People he didn't recognise were running around them to bring them everything which could warm their cold bodies. Fear he knew nothing about was still making him quiver to the deepest corner of his heart. His soul trembled as he looked at her, she was having problem breathing. His hand clutched her cold hand and she opened her eyes. Her lips didn't fail to form a meek smile, Her eyes struggled to keep looking at him, she was scared of losing him. He didn't know what stirred him so bad but he couldn't sit by her anymore and stormed out.
His vision got blurred with wet of his eyes as he walked towards edge of roaring river. He could hear it bellow but couldn't see it storming in darkness. All he knew it was flooding more each second with thunder in the sky, just like his heart.
He could have lost her few minutes back as she didn't think twice stepping into tumult of water. He couldn't word it how he felt when that river was trying to take her away from him. Maybe he knew now how she must have felt every time she pleaded him not to love her too much that he didn't think twice kissing the death. Now when he knew how it felt when fear clawed your insides. He palmed his face in agony. He understood now.
"Manik"
He heard a familiar voice and turned around to see Aabid standing there. Manik wasn't in state to tell him that it was good to see him alive. He just kept staring Aabid in dark. Before he could think further, Aabid engulfed him an embrace. He patted his slouched shoulders and Manik hugged him back.
"She's fine," Aabid assured him while Manik withdrew not liking the fact how his emotions were on public display.
She and only she had right to see him vulnerable. She was the one who had unfurled him bare. And only she had the might to cut him open that deep that he stood bare in front of world today.
"It's good to have you back, brother," Aabid said holding Manik's shoulders tightly.
___________
Manik returned to the newly set camp with Aabid and was taken to a palatial tent house. He could sense her from far. His eyes narrowed as he neared the door. He could see her sitting on a bed and a man sat beside her bed. The white curtains flew nonchalantly along the soothing breeze of after-rain. The man sitting beside Nandini took her leave and she nodded sincerely. Her face had some fine lines of concern. That man who was about Manik's height came out of tent and halted in his steps as he saw Manik. He slowly reached him and looked into his eyes.
Manik's forehead furrowed as that man didn't cease to look at him with a facet of scorn. Not in his entire life, someone had dared to stand next to him in this way.
"Veer"
Aabid Bhai stopped the anxious abstraction by slightly telling Veer to leave. Veer looked at Aabid and nodded his head before he left the place but not before giving Manik another detested look.
Manik turned around to see the disappearing figure of Veer in dark, he didn't like him for sure.
"I would be back," Aabid Bhai said before leaving Manik alone, standing at the door of tent.
Everything could wait.
Manik entered the tent house only to find Nandini playing with hem of her dress. She seemed to be in deep thought. Her broken leg was spread on the bed while another knee was folded. He didn't feel like rushing to her and take her in his arms urgently. It was important to drink the moment. It was crucial to believe how she was all fine.
Her eyes rose and found him standing at the door with a smile on his lips which only she could read.
Her lips parted a bit as she exhaled apparent urgency to be close to him where she could kiss him to the moment where she was sure he wouldn't leave her again.
"Manik"
Her voice came out as a plead. Her freshly done cast didn't help her move much but he could see she was restless.
Before she could call his name another time, she saw him striding towards her and in two long steps, she was in his arms clutched so tight. She held onto him as if it was a matter of life and death.
Manik on other hand was way too overwhelmed to even bestow all his heart had to. He just let her dig her nails into his flesh so that they could leave imprints which he wouldn't ever let fade.
After a long time which seemed like seconds, she tried to part herself away so that she could see his face but he didn't let her. She could feel something was terribly wrong. His clutch around her had quivers in it and she could feel his rugged breaths on her shoulder.
He was crying.
The realisation dawned upon her and she couldn't fathom what it took for a man like Manik to be this vulnerable.
"Manik let me..."
She pleaded but he refused to let go.
"Please"
She said and next she felt him extracting himself from her only to capture her lips in wailing exigency. The wet of his eyes touched her cheeks as he poured it all in that one kiss which his words could never do. She gathered his face in her palms and caressed his temple.
His jagged breaths adorned her lips as he parted. She opened her eyes to see what a mess he was. His face was red as if he was in some pain and eyes shut so tight.
Her palms slipped from his temple to his jaw and she meshed their lips in an assuring smooth kiss. He didn't respond as he should have. Her worry hastened as she begged him to let go of whatever was eating him by stroking his cheeks with her thumbs.
She deepened the kiss as much as she could and his arms slid across her waist. And that's when she smiled amid their tears. He was talking now, talking the dialect she understood the best. She knew he wasn't burning in hellfire anymore but raging in sweet fire.
After a long time when he parted away, he looked at her angelic face who was shining in bright of love. Her eyes opened slowly while her lips remained parted in order to even her breathing.
"Don't you ever love me this much that you don't think twice putting your life in danger," He warned her before kissing her forehead.
She smiled and put her forehead on his shoulder blade. She was drained yet relaxed. He was sounding like her and she did understand what he must have gone through unlike him.
"You have no idea how long the wait was," She murmured and he kissed side of her head.
"Never ever leave me again, Manik," She was clear.
"You and only you hold my sanity. I have forgotten how to exist when you aren't around," She stated honestly.
He nuzzled in her neck and bestowed endless kisses on her cold skin until it started to burn.
"I don't like the man who just left," He stated as he kissed her face leisurey. His concerns were strange yet so familiar. Nandini's eyes shone in mischief.
"He is a brave man," Nandini giggled as she tried to bring the envy in man who had just started to express a bit.
"You aren't listening to him this intently again," He said and peeped into her big eyes.
"He always has something valuable to tell," She said and bit her lower lip trying not to give away the mischief.
He looked miffed as he kept staring at her. And then he dived in to kiss her again as if that was only option to stop her from uttering things he didn't like. She giggled under his wet touch as he leisurely let his lips linger there.
"Don't ever giggle for him," He demanded as she didn't stop giggling under his stubble when his mouth gazed her jaw line.
"He treats me like I am his queen," She was surely playing with the ice.
"My queen," He told sternly before kissing her cheek tenderly.
"Just mine," He said and cradled her in his arms.
_____________
Nandini stroked Aashi's hair as she laid next to her in cart. Nandini couldn't fathom the fact how this one family loved her to bits when she had brought nothing but hardship to them. She promised that worn out girl who was in deep slumber that she would not let anything harm her. Aashi's fever had subsided owing to good care and medicine overnight.
The convoy was on wheels now. She looked out of window and could see new surroundings. The easterners were taking her to their land. They needed to take the heir of Minister Murthy to a place where no dictator could reach her. They had a war to plan.
It was a long journey and unlike every other fleet of this state, the ghosts of boneyard preferred to take undiscovered routes. They rode horses while roads hadn't seen face of vehicles in a long time. They were all that dictator was unable to tackle.
___
Manik gazed the endless vale as he halted his horse on the edge of mountain. He didn't know these new people, he could not trust them either. He looked back at Aabid Bhai who was talking to Veer. Manik knew one thing that when it came to Nandini, he trusted nobody.
He had gathered information about these ghosts of boneyard and all he could get was they all regarded Mr Murthy with utmost respect. He could see no loop-hole.
"Not a trace," Aryan spoke as he halted next to Manik. They both hadn't told anyone how they had killed two army men on their way.
"I didn't find anything suspicious around," Aryan assured.
Manik didn't answer and resumed the journey with hundreds of thoughts buzzing in his mind. He couldn't be ignorant, he knew. He couldn't be clueless when it came to Nandini's safety. They were played once and he couldn't let anyone use her as trump-card again. He turned around and rode his horse to Aabid. Veer and Aabid looked baffled as Manik came to them with his horse neighing in fury.
"We need to talk," Manik demanded and Aabid nodded in understanding.
________
"And then he saw you"
Aashi was narrating about how they found her. Her eyes held warmth and Nandini smiled. Aashi had narrated their struggle as if it was a fairy tale, a fairy tale which led a prince to his princess.
"You know you are unreal, right?" Nandini asked amused.
"I am just a good narrator," Aashi said shrugging her shoulders. They both giggled looking at each other.
The convoy came to a halt. Aashi seemed unfazed but Nandini found it strange. They had taken their last break just a few minutes back.
She waited it to resume but nothing moved for a good deal of time.
"Ms Murthy"
Annie came to her, she was panting.
"They need you there," She said.
"What's wrong?" Nandini asked unsure.
"I don't know. There' someone who says he wants to tell you something and he would tell you only," Annie answered unsure. Nandini nodded in understanding.
"Ride it to the front," Annie told the charioteer.
Nandini's heart was thumping. She had no idea what destiny had brought to her now.
Annie helped Nandini to come out of cart and walked her to a group of people. Men made a way for her as she suspected what was there. Manik looked back at her and reached her to lift in his arms. Her fractured knee was worse after previous day's adventure. She was flushed least to say.
Nandini could see someone laying on ground as they reached the place.
"He won't tell me," Manik said as he put her down.
She could see a man yelping in pain while doctors of camp were cleaning his deep wounds. She limped towards the man and could now see who he was.
"Harshad"
Her lips uttered as she recognised him. He was badly hurt and could hardly keep his eyes open.
Manik walked past her and reached the yelping Harshad.
"Tell us now," Manik demanded. Nandini reached Harshad and he opened his eyes.
"What happened to you, Harshad?" She sure was wrenched to see him injured so bad.
"You were right, Nandini," He muttered lowly and yelped loudly as doctor tried to clean an open cut on his torso.
"He needs urgent treatment," Doctor stated helpless.
Nandini nodded and asked them to take care of him first. He was almost unconscious now.
"How did he come here?" Nandini asked Manik.
Manik didn't answer and kept scanning the surroundings.
"Aabid says his men found him near the river, almost dead and he was blabbering how he wants to see you," Manik replied in a tone which spoke nothing but irritation. He was irritated about something.
Nandini knew she had to dig it out of him as soon as she got the chance.
Manik on other hand was trying to keep his temper in check. His conversation with Aabid didn't bring him much peace. Aabid recited a story which he already knew. The development how Nandini meant a great business to these new people and everything which happened in past few days was part of a plan, he couldn't wrap his head around it. Aabid knew way too much while he never looked like someone who could be a brainbox of an upcoming war. Nandini was looking like a key of someone's plan. He wanted to believe how everything was fine but his mind didn't let him. He wanted to believe how she was their queen and there was no ploy, but his heart didn't let him.
________________
Aashi walked inside the the medical tent and saw Harshad laying there lifeless. His entire body was wrapped in bandages which were soaking in blood. His right hand was burnt badly. His face had numerous cuts. She didn't know when she was crying. She didn't know why and when her heart had twisted so bad. She was clear she had put the little liking for that man behind when she had chosen Nandini over him. He hated the fact when she had chosen to stand next to Nandini back at camp. She was sure she was not going to look back and she didn't. But time had brought the same man in front of her eyes and how. He was nowhere near that stubborn man who wanted to win a lost battle. He was so meek and defeated even when he was sleeping.
She sat beside him for countless minutes gazing at his face trying to tame her emotions. He moved a little and she reached out for him.
"Nan..." He was trying to say something.
"I need..." He couldn't open his eyes when he was trying too hard.
His eyes shuttered open and close as he fought too hard. He was battling for his life. Aashi didn't know why lump in her throat became so painful.
"Aashii," He took her name as he finally could see her face.
"Tell Nandini..." He wanted to say something so desperately.
Aashi held his hand tried to calm him down as he started hyperventilating. His chest rose too up and then went down. Aashi called out for doctor urgently.
Doctors were back at keeping him alive while his breaths were shouting out the truth that he wouldn't make it.
Aashi palmed her mouth as she saw him almost slipping in forever darkness. She didn't know what it felt like losing someone. She was way too young when she had lost her parents. Manik had never let any grief touch her and now pain had groped her offhand, she didn't know how to handle it.
Manik entered the tent and saw Aashi sobbing under her palms. He strode towards Harshad who was choking.
"Help him, Damn it," He barked at doctors. He needed to know what Harshad wanted to tell. It would be a lie if he said he cared for Harshad. All he knew he cared for stakes Harshad held and for that little girl who was crying in the corner.
Harshad held Manik's shirt as he tried hard to keep his breaths. His eyes were teary as he tried to convey something to Manik.
Nandini entered the tent and Aashi ran to her. Hiding her face in Nandini's neck, she let out the wailing for a man whom she potentially loved.
"Doctor," Nandini pleaded with a heavy throat as she saw Harshad suffering there on bed.
"Save them... Sa.." Harshad could not manage to utter further as he finally lost the battle of life. His body lost all its struggle as he took his last breath. Everything went silent for that moment when his rugged breaths didn't sound like hope and Aashi's wails too stopped. She looked at Harshad horrified.
He was gone.
Nandini looked at Manik with her chin wobbling. It felt like her mind has gone numb.
"I am sorry," Doctor declared Harshad dead and Aashi's cry filled the tent with utmost agony. Nandini tried to handle her while Manik didn't know how to react. He could see his sister lamenting and last words of Harshad were ringing in his ears. He looked at dead Harshad and tapped his hand as if saying an adieu. He walked to Aashi and gathered her in his arms just to walk her outside of tent. Aryan who was standing at door shocked too followed his family.
Nandini walked towards the bed where Harshad laid dead. Her eyes were raining as he looked at his peaceful face.
"A heart failure," Doctor said and she pressed her lips trying to rein her emotions.
Aabid and Veer entered the tent as soon as they got the news.
No one spoke as they all stood there grieved.
"Prepare for his last rites," Aabid requested Veer.
Nandini kept looking at Harshad. She didn't want him to die. She had spent good deal of time with him and his people. It wasn't easy to believe that he was no more.
"It's never easy," Aabid said putting an arm around Nandini.
"Watch them going. It's easier to sleep at night that way," Nandini had never forgotten Aabid's words. She recited them as if it could ease the pain.
"Sleep tight, friend," She spoke in shaky voice as doctors covered his face with sheet.
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Unedited*
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A/N
Sincere apologies for being away for this long. I know wait was bit too long this time. I hope update is worth the wait. I promise next update would be quick. 💖
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Aditi