Author's POV
"Excuse me for a minute, I have to take this call" The private number flashed on the screen which caught his attention. He hurriedly stepped out from the glass door to receive the call in balcony of his bungalow.
"Pranam Mama sa (Greetings Uncle)" he put all the politeness in his voice.
"Ji Mama sa, jaisa aap kahen (Okay Uncle, as you say)" the conversation was brief but it formed a frown on his face. Why his uncle and foster father was worried? Nothing could ever agitate that man ever and even if something happens then his uncle has never shared his worries with him.
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He checked his watch for the tenth time, he has come much earlier. There are still fifteen minutes left for him to come. He decided to jog for a while to kill the time. He stretched his hands and legs to do warm up and some girls whistled in his direction. He spared a glance to them and then resumed his warm up.
As his feet hit the grounds of jogger's park, the morning breeze has raked his raven black hair and olive skin. He felt light and increased his speed to complete two rounds of the park in the short time.
"Are... your..... ears........ahh..... stop working...... when you jog?" Soft fingers tugged his t-shirt to slow his speed and he felt a jolt of electricity.
He stopped and looked at the girl who left behind. She was leaning forward resting her hands on her knees to catch her breathe. He gave an annoyed look when pair of grey eyes raked over his body. Her face was flushed and red, drops of sweat were scintillating under the morning sun and few loose strands are sticking to them. His eyes lingered on her pink lips before moving to her slender neck and checking out the anatomy behind the V-neck pink top.
"Liked what you see, handsome" Can she ever stop being a seductress to him.
"What do you think?" He smirked at her
"I know you can't avoid my beauty and you want to ravish me" She wrapped her soft fingers around his left biceps and a current surged into his veins. He briefly closed his eyes to savor her touch but her behavior broke his trance.
"You are self obsessed Carol" he shrugged off her delicate fingers off from his hand which upsets her.
"I am obsessed with you Rahul" Her grey eyes were filled with lust but he has hoped a little more from her. Only if she has changed her attitude a bit then he has given their relation a second chance but she is still a b**** like earlier.
"Are you done?" he shrugged off her delicate fingers off from his hand which upsets her. He didn't give a second glance to her and sped off to meet the person far more important than her.
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"Pranam Mama sa (Greetings uncle)" the bowing figure has caught attention of the retired commissioner and he looked at the mirror image of his belated friend and also has some features of his beloved sister.
He caressed his raven silky hair to bless and ordered him to rise which he immediately complied. Although, God has done injustice to him by not killing his heir and by taking lives of his sister and brother in law but his nephew has never make him feel that he is son less.
"Kya bat hai mama sa? Aap bahut udas lag rahe hain (What is the matter uncle? You seems quite upset)" His polite tone soothe his heart and he eyes met his gaze.
"Rahul wo Mrinal...." His voice quivered and body shivered with an unknown fear. Rahul immediately hold him sideways with his strong arms.
"Mama sa sambhaliye apne aap ko (Uncle, hold yourself)" He supported his uncle aged figure with left hand and pulled out the water bottle.
"Mama sa, mujhe bataiye kya hua hai Mrinal ko? (Uncle, please tell me what has happened to Mrinal)" He gently rubbed his uncle back to comfort him but his mind has been occupied with all the possibilities of danger.
"Mrinal nahi mil rahi hai beta? (Mrinal is missing, son)" His face become pale and heart sank on the information.
He has never seen his uncle so broken up but he knows one thing that the only weakness of this tough ex-cop is his kids. He requested him to reveal the details and he told him that she has been missing from months but he got to know recently.
His uncle said that whenever he call her , he feels that her replies are similar to previous ones like someone has recorded her voice. He has investigated secretly to know about her whereabouts in England but he found out that she has left the country one and half month ago but her call location shows that she is in the country.
"Aapne Rohan ko bataya (Have you informed Rohan)" His uncle nodded in no
"You know his job Rahul. I tried to find his location but couldn't do so. My connections inside government has become weak after retirement and that's why I am here." His eyes were looking at him with hope.
"Mama sa, chinta mat kariye. Main Rohan aur Mrinal dono ka pata lagaunga (Don't worry uncle, I will find Rohan and Mrinal)" Determination was visible in his black eyes.
"Mami sa kaisi hain. Kya unhe..(How is aunty? Does she...)" His negative reply relieved him a bit.
"She is in Bhanugarh for some official reasons. Government wants to dig some spots and do some historical research on the kingdom therefore she needs to stay there. I think it is good for her to remain uninformed about Mrinal." Rahul nodded in agreement
"There is another thing son. I got to know that there is some illegal activities going on in your and my kingdom" His eyebrows raised an inch upward after hearing this.
"What kind of activities mama sa?" He narrowed his gaze on his uncle worried face.
"My sources has told me that the opium which we cultivate for medicinal purpose is being smuggled" A frown appeared on his tired face.
"Don't worry Mama sa, I will also take care of that. You please take rest and don't tell anyone else about this thing." He took his wrinkled hands in his hands and squeezed them a bit to tell him that he will make everything right.
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(Bhanugarh Palace)
"Hukum, how long we will wander here and there in this palace?" Bhuwan complained in a hushed tone. They have searched the king's chamber thrice and almost all the minister's room
but couldn't find anything even a secret passage.
"Patience Bhuwan ji, Patience" Apaar smirked without looking at him and imagined a pout on his ragged face.
He looked at Gauri who is adamant that she will find something today and that's why they are again checking the King's chamber for the fourth time.
"Rajkumari ji, Aapko sach mein lagta hai k yahan kuch milega (Princess, do you really think that we will get something here)" Her almond color eyes met his brown orbs with fury and he instantly closed his mouth.
"Hukum, bai sa ko kahiye na yahan se chalne k liye (please tell her to go from this place)" Bhuwan whispered again while checking out the big bronze vase near the window.
Gauri was looking at the beautiful embossed painting of the peacock who was looking at her with open beak like asking her if she has some food for it. She had a feeling that the painting has something in it which she is not able to find out.
"Hukum aaj to bhukho marenge hum log (Today we will die out of hunger)" Bhuwan took a break and stood beside his young king who was leaning on the wall opposite of the painting admiring his wife's beauty.
"Kya kar sakte hain (What to do?)" Bhuwan also leaned on the wall to rest his tired body.
"Hukum yahan ka gupt dwar to main bhi na janu hun. Bai sa kaise dhundhengi (My lord, Even I don't know about secret passage of this chamber. How will she find it?) Apaar looked at him sideways in challenge.
"Don't underestimate her skills Bhuwan ji. Your queen and my wife is a beauty with brain." His gaze was fixed on the backside of her slender figure.
"Indeed Hukum but we have checked every nook and corner of this chamber but couldn't find anything. Haven't we?" Apaar nodded in agreement but he had a feeling that Gauri will definitely find something.
"Let's wait for some time" Bhuwan yawned a little on his reply.
"As you wish hukum" Both men were looking at the small neck of the beautiful lady which is moving to and fro between the embossed painting on the wall and the silver figurine of the apsara (divine beauty) on her left.
She went near the figurine and checked it closely with her magnifying glass.
"Bhuwan ji, Apaar ji" Both men abruptly halted their half opened mouth in between of a big yawn and masked it with a cough when they met the queen's angry gaze.
"J..J..J..Ji bai sa (Yes my lady)" Bhuwan stammered
"Ji..Ji..Rajkumari ji (Yes Princess)" Apaar coughed a little more.
"Is murti ko dekhiye, ise khola ja sakta hai kya (Check this figurine if it can be opened)" Both men stepped forward to checked the beautiful figurine.
The silver figurine was two feet long with a dancing pose and a golden snake was hanging on her shoulders. They find a lock system which has fixed the snake with the back of her neck and when they removed the U-pin shaped lock, the snake get detached from the figurine.
Bhuwan handed it over to Gauri with both hands and she checked the golden snake from every angle.
"Can you feed it to him?" Gauri half ordered to Apaar and he nodded with a big smile.
"How do you know that it is a he?" He asked in a teasing tone while looking at the embossed painting of the peacock.
"Kyunki morni ki mor ki tarah lambi punch nahi hoti Mr. Mehta (Because peahen doesn't have a train of long feathers like peacock Mr. Mehta)" She mocked his lack of knowledge on the national bird and he heard a muffled chuckle of Bhuwan from behind her.
"Now, will you please do the honor of feeding this snake into his mouth" Apaar nodded in yes and stepped forward. Today he has got advantage of his tall height otherwise she would never requested him for this job.
He tucked the snake into the opened beak of the bird several times and a click sound came in his seventh attempt.
He turned with a triumphed look on his face but fear has immediately replaced the happy expression.
"GAWRIIII.... Jump!!!!" His brown orbs wanted to free from their sockets and he made the longest and quickest leap of his life.
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"Kya matlab hai tumhara ki kuch pata nahi chala? (What do you mean that you couldn't find anything)" Pratap thundered over his men who has returned empty handed.
"Hukum, barish me hamla karne wale k koi nishan na bache (Every clue has been vanished due to rain)" The head of the search party kept his head hung low in front of Pratap.
"Hathiyar mile wahan? (You get the weapons?)" The leader again moved his head in no.
"Afeem mili? (Any opium?)" The bulky man again nodded in no with hesitation
"koi naksha mila? (Got any map?)" Pratap's voice was dangerously close to the leader and he started shivering in fear.
"Na..Na..Nahi hukum (No No my lord)" He stammered
"Ek number k nikamme pal rakhe hain maine. Na maal mila aur na hamla karne wala. Ab main age kya jawab dunga (I have worst men in my gang. You could not find the weapons or the attacker. Now what will I answer others)" He dug the pistol in the leader's chest and he started shivering like a leaf.
"Hukum, ek mauka de dijiye hukum (Give me a chance)" His tall frame feel in Pratap's feet for mercy but the gunshot proven that their boss has no mercy for failures like him.
[A/N: Hi my lovely readers, I hope that you will like this chapter. My health is not in good shape therefore I am not able to update regularly. I know I have disappointed you all by not updating it but I can't do anything in it. I can just say "I AM SORRY" for raising your hopes, building your interests and then disappointing you.]