A thick air made the curtains dance and Nandini's palms reached the pages scattered over the table preventing them from flowing with the breeze. She looked at the giant window in dismay, dark had taken over the sky and she walked to the window to stop haze from entering her office. She didn't realize when day passed in jiffy. It was her fourth day at office and she couldn't be more perturbed. She looked at the pile of books on her table and sighed. A map was spread over the table. Her head ached as she thought about what all she had done in entire day.
Nothing.
The answer came out involuntarily. She couldn't forget the perplexed faces at the first meeting when she had simply given a speech on how she thought they could lead this war. Those experienced gentlemen didn't take more than few minutes to understand how she knew nothing about war and strategies. She came across nothing but an unequipped heir who could speak at length about how ardently she believed in her father's vision but knew nothing how she was going to execute it. No one spoke against her, simply because now she stood somewhere where her father was taken as prodigy. But she wasn't a fool not to understand those silent chuckles.
She had indulged herself in studying her state and its mechanics since last three days. She would get up early in morning and return late at night. She read about the state's successful military operations in past 50 years and what strategies her father believed in. It was her misfortune how no cabinet minister was present there anymore to guide her except for her sick father.
Even though she had grasped more than necessary information about geographical aspect of the state, still she couldn't bring it on paper how she thought to lead this war. She had resources now. She could send her forces to gather people for the upcoming clash but reality, that they knew very less about that dictator and his functioning, stared her face.
It was a mess.
She palmed her face and let her eyes closed under its warmth. She hadn't felt this lost before. It was difficult to think of an organised battle. She didn't know from where to start. Veer and his cabinet had their plan ready but she still believed her father's vision had an edge if she could breathe life into it. Tomorrow morning, committee was going to gather again to discuss about their first step towards salvation. Nandini came out of her mental misery and started to flip pages of minutes of her father. There had to be something, something more precise than what he had written in that diary.
She was frantically working over a rough plan while gazing that map laid on the table when she felt two palms holding her shoulders gently. She immediately let go of her taut demeanor and slumped back in the chair. She rested her neck against the rim and two thumbs caressed her aching neck muscles.
"I can't do this, Manik," She murmured closing her eyes.
He didn't speak anything but kept stroking her shoulders and nape. Her eyes welled up even when they were closed as she let his warmth sink in. She could finally be herself she knew. She bit her lower lip as she didn't want to cry at all. His touch went missing and before she could wonder, she was swaying in his arms. She could finally look at his face which conveyed nothing but concern. He took her to the majestic sofa chair which was placed in front of fireplace. Nandini gazed the orange of fire while her flesh soaked in warmth of it.
Sitting on it, he let her rest on his lap. His arm supported her back while her legs rested on his.
"You need rest," He stated as if that was all which mattered to him.
"You are not understanding, Manik," Nandini tried to straighten but but he held her back.
"Tomorrow is second meeting and I must present some consolidated plan, otherwise I won't be able to do anything. I would let down my father," She was exasperated.
She heard him sigh before he contemplated the pile of files and book placed on center table.
"You never asked me," She said lowly as she read his face. Manik looked at her immediately. His brows were a bit furrowed. She realized how they never talked about her father's idea of gathering neighbors forces to their rescue. She had shared it with Aabid Bhai but never with him. He knew basically nothing what her mind was throbbing about.
"I did and you told me you needed time," He replied gravely.
She settled her head under his chin and breathed deep. Of course, she remembered him asking about what was bothering her before Aabid was abducted at previous camp. She never got time after that.
"I think it's too late now," She stated lowly. Her fingers played with creases of his shirt.
Manik got up next moment with her in his arms. Putting her down, he grabbed her hand without giving her time to ask anything.
"Come with me," He dictated and dragged her out of her office which was on third floor.
Nandini walked in empty corridors with him guiding her to somewhere. She realized it was quite late as hallways were dimly lit and weather had turned a bit cold. The strange thing with this town was it was pleasant all day but frosty cold in night.
They reached the ground floor and Manik walked her to the atrium where moonlight bathed them through glass roof. He halted in front of a map which was painted ever so majestically on a huge wall.
"What you see?" He asked in deep calm voice.
Nandini could see much more than that those papers she had been reading all day.
"This is war zone," He stated and she walked ahead of him to have a closer look.
"No one in that room would be knowing what you know. And I am not talking about this map," He was standing just behind her.
"You have seen them rioting, you have lived with those enraged refugees, you have seen better than those suited men who have hardly come out of their palaces," He stated and Nandini realized how she had always had unique view of this situation.
"Don't tell them what they want to hear tomorrow, tell them what you want them to hear, " He added.
"No matter how satirical these enclosed meetings get, no one can deny the fact it's you who can end this nightmare. And trust me, they all want to wake up," He said firmly and his palms rested on her arms. He held her firm while she gazed that map and contemplated the cycle her life had taken.
They both kept standing there in refined moonlight till the moment she sighed in content. She couldn't even take a breath further as he picked her up in his arms making her breaths hitched.
"Enough for the day," He stated and stormed out of that building.
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"She is just a kid," Aabid spoke as a matter of fact as Veer and another man sat across the table.
"Give her some time," He put forward what he genuinely felt.
"Kids don't win wars, crap! they don't even dare to lead a war," That man spat frustratingly.
"Tomorrow, no one is going to hear out that vague girl just because she is daughter of minister Murthy," He added exasperatingly.
Veer scowled at him asking him to calm down.
"Listen Mr Chatwal," Veer spoke through his teeth, "No matter anyone hears her out tomorrow or not, but she is the key to win this war."
Aabid's eyes who held vexation till now turned a bit dim as he heard Veer. He had been hiding a lot these days. His soul was weighed down for not telling Nandini a lot of things. Things weren't that simple as they appeared. There was a lot of politics which went under the stream.
"Let that kid play the throne- throne and let us brains work this war out," Mr Chatwal, who was head of industrialists association in east, proposed.
"I have heard her plans, they aren't that bad. We need to give her a chance," Aabid defended Nandini not being able to tame the urge.
"I want to give her a chance," Veer too supported, "I am giving my army to this war if she is leading it. That moronic dictator wants nothing as badly as her. She and her father mean key to treasure to him. She on our side means we get to play that moron the way we want. She would pick a battle and he would come facing it, and we haven't lost a battle since time has seen us."
"She is the pied piper," Aabid concluded as he rested his chin on knot of his hands.
A silence prevailed as they all dug into their thoughts. Night was indeed long.
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Manik opened the door of his cottage and Nandini didn't even protest at how he had brought her to his house rather than dropping her to her palatial mansion. The room was dark and cold as if no one had entered it entire day. Nandini had no idea what Manik had been doing entire day.
Putting her on her feet, he walked to the fireplace and started to light the fire. In no time, room was bathed in orange of it. Nandini walked to the small attached kitchen and saw some utensils still in basin.
"No need to do that," He whispered in her ear as he gathered her in his arms.
"I am not sleepy," She revealed and picked up the teapot to make some tea.
He walked to the bed and sat there gazing her. Leaning on fluffy pillow, he felt the warmth of her presence. He could still the clock if he wished to wish.
She handed him a cup while she sat across him holding hers. Her eyes peered into his as he kept looking at her. In a jiffy, air turned a bit thick as they didn't say anything but kept diving into each other's presence. Talking wasn't his favorite hobby while she didn't know what else to talk beyond her work. Her mind was hovered with only one worry and that was the meeting in the morning.
"I haven't seen Aryan in three days," She started the conversation as she sipped the tea.
"You need not to see him anyway," He replied so curtly that she couldn't help but smile.
"I was wondering where he has been keeping himself busy," She carried on but this time it was a tease.
"Not in boot-licking for sure. He is working for me. Strange as it could sound but yes, he has been obeying me since a few days," He revealed amused and she giggled.
Putting the cup on the side-table, he shifted closer to her while she was busy laughing her heart out. He wondered what was so funny.
"My asshole brother couldn't be that funny of a subject," He asked and she realized he was quite close to her now. His fingers were playing with knot of her coat and his eyes teased her each feature.
"You are the funny subject, he isn't," She remarked nonchalantly and next minute she was grabbed urgently from the bed onto his lap.
"Manik, leave me," She struggled while he undid her coat.
"You don't need it," He answered as she glared him for his unabashed action.
"My bed can't accommodate that much cloths," He added and looked at his small cozy bed.
"You are so shameless," She said not knowing how to contest his wits. He kept cradling her hence and forth while Nandini started to get comfortable in his warm hold.
"You might not get time tomorrow so I need to tell you something," He said after a few minutes of silence.
She turned around to see his face as he didn't speak further. He leaned back into huge messy pillow taking her along. She was still in his lap. He pulled the quilt over his legs before looking at her questioning eyes.
"I am going out of town day after tomorrow," She straightened herself as if was uncomfortable listening to his words.
"Where?" She asked impatiently.
"You are not going anywhere leaving me alone here. I don't approve of any of your adventures anymore," She declared without giving him a chance to divulge anything.
He chuckled at her command which had no ounce of diffidence. He was somewhere proud.
"For queen to rule, her knight needs to go figure out if her kingdom is all hers to govern," He answered twistedly.
Nandini clicked her tongue in dissent while he pulled her closer to peck her lips tightly. She didn't get dazed, contrary to his expectation. She still looked vexed at idea of him leaving for somewhere.
"Just a matter of a day," He tried to reason that frown.
She sighed and looked down at her own lap. He held her chin and lifted her face.
"What if queen needs her knight by her side all the time?" She tried to ask in his own language.
He kept looking at her beautiful face in awe before kissing her cheek.
"She must have him by her side then," He surrendered to her demand but then added, "But not this one time."
"It's important," He divulged sincerely.
"You won't even know when I will be back," He promised and she nodded her head.
"Aryan would accompany you?" She asked to soothe her worried mind.
Manik's face flickered just a little bit at her question.
"He has to be here with Aashi at that day," He divulged and then put her down on bed next to her. She could see glimpse of disturbance on his face as he adjusted a pillow for her.
"Sleep," He said kissing her forehead. Nandini dived into warm bed as he made place for her. His arms encircled her stomach while his breaths fanned her hair.
"It's their mother's death anniversary that day. He has to be with Aashi," He spoke in a whisper after few minutes. He knew she wasn't asleep but busy pondering over little frown on his face.
Turning around, she gazed his face in dim light of fire. She tried to find discomfort but found none. She still didn't know what was the story of these siblings. She couldn't bring herself to ask him knowing it was something she promised she wouldn't ask till he himself told. She remembered.
"That's why you are going out of town?" She asked instead.
"Not exactly," He replied while his hands got settled on her hip bone pulling her closer.
She kept gazing him as if finding that all what he didn't speak. Her eyelids started to get heavy with each passing minute and he caressed her forehead. She let muscles of her neck loosen as sleep gushed over. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. He needed this slumber. He needed her all the time for life to happen.
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Unedited*
Happiest birthday ZaraKhann 🎉🎉You are the cutest and most lovable kid I know. Stay crazy the way you are. Wishing you all the love in the world. Loads of love to you! 😘😘
*Sorry for being late*