Chapter 27

I shouldn't have kissed her! I shouldn't have kissed her! I shouldn't have kissed her!

The phrase rang in his head over and over like a chant. Abhimanyu was walking listlessly along a secluded part of the beach. After he left Jaypore House he had got into his car and stepped on the accelerator half in anger and half in a desperate bid to go as far away from the place as possible. He was driving like an automaton, stopping mechanically at all the signals and making turns wherever necessary. There was a bleak silence in his head, broken by a strange buzzing. Blurred images from his past flashed one after the other almost suffocating him. Only when the car screeched to a stop by the Marine drive was when he realized where he had come to.

Abhimanyu looked in the direction of the sea that was quite restless today. It was a secluded part of the beach not used by the public as it was deemed to be a dangerous area. The place where he was currently standing was covered with huge black rocks that protruded from the sea floor The angry waves hit against them continuously as if trying to clear the ugly blot and in turn caused the salty sea water to spray all around. This was the present condition of his mind he noted ironically. What had happened to him to day? He had only wanted to threaten her, show her her place as usual and leave feeling superior but that kiss . . . the kiss had created a vortex within him - so strong and deep that it was jeopardizing his very being. He ran unsteady fingers though his disheveled hair in irritation and also to clear the train of his thoughts. His head simply mocked the request, instead it conjured the sensation of her lips on his. It was nothing like he had imagined. Her lips were soft and sweet and . . . wrong! He thrust his hands into the pocket of his pants and stared at the grey sea searching for answers to his questions.

Hadn't they kissed at Vilapore palace five years back on that dark night when his life had changed for the worse. Hadn't she seemed confident at the time, returning his passion with equal ferocity. Then today why did she tremble in his arms? Why did her lips quiver? Was all that an act? But the way her body reacted was telling him otherwise. The shock she experienced when his lips fell on hers. The anger that radiated from her and the way she clutched the lapels of his shirt in a bid to push him away or pull him close, he couldn't tell. He could have been mistaken but he did hear a faint moan. Why did it feel right? It almost seemed that the girl whom he had kissed at Vilaspore and today were two different entites altogether. How could that be?

Not finding any answers he reached a conclusion.

'It was a display,' he convinced himself - to show how vulnerable she was or to plead her cause. He wouldn't fall for her ruse this time. If she thought that with a simple kiss she could manipulate him again then she was so wrong. His eyes turned to slits when it dawned on him that as long as her father was present she would not budge from the comfort of Jaypore House. He took out his phone and dialed a number. He spoke for few minutes and then hung up. He stared long and hard at the phone in his hands and then gripped it tightly.

Game. Set . . . .Match

***********************************

Digvijay Singh and his wife were sitting in the dining hall having brunch. The former had returned late last night from Delhi after an urgent meeting with the high command. The husband wife duo was discussing on the political affairs and scandals that had been the core issue of the meeting at Delhi. While they were still talking, a servant came down the stairs with the breakfast platter. Sushma's attention was diverted instantly.

"Madhu, did he have breakfast?" she enquired casually.

"No madam. Uday sir has not even opened the door. I knocked several times," the servant explained.

"Okay, you can go now," said Sushma her forehead creased with worry. Digvijay listened to the conversation while he chewed his food. Then placing the fork on the plate turned to his wife.

"What is the matter with him?"

Sushma did not reply immediately. She took the cup of coffee and sipped the hot brew slowly. "He just needs to be alone for some time."

Digvijay shook his head. "Time? That is what he has been having since few years. He has an MBA in Finance from Oxford. He has refused several jobs from prestigious companies. What does he want Sushma? I told him to join the party and become active in the works. There is a seat opening up next year and he has a fine chance of becoming the next minister probably the Chief Minister of Rajasthan in the coming years and if everything goes well the Finance Minister of India too."

"He is not interested in politics and you know that Vijay," said Sushma unperturbed by her husband's ambitious rant.

Digvijay exhaled sharply. "Fine! If he does not like politics it's fine, then let him join the family business. If he concentrates on that then I can be free to pursue my political ambitions. The business stuff is too much taxing for me. Let him take that responsibility out of my head."

"Vijay!" said Sushma in exasperation. "Why cant you just let him be?"

"For how long Sushma? For how long? He is going to turn twenty eight soon! He doesn't have a direction in life, no responsibilities and doesn't care about anything. How long will he be known as Home Minister Digvijay Singh's son. Look at his friends Vikram and Abhimanyu. Vikram has changed the face of palace hotels and Abhimanyu, well he had garnered respect and awe even at the high command level."

"Why can't you see his positive qualities? He is not like the other boys of his age Vijay. He doesn't stay out all night or party wildly or make problems for you. Cant you be happy with that?" spoke Sushma angry at the comparison.

Digvijay calmed down sensing the pain and anguish in his wife's voice.

"I was just . . ."

"Vijay listen . . . Uday is a sensitive boy, loyal and committed. But there is something bothering him, he is neither eating properly or sleeping. It had changed when Nandini arrived, but now that she has gone to Mumbai he has reverted to the same as he was."

The fork that Digvijay was holding clattered onto the plate. "Is it about a girl? Is he in love?"

Sushma remained silent unable to answer the question that her husband posited. She had nurtured the same doubt but had failed to reach a conclusion. "I have similar doubts."

"And you are telling me this now?"

"I don't have any evidence Vijay! How can I confront him if there is no evidence? He might refute it outright then how do you think I will be able to face him again!"

"I am telling you now itself Sushma, I will not tolerate it if he will walk into my house with a random girl one fine day," said Digvijay with determination. Then his forehead scrunched as he remembered the bruise on his son's jaw. "Sushma, he came home a few days back nursing a bruise. Was it the girl's family? Was it?" he got up from the dining table with a start. "If it is so then I will destroy the whole lot for laying a hand on my son," he said advancing toward the stairs to go to his son to find out the reason.

Sushma got up along with her husband and caught his hand just in time. "Just calm down will you. I - I will speak to him and find out," she pacified him. Her husband grunted and left and Sushma looked toward the stairs with a resolve.

Plonk........Plonk.........Plonk.........

Uday lay on his bed with his feet up on the headboard throwing a ball on the wall and catching it as it bounced back deftly in his hands.

Nandini must have reached Mumbai.

Plonk

I should have called her.

Plonk

No! Its best that I didn't call her.

Plonk

What will I tell Vikram?

Plonk

I hurt her really bad last time.

Plonk

A Week Ago

Uday walked out Vilaspore Palace with myriad of emotions. He was angry at Abhimanyu; upset with Uttara and sympathized with Nandini. Never in his wildest imagination had he expected Abhimanyu to react as he had. Now he was absolutely sure that Abhi was the one who had hidden Uttara somewhere so that she couldn't be traced at all. Sitting in his car he examined his face in the rear view mirror. An ugly purple patch had formed below his jaw and it was hurting like hell. How could he walk into his house without answering questions from his parents?

"What the hell Abhi?" he ground out in pain.

Just as he had envisioned, Uday's parents had seen the bruise on his jaw but he had silenced them saying he will explain everything when he was in a better mood. He had been pacing to and fro in his room, wondering how he could tear down the defenses that Abhimanyu had built up for Uttara and rescue her. His poor Uttara, she would be in so much emotional turmoil he guessed, as he racked his head for a way to free her.

He was distracted momentarily by the shrill ringing of his phone. He picked it up thinking it to be either Nandini or Vikram or some of his other friends but it was not so. The call was from a private number.

"Hello?" he answered the call.

"How is your jaw?" came the question. Rather than the question it was the voice that threw him off balance.

"Uttara!!! Where are you? Tell me where are you? I will come to get you!" he almost shouted into the phone.

"No," came the simple reply.

"What? What do you mean no? And . . . and whose number is this?"

"Really so you finally found time to enquire about me? What happened, Nandini threw you away like garbage?"

Uday's forehead creased. "What do you mean Uttara? I have been searching for you for more than two weeks."

Uttara laughed. "How naïve you are Uday? Do you think I am unaware of whatever is happening at Jaypore? When I came to Vilaspore few weeks back I was so distressed about the news of my brother's arrangement to that Nandini that I immediately came to Jaypore - to you."

"Wh - When did you come?" he asked completely shocked at her reveal.

"When you were in the garden, so engrossed in talking to Vikram sa over the phone promising him that everything will be fine with Nandini that you will be with her when she comes from the US and protect her from my brother. Do you deny it?"

"No, I don't deny it but its not what you think. She is like my sister . . ."

"I know what she means to you. I am not so cheap to think bad about you two. But I also know that she is a master manipulator, she is not innocent as she seems."

"Love, you are mistaken! You do not know what happened and . . ."

"Then tell me," she said calmly. "I am listening, tell me why I shouldn't believe that of her."

Uday closed his eyes for a moment. "That is not my story to tell. You need to ask her and if you do she . . ."

"No Uday! I don't want to know or hear any of the lies that she would feed me. You and Vikram sa left the day after Dussehra but do you know what it did to my brother? She created a wedge between my brother and my mother and I will never ever forgive her for that."

"Uttara please try to . . ."

"You have to choose between me and her. You will have to promise that you will not interfere in any of her business no matter what. If you do that then I will come back. If not . . ."

"If not . . .if not what Uttara?" asked Uday

"We will have to rethink our relationship."

Uday remained silent unable to construe the meaning behind her words. End the relationship! Was it so easy for her?

"Looks like Abhi's influence has rubbed off on you," he said half jokingly trying to hide the pain in his voice.

"Maybe, after all I am his sister."

"Can we meet face to face and discuss this? Tell me where you are. I will come there."

"I will tell you as soon as you promise me what I asked of you."

Uday was not a weak willed person, nor was he someone who could be easily swayed to any side. He was a rational person who gave utmost importance to relationships. Choose between Nandini and Uttara! How could he choose between sisterly affection and love? True, that Nandini was not related to him by blood but he considered her as his sister even long before he had met Uttara. The other important thing was that there was an element of truth with Nandini, whereas Uttara was privy to misconception.

"Uttara I am just asking you that lets just speak face to face. You do understand that no matter how much you hate Nandini she will become your sister-in-law. How are you going to avoid her then? Or are you going to do something to keep her away from your brother too ---"

"First things first Uday. A piece of paper does not guarantee that the marriage would take place. Also, my brother hates her guts just like me so I know that he will devise a plan to keep her away from our family. But what I want right now is a promise from you. What will your answer be?"

Uday's eyes hardened at her words. "If that what you want then so be it."

"You will promise not to contact Nandini again?" she asked in elation.

"No Uttara, but this is the last time we will be speaking according to your wishes. I love you and I will continue to do so till my last breath but I promised Nandini that Vikram and I would protect her from all harm and I will keep that promise. I wish you a very good life ahead."

________________

A soft succession of knocks sounded on the door outside and jolted him from his reverie. Uday was not in a mood to answer the door and hence once again continued throwing the ball.

"Uday! Can you just open the door for a bit? I want to talk to you," his mother's voice floated to his ears.

He remained quiet for a few seconds then replied. "Leave me alone maa."

Undeterred, she continued knocking on the door. "I am going to stand here all day and night if necessary and wait for you to open. I will not leave without speaking to you."

Uday sighed throwing the ball on the ground and got up from the bed. He could never hurt his mother in any form. "I just asked you to leave me alone. How hard is it maa?" he questioned rather irritated.

Sushma smiled. "I heard you the first time sweetheart," his mother said reaching out and ruffling his hair lovingly. She caught sight of the now yellowing bruise on his jaw and let out a breath of relief.

"Maa!" said Uday as he moved back running his fingers through his hair.

"Are you on a special diet?"

"What?"

"You didn't have dinner last night, didn't have break fast in the morning . . ."

Uday blew out a lungful of air and slumped on the bed without giving a reply. Sushma pulled a nearby chair and sat close to her son.

"You did not reply."

"Because the question itself is silly," he countered picking up his phone and browsing randomly on it. Sushma reached out and grabbed the phone from her son's hand.

"Hey! . . ." he objected.

Sushma held it away from him and hid it behind the pallu of her saree. "You are going to speak to me so no distractions."

"What do you want maa?"

"Lets start with the bruise. How did you get it?"

"Next question"

"If you dodge my questions I will trace your call list and find out every single thing you have been hiding from us."

Uday quirked his eyebrows at the threat. "If you plan to do something you shouldn't say it beforehand dear mother."

"I always do what I say," his mother replied with a straight face. "The bruise how did you get it?"

"The Yuvraj of Vilaspore gifted it to me"

"Abhi did this to you?? But why?"

"That's between us maa, what else do you want to know?"

Sushma gathered herself before asking the next one. It was not common that a mother would have such conversations with her son. "Do you like anyone?"

"Of course I like Ramu kaka, my old nanny Chaniya, our driver - "

"Hold it!" she held up one hand. "What I meant was, do you love anyone . . . " and before he could say something ridiculous she quickly said, " . . . other than your parents, friends. Do you like anyone in a romantic way?"

Uday shifted on the bed so that he was propped on his elbow facing her. "Why are you asking this?"

"Your father and I . . .well we feel that you might be romantically attached to someone - a girl - and your father feels that the bruise would have been from her family. Thank goodness that it is not so," she said hesitantly.

"Who said its not?" murmured Uday under his breath.

"Come again?"

"I said what a hilarious thing to think of."

Sushma's eyes narrowed. "So there's nothing of that sort right?"

Uday pushed himself off the bed and reached out for a bottle of water. He took a large swig, closed it and placed it back. "Not entirely"

His mother stared at him calmly though her heart was racing thousand miles per minute. This is bad! she told herself. Many possibilities appeared before her. "Would you care to elaborate?" she gently coaxed her son.

Uday was in two minds. There were some aspects of his relationship with Uttara that he couldn't reveal even to his mother and that involved Nandini. But he knew he had to put his mother's mind to rest.

"Your father is worried that you would come home one day with a girl - you know like they show in the movies. His reputation - your family's reputation is at stake. So, tell me Uday, if you do like a girl then I will convince your father to speak to her parents and arrange for a proper wedding."

Uday let out a sigh. "That is not going to happen maa," he slowly spoke.

"Why not?"

"We - the girl and I had a falling out . . ." he said in a blank voice masking his pain, " . . . and I don't think we might get back anytime in the near future."

Thank goodness, Oh! Thank God. "Oh! I am sorry to hear that. Do you want me to speak to her? I can try to convince!" Or rather I will warn her to stay away from you.

"Not necessary maa and anyways I don't even know where she is."

"Her parents have sent her somewhere?"

"Nope," he said popping the P. "She herself has sent her somewhere."

Sushma smiled inwardly at the news. So she is not here. "Is her family in Jaypore?" she asked wanting to know more about the family so that she could keep tabs on them.

Uday leaned forward and took his mother's hands in his. "Maa . . . I love you very much, you know that right . . ." His mother nodded looking confused. " . . . and I wanted to tell this to you earlier but I just couldn't, not until I could convince another person, but now . . . everything, everything is finished."

His mother removed her hand from his hold and touched his face gently. "I cant see you like this Uday. If that girl means so much to you we will find a way to solve it. If she can make you happy that's all matters," she spoke sincerely. "Just give me her address and name and I will see what I can do."

Uday smiled sadly. "I will tell you her name maa only if you promise to keep it to yourself and not to meddle in anything." He held out his palm. "Promise me."

Unwillingly Sushma placed her right palm on his. "Promise"

"Her name is Uttara, Princess Uttara Kumari of Vilaspore."

***********************************

Vrushali stealthily climbed the stairs toward Nandini's room. She had been inside her room for almost two hours conversing with the person who had sent her to Mumbai and devising more plans. Now, she had to make an appearance because, she as a companion should be with the princess and not in hiding. She wouldn't have had to hide if Yuvraj Abhimanyu would not have arrived all of a sudden. The person to whom she related the news was pretty miffed, but she had managed to pacify and promised results soon. Her one and only mission was to separate the duo and she promised herself and the person who sent her that she will separate them, no matter what.

She reached the top of stairs and stood unsure for a while. Had the prince left? Would he recognize her? Of course he would, she answered the question. The prince's memory was razor sharp. She proceeded cautiously toward the door and pressed her ear on it. There was absolute silence.

He must have left. She reached for the doorknob and gently twisted it and slowly pushed it open. What she saw stunned her greatly. Princess Nandini was sitting on the floor, knees folded to her chest, her hands wound around the knees. Her head was resting on her hands and her hair fell om to one side like a black curtain.

Vrushali took a step forward and gently called out, "Ma'am, ma'am . . . Princess Nandini?" Getting no reply she took several more steps till she reached the princess and knelt down at her level. A wave of sympathy washed over Vrushali surprising her. Lifting her hand she gently touched Nandini's arm. "Princess Nandini?" she called again. This time though she heard and lifted her head.

Vrushali sucked in a gasp as she regarded the princess's tear stained face and puffy red eyes. Forgetting that she should be working against the princess, she gently held Nandini's face in her hands. "Are you okay? Do you want me to call a doctor?"

Nandini stared at the woman in a complete daze. When Vrushali repeated the question she shook her head in a no. "I want to sleep," croaked Nandini.

"Of course ma'am," said Vrushali as she helped her get up. She led Nandini to the bed. Meanwhile, she poured a glass of water from the nearby jug and held it to her. Nandini accepted the glass thankfully and took a sip.

"Are you okay ma'am?" asked Vrushali yet again.

Nandini regarded the woman for a long time. "Life is crap sometimes, do you know that? Like real crap, the sort of crap that gets stuck to your shoes and you try and try and try to rub it off but it doesn't go and everywhere you stamp the smell goes with you."

Vrushali looked confused and speechless. What is she saying? "I . . . did not . . . get you ma'am."

"I did not expect you to. I want to be alone," said Nandini and she lay down.

"Yes ma'am."

Vrushali reached the door and turned to see the princess again. Breathing in deeply she remembered what the person had told her about the princess. She would not let such acts get to her. She had work to do and for that she needed to lay aside all emotions. As Vrushali climbed down the stairs, Nandini's tear stained face kept coming back into her mind along with teh swollen red lips.

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks a ton for all your support. I know i was off track that's why I wanted to write this chapter so that things can get started off again.

A little spoiler for you all this chapter is important as in the next one Uday will be traveling to Mumbai, Suraj is going to make a re-appearance and Abhi, well Abhi is desperately hoping to kiss her again.

Vrushali is an important aspect in this story as she is not what you think her to be.

Oops! cant reveal much.

Thank you once again. Enjoy the story