Chapter 20

RR through our eyes (Chapter 20)

 

Thanks Mano for the edits.

Thanks to Diya and Amy for reviewing this chapter and providing feedback

 

 

In the palace the next day night Thakur received a call from the same number. “Thakursa, did you see the picture I sent through the messenger?” asked the voice at the other end.

 

“Yes. I saw it. It looks suspiciously similar to Parvati. Do you have any more info than what you informed the messenger? And I was expecting you to be here in person. Isn't that what we agreed ? I do not like people who go back on their word.” Tejawat was used to things happening as per his command. His displeasure was quite explicit in his words. Had it been his kingdom and his Raaj the receiving party would have met with the sword and not words. Just a rearrangement of a letter you see....

 
 

“Forgive me Thakursa. I was planning to come myself but the drama which unfolded back here made me stay back. I was not sure whether I could reach your palace without being seen. So I decided to meet our old messenger in the town and pass on the photo and the information. “

 

“Theek Hai. Theek Hai. Keep an eye on her and inform me of the developments.“ Thakursa was in his authoritative best.

 

“Yes of course. I will”

 

The phone went dead and the person who called spent the next one hour wondering about the bargain which can be struck with Tejawat regarding Myrah. If Myrah is indeed Parvati then steps need to be taken. Nipping in the bud is the best way forward and one needs a powerful ally in the process. Who better than Tejawat?

 

Tejawat cannot and will not forget or forgive Rudra. The damage he has suffered in Rudra’s hands was beyond repair or so it looked but Tejawat was not one to give up so easily. Blood and sweat are the main ingredients for building an empire and to build an empire back from the ruins need more of the same two and Thakursa did just that. Rudra and BSD had almost decimated his team of loyal workers but Tejawat was not one to lose heart. Parvati’s wedding and subsequent discovery of BSD and the case had led a part of the village to view the Thakur with suspicion. He had to do lot of good over a year to get those people also on board. He conducted several real marriages with grooms across the border to instill the faith in him.

 

Years back he had given a push in the right direction to the people of the village by murdering innocents in the name of BSD. He made the janata believe that BSD is not for their protection. He, Thakur Param Singh Tejawat is the protector. Now he resorted to kidnappings for ransom to impress upon the poor that his absence and lack of power had led to chaos in the village. He claimed helplessness to save those who got kidnapped because he did not have enough men on his side. He knew there is no dearth of people in the country waiting to be brainwashed. Waiting to use all that strength and energy of the youth in any activity if they get a leader, A leader with high levels of influencing skills. That is one skill which Thakursa had in abundance. He lured the younger men into his camp through these stories and preaching. Like a seasoned politician he created trouble in the dark and then was present to solve them in the day – in front of everybody. Slowly but surely he got back the faith of the villagers. Then over the remaining years he was back to arms trading through other channels.

 

He was not a fool to go behind Rudra and BSD now and to get into trouble. Yes Thakur is a man of huge ego but he is also an intelligent man. He will never allow ego to get the better of him. He will wait to see how the story unfolds about the girl, before taking any steps.

 

--

 

In the haveli the next two days went off at the blink of an eye. As far as Rudra was concerned it did not go the way he was hoping it would. After the short time he got with Paro – no not Paro, it is Myrah – he has to remind himself. He cannot refer to her as Paro and complicate things further. After the short time he got with Myrah in the afternoon the number of members in the household increased by three and that made it more difficult for him to get Myrah alone. Sunehri was always a big fan of Paro, her beauty, her petite frame and above all her slender waist. And now she was a bigger fan of Myrah. A romantic at heart Sunehri wanted to know all about Myrah’s first meeting with Rudra, who fell for whom first, who confessed love first and when and how they decided to get married and the ladies started discussing all wedding purchases and functions and preparations. Their plans to greet Myrah’s parents were one of their favorite topics. Arrangements about who will sleep where. With so many guests in the house they had to get the servants to clear up a few unused rooms. Get them decorated and so on and so forth.

 

To add to this hectic schedule of Myrah, Rudra had to be in the office for longer hours due to a kidnapping case. The case was present last week itself but took a new turn with it turning out that our of the two girls who were kidnapped – one was a daughter of a minister from the south. Making it a high profile case and the minister did not want the media to be involved. The police were of course doing their investigation. But the minister had sent two of his trusted security personnel to work with Rudra’ agency to track the case.

 

When Myrah was not well Rudra could spend the night next to her bedside. Now he had to follow the rules of the haveli – which he himself had proudly announced to Rohit earlier – and gracefully move back to sharing the room with Rohit. Dhruv – the lucky guy – was back to his room with Myrah. Rudra was jealous of Dhruv for the first time. Well, he consoled himself. It is just a matter of a few days before the three of them can cuddle together.

 

But then time has a strange quality. Sometimes you feel time is moving so slow and some other times that it is too fast. The same time frame can have different effect on you depending on where you are zooming in. The two days went off just like that for Rudra but if he zoomed in into the nights – it went so slow. He was so impatient for the morning sun to rise so that he can get up and in the pretext of waking up Dhruv, meet Myrah. Keep staring at her while she slept peacefully looking gorgeous and flawless. Then he felt time sped like a rocket because he would not have had his fill of looking at Myrah before Dhruv wakes up or Bhabhisa comes in or his phone rings. So you see the speed at which time moves depends on the level of abstraction at which you are viewing it.

 

He made multiple attempts to get Myrah alone for a few minutes but it was too much of a distraction in the haveli. This is one of the issues of being in a joint family. After a few futile attempts he started getting irritated with Myrah. He felt she was not putting in any effort to be alone with him. It was as if she was going with the flow. Enjoying the undivided attention her two Bhabhisas and Sunehri was giving her. Not to mention Dhruv, Koel and Saurabh who wanted to hear putppet stories from her. This annoyed him. Short of pulling her hand dragging her away like a cave man he had tried everything and failed. Dragging her around is not new to Rudra. From the time he can remember he has been doing that to Paro but then he was younger and not a father of a child. He was a Jallad and he used to act before thinking. He remembered the umpteen numbers of times he had pulled Paro to his room. Well time and Paro have changed him.

 

Finally on Saturday night after dinner while Myrah was still in the kitchen helping Maithili and Sunehri, while Dhruv was fast asleep and the rest of the household had already retired to their respective rooms – Rudra went to the terrace.  There were all the signs of an upcoming storm. It was windy and chill. He was recalling some of the nights he and Paro had slept on this rooftop, under one blanket, him troubling her with his “Chupthi Daadi” Her trying to twist his moustache and pulling each other’s legs - soon turning to playful foreplay - turning to something intense.  

 

It always started with one of them being miffed with the other and coming here to register the protest. It was almost a ritual with them. That the one who is upset will be here first. And then the other person has to follow and manaofy!! The ritual was limited to the venue and the sequence in which they should visit the venue and the final act.. 

 

Whatever happened in between was never a ritual. It was different everytime. The sweet whisperings, the feather touches, the longing, the intense looks, who was the hunter and the hunted, the twists, the turns, the songs, the dances, the push and the pull, the duration , locking of hands, eyes, legs, hearts, the intensity of the romance and passion, nok jhok, love bites, scratches........ Everything was unpredictable. The memories gave him shivers, Shivers of excitement. He has been missing having Paro in his hands let alone doing manmaani with her. He folded his hands and rubbed the forearms.

 

Right from the initial days it was Paro who came after him whenever he was in mental agony. And it was him who went to her when she was in physical pain. They always will seek the other out.

 

When Rudra took Mohini’s slap for Paro it was not the physical pain which hurt him. It was the sadness he felt at that time for Paro not being on the same side of him with regards to her opinion about Tejawat. Knowing that Paro who stood up for her Jija whom she has known for a few days, knowing the kind of deep love Paro is capable of made him sad. Sad that the way things are he will never be able to bask in her love. In spite of being angry with him she had sought him out that day. To apply the lep – the lep to his mind – in the pretext of the lep for his wound.





He had waited like a lion in his den. He was sure that the kind hearted person that Paro is will not be able to go to sleep till she could bring some relief to Rudra. To Rudra the Jallad who protected her from the slap. Rudra pretended to be asleep till she was very near him. Till she bent down and applied the paste with a trembling finger. The tremble that passed through him the moment her finger touched him made him open his eyes immediately. He had not planned to do that so fast. He had wanted to wait till she attended to his wound. Once he opened his eyes he could not just hold himself back. He caught hold of her hand. Flipped her and tossed her to the other side of the bed with him on top. So that he could gaze at her lovely eyes. Those eyes did not hold any love for him then. But he knew they had gratitude and he knew they had sadness for him. That will do. He wanted to see that for himself. He wanted to loose himself in her eyes and make her see him in close quarters.

 

The one time when he was mentally upset and Paro could not come to him consciously was in the BSD office, when he was upset by the words of the bereaving mother, mother of the soldier who was killed in the baraat confrontation.






Even at that time when he was broken down against the mirror and crying his heart out he felt some comfort after a while. As if he was being pacified. As if suddenly someone was healing him an passing on support and comfort. Only after a few minutes did he realize that the soothing feeling came from his hands joined to Paro’s across the mirror. She had unknowingly helped him through the grief even then. He was so startled at the discovery that he jerked away from the mirror. At the thought that he can get comfort from a beautiful woman.

 

The next time her touch affected him was in the BSD hospital. While he was still living his nightmare with open eyes Paro who was in her sleep called out to him. She was seeing the nightmare in her sleep and she cried out for help.




He sprang to his feet and was beside her within seconds. He cooed  “Shaant” multiple times. Held her hands and supported her head from hitting the cot. When it was not enough he put his entire body’s weight on her covering her her legs with his own and after a few minutes when she was at peace he was left wondering – whether he was her balm or she hers. The calmness and “sukoon” he felt was something the medicines could not give him.

 

Paro, what are you doing down there? I miss you. Don’t you realize that I am in pain? That I need you dear. That I need a moment to be with you, I need to touch you, hold you to get the strength from you, To cling to you to keep myself from going insane.

 

He looked at his watch. It was way past mid night. Myrah must have gone to sleep by now. He must have been standing and dreaming for a couple of hours.

 

“How did you know I am here ?” Rudra asked without turning. He had sensed her presence – sixth sense - before he smelt her and heard her footsteps. 

 

He smiled into the dark night. She remembered this. Where to find me. That is a small step towards happiness.

 

“How did you know it was me ?” Myrah asked.

 

“ I know “ Rudra whispered turning towards her. “ I always know”

 

“I don’t know” Myrah replied

 

“Kya ?” he queried

 

“I don’t know how I knew that you are here. I had gone to bed and even dozed off. Was woken up by a dream about someone waiting for me in the terrace. I kept my hand on the person. He turned and then I saw your face and I woke up. It was as if you came in my mind and told me to get here” He smiled listening to her.

 

Why is it that she remembers things only when she is sedated or half asleep? He wondered. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hug her tightly. But he wanted to see whether she will make the first move, whether she will remember their ritual. He just turned back and stared into the sky. 

 

“Go to sleep Myrah. You look tired”

 

For almost a minute she did not say anything. He was afraid she will do as told and go back.

 

“Naaraz ho? Are you angry Rudra? That I did not come to you to spend time alone the whole day? I could not, you know. With so many people around it looked quite impossible to slip away“ She sounded a little apprehensive of his reaction. “I know I should have tried to slip away earlier. Maybe I should have tried harder but they were all so nice to me, showering me with affection. It was hard to push them away.”

 

Rudra pretended to be annoyed and turned away from her.

 

 “It is okay. I understand. It is not easy............” He stopped midway when he felt her hand on his upper arm. He waited with bated breath. Oh Paro........

 

“You know Rudra. You always say something which you don’t mean. Your face belies your words. I know you are angry with me“ She tugged his hand and turned him to face her.

 

Usually it is Paro who has difficulty in breathing when he is near. Whose voice goes guchud muchud when he touches her aAnd here he was tongue tied in front of his Paro. Waiting for the magic to unfold, waiting for Myrah to turn into Paro. He knew it was not possible for a miracle to happen overnight or during the night for that matter but atleast for the hour. For the present. Pal Bhar ke liye hi sahi. Only if she becomes his Paro.

 

“Forgive me. Please. I am ready to do anything you want me to. I’m ready for any punishment but forgive me please“

 

“Anything?” Rudra asked remembering the similar discussion years back in the aangan.

 

“Kuch Bhi” Myrah crooned. Did he imagine the change in her accent?

 

That was all the assurance he needed. He was thankful to God for giving him this moment. This repeat performance. He pulled her with more than necessary force and she tumbled into him. He enveloped her in his hands as he held her tight. As if by doing so he can bring back all her memories. As if he wanted nothing more in this world than be one with her. How much he has been missing this? This feeling of comfort. Of contentment. Which he could find only in Paro’s embrace. He slowly moved his head to her hair and inhaled deeply her scent. A heady sweet smell which always made him lose himself in her. He inhaled like a man who got locked in a box inhales the moment he is set free. A deep breath. If she were a bottle of perfume his inhalation would have consumed her fully. Such was the depth. This will do for now. Rudra thought. More than enough to see him through the coming days.

 

“You are forgiven. De Di Maafi” Rudra whispered against her ears.

 

When she replied her voice was filled with merriment, “Bas? That is all it takes? Your anger goes away so fast Rudra ?” She teased him and slowly moved her hands which were pressed against his chest and closed them around him. Now their hearts were beating in resonance. He could feel it. He pulled her further into him – if that was even possible.

 

He just could not stop now. Can he? Just like the river has to reach the ocean. Just like the rain has to pour down and seep in through the crevices in the rock. Just like the waves have to crash against the shore. This dialogue has to be completed. It has to reach it’s destination. Their dialogue.

 

“Panga Mat Le” he growled and could sense her shiver as an answer.

 

“I know. I know that I will repent.” She replied with anticipation brimming in her voice.

 

-

Quote: Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.