44.Dark Memories.

An emotional chapter ahead, I had written small details because I wanted you to see what Raina usually feels.

Happy reading.

A girl woke up from her beautiful slumber, she rubbed her eyes yawning and got down from her bed.

She blinked her eyes to wipe the sleep away from them, tiptoeing to the door, she pressed her ear to the wooden surface listening if any sound could be heard from outside.

When nothing was heard, she made a bored face and walked to the bathroom to freshen up.

All refreshed, she walked through the corridor of her home looking for her parents.

"Boo!!", a sudden sound made her jump in fear, she let out a shriek in return.

She whined seeing her father trying to control her laugh, "Papa!!!"

He let out a small laugh, "Sorry sorry."

He lift her in his arms and smiled fondly at her, "Happy birthday my princess."

She hugged him as he descended down the stairs, "Thank you."

He made her sit on the dining table and he himself sat on the chair opposite of her.

The hall was decorated with balloons and ribbons.

She looked at the table filled with gifts, a beautiful lady came there and pinched her nose lovingly, "Happy birthday love."

Ria grinned in return before throwing her hands around her neck, "Thank you mumma."

They parted, Ria picked up a gift and inspected it. Ribbon was sticked on it along with a colourful paper.

She read, "Happy 11th Birthday Ria."

She pouted and put the gift back.

"What happened baby?", Raghav asked seeing her sudden mood change.

"I want a long name.", she said crossing her hands against her chest.

"What?", her mother was surprised.

"Mumma, I want a longer name. I mean Ria is good but doesn't it sounds more like nickname? I want a longer name just like my friends, they all have bigger names.", she told her problem.

"Now that's some serious issue we got. We need a longer name. Is it?", Raghav acted all serious.

Naina shook her head and went to kitchen to get her breakfast leaving the father-daughter solving their 'Serious issue'.

Naina came back after few minutes, she put the food on table and looked at her husband who was thinking deeply.

Raghav smiled brightly and took a permanent marker lying on the table.

He opened her fist and wrote his name, He looked at her, "This is your papa's name."

Then she wrote his wife's name, "This is your mumma's name."

And then he wrote something, "And this is your new name."

Raina looked at her palm.

Raghav + Naina = Raina

"Raghav plus Naina is equal to Raina.", Ria read it and giggled when she saw how her father had written that like a math equation.

"How's it?",Raghav asked.

"I like this name, name of yours and mumma is there too.", she grinned.

"What does it mean?", Naina asked leaning on his chair.

"It means Night. Beautiful night. Another meaning is queen too.", Raghav explained.

"I must say you have a nice choice.", Naina praised him.

"Just like always.", Raghav shrugged with cocky attitude.

"But mine is so bad.", she pouted sadly.

"Why are you saying like this?", he frowned at her sudden change in tone.

"See, I am your choice that's why I am perfect but look at my choice...", she trailed off looking at the man seating near her with a smirk.

"You...", he threw a ball on her.

She laughed enjoying riling him up, when her laughter died down, she looked at him with narrow eyes, "Listen Raghu, we are having a party here,dare to make any mess."

Ria laughed when she saw her mother threatening her father.

Alomost all arrangements were made, the additional staff left the house after doing their work.

Naina sighed looking at her daughter chatting with her father.

"Ria! Do you want to get late for your party?", Naina asked hitting the weak point of her daughter.

Ria nodded in no and got down that instant.

"Then go and get ready fast.", she pushed her softly towards the stairs.

Ria ran to her room, she was ready in her brown calf length frock. She was loving those frills who were swaying carefree in air just like her. She twirled giggling seeing her reflection in the mirror.

She picked up comb and tried to do something beautiful with her hair but ended up making knots in them.

"Ummm!!!", She whined irritated.

She went out of her room looking for her super mom who could help her only.

She was on the top of stairs when her father saw her, "My princess is looking like a real princess."

He smiled at her.

She smiled in return seeing him ready in his crisp shirt and pant.

"Papa, where is mumma?", she asked stopping near him and looking for her around.

"She is near the garden.", he said smiling.

She went in that direction and returned after a while trailing behind her mother who was fussing a lot about work and all.

Raghav smiled seeing his daughter sulking over her mother's lecture.

Someone pressed the doorbell as the jingling sound echoed in the hall.

Only one servant was present inside the home, he went to open the door. Raghav looked at Naina, "Naina, go and make her hair. Guests are already here though it is a bit early."

He frowned seeing the time, party was scheduled half an hour later but shrugged it off as this was not a big issue.

Naina nodded her head and pulled Ria towards the stairs so that she can make her hair in her room but her movement seized when she heard a loud booming sound.

Raghav rushed to door, the trio stopped at a distance seeing the lifeless body of the servant lying near the door, slowly four men walked in with guns in their hands.

Raghav got alerted backing a little away, they looked around. A man spotted him,  taking his gun out he shot in his direction.

Raghav's reflexes worked at it best, he pushed his wife and daughter along with him behind the wall.

Naina was shocked, "Raghu, What is happening?"

Raghav shook his head clueless, "I don't know."

They heard the continuous gun shots along with the shattering sounds, piercing all the artefacts hanging on the wall.

Raghav ran to other side to save his family, but he fell forward when somebody hit him. Naina screamed in horror.

That man again tried to hit Raghav but Raghav dodged his punch and stood up. He again tried to hit him but again Raghav dodged it off. Raghav kicked him in his gut and he fell backwards and a large piece of glass pierced his back making him scream in pain.

Taking the benefit of the moment, Raghav tried to go away from there, Ria was looking very terrified. Raghav was planning to take them out from the back door, but soon a two consecutive gun shots were heard, Ria and Naina looked back in horror.

Raghav's eyes were wide, he kneeled down slowly, his face was scrunching as pain erupted in his body.

Naina screamed when she realised that he was shot. Raghav turned to look back , that man was still lying with blood flowing out from his body holding out the gun, Raghav took a metallic statue placed at a distance and smashed that man with that.

Ria hide her face in her mother's embrace in fear, Raghav rested his back against the wall, he was shot near his backbone making him unable to move even a inch.

Naina slipped beside him in tears.

"Raghu.. Raghu. Get up. Please ", she shook him but stopped when he whimpered in pain.

"Naina. Go away with Ria. Go.", he said.

"Ria baby, Always remember I love you...", he smiled looking towards his daughter who was sobbing now.

Naina nodded her head, if there would have been other woman, she would have cried out but Naina knew what to do, her daughter was always their priority.

She bent a little and kissed her husband's forehead, "I will do something. Dont worry. Let me just hide Ria in a safe place."

She stood up, wiped her tears and pulled Ria away from that place. Ria was looking at her father who was looking back at her, she tried to free her hand , she wanted to run to her father who was in pain but Naina held her hand more tightly pulling her in a room.

She pushed Ria under a table and said, "Ria,stay here. Don't come outside until I come back. Your papa will be safe but you stay here. Okay."

Raina nodded her head slipping under the table. Naina came out and locked the door.She was thinking for a way to get rid of the situation.

On the other hand, pain was turning more and more unbearable for Raghav. He closed his eyes but opened them when he sensed those men coming there.

He remembered his wife and daughter. With a new find determination to save his family, he got up and pushed his body to hide under the staircase.

He felt something hard in his pant's pocket, he took a breath of relief when his mind registered what it was. He took his phone and called the most reliable number, "Uday.."

His voice was cracked and low due to the pain.

"Raghav, what happened?", he heard a worried voice from the other side.

"I don't have much time, come soon as soon as possible. Some men attacked us.",he tried to explain shortly.

"What? Just give me sometime, I am on my way."

"Uday,listen. I don't know if I can survive out of this situation and God forbid if something happens to Naina too then please take care of my daughter. Keep her safe otherwise Naina and even I myself won't be able to forgive myself. I need this promise from you.", he said what he was feeling, his lower body was feeling numb due to immense pain, after seeing the amount of blood loss he was sure that if someone wouldn't help him within half an hour then if not because of those men, he was going to die of blood loss.

Naina walked to the back side of the mension but all of her hope shattered when she saw the back door locked, she bit her lips thinking about the keys.

She was going towards the living room slowly, hiding behind everything in her way to get the keys. She pulled a drawer and there was the key.

She thanked God taking the keys in her hands, but the keys fell from her hand when she heard Raghav's scream. She cried putting a hand on her mouth, but when Ria's thought came in her mind , she shook her head and picked the keys again running to the room when she had kept Raina.

Her eyes were blurred by the tears, while running she collided with table and fell down on the floor, the edge of table pierced her waist.

Naina bit her lips, she again stood up with the support of wall and walked to the room keeping a hand on her injury to stop bleeding.

Ria was terrified, she was sitting under the table with her eyes closed. She was crying profusely remembering her father's condition. She heard some footsteps, she presses herself more to the wall in fear.

The door of the room was opened making Ria shudder in fear. The person who entered the room bent down to see under the table.

"Ria.", Ria opened her eyes listening her mother's voice.

Within a second , she wrapped her hands around her mother's waist finding the same safety in her mother's embrace.

"Ria, calm down. See, mumma is here.", Naina rubbed her back.

Raina withdrew her hand feeling something sticky on her hand to find blood on it.

"Mumma, are you hurt?", she gasped.

"Ria, come. We don't have much time.", Naina ignored her question and pulled her out from under the table .

Glancing here and there, she walked to the back door.

"Mumma, where is papa?", Ria questioned.

Tears once again blurred Naina's eyes, she wiped them and said, "He will come soon."

Back door came in view and Naina sighed in relief, but a man came and blocked her way.

Naina looked up at him with fearful eyes, he slapped her hard, so hard that she fell on the floor.

Ria gasped and went to her mother to help her but man caught her hand and pulled her away, other man came and held her hand roughly in her grip.

The man who had slapped her mother took a hold of her hair and turned her head so that she was facing him, "How dare you to run away?"

Naina only cried in return, he caught her forearm and dragged her away, Naina cried as her body rubbed against the floor, she screamed when she was pulled and glass shreds pierced her skin.

Ria was carried to the living room by other man.

Naina's condition was not looking good when that man let go of her hand, skin of her side was badly scratched.

Ria's eyes fell in her father who was lying at a little distance.

"Papa", she cried.

"Finally, we have the whole Chauhan family here."

"The great Raghav Chauhan, a kind businessman, a social activist, hope of many poors and needy one.", the leader said in a repulsive tone.

"Naina Chauhan, his perfect better half.", he circled Naina who was lying on the floor little away from Raghav.

"And last but not least, youngest of all, heiress of the Chauhan family, little Ria Chauhan", he kneeled in front of a crying Ria.

"Stay away from her.", Raghav growled in anger.

That man turned to look at him and smirked,"Is that so?"

He hold Ria's chin in a deathly grip, "You know little punk, it's not your fault. Its is the fault of your parents. Who told them to be so kind and helpful? Who told them to be nosy? Who told them to make this little girl the sole owner of everything? Now you are going to tolerate the punishments of their deeds."

Ria cried as she felt a click in her jaw, it was painful, very painful.

He left her with a jerk and moved to Raghav, he kicked him in his back just where he was shot making him scream in agony.

"How dare you to kill my men?", he seethed in anger.

Other man walked to Naina, and lifted her chin, "Come with us, you are just too beautiful to be dead. We will not kill you."

Naina spat on her face, that man was shocked on her action.

"How dare you to say those disgusting words?", her eyes were furious.

"You are dead now.", h wiped her saliva off from his face and took a iron rod . He hit her with it. Ria closed her eyes, the violence was too much for her innocent heart.

Screams of Naina echoed in the home,  he dropped the rod finally after hitting her multiple time .

Ria looked at her crying, she was bleeding very badly. Her head, mouth, stomach and what not, everything was bleeding.

Raghav's eyes were already drooping but with the last hope he screamed, "Ria, Run!!"

Ria's leg sprinted towards the stairs, she could not think like an adult. She ran to where she felt most secured, her parents room which was upstairs.

But another man got the hold of her leg, he pulled her down. She stumbled and fell on the stairs and came down hitting every up and down of each stair as he pulled her down mercilessly.

By the time she was down, she was injured badly.

Raghav closed his eyes in defeat, the last hope he had was Uday Singh Rathore.

Naina pushed herself close to her husband, pain was not helping her. She held his hand and cried.

"We failed as a parent Naina.",he whispered in pain.

"We did.", Naina whispered back crying.

Raghav was lying on his back and staring at the ceiling, no matter how much he tried but his body was paralysed due to the bullet in his backbone.

Naina put her bloodied hand on his cheek and turned him to face her, she looked into his eyes and whispered, "I love you."

His breathing was ragged, he whispered back with great difficulty, "I love you too,till eternity. Beyond the limitations of life and death."

She closed her eyes and cried, she opened them again to look at the love of her life, but something was changed this time. His eyes was scarce of the usual charm, they were still.

"Raghav", she tapped his cheek. He didn't respond, neither his eyes blinked.

"Raghav!!!!!", she cried bitterly when realisation hit her. He was dead. He had left her.

"Oh god such an annoying voice.", a man made a face. He took out his pistol and shot her in the stomach.

Naina's crying died down with the sound of gun fire but got replaced by the wailing of Ria.

She looked at her parents whose eyes were closed and hands intervened, they had left her.

She kneeled down on floor, a man mercilessly pulled her up by her hair, she whimpered in pain. Her knees, elbow and palm were already having bleeding wounds.

"Only you are left, your family is dead, you little girl. Only you are left but don't worry, we will send you to them.", he laughed seeing her shivering in pain.

"You all are so bad, you all are bad persons.",that girl struggled against his grip and trying to hit him. She crying profusely.

He turned her harshly and made her look at the dead bodies lying at a distance, "Look. Look at them, look at the blood flowing there. They felt so much pain, so much fucking pain. Do you want same pain? If no then shut up. Stop your annoying voice."

His hands digging in her wounds making cry in agony but that pain was feeling nothing what she was feeling after seeing them lying lifelessly in between the pool of blood.

She was tired, tired of running away, tired of crying, tired of all the tortures, gradually her sobs died down, her body felt light so did her mind.

"What happened to you? Stand straight.", that man shook her small body, a jolt of pain arising from her bruises.

"I said stand straight.", that psychopath was annoyed, he jerked her body.

She was not in her mind, her body fell forward but before she could hit the ground which was covered with glass shreds, somebody caught her.

She looked up at him, a man with a gun slinger moustache was there.

He roared, "You bastards. How dare you?"

"Give that girl back to us.", that man said.

But soon a bullet pierced his chest followed by second one and then another one. That man fell on the ground lifeless.

She closed her eyes in fear.

"Khan!! Give her to me.", she looked up to see the person who spoke.

A man was standing there holding his gun straight, a light smoke of gun powder was coming out from his gun due to the recent fire. He dropped his hand , at that moment she noticed the tattoo of sun on his forearm.

She was passed to that man, he hold her securely in his arms, his eyes softened on her sight.

"Kaka Hukum.",she whimpered sticking to him.

"I am here Lado.", he rubbed her back.

He pressed her head in his chest when the gunshots started, carefully he started going out of that place when a bullet hit the glass vase near them making her scream in terror, "Aaaaa!!!!"

Rana sa took her out and made her sit in his car, by that time she fainted out of trauma.

Soon Ahmed Khan came out with his man and looked at king, he nodded his head in no and King's shoulder slumped down in defeat. He failed that day as a friend.

Vasudha was also not in good condition after knowing what had happened. She looked unbelievably towards her husband, "What are you saying Rana sa?"

"I don't have any other option. They are constantly searching for her.",Uday Singh sighed.

He just lost a friend, a brother and here his hold over business and Jodhpur had weakened. Life was throwing challenges at him from all directions.

It was okay for him when problems were arising in the political and professional field but that blow in his personal life was paining so much.

He couldn't trust Jodhpur for Ria at that time. He thought to send her to England, where his children were living but it would be worst for her, she was not in that condition.

He looked at that small girl who was wrapped in bandages staring at the infinity, she had not spoken a word since she woke up.

"Once things will calm down we will send her to England but for now Jaipur is a good option.",he sighed, Vasudha's parents home would be safe for her.

He went to her and picked her up, she didn't react much, she just rested her head on his shoulders.

Vasudha followed him looking at her.

He handed her to his one of the most trusted man, before he could speak anything queen intervened, "Drop her safely to Jaipur, if anything will happen to her then keep it in mind that consequences are waiting for you."

That man shook his head in yes out of fear, Vasudha bent down to her level and kissed her cheeks, "Ria, very soon your Kaki Hukum will call you back."

She took her bag and put a beautiful dagger inside it and give it back to Ria.

Ria again didn't react..

Khan looked shocked at her activity, "Rani sa. What are you doing?"

She turned to him, "Khan Sahab, I very well know what I am doing."

Uday Singh didn't said anything, he just let her do what she wanted to do.

The car drove out of that place.

Vasudha was looking at it, "Rana sa, why did we leave her alone? We should go with her."

He held her shoulders, "Try to understand Rani sa. Situations are out of control, they are still not fully convinced that she is dead. They will search for her and if they will get their hands on her then you won't be able to see the consequences. It's just a matter of few days."

The man appointed by the royals was trying to talk to Ria but stopped after getting no response from her.

They were driving through some steep mountains of Aravali.

Suddenly he saw smoke erupting beneath the bonnet of car.

He tried to stop the car but breaks were not working. Ria looked at his panick state. He was constantly trying to press the breaks, fire in the car was very dangerous .

Seeing no option, he managed the steering wheel with his one hand and unlocked Ria's seatbelt in hurry and said after pulling in his lap, "Little one, I will push you out of the car, take care of yourself . After you, I will also jump out."

Ria was shocked, before she could say anything, he opened the door of his side and pushed her out trying to minimise the speed of car as much as he could.

Ria fell on the hip of grass kept on roadside for the fodder purpose of cattle.

She raised her head a little to see what happened, that driver was trying to open his seatbelt but it was not happening. In that process he didn't see the steep slope. His balance over the car loosened and the car rolled down the mountain valley.

Ria screamed seeing an explosion, her body was already weak and even she got some injuries when that man pushed her out from the car. Black spot formed in front of her eyes and everything went black.

Later in the night some people from NGO were returning to Mumbai, they found a little girl there so they got her admitted in a local hospital.

When Ria gained consciousness, they asked for whereabouts.

"That means you don't have parents or any other relatives?", a elderly woman asked.

Ria nodded in no.

"What is your name?", she asked tenderly.

Ria's eyes went to her palm where she saw the faint lines of those black words written by her father, tears rolled down from her eyes when she said, "Raina."

🔅🔅🔅

Study room was silent, Raina was looking at the dagger kept in front of her. Eyes of Uday Singh and Khan Sahab were red remembering that day and listening every detail.

Vasudha was sobbing , keeping a hand on her mouth, Raina's every word piercing her soul.

Adya was also sniffing looking at Raina who was calmly staring at something, Adhiraj's eyes were also red and jaws were stiff. He looked at his arm and rubbed them seeing goosebumps.

"That means they didn't uttered name of that person who contacted them to do....do that.", Uday Singh asked but he himself couldn't mustered the courage to say the word 'Murder'.

Raina nodded in no, she looked at her hands which were trembling a little. She looked up at the Royal couple and said, "I should go now, I need some space."

She stood up not waiting for their response and rushed out of that room within a minute. When she closed the door, a tear fell down followed by many.

By the time she reached her room, her whole face was red, the effects of medicine was wearing off. She started trembling uncontrollably, she was feeling sudden hotness in her atmosphere which was unbearable for her.

She staggered to the table where she had kept medicines, she tried to to take one pill but ended up emptying the bottle on her palm.

Pills fell on the floor, she took the glass and shoved few pills in her mouth gulping down with water.

Not finding any instant relief, she moved to her bathroom. She was muttering continuously , splashing water on her face, "You are not weak, you are strong. Stop crying."

But cried even more bitterly when those scenes again started playing in front of her eyes.

She was standing near the shower, she tried to remove the hair sticking on her face, she was doing extensive movements. Her hand hit the shower suddenly, water started pouring on her. She slid down on the floor crying and trying to get rid of those moments.

Her breathing was uneven, and turning more worse with passing time. She struggled to breath which causes the water to enter her windpipe, she coughed.

Her head was feeling light, she was feeling a sudden pain in her chest. It felt like someone was crushing her body.

She heard some sounds outside but before she could register anything  she felt that everything fell inside a pit full of darkness.

How was the update? Hope it justifies with Raina's condition.🙁

And if I didn't made you cry through this update then it is my failure because I cried like twice while writing this. 🙂

Longest chapter till now, 4487 words.

And again let's keep the target 500 because this chapter deserves that.

Sayonara till next update.