Four days, four days had ended since he left the place. As the days passed, people grew more tense. There was a time when he was afraid to go out. Now he was no where to be seen. No one knew where he went.
Anshu was running here and there in the corridor in Graham. Both Chitrakshi and Shoubdha were viewing in arrey. Anshu was taking here Zulu from armband to Zulu back to armband continuously. She was in no mood to explain why. It was just a few minutes back that Anshu instructed both of them not to interfere. Slowly and steadity, the the conversion speed slowed.
She gestured them to come now.
"Don't be worried. We will find him."
Why wouldn't she be worried? Her parents were kidnapped, her brother was missing. She herself feared that in a minute or two she might loose control.
"I-am-okay." this was all she was able to reply.
Four days before, she just asked Neel to show Shoubdha the garden. She thought her brother could come out of his antisocial habit. Shoubdha wasn't able to give much details. She just mentioned that Vaani borrowed him for some discussion. Hell knows what happened between them. Vaani told everyone that he just ran away.
Anshu knew this wasn't her brother. Her brother could be peculiar but he's not a fugitive. She knew it,she just knew it.
It wasn't like this before. She had seen many awkward moments in her life. But this time it hit the cosmic limit. She just rushed to her room and shut it with a big thud. She just fell on the bed and covered her face with a pillow. This wasn't right. He is her brother. He isn't allowed to leave her no matter what.
But here he was stupid, alone and missing. And the worst part? She thought it was all her fault.
The session in the ETKing court started as the ministers took their seats. The prince and princess of ETKing entered and sat on their respective thrones.
A lean and short man stood up and announced:
"Case no: Five lakh eleven thousand and thirty eight
Subject: A non resident of ETKing is missing.
Respected Royals and
Council Members,
In the kingdom established by lord Vishnu himself, today problem is of great interest and tension. Neel Soni who has been residing in ETKing for nearly a month now has suddenly disappeared. He was last seen in the garden in the palace.
Moreover…. "
"So what? He's none of our concerns. We have many more things to discuss." said the Senapathi (commander).
"But sir,"
"No ifs and no buts. I think the lower division can handle this."
"Sir, I…"
"That's the decision. Heading towards next case."
"I think we should let the orator complete his words. That would be decent." said Vaani surprisingly.
"But,.."
"No buts. Orator, complete the hearing."
"As you ask princess, as I was saying,
Moreover, his sister is identified as a SaptaSiddhi. Suspicions say that he may be one too."
"Now that's the matter of concern, Senapathi." Vaani commented on him.
"Still not a big one princess." Senapathi said as he gestured the Orator to carry on.
"However, the persons who are kidnapped, which means the parents of Neel and Anshu, are identified by our ministry as one of the few SaptaSiddhis who migrated to mortal realm during the great war."
The Senapathi's facial expression was like something got stuck in his throat.
"What are their names?" He asked in uneasiness.
"Govind and Seema."
"They?"
"Yes my lord, Govind and Seema Raizara."
"What do you know about them Senapathi?" Vaani questioned him.
He hesitated.
"I am ordering you! Who are they?" Vaani questioned again. But she seemed to know the answer. Just like many of them in the court did.
Senapathi silently cursed. Princess Vaani was digging it deeper. He had to find a way out.
"Who are they?"
"It's nothing important your Highness, history is history, past is in the past."
"Remember that the constitution of ETKing was written in the same past." Dhruv interfered.
"Govind and Seema joined at an early age. Govind is a shrinker and Seema a telepather. Your majesty, the shrinkers once held a special division in the security department of ETKing - the Spying Division. Like the ones in their family, from their ancestors, the trait was the dominant one.
They were one of the best in their work. They were both posted in the same place-Rasatal… "
"And?" Vaani asked.
"Nothing much your Highness you are too small to know about it. Orator please continue."
"You!" Vaani was going to argue but Dhruv held her hand.
"Not the right time Sis. Be patient." He said.
She believed him and hence kept her calm.
"Neel was last seen in the Garden near the palace."
"We know that. Tell something more like who he was last with."
The Orator scrolled the scroll. At a moment his eyebrows shot up.
"Well.. He was last seen with Princess herself."
"I want to ask what princess was doing with him?"
"He was her trainee, under her supervision." Dhruv replied on her behalf.
"Why only hers? Isn't there anyone else?"
"That was Guruji's order."
"But that day, there was celebration. Which means he didn't have any training to do raising many suspictions."
"That's a thing between the two of us. Nothing to do about you." Vaani replied with a bit hesitation.
Senapathi was delighted to hear that. The princess knew something, something she didn't want to tell. Neel was with her the last time. What if something had happened?
"What happened between you two?" Senapathi asked again.
"How many times will I have to remind you that it's none of your concern?"
"Till you give me the answer."
"Wait till eternity then."
"But I think you really do know something."
She didn't answer.
"When you asked, I told you, everyone of you." he now turned to address others ".. I think it's now the princess's duty to tell us what she is hiding. Who is that boy to you?"
"He's a friend of mine."
"But I heard he's not."
"Did I say him? I meant his sister."
"I don't think it holds any good."
"Can you see a sister worried sick for her brother eventually after her parents are kidnapped? We need to find him."
"That will be a total waste of our precious time."
"You can't understand, you all just can't." She hurriedly replied as she went to he room in protest."
"Sister-" Dhruv left the room as he too went after her.
Senapathi's lips curled a bit. His plan worked.
"Friends, the discussion is over. As both the prince and princess are unable to decide hence we shall." he said to the other council members.
Vaani was lying on her bed, on her back and her head in free fall position. Ki was sitting straight right next to her master's bed looking nothing but astonished. It was nearly half an hour ago or so when Vaani came rushing inside and closed the door with a big thud. Ki immediately understood that Vaani was still thinking about that boy. For the whole world, Ki was just a dog but to Vaani and that boy, what's his name? Neel, yes, only for these two Ki is a friend. Ki has been with Vaani for a long time by now. Rules in Vaani's room are simple- don't come if you aren't asked to and leave as fast as you can.
These rules apply on every single person in the palace including every worker and Dhruv himself. Which took her back to Vaani's present scenario.
He's such a coward to run away like that. Vaani thought.
Afterall, what ever I said to him was all because of the heat of the moment. Is he overreacting? Yes he is. He is overreacting. Whatever I said to him wasn't a big deal.
Actually, it really was.
OK. It wasn't my mistake.
Deep inside her heart, she too knew that it was hers. But what could she do? It was her fault and she was feeling guilty. What the he'll had happened to her? Why was Neel so important that she left the meeting? That dragged her attention to Senapathi.
You know something. He had said. Gross! She needed to be careful later on because she herself knew that Neel doesn't know what she knows about him. She was going to tell him about it but then the thing happened, he went missing.
She was lost in her thoughts when the knock on the door brought her back to the present.
"Who's there?"
"Prince Charming."
"Shut up Pig Prince."
"Warning you last time, don't call me that."
"I will."
"Who has given you that right?"
"It's a Sister Right. It's default."
"Who's sister argue with her brother on door and don't even let him in?"
"Oh I my fault."
Vaani opened the door and Dhruv came inside. As he explored the place, his facial expressions changed drastically.
"What?"
"What what?"
"Why is my sister so sad?"
"Nothing. Just worrying.."
"Worrying about him right?"
"Not for him but because of him. I heard about Anshu. She seems quite sad."
"Look we are doing whatever we can. The soldiers have tired their best. Still there's no trace of him."
"All because of me." She whispered to him and then lowered her head. She couldn't meet anyone's eyes.
Dhruv glanced at the floor, he saw tiny drops of water coming over and over.
"Hey girl. Stop crying okay. I know, I know you are strong."
"NO it isn't. It's all my fault." She led another sob.
"Vaani stop crying. Neel knows how to take care of himself."
That was the real problem. He didn't.
Vaani wasn't stopping. She blamed herself for all of this. Dhruv had to calm his sister now. But what would he do?
"Vaani hey look here girl. Remember what dad used to say when we weren't able to solve the maze saying that there was no way, remember what he told us?"
She nodded in a yes.
"There's always a way waiting for its turn to be found." She replied.
"The same applies to us too. It's like the same maze. We will find him. We just need to change our path or we need a map to this maze that's it!"
Vaani gradually came to normal phase. She wasn't emotional anymore but was thinking right now.
"Okay, tell me, what's the color of Neel's eyes? Black right?"
She moved her head in a big no.
"Is it blue? Or is it green? Or is it amber?"
"It's brown okay. It's B-R-O-W-N brown."
"What's his hair color? Black?"
"Raven black."
"I didn't know that you noticed him this much."
"Hey it's not like that."
"Or is it actually?"
"Stop teasing me Dhruv."
"NO."
"Why?"
"It's my Brotherly right. It's by default."
"Hey…"
Then the bell of Vaani's mind rang loud. What if…
"You know Dhruv, you are a genius!"
"I actually knew this from the second I was born… Why?"
"I think I can find him."
"How?"
"I have got a plan."
Anshu came out rushing from her room like a hurricane.
"CHITRAKSHI! SHOUBDHA! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?" She shouted their names like mad. But she was no longer upset. There was a sudden spark in her eyes. A spark everyone could notice.
"What happened?" Shoubdha asked.
"You look happy all of a sudden. What's the reason?" Chitrakshi was astonished at her sudden mood swing.
"Later on. First things first, where's Karan?"
"Why? What happened?"
"I've got a plan."