[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

Smita,😊

Here is the interpretation to Section 8 of Part 43.

Sensing Arnav who had turned to move out, standing still made Ganesh, NK, Akash and Gaurav to look at the entrance only to be greeted by the very sight that stopped Arnav on track and be frozen. Arnav turning ashen faced whispered, Khushi.., while NK said, she would kill him and make a mince meat of him... Akash gasped, Payal.., Di.., Khushiji.., and Gaurav, Mama... while Ganesh was the lone person silent, confident of Anamika's faith in him. He felt he had nothing to fear, knowing Anamika would not even doubt him a bit. While the men watched the ladies keenly for their reaction, the ladies held their eyes with piercing glare in silence. Arnav in a soto-voice, asked NK, to stop the music and throw the entire crowd out and to make it fast. NK with a nod raced to do the bidding and tried to salvage the unsavory situation. The music died and the drunken revellers looked around trying to make out what had happened when the music suddenly died down. Cries demanding music and drinks rose from these freeloaders. Khushi with a purposeful stride moved forward amidst the pandemonium, making the ladies look with uncertainity. They wondered, whether the sight of the vamp in red coil her arms around Arnav, had enraged her so much that it would induce her to censure Arnav in public? Arnav watched with trepidation as Khushi strode towards him with her jaws set ready to combat, though her face had gone a shade or two pale. Without breaking her stride, she swept past him not even sparing a glance at him. She stopped in front of her target, Nisha, and gave her a crackerjack of a slap on her cheek, that resonated in the silent room. How dare you touch my Arnavji? Or Anamikaji's Ganeshji? Are you not ashamed? Khushi bellowed at the fallen vamp. While Arnav's eyes widened at the unexpected turn of events, Ganesh smiled at Khushi sharing his amusement with a smiling Anamika. Gaurav, NK and Akash were left to stare at this prescient and perceptive Khushi who was proactive, with an awe and wonder! Khushi with the flames of her anger still rearing its head like a wild fire, turned her wrath towards the gathered crowd that was looking at her stupefied. She gave them their marching orders to go home saying, And you lot! What are you doing here? Don't you have homes and parents? It is eleven o'clock. Go home and sleep! The inebrieated, to-be-inebriated, not-so-inebriated guests taking heed trudged out silently, with Nisha in the lead, like a well pounded and hounded flock of sheep in utter silence. NK watched Khushi clear the room in a jiffy with his mouth open. He was flummoxed to see how efficiently she controlled the cacophonous crowd. Once the room was clear of the outsiders, Payal rushed to Akash, Anjali held on to Arnav and Anamika joined Ganesh and Gaurav. Khushi went to NK and asked him, what happened Nanheji? NK who was apprehensive of Khushi's reaction swallowed hard and said, that he had told them that girls were not invited. The imbeciles brought their girlfriends and acquaintances... and hired a dancer..., and trailed off braced himself for reaction. Khushi just nodded and turned to Anjali and others asking them, Did not she tell them that Nanheji would never lie to her? Nanheji had promised her that he had not invited any girls and he had not. All agreed with her.

When Anjali asked, shall we go home? all were very willing to do so. They were all ready to let go of the incident. Arnav told his Di, that he needed to talk to Khushi and to give them a few minutes alone. Anjali complied knowing that once they reached RM it would be impossible for them to clear the air. Khushi with a frown looked at him. All eyes went to and fro between them, trying to guage their mood. Arnav holding Khushi by her arm, tugged her along and led her to his bedroom shutting the door behind. He looked at her face that had lost its pallor, with anxious eyes and catching her arm gently, made her sit on his bed. Kneeling in front of her with his face close to hers, he whispered, that he was sorry. Khushi's response was, for what? with a frown, not understanding the need for an apology from him. He told her with a hint of moisture in his eyes as they took in her strained expression, that he was sorry for her having had to see this fiasco... It was his fault for not ensuring that NK had done as instructed, vetted the guest list... He should have ensured that such a thing never had a chance to occur... he was so sorry, for making her feel sad. Tears that had accumulated in her eyes started their journey down her cheeks. She told him, that she should be the one to apologise to him for the debacle and it was all her fault, making Arnav stare wide-eyed at her. She continued to say, that he had wanted to cancel the party and had no intention to attend it but was very much inclined to stay at home. But she had forced him to... tears that had started to roll one by one now took the form of rapid flow stream. Arnav trying to dry her cheek with his fingers called out, Khushi.., in protest. Weeping bitterly at her naivety, she told him, that it was all her fault. Her stupidity had made him to undergo such a situation. Anamikaji had tried to tell her what exactly a stag party was and she was unable to understand it. Her Jiji was angry with her for having coerced him to attend it and still she had not understood it until Anjaliji had elaborated it to her.. Consoling her, Arnav told her, to stop crying and that she was not stupid.. She insisted, that she was stupid as well as crazy... Arnav shaking his head, but with a small smile playing on his lips said, that she was not. But Khushi stubbornly determined to own up told him, that she was stupid. Arnav hugging her close and burying his head in her bosom told her, that she, his Khushi, was the dearest girl on earth, the girl who thinks that everyone was just like her, well-meaning along with innocent. Khushi hugging him tight and cradling his head in her arms, together sat in silence, feeling happiness and peace reign between them.

After a stretch of time, Arnav with a sigh told her, that he had planned to get her there for their honeymoon. But tonight, after the fiasco, it must have left a bitter taste in her mouth and he has to change his plans.

Khushi noting the sad expression on his face suggested, that they come over next night, making Arnav stare at her and ask, whether she does not mind? Her answer was, that she does not and Ganeshji was taking Anamikaji to his lakeside cottage. She fretted and said that, if they stay at home they would be teased mercilessly by all. Arnav agreed with a smile on his face. Khushi, remembering that the rest would be waiting, asked him whether they could go now as others would be waiting for them outside. Though Arnav nodded in agreement, he did not let her get up. Taking her right hand kissed her palm and displaying a mischievous smile asked her, so Khushi Kumari Gupta packs a mean punch, Hhmm? Khushi with a jaunty smile told him, that she does not know. He will have to ask that lady to get the correct picture. Continuing in the teasing vein, Arnav asked her, why did she hit her? Her angry retort, that it was because she dared to touch him! How dare she even rest her eyes on him! made Arnav's heart swell with happiness and biting back his bubbles of happiness that was struggling to spill over, he asked, Was she going to hit any girl who looks at him? Khushi boldly declared, that she was going to, but it would only be after she had ensured that the hair of the other girl had been pulled with force and her eyes scratched! Her emphatic declaration had Arnav in splits!

This update is about the backing, support or the protection of a particular person, in a word AEGIS. This is a word of Greek origin.

What exactly is "Aegis"?

In classical art and mythology, it is a shield, breastplate or buckler of Zeus and Athena usually made of goatskin. Homer in his immortal epic Iliad has described it as follows "... and among them went bright-eyed Athene, holding the precious aegis which is ageless and immortal: a hundred tassels of pure gold hang fluttering from it, tight-woven each of them, and each the worth of a hundred oxen."

The modern concept of doing something "under someone's aegis" means doing something under the protection of a powerful, knowledgeable, or benevolent source.

When Arnav stood still making the rest turn around they witnessed what made him stop on his track and were petrified by the sight themselves. They saw what they had prayed fervently not to be seen at that place and that too at that point of time. Khushi, Anjali, Anamika and Payal had witnessed the entire episode and were silently looking at the menfolk. The knowledge that the ladies had witnessed the whole unsavoury incident elicited varied reactions from men. The silence from the ladies had a telling effect on them. At Arnav's instruction though NK went to do his bidding, when the music stopped there was dissent and rancour. The drunken revelers were not able to understand what was going on. In the midst of this pandemonium, when Khushi strode forward purposefully, it made the rest wonder, whether there was going to be a spat in public between Arnav and Khushi. But her stride was towards Nisha to give her a tight slap on her cheek for daring to touch her Arnavji and Anamikaji's Ganeshji! She bit out, wasn't she ashamed to do such a vile thing as trying to entice them? Her act of protecting them had Arnav stunned, Ganesh amused, Gaurav, NK and Akash stare in awe and total admiration. She had shown Nisha that they had her complete backing and Nisha had to face her wrath for trying to lure them. For her act, Nisha had to face public humiliation of being the recipient of Khushi's sharp slap and the stinging words that were humiliatingly pierceful. The reveling crowd too had to face her wrath. She asked them what were they doing out there when it eleven o'clock? Like a schoolmarm, she admonished and asked them to go back home and sleep. What would their parents think about their behavior? The crowd, caught on wrong-foot, getting such a treatment for the first time, slinked away just like a fox, with their tail between their legs. The crowd realized that the hosts, with a shield such as Khushi, whom they had witnessed was quite a handful and there were three more in the wings. So the chances of free booze, moolah as well as revelry, had gone with the wind and it was better to be on the lam than the receiving end of the rest too. So they trooped out behind Nisha, like a cattle herd that follows a lead cow during the mustering, leaving NK slack jawed at Khushi's efficient handling of the situation.

"Persistent people begin their success where others end in failures"

~ Edward Eggleston

Once the room was cleared, the rest of the ladies went near their family, while Khushi went to NK and asked him what happened. Feeling nervous, he told her that the girls had not been invited, but the nincompoops had brought in their girlfriends and dates along and also hired a dancer! Khushi stoically nodding at his explanation turned to Anjali, Payal and Anamika saying, had she not told them that the girls were not invited? And Nanheji would never lie to her. He had kept his promise to her. By reposing her faith and trust in NK she had shown how strong their friendship really was. By coming to his defense she had not only put in a shield of protection around him, a la HP (read as Harry Potter not Hari Prakash!😉) but has told the rest he was not the one responsible for the debacle. His deed (party) was indeed done with good intention and when many a time the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, how could he be held responsible for it. Seeing that NK had complete backing of Khushi, no one would have dared to point a finger at NK, not even Arnav Singh Raizada who had been seething with anger and ready to eat him alive. Once Arnav realized that Khushi had not taken offence at what had happened he was relieved.

"When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves"

~ William Arthur Ward

When his Di suggested of going home he asked for a few minutes of privacy with Khushi which she agreed. Arnav taking Khushi to the privacy of his bedroom, making her sit on the bed and him kneeling down in front of her, asked for her forgiveness. His apology took her by surprise. His reasoning that he should have ensured that nothing went awry by vetting the guests and things were done as instructed, of which he had failed, made her tell him that, she was the one who needed to apologise as she had pushed him to attend the party, without even knowing properly what exactly stag party meant and even when others were trying to make her understand, she had been in her own world without even heeding what they were trying to convey to her. She berated herself for her naivety and only when Anjaliji had explained, she had got the full implication of it. Her stupidity and crazy ways had put him into inconvenience. Arnav who was not ready to listen to her calling herself by names he did not relish being associated with her, told her that for him, she was the dearest girl on earth, who thinks the rest of the world too is just like her, innocent and well-meaning! Though she was gullible, these qualities themselves were her shield, and it more often than not protected her. Her simple way of thinking that was straight forward, changed an ugly situation from turning sour. By her faith and trust on Arnav and NK she had turned the potential washing dirty linen in public, to one of honour as it really was. It had not only saved Arnav and NK from being scape-goats, it also brought out how actually, true love and faith works even in explosive situations. It serves as a defence.

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature"

~ Marcus Aurelius

When finally Arnav with regret told her that he had meant his farmhouse to be his honeymoon destination and now it has been sullied by the incident, she telling him that it did not matter and that they could still come over there itself, was her way of supporting him and giving him her assurance that she was unfazed by such incidents and her trust in him was a much stronger shield that no siren could make even a dent on it. At Arnav's query whether she packs a mean punch, her answer was that the knowledge of the strength of her punch lay with the victim only. Her answer that she punched because Nisha dared to touch him and when asked, was that the treatment any other girl too would be subjected to, if they dared to touch him, her yes, but only after she pulls out their hair and scratch their eyes out, was any thing but docile! It gladdened him enough to laugh out as it showed that she would defend her territory and under the auspices of Khushi, poachers would not be treated with kindness. Her patronage extended to tresspassing being strictly prohibited in her sanctuary.

"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win"

~ Jonathan Kozol

That is why this update is titled AEGIS.

That's it from me. Hope you enjoy it.

rulama2013-06-29 06:46:50