A Tale As Old As Time - Page 6

Chapter - 08

“It’s so beautiful!” The scenic beauty around her took Saavi’s breath away. She was never a naturalist. The few places she genuinely wanted to discover was for their rich culture and heritage. Who knew watching the sun rising from the edge of a cliff could feel so enchanting? Unlike her elder sister, she would plan for such a trip only in her dream. Dream! The last thing she remembered was they were trying to replicate Ansh’s spell to enter into his dream world. Did they succeed? She looked at her wrist immediately and felt relieved seeing the Rudraksha beads. So it did work, Piya had successfully connected their consciousness with their doppelgangers’ bodies. But where was she? And where did Naman go?

“Oh, you are awake.” Saavi couldn’t believe her ears. Could it be… “I wasn’t sure if I should wake you up or not but then again it would be a shame if you missed the sunrise.” Dilruba sat beside Saavi and handed her a mug of coffee, “It’s more beautiful than we had expected, isn’t it?” “Dilruba!” Saavi hugged her tightly, surprising the latter, “You are here!” “Of course I’m here, where else would I be?” “You… Never mind.” She looked away and tried to think of something they could talk about without raising any suspicion, “Where are we Dilruba? How long will it take for us to return home?” “I thought you hurt your ankle and not your head.” Surprised, Saavi looked at her leg to discover the plaster. “I’m kidding. The doctor said the painkillers might cause dizziness for a while.”

Saavi touched her ankle and greeted her teeth in pain. Perfect! This was all she needed - another obstacle to slow her down. “Hey be careful, okay? We’re at Devkund. I have already booked a taxi. But first, we’ll have to get down from here. Don’t worry, you can lean on me for support.” “Do we have another choice?” “I have, I can leave you here and come back later with more help.” She said with a smirk. “What are you…” “Come on Saavi, what’s gotten into you today? Do you really think I would abandon my best friend this way?” “Best friend!” “Good lord! Now you are really testing my patience.” “I’m sorry Dilruba, I’m just…” “And please stop calling me Dilruba. I know that’s my official name but I do have a better nickname which is far easier to pronounce.” “Sanam,” Saavi mumbled absentmindedly. “See, there’s still hope for you. Anyway, you sit here and let me pack our stuff. Then we can start.”

As Dilruba went inside their tent, Saavi heaved a sigh. Piya was right, only Ansh could create a world so idealistic where there was no pain, no loss, no bitter memories. She knew her sister was hurt; anyone in her place would be. But could they really blame Ansh for conjuring their hearts’ desire? Unknowingly her lips curved into a smile. The eternal battle between right and wrong! Even when she was aware of the gravity of their situation, her heart yearned for the family she lost years ago. If it was this difficult for her, she could not even imagine how Piya and Naman would react once they came face to face with their deceased loved ones. “We’re done. Shall we start now?” “Yeah, let’s go home.”

“All set,” Dilruba closed the car’s door and found Saavi lost in her thoughts. “You know, you should return Auntie’s call.” “Huh?” “I appreciate you coming all the here to cheer me up, I really do. But how does it make Auntie wrong if she was worried about the bad weather and objected to our trip? Ever since she learned about your little accident, she’s been worried sick.” A lump formed in Saavi’s throat. When was she ever so lucky to experience that? To her classmates, she was one lucky girl with a super cool Dad who took her along in his expeditions. A single child who didn’t have to tolerate her annoying siblings’ tantrums. Only she knew how hollow it felt every time she saw other kids with their whole family.

There was no doubt that Nishant was strict, and she knew how much her father doted on him. However, the void left by Divya’s absence could never be filled. She had always been impulsive, yes, but she was also self-reliant. She had to learn to be responsible very early in her life for she knew, she didn’t have a mother waiting for her at home, to scold her for her stupidity and then take her into her embrace, forgiving her for her insolence.

“At least text her. She’s already swamped by everything. Don’t make it more difficult with this attitude of yours.” “Why? What happened?” “It’s your sister’s engagement tomorrow. Should she worry about that or you?” “What!” “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the date also.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Dilruba listen… Okay…” Saavi took a deep breath to calm down herself, “With whom?” “Naman - your family friend.” “Oh God! Bhaiya, please drive the car faster.” Much to the surprise of her friend, Saavi kept insisting the driver to go as fast as he could. “Hey, is everything alright?” “Yeah, it’s fine.” Panic-stricken, she looked outside of the window. “I just hope we’re not too late. Di, Naman where are you?”

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“Naman it’s 8 am already, wake up dear.” “Amma!” Naman woke up with a jerk. “Where am I?” He wondered seeing the unfamiliar surroundings. The last thing he remembered was they cast a spell to reach the dreamland Ansh created. But it seemed to him as if he had entered an entirely different world based on his own desire. His room looked vastly different than it was a decade ago. It was more spacious and well-decorated with lots of books on ancient art. It reminded him of the time when he wanted to pursue his passion for painting but had to opt for a generalized degree since they couldn’t afford the money to send him to art school.

“Naman,” “I’m awake Amma, come sit here.” He helped her sit on the bed. “I’m glad that at least today I didn’t have to slap you to wake you up.” Naman couldn’t help but laugh. No matter which world he was in, his mother hitting him on every occasion would be a constant. “What’s so funny?” “Nothing, it’s just that… I never imagined some special occasion could prevent you from slapping me.” “Neither did I,” The old woman touched his face lovingly, “But then again, it wouldn’t look good if I continued to run behind my grown-up son. Besides, it’s Piya’s job now.” “What do you mean?” “Don’t tell me now you are having second thoughts about her. It’s natural to feel nervous. I just hope you don’t make any wrong decision in that nervousness, that’s all.” “What!”

Naman sat thunderstruck as if his mind stopped working. He knew things would be different in this world, but this different! Even if Ansh wanted to separate himself from Piya, why would he want them to be together? It’s true that he reformed later but in the past, he was a nightmare. No sane person, let alone Piya’s well-wisher would want her to end up with him. Then why would Ansh create such a world? And more importantly, how did he know about such minute details of him? Was Ansh really the creator? Or there was another powerful entity they didn’t know of? What if it was a trick to isolate all four of them so that it could finally attack?

“Naman, having feelings for someone and fully committing to that person are two different things. Once you are married, along with their greatest qualities, you get to experience the worst side of your partner and despite all that, you choose to be with them that person because you truly love them with their vices and virtues, not just the idealistic version you created in your mind. But I believe I shouldn’t be too wary because you are well aware of that, right?” He remained silent. There was a time when he wanted to be with Piya. What wouldn’t he do to get a single sign of reciprocation from her side back then? But now that everything seemed to be in his favor, would he really want to change the course of time?

“Naman?” Guru Maa’s voice snapped Naman out of his thoughts. No, there was no way he would repeat his past mistakes. What he presumed to be love was nothing but obsession. It turned him into a demon who didn’t even hesitate to smother his own mother or join hands with Mohana. He couldn’t become that vicious person again, he wouldn’t. “Are you listening to me?” “Yes, Amma.” “Anyway, as I was saying, at times I feel we don’t give the younger generation enough credit for they are a lot more practical as well as empathetic than we used to be at that age.” “Wow! I can’t believe you are actually saying this.”

“It’s a fact dear. How does it matter if an old lady accepts it or not? Besides, too much practicality has its own issues, you youngsters often equate commitment with a burden which is the furthest from the truth.” “Now I’m really confused. What are you trying to imply?” “Just the fact that be true to yourself. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and question your own judgment, specially when you are taking such a life-altering decision. But you know what? The heart doesn’t tell lies. Look deep within and you’ll get the assurance regarding what is right and who should you be with. And with all fairness, if you feel you are not right for each other, you can call off the wedding at any time.” “I can!”

“Yes, because I love you my son! You and Piya both. No matter what happens, you two will always be my children. But don’t enter into a wedlock out of compulsion. That won’t be fair to either of you. It’s your happiness that matters to me, nothing else.” Overwhelmed, he hugged her tightly. “Alright, don’t get so sentimental.” She said stroking his back, “Get ready and come downstairs. We still have a lot of arrangements to do.” “Yeah, I know. Give me five minutes and I’ll join you.”

As Guru Maa left the room, Naman got up and searched for his phone. His mother was right, he shouldn’t make an assumption yet and do something stupid complicating the already delicate situation. He had the Rudraksha beads on his wrist. That meant he could get back to the real world anytime he wanted. If Piya’s suspicion turned out wrong and they got stuck into different parallel universes, at least he had the option to go back and reverse the spell. But before that, he had to contact both Piya and Saavi and see if they were on the same plane as him. They could figure out the rest later. Taking a deep breath, he dialed Piya’s number when an unfamiliar voice answered his call, “Hello!”

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“Where has that witch hidden my phone?” Ayush cursed under his breath and peeked inside Piya’s wardrobe. “Language Bhaiya,” Danish got irritated, “Why do I have to remind you every time that you are the elder brother and you should set a better example through your actions?” “Because you are a ninety years old grandpa trapped inside a twenty year’s old’s body. At times I wonder if…” “Your poor little brother got swapped at the hospital? Yeah, you have said that a thousand times already. Try something new.” He went near Piya’s reading table and took out a chocolate bar from her drawer. “Hey!” “What?” “How can you accept the enemy’s offering?” “Give me a break! Just accept that you want a bite too.” “No, I’m not gonna take anything from that witch again.” “Oh yeah? Then why did you copy Di’s assignment yesterday? Didn’t that go against your morale?” Danish remarked with a mischievous grin.

“That’s different,” Ayush feigned seriousness, “Tormenting the poor students with such complicated assignments should be deemed as a sin. I showed my protest by not giving in to their demand and copying their pet’s assignment.” “Definitely, if you equate protest with saving your ass.” “Language!” “Oh, so now you’re bothered?” “Damn it! How come Piya got an obedient sister like Saavi while I got stuck with a pain in the ass like you?” “For your kind information, neither I nor Saavi was ever interested in picking a side. It was your and Di’s foolish idea that the younger brother would be devoted to you while Di gets to keep the younger sister for herself since you both had had enough with each other.” “So what? You want to change sides now traitor?” “I wanted to change sides even before you guys came up with this stupid idea.”

“How dare you?” “Deny as much as you want Bhaiya but we both know it’s you who likes to pick up a fight, not Di. You are acting as if we are on some serious mission while in reality, you are being unnecessarily loud, being fully aware that Di is a light sleeper and she’ll lose it if she sees you making a mess out of her stuff. You my dear elder brother are doing it because you want her to fight with you.” “And why would I do that?” “Because you are miserable that she’s gonna get engaged tomorrow.” “Oh please! I’m relieved that that witch is finally going away.” Ayush looked away, trying to control his tears. “Then why do you have tears in your eyes?” “Something went into my eyes.” “You are super adorable, you know that?” He hugged him from behind.

“Get lost!” “I know you two express your love through pointless bickering but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you spent some time with Di and let her know how much you’re gonna miss her.” “Save your advice for yourself you idiot.” “I don’t need that because guess what? Unlike you, I’m already both of my sisters’ favorite. So good luck with this charade of yours because I’m pretty sure Di knows what have you done for her. And while you are too stubborn to admit it, she’s the kind who never shies away from expressing her emotions. So all the best for tomorrow when she’ll practically smother you with her affection.” “You are a total eyesore, you know that?” “No surprise there, I am your little brother after all.” “Why you…”

Unbeknownst to the brothers, Piya woke up the moment they entered her room and silently listened to their conversation. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gazed upon their faces. Her loving brothers! One who died even before they were old enough to comprehend the meaning of life and another who came to this world with her just so he could shoulder her burden for being a Daivik. The brother she found only to lose forever. So what if they were a part of someone else’s imagination? They were still a part of her. She could feel their genuine love as for the first time in forever she felt like the void in her heart had finally been filled.

“Oh no, she’s awake.” Following Ayush’s gaze, Danish looked in Piya’s direction. She was coming their way. “World War III at the beginning of the day, perfect!” To their utter surprise, Piya said nothing and hugged them tightly. “What just happened!” Danish stood dumbfounded. “Just enjoy it.” Ayush wiped his tears and hugged Piya back. It felt pointless how his whole life he spent arguing with his twin sister while in reality, he loved her the most. The idea of giving her hand to another man nearly choked him as it felt like someone asked for half of his heart. “Get a grip over yourself Ayush, I’m not dead yet.” “Of course you are not. After all, witches are supposed to be immortal creatures.” “Dear lord! Why couldn’t you give me two normal siblings?”

“All praises to Devi Maa,” Divya entered the room, “Finally I got to witness this miracle.” “Maa!” Piya ran into her arms and broke down in tears. How long had it been since she got to touch her mother? Her whole life she awaited her mother’s return while Divya sacrificed herself for the greater good. In her heart, she knew Divya was right. She was proud of her mother and vowed to take her legacy forward. But the little girl in her still craved her mother’s love. To her, it didn’t matter if they were in a dream world or in some other universe. All that she wanted was to savor that moment, to take in her mother’s scent, to feel the warmth of her embrace, to spend an eternity in her lap where nothing else mattered.

“What’s wrong dear?” Divya asked with concern, “Is everything alright?” “Yes,” Piya broke the hug and tried to act normal, “It’s just that... I had a terrible nightmare” “I guess yesterday’s incident triggered it.” “Why? What happened yesterday?” “And I thought the other guy had hit his head.” “Ayush!” “You got into an accident and saved a man’s life. You were at the hospital last night and came home only a couple of hours ago.” “Didn’t I forbid you two to wake her up?” “I didn’t wake her up. I just came searching for my phone.” “And you seriously expect me to believe that?” Danish burst out laughing while Ayush shot a death glare at him. “Let it be Maa, it’s okay.” “Now that’s what you call a miracle.” “Danish!” “Is the man alright?”

“Yeah, he should be discharged today.” “We heard the guy was pretty interesting.” “More like a crazy stalker.” Danish rolled his eyes. “What do you mean?” “Who asks a girl on a date right after she saved his life?” “Someone with a death wish of course,” Ayush smirked, “Otherwise why would he be persuasive? That too for this witch?” Ayush’s last words made Piya’s heart skip a bit. Could it be… “Do you know what his name is Maa? I would like to visit him.” “His name is Ansh,” Piya felt as if someone had squeezed the air off of her lungs. “I talked with his Aunt, seemed like a nice lady.” “I gotta go.” Piya started to leave when Divya stopped her, “Slow down Gudiya. There’s nothing to be worried about. The doctors said he was absolutely fine. Besides, you just spent the entire night sitting beside him. You can pay him a visit after tomorrow’s ceremony.”

“But Maa…” “Piya, I know you are worried about him but it’s your engagement tomorrow. Don’t you think that should be your first priority now?” “Engagement? With whom?” She almost cried out. “Yup, she has definitely hit her head.” “Seriously Di, what’s gotten into you?” Before she could say anything, her phone started ringing. “Talk about coincidences, it’s your would-be husband.” Danish picked up the call and put it on speaker, “Hello!” With bated breath, Piya looked at the screen - it was Naman. “Hello, Piya?” “Give me that.” She snatched the phone from Danish’s hand and went to the balcony leaving her brothers amused.

“Piya is that you?” “What happens when darkness threatens to devour the light?” “Devi sends Her devotee to end this eternal night.” As the verse was recited from both ends, Naman and Piya smiled in relief. The spell worked; they were now in the same universe as Ansh. It was time they had joined Saavi and moved on to the next part of their plan…

Chapter - 09

“How long do you think this is gonna take?” Rishi asked impatiently. “At least another one and a half hours, if we are lucky.” Karan heaved a sigh. Neha turned towards her brothers for a second and then shifted her gaze back to Ansh. Everyone was worried sick since they received a call from the hospital last night. It was no wonder they would hover over Ansh as soon as he entered the house. Still, for once she wished for the elders to behave out of their characters and leave Ansh be. While they kept discussing his injury and the recovery time, Neha felt more concerned about his emotional state. Clearly, something was off about him but what could it be?

“That’s enough, I’m going inside. Ansh needs rest, not a twelve-page-long apology note from Chachu.” “Or you can wait for a bit longer. I have a feeling Bhai himself will ask them to leave him alone but in the most SANSKARI tone.” “Cut it out, will you?” Neha lost her cool, “This is not the time for such foolishness.” “Oh please! Don’t tell me you didn’t feel sadistic pleasure when Bhai broke up with Ruby this morning.” “How is that relevant here Rishi?” “Ever since yesterday, Bhai has been acting all weird. If he could call it off with Ruby all of a sudden, why not make another exception by raising his voice in front of the elders?” “He did more than that and look where’s that gotten him.” “I know but don’t you think…”

While Rishi and Karan continued their banter, Neha’s eyes remained fixated on Ansh. As usual, her foolish little brother noticed the obvious but failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. Yes, she didn’t like Ruby at all. When Ansh first told them about their courtship, she was shell-shocked. However, she always admired Ansh’s maturity in handling his relationships. He was considerate of her reservations. Nonetheless, he made it clear that he would never hurt another girl for his family’s validation. Even though they were just casually dating, Ansh always maintained that boundary and treated Ruby with the utmost care and respect. Unless they realized they weren’t compatible with each other and decided to part ways mutually, Ansh would never leave her for another girl let alone some stranger whom he met just yesterday.

It was surprising enough when he first mentioned Piya. However, everything that happened later - him approaching some random girl in a nursery, then attacking Mohana, and finally being rescued by that same girl in the evening, could it all be a coincidence? “Look Bhaiya, I’ve made this card for you.” Vishesh’s voice broke her trance. Unknowingly, her lips curved into a smile. No wonder the youngest one was Ansh’s favorite. But what caught her attention was the warmth she saw in Ansh’s eyes. Until that moment, he laid on his bed like an ice statue; completely oblivious to others’ presence. But the moment Vishesh hugged him, she noticed his jawline softening.

“So as usual, it’s Vishesh who saves the day.” Karan said smiling, “Seriously Chachu, you should stop for your own good. Even if Ansh didn’t have any hard feelings, he would definitely get irritated with this never-ending apology.” Avinash said something in reply but Ansh kept looking at Karan. His long-lost brother! Separated at birth and reunited in youth, he never got the chance to truly know the person his twin brother was. The Karan he remembered was cold and aloof, yet righteous in his own way. Everything that was handed to him on a silver platter, his brother had to fight the world to get a mere fraction of it.

At times he wondered what if the history was reversed and Mohana chose Karan over him. Would everyone be happier that way? For all he knew Karan would have thrived under Vedashree’s care. He would grow up to be a kind, considerate, and playful young man like the one standing before him. Wouldn’t it be better if Piya met Karan instead of him? How was it fair that her fate got intertwined with someone so weak as him? A gullible, wretched so-called “Daavansh” who always squandered her efforts and questioned her faith in him whereas Mansi destroyed Karan’s life?

“I am connected to you Ansh... And this is how it’ll forever be… You are mine and I’m yours, there’s no place for a third person between us, not even another Daivik…”

Tears stung his eyes as the bubbling rage inside him made him want to burn down the entire world. Why was he like this? When his heart knew her truth, why did his mind always wander off to every possible direction where Piya would be better off without him? Yes, this was all that he ever wished for - Karan finally getting the love he always deserved and Vedashree having her own child. He would give up his life for this dream to turn into reality, but not Piya. He couldn’t bear to be a part of such a dimension where she wasn’t by his side, he simply wouldn’t. He wouldn’t close his eyes without seeing his kids’ smiling faces one last time.

This had got to be a nightmare, yes, that’s what it was. It was just a matter of time before Piya would wake him up and then… He was gonna look into those beautiful, brown eyes of hers and tell her how much he loved her. He was gonna pull her into an embrace and never let go again, unless of course, Adi and Pari barged in their room, making them come up with some silly excuse. That was how it should and would end, he would make sure of it.

“Piya!” Ansh slowly opened his eyes to that name. He was still lying on his bed. Except for Neha, everyone else had left the room. “How is this possible? Why am I not waking up?” “Because you are already wide awake,” Neha sat by his side, “What’s wrong Bhai? What is it that’s bothering you so much?” Ansh could feel his heart skipping a bit. No, this couldn’t be… “Are you feeling feverish? You are shaking like a leaf. Let me call the doctor.” She left the room in a hurry leaving a distraught Ansh behind. “I no longer can differentiate between what’s real and what’s an illusion. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if I myself turned out to be a figment of someone else’s imagination. Without you, none of it matters. I’m cold Piya, wrap me in your warmth before I lose myself…”