to wage war on this kingdom. How could they get Prince Aparajith marry to someone other than me?" She said wrathfully.
"Why? Do you want to die?" Parvathy asked.
"Why would I die? I'm going to leave this kingdom. They can't do anything to me"
"You have to leave this kingdom before the king and the Queen change their mind"
"What are you blathering?" she asked irritatingly.
"I'm not blathering... you are the one who is reacting without knowing the truth"
"What truth?"
"Do you think King Chaitanya is giving up his royal pride for his son's happiness?"
Chandrika frowned.
"There is a big hidden truth behind this marriage"
"What truth?"
"Prince Aparajith is not lucky enough to live with his wife"
"What do you mean?"
"This is the flaw his horoscope is having. His wife will die after her first delivery. This is why they didn't want you to marry him because the truth will come out if your father matches your horoscope with Prince Aparajith's"
"How do you know this?"
"Padmakshi asked her mother the reason for this marriage. She is not fine with this marriage. She doesn't want a commoner to become a queen. That was when Queen Medha told her about it"
"Is it true?"
"Before leaving the palace, Saint Shivguru said, 'Don't forget what I said about Arnav' The king and Queen must have discussed his horoscope with the Saint I suppose. Didn't we know they won't make any major decision without his consent"
Chandrika became thoughtful.
"Can't Prince Aparajith live with anyone?"
"No... that's why they are getting him married to Khushi who has no one for herself. No one will question them even if she dies but they will get an heir through her. See, how shrewdly they are planning... Thank God, they got Khushi. Or else, they would have trapped you in the name of friendship"
Chandrika was horrified.
"Now, tell me, what are you going to do? Do you want to marry Prince Aparajith?" Parvathy asked.
Chandrika nodded no hurriedly.
"Just because he looks handsome, do you want to leave your life?"
"No... I won't..."
"Will you send a message to your father?"
"Yes..."
"But why?"
"I should tell him the real issue. Or else, he may come here with his force if he heard about Prince Aparajith's wedding with Khushi"
"Yeah, you are right. Do it"
Chandrika wrote a message to send it to her father.
On the other hand,
Khushi was standing hugging Arnav who was standing like a statue. Khushi didn't know whether she should feel bad for his condition or if should she laugh at him. But, both would make him awkward. She didn't want to do them. At the same time, she didn't want to LEAVE him like that. She broke the hug and pressed his shoulders to make him sit on the bed. Arnav sat on the bed, all the way looking at her. As he didn't expect, she sat on his lap and leaned on his shoulder, circling his waist, worsening his condition. Arnav didn't know what to do. How to react to it but he liked the way she was sitting on his lap, leaning on his shoulder. It made him feel ecstatic. He felt something happening in him. He slowly raised his arms to embrace her but stopped, hearing Khushi saying,
"I have no one..."
Khushi looked at him, raising her head. As Khushi expected, Arnav's mind changed in a jiffy and he started listening to her, forgetting their position. She again leaned on his shoulder and continued.
"I'm an orphan... I don't have anyone for myself. That's why I'm roaming around India aimlessly. I so wanted someone for myself. I wanted to do a love marriage but, I didn't meet anyone who met my expectations. I didn't know whom to trust. You know our era boys. They are not trustworthy. We can't expect them to understand our feelings. I was weary of my life. That's why I started visiting different places. Though I diverted my mind I could not stop my heart from growing expectations about my wedding life. I believed I would meet someone with the same wavelength as mine. But, it didn't happen. That was when I found the sand clock. A group chased me for the sand clock..."
"But why?"
"I don't know"
"You said, we can't change anything using the sand clock. Then why do they want it?"
"I too don't understand the point"
"How did they know about the sand clock?"
"My grandfather's friends knew about it. One of his friends, Rudra Prathap wanted it. he was the one who killed my parents"
"Killed?" he pulled her back and looked at her.
Khushi nodded yes and again leaned on his shoulder, circling his neck.
"Yes, they were killed. I doubt Rudra Prathap should have killed them for the sand clock"
"Don't you think of punishing the killer?"
"I wanted to but I could not"
"Why not? You have the box that records everything. Can't you go to the exact time he killed your parents using the sand clock and record it? Is it not enough to punish them?"
"I would have done that if I had not come here. To escape from the goons, I twisted the sand clock and came to the Maurya empire. I wanted to go back immediately but I could not. I had to come to the capital to meet the king to complain about Hemadri. Everything happened one by one. I got stuck here. Last but not least, I have lost the sand clock" She sighed.
"You know what Arnav, I liked you so much when I saw you for the first time. Your majestic look attracted me..."
Arnav smiled.
"I got a chance to travel with you. I was so glad to do that because it was a chance no history-lover would think of missing. Not that I trusted you. I could not. I traveled only in the hope of the sand clock. I thought to twist it and go back if you try to misbehave with me." She chuckled and Arnav was amazed.
"But, I didn't even think of going back for at least once because you are a nice person. There is no one in this world like you. I liked your values, morals everything. I liked the way you talked without looking at my face. These qualities are as rare as a hen's teeth. You treated me so gently. Though I didn't accept your proposal I could not stop myself from falling for you. at the same time, I doubt we could not cope because our lifestyles are different. You and I are opposite poles in culture and I was scared about the parallel universe but, at some point, I don't mind about creating a parallel universe because I didn't think, I could live without you. I want to be with you Arnav."
She sat straight, looking at him.
"See, this is what I am. I wanted to pour my heart into my man. I wanted to be with him wiping all the hesitation. I wanted him to be the one who could make me forget about the loss of my parents. (She paused for a while) I got YOU. you came into my life, giving answers to my expectations. I'm so sensitive person. I can't hold myself. I can't hide my feelings. I won't feel awkward being on your lap because it gives me peace and happiness. You may feel it odd..."
Cutting her,
"No... I don't feel it odd... I will try to make myself up to your expectations..." he circled her in his arms.
"You are not an orphan... you are the Princess of this kingdom. I'm here for you"
"I know... you will be there for me" She palmed his cheek.
"Will you?"
She nodded yes.
"I don't think I could be alive if you leave me. my heart may blast if you go away from me" He said making her gulp down.
She hugged him feeling nervous. Somewhat it was true. Anything could happen to him if she left him.
"No... it won't happen. I won't let it happen" She said panicking.
Arnav embarrassed her with a smile lovingly.
"I said, only if you leave me..." he said.
She saw him with mixed emotions. Arnav didn't know why she became sentimental all of a sudden.
"I promise... I won't leave you" She touched his forehead with hers.
Arnav cupped her face and Khushi looked at him surprisingly. As she didn't expect, he touched her lips with his. Without kissing, he stayed but Khushi could not. She captured his lips. As she didn't expect, Arnav also participated in the kiss. They shared their first kiss, ending all the differences between them.
To be continued...