Part 53 Prince Aparajith Vs Aparajith
Rudra Pratap pointed the gun at Arnav.
"Prince Aparajit, I know you are very smart but not to this extent...! You have not changed a bit. You are the same as we met you. How beautifully you have connected the dots even when you are at the gun point... well done...! " Rudhra Pratap cackled.
"What is all this uncle? Why are you doing this?" Shashi asked.
"What else? Everything is for money...! I and Nayak have been waiting for this for so long..."
"That means are you guys partners in crime?"
"To get the sand clock from your family, we have to become partners in crime"
"I thought you were a gentleman," said Khushi.
"I would have been a gentleman if your grandfather had not cut off my friendship"
"My grandfather would not have been cut off from your friendship without any reason. You would have disappointed him in some way. That's why he should have cut off your friendship. He even took you to the Mauriyan Empire with him. That hints that he trusted you at the beginning" Khushi said furiously.
"Haan, he trusted me...! it's not my mistake. Why did I accompany him to the Mauriyan Empire? Did I go there to look around the town? I went there only to bring precious things. Do you know how expensive those things are...? Millions... even Billions... I just tried to take Prince Aparajit's signet ring from him. Your grandfather became angry with me as if I did a crime. Who won't do that? Any Time Traveller would not like to miss such a great opportunity of getting a signet ring"
Arnav looked at him in loathly.
"Prince Aparajit accepted you ask his friend. Stealing his signet ring was not a crime?" Khushi asked furiously.
"He was Prince Aprajith. A Signet ring was not a big deal to him. He could get many more signet rings if he wanted. What harm if I take one? Your grandfather didn't even allow me to take the signet ring from him even after his death" Rutra Pratap said annoyingly.
"Did you try to steal his ring after his death too? What a man you are! This is why my grandfather cut his friendship off from you..." Khushi said furiously.
"Yes, he stopped sharing about the Sand clock and his experiences about Time Travel with me. He started vanishing often for many days. I knew he became rich only because he was time-traveling to many eras but he didn't even let me take things from Aparajit and stopped taking me with him. Is that right?"
"I don't know what my grandfather did. I would have considered your statement if you are a genuine person but you are a cheater. I won't trust your word about my grandfather"
"Okay, don't trust me. Who cares?" he smirked wildly.
"Why are you wasting time, talking unnecessarily? However, we are not going to trust you...! Tell me, what do you want?" Arnav asked him.
"I'm not talking unnecessarily. I respect you. That's why I'm telling you all of this because I don't want you to die without knowing the reason for your death"
"Everyone will die one day. Prince Aparajith is not a coward to fear death. In fact, he would have died a long ago. Because of Khushi, I'm alive today. I think to give my life to Khushi only I'm still alive. I'm proud to give my life to her. I always wanted to die in the war field but now, this death will give me the same satisfaction. Tell me, what do you want? Sand clock?"
"Not only the sand clock... Your sword... your signet ring... Your ornaments... Whatever you have... And the chain that was in Khushi's neck"
Arnav looked at Khushi shockingly who was also in shock because it was her mangal sutra.
"It's my mangal sutra I won't give it"
"Who asked your permission? No one needs permission to take anything from the dead bodies. You all are going to die now. How many years I have been waiting for this super opportunity...! Every item of Aparajit is going to rain money on me." Greed was clear in his face.
"You don't have to take it from my dead body. I'm Prince Aparajith. I won't say NO to anyone who asks anything. I myself will give them. I'm happy I got a chance to donate something before my death" Arnav said.
Arnav decided to throw one of his ornaments on Rudra Pratap to make him lose his balance. A very few seconds were enough for him to do that. Then Rudra Pratap would be under his control. His mind planned quickly.
"No... stop... you don't have to do it... don't act smart, Prince Aparajith... just do what I say..."
Rudra Pratap became alert. Arnav understood that.
"If you have a sand clock, you can travel to any era and get many more ornaments like this. Then why are you asking mine? Are not you sure about your time travel?" Arnav extended the conversation to get TIME.
"Why won't I be sure about my time travel? I will surely travel to many eras. I have a long list" Rudra said with sparkling eyes.
"Then why do you need these?"
"To boast that I defeated Prince Aparajith...! These things will be mementos of my victory" he snickered.
Arnav shrank his eyes. He was the man who defeated many warriors on the battlefield in a blink of an eye. Now, a parasite was blustering in front of him forgetting Prince Aparajith's standard.
At the same time, they heard a car sound. Arnav and Khushi spared a glance with confusion. Who was coming? Rudra became excited.
"Here he came... This is why I'm delayed..." He cackled.
"Who?" Arnav asked.
"My grandson... Aparajith..."
Now, Arnav became excited to see the personality who had his name. His eyes were fixed on the entrance as the sound of footsteps was nearing them.
Arnav frowned, seeing a guy who had nothing to do with his name and was just the width of his sword. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was he the one who was Aparajith? Damn...!
How could he expect the man would be like him just because he had his name? Was not he SPECIAL? Prince Aparajith understood no one could be like him.
Arnav looked at Khushi who was in a similar state to him. Her weird facial expression made him chuckle.
"Aparajith, see... You are the only lucky man in the whole universe to meet the person who was the reason for your name" said Rudra to his grandson in Prakrit.
Khushi wondered. Did this guy know Prakrit? It seemed Rudra prepared his grandson well for the time travel.
Arnav looked at the weakling sharply.
"You mean Prince Aprajith?" He asked excitedly.
"Yes... To give this opportunity only I'm waiting..."
"Oh... He is the one...? I expected some more...! I think you have exaggerated a lot about him...! being a Prince, I expected him to be a handsome hunk. I don't think there is anything to be proud of" he said wearily.
Arnav facial reaction was worth watching. Rudra could have killed him instead of letting him hear such a statement from the mosquito who would fly away if he blew him.
"It was not me but my friend who named you," Rudra said, as if Rishi made the BIGGEST mistake that hurt his grandson. Khushi dropped her jaw whereas Arnav rolled his eyes.
"Forget it... By the way, how did he come here?" The weakling asked.
"She is Khushi. Granddaughter of Rishi. She is the one who has the sand clock. She traveled to the Mauriyan Empire and got married to him. They are here to save her parents..."
"I can't beelive what you said about the sand clock is true?" he asked unbelievably.
"Yes... you didn't believe me... See, now everything is in front of your eyes. I hope now you will trust me"
"Of course, Nanu... wow... I'm so excited to see many eras... especially girls..." he winked making Rudra laugh.
Arnav was shocked. Was this weakling WEAK in girl's matter too? Damn...! He wanted to cut off the mole that gave the reason to name him.
"Why are you wasting time, Nanu? Finish them off and get the sand clock from them..." the weakling ordered Rudra.
"Where is the sand clock?" Rudra asked Khushi pointing the gun at her.
"It's with Prince Aprajith," she said with a stern expression.
Without thinking of anything, the weakling rushed to Arnav to get the sand clock from him unaware of the truth that he was advancing the danger that was waiting to swallow him.
To be continued...