Nandini took the pile of books from her table and transferred them to her bed. She had been frequently dumping novels on the table until it had become a towering pile. She had to sort them and keep a few back into the cupboard in her grandfather's room.  It would keep her mind occupied for a few minutes at least.

Thankfully, she also had another issue to think about. Her mother's cousin sister who lived in the nearby town had invited them for a housewarming ceremony for their new house. She and Prakash usually spent a major portion of their vacation with them. But this time, with her exams having been postponed, she wouldn't be able to spend too many days away from Shamli. Suddenly, the postponement of exams, which had been welcomed so wholeheartedly, felt like the worst possible thing that could have happened. She needed to get away for a few days…away from this town….away from him.

She had not ventured out of the house since yesterday evening, and planned to spend the rest of the weekend within its confines. She had wanted to visit Vrinda, but the arrival of some guests at her friend's house had put paid to those plans. So every minute since morning had deliberately been packed with activity…..dusting, cleaning, cooking, reading. Because being still even for a second meant that the shadows she wanted to erase would find a toehold and trickle back into her heart.

Nandini had sorted through most of the books when she came across the diary. The one that she had taken out of the store room many days ago. Curious, she opened it and flipped through the first few blank pages and then came across a neat list written in slating hand. It detailed various items that had been purchased for the house and temple and their prices. The date and year on the top of the list said it had been prepared a couple of years before the wedding of her parents. She smiled at it with a mix of sadness and amusement. The family was used to coming across these random jottings of her father in books of all shapes and sizes. She knew if she flipped through the pages there would be more of these meticulous jottings, but not for three consecutive days, she thought and grinned. 

He had not been very good at keeping accounts. But occasionally, after being prodded by his parents, and later, his wife, he would write down a detailed list of every bit of income and expenditure in a burst of enthusiasm, which lasted for a day or two at the most. The diary was evidently yet another valiant attempt by him to keep track of the family's finances.

She ran affectionate fingers over the writing.

"Nandini, someone has come home to meet you!"

She looked out the door and was about to answer when she heard a baby's indignant cry.  With a sudden jolt of excitement, she kept the diary aside on the bed and hastened out of the room and down the steps.

She stopped as she caught sight of a plump baby crawling hurriedly across the floor, evidently having wriggled out of her laughing mother's arms.

Delighted, she ran down the stairs, and at the sound of her anklets, the baby paused and looked around. She saw a pink face with very chubby cheeks, beautiful brown eyes and a cute button of a nose. Arjun looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then, rewarded her with an unexpected smile that revealed tiny dimples in his cheeks.

Nandini melted with pleasure as a wonderful lightness spread through her chest, and for the first time in days, a genuinely happy smile lit up her face.

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

With his mind bursting with possibilities after what Bhoothnath had just told him, Sankatmochan scurried towards Ayodhya. But he stopped as Prithvi stepped out of the house and slowly made his way to the began walking away in the opposite direction, arms crossed and staring at the ground as he strode over it. He looked like he could use a bit of cheering up….

Sankatmochan called out loudly to his friend and Prithvi paused and turned.

"What?" he asked impatiently as Sankatmochan reached him at last, panting slightly.

"It is Nandini's birthday day after tomorrow!" Sankatmochan announced triumphantly.

"I know."

"You know? Then what are you waiting for!" Sankatmochan yelled. "You should be hunting high and low for a gift that she'll like. Come with me, let's go to the market right away!"

"Stop getting hysterical," Prithvi retorted, "I'm taking her along with me to choose her gift."

Sankatmochan stared at him in ecstatic amazement. "You're taking her - ? You asked her to come along with you and she agreed?"

"I didn't ask," Prithvi muttered, looking away from his friend.

Shocked, Sankatmochan looked at him silently, gradually beginning to comprehend the state of affairs. He started to say something, then stopped. And when he spoke again, it was in a very low, troubled tone.

"Prithvi…this is not the way to…. It will do more harm than good. Instead of this, if you just go to her and talk patiently…..and tell her how you feel and how important she is to you -"

"She isn't," Prithvi said roughly, "but whether she stays in my life or leaves will be my decision, not hers."
"You know as well as I do that is not about your ego getting hurt," Sankatmochan said quietly as Prithvi began to turn away, "How long will you keep lying to yourself about what she means to you? Why won't you just accept that you really -"

Prithvi spun sharply and his ice-cold gaze caused Sankatmochan to stop speaking instantly. He had seen that expression before on his friend's face….and it had never failed to make his tongue curl up and play dead.

He usually found it very easy to look past Prithvi's forbidding demeanour, but there were times like these….when he would forcefully be reminded that his friend was the scion of two families who ranked amongst the pure-bloods of royalty…that he had been born in a tradition of ruthless men for whom power and supremacy had been a way of life for centuries, men who were used to leading, to getting their way in every aspect of their existence and to issuing commands…not following, and not obeying…

Sankatmochan bowed his head and remained still. Prithvi looked at him coldly for a moment, and then silently turned and strode away.

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

Nandini smiled slightly to herself as she breathed in the fragrance from the flowering bushes by the side of the road, feeling more relaxed than she had in weeks. She had spent almost the entire weekend playing with an adorable, mischievous baby and had not known when the hours had flown past. Arjun's smile and adorable antics had acted like a talisman against the unsettling confusion and bleakness that had been her lot since the last meeting with Prithvi. As long as she had the baby to occupy her, she could keep the troubling thoughts at bay….

Today again, on her way to college, Manju aunty had been standing at the gate with Arjun in her arms. Nandini had waved happily to him, and in return, the plump little toddler had let out an angry yell at her audacity to go out on a trip without him. She had started to go towards him with a grin, when Sarojini, who had stepped out right after her, had called out and sternly signaled an order to continue proceeding towards the bus stop.

Deciding to visit him on the way back from college, she had guiltily waved to him again and continued on her way. Now she was already looking forward to seeing the tot later in the evening.

A bike's muted growl seeped into her cheerful thoughts. Her heart leapt up to lodge in her throat, and she froze on the spot, unable to take another step forward. Not that she wanted to see him…not at all…She wasn't that weak. She just wanted to…confirm that it was him before hurrying onwards. That was all….

Nandini turned around, and her insides jumped as her gaze directly clashed with his as he roared down the road at the usual speed on his much-loved bike. She belatedly pondered the wisdom of her decision to halt as she saw the surprise on his vibrantly handsome face turn to anger.

Then the direction of the bike changed course, and with ominous speed, hurtled right towards her. But unwilling to be intimidated, she neither looked away from the antagonism in his black eyes nor did she attempt to step out of the way.

He skidded to a halt just an inch from her, sending gravel flying up around her legs, but she held her ground.

Prithvi killed the motor and dismounted from the bike in deafening silence. "So you finally got tired of hiding?" he demanded frostily. 

"I wasn't hiding!" Nandini refuted, fighting a blush at the truth in the accusation. "But why do you ask? Did the prince get bored because he couldn't find anyone else to torture?" she asked cuttingly.

Prithvi flushed with anger, then controlling his temper, tersely said, "After your classes are done, you'll be coming with me today for -"
 
"That is your plan, not mine. I told you - I am not going anywhere with you!" she said determinedly.
 
Incensed, he moved towards her darkly, and this time, her feet stepped backwards instinctively, suddenly apprehensive at the lethal flash in his gaze. But all of a sudden, to her relief and his irritation, the sounds of a car breached the impasse, and both turned around.
 
Nishkala had been engrossed in a novel, and she had only absently looked up to see if they had entered the campus as yet. Reassured that there was still some distance to go, she was returning her attention to the book when some flash of colour by the roadside was captured by the corner of her eye.  She looked out of the window and then stilled in surprise.
 
"Driver, stop the car!" she said urgently.
 
The car had barely drawn to a halt by the side of the road, when she jumped out of it and looked with nervous uncertainty at the young couple standing a few feet away. A few days ago, she would have simply grinned at the sight from the car and teased Nandini about it later. But knowing that something had gone terribly wrong between the two, there was absolutely no way she was going to proceed without knowing that her best friend was alright, and taking her along in the car if necessary.
 
Nishi looked confusedly from the girl to the boy. She had interrupted something serious. And she had been right to intervene…that much she could gauge from the proximity between the two and the grateful expression on Nandini's features, though the anger-reddened tint on her porcelain skin wasn't fading away. And the irate frown on Prithvi's handsome face told its own story.
 
"What's going on here?" Nishi asked warily.
 
Stifling her own uneasiness at the awkward situation, Nandini forced herself to smile to lessen the tension in her friend's eyes and began to move towards her, struggling to think of a explanation. But a hard hand closed around her palm with aggressive force, detaining her effortlessly. To her shocked dismay, Prithvi pulled her back to his side, and his strong fingers welded themselves assertively between her own slender ones.
 
"A conversation," he answered briefly, gazing coolly at Nishi. "Mind letting us finish it?"

Nishi didn't really hear him. She was staring at the interlinked fingers to confirm that it had not been a delusion. Prithvi was actually holding Nandini's hand. She remembered the last time a man had tried that stunt with her friend. They had been on a shopping spree and a young hoodlum had grabbed hold of Nandini's hand while they were strolling along the crowded streets. Nandini's hard slap had resounded even in the chaotic market, and it had sent the drugged ruffian staggering into a gutter.

She knew Prithvi and Nandini had been in a relationship, but it had broken, and she had sensed that Nandini had been hurt too badly to give him another chance. And yet, though he had gripped Nandini's arm forcefully, and despite the genuine fury in the glance her friend had sent Prithvi, she hadn't reacted strongly otherwise….not even by trying to free her hand.

Nandini blushed miserably in response to the questions listed on Nishi's face. "Nishi, its okay, we were just…talking. You – you can go ahead. I'll catch up with you in the canteen in a few minutes."

Nishi skeptically looked from her to Prithvi and back to her. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah she is," Prithvi replied impertinently.

More unconvinced than ever, she looked at Nandini again, silently offering the option of escaping in the car.

"Nishi, really….its okay….don't worry," Nandini murmured, managing a small smile.

"If you say so," Nishi sighed, "But come soon, okay?" she instructed, looking distrustfully at Prithvi again.

Nandini nodded.

When Nishi still didn't move, Prithvi grinned amusedly, "I promise you can look at me with just as much suspicion at some other time convenient to both of us."

Nishi blinked in the radiance of the smile bestowed on her. Flustered, she awkwardly spun and returned to the car reluctantly.

When the car had vanished from sight, Nandini tried to yank her hand away.

"Stop manhandling me in front of everyone," she hissed, inwardly feeling a little unsteady after that stressful scene. Her friends had been extraordinarily understanding about her reluctance to talk about Prithvi, but now…now it was going to change. This time Nishi would not be satisfied with her silences, neither would Vrinda when she learnt of this incident.

"So I can continue to do it in private," he concluded ingenuously, tugging Nandini close despite her silent but strong resistance.

But before she could angrily protest against his cavalier attitude, he moved closer and she suddenly found herself swept into a fierce embrace.

Motionless with shock, she stood with her arms crushed in between two warm bodies, distractedly thinking that she should be shouting at him, demanding that he release her instantly. Besides emotional reasons, she had practical grounds too for yelling as they were not standing in some isolated corner, but by the side of the road that led to the college. It was deserted at present, but anyone could come walking past at this moment and see them.

So why wasn't she reacting at all….

It was not that she had missed seeing him so much that she needed to be held….or that the heat and comfort of his embrace was taking away some bit of the tormenting ache in her heart that had been building over the past two days….

Suddenly, to add to her misery, treacherous tears slowly gathered in her eyes.

With the side of his face resting against her silken tresses, he gloomily confessed, "I did get bored because there was no one to torture."

Her lips twitched disloyally against his shoulder as she dryly marveled at his reluctance to simply say that he had missed her.

Then she caught herself, and felt mortified at the ease with which she had begun to respond to him again….

She was handing him victory – and her self respect - on a platter…

She began striving to regain control of herself…to pull away. As if sensing it, he drew back slightly and gazed down ruthlessly at her strained, beautiful features.

"Don't try to fight me, you'll lose," he advised grimly, "You're coming with me today to choose your gift. Unless you'd rather I route my request through your family."

Her face lost colour. "I – I can't come with you!" she said desperately, "I need to attend the rehearsals and -"

"I'll wait till the rehearsals are done," he said with unyielding calm.

Nandini looked away miserably, unwilling to utter words of defeat. Then she returned her gaze to his vibrant features and softly said, "If you really want to give me a gift for my birthday, behave nicely with someone….anyone….That will be enough."

She saw dark anger flare up in his eyes, but then something seemed to occur to him, and a mischievous spark lightened his expression.  

"Sure. I can do that. I was going to be nice to her anyways," he said thoughtfully, finally moving away from her.

Nandini frowned at him as he mounted the bike. "Who are you talking about?"

"You don't need to know. But you'll still have to come with me today because I need to buy a gift for Natasha - it's her birthday next week," he said seriously. 

"I'm not coming with you to buy something for her," she refused furiously.

"Good, I'll wait for you at the parking lot in around 3 hours then," he said with a nod, and kick-started the motorcycle. "Now get on, unless you want to create another scene," he added insolently, effectively silencing the rebellious retort on her lips.

Sick with helpless rage, she moved forward and sat as far away from him as she could without falling off the wretched bike.

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

Nandini stared at the glittering, imposing facade of the exclusive jewellery store, and then looked at her utterly nonchalant companion.

"You want to buy something from here?" she asked, stunned. It was one of the most expensive jewellery showrooms in the town. Neither she, nor her family and friends, bothered to even look at it while shopping, knowing that it was completely beyond their reach.

"It's not for you, it's for Natasha. So something cheap won't do," Prithvi said solemnly. 

 "Then why did you ask for my help?" she asked, enraged. "There are enough girls in our college with a lot of taste and class who would only be too happy to help you,"

"But they are not half as much fun as you," he grinned.

She looked at him coldly and then looked at the shop again with a sinking feeling. If only she hadn't come. But he hadn't left her with any choice, she thought bitterly.

And top it, the explaining session with Nishi, where she had tried to brush off the whole scene as lightly as she could, had drained her. But nothing she said had convinced Nishi, and for the first time, her friend had adamantly demanded the truth. At the end, Nandini had tearfully requested for some more time, and Nishi, who too was in tears, had generously granted it. Though she had no idea what she would say...she still had no answers...

"I didn't bring you here to admire the building. We need to go inside," Prithvi said helpfully, startling her.

Nandini stiffened at the taunt, and without looking at him again, she walked straight ahead, opened the glass doors and stepped inside the store which was temporarily devoid of customers. The air-conditioned space came as a relief from the heat outside, but the temporary feeling of comfort was crushed in an instant as she looked around the shop with cautious interest.

Most of the young women at the counters, accustomed to seeing the richest women in town walking through the doors in expensive garments, were looking at her with slight contempt, making her feel a little self-conscious in her pretty but simple outfit. But then they looked over her head and the contempt was replaced by a glazed, dreamy expression, which meant that royalty had also entered the shop right behind her. An old man in a suit, evidently the manager of the store, was walking towards them slowly with a broad smile.

The manager quickly tried to sum up the customers with his vast experience. His experienced gaze instantly classified them as a couple. No doubts about that. Not married, still in the dating phase. The boy's extreme good looks were causing a flutter amongst the female staffers, he noted dryly. But there was something beyond that. The young man exuded an unmistakable aura of power and money that he usually associated with the superrich industrialists of the town.

The girl who had walked in before him was dressed modestly, but she was exceptionally pretty.  There was a stirring innocence on her delicate features and in the smile she had returned. The store seemed to have become brighter, warmer the instant she had walked into it.

And the businessman in him was thrilled at the intuitive realisation that the girl looked extremely miffed with her companion. And though the boy didn't appear apologetic in the least, it was natural that he had brought her to the shop to buy something that would make her happy, and thus solve the conflict. Such purchases always tended to be on the exorbitant side, as females always found it the perfect outlet for revengeful tendencies. 

He hurried up to her, and after a pleasant greeting, affably asked, "What would the pretty lady like to see?"

Nandini turned pink. "I – nothing in particular…just -"

"Everything you have, and make it quick," Prithvi said derisively.

"Of course, sir. We have the biggest and best jewellery collection in Shamli," the manager said proudly

Nandini smiled at him, and then spun around with cool and indifferent eyes to regard Prithvi.  "How much are you willing to spend?"

"No limits for her," he said generously.

No limits…how lovely…

Crimson with suppressed rage and increasing vindictiveness, she turned around and stalked away towards the forbidding insides of the store, following the manager's lead.

Nandini strolled along the counters, closely studying the dazzling jewellery on display, too annoyed with Prithvi to feel self-conscious any longer.

The first counter was of rings, and the manager signaled to the girl beyond the shelf, who quickly and efficiently selected several small cases and spread them out for inspection. The old man then discreetly withdrew to his cozy cabin at the back of the store, happily awaiting a huge cash inflow.

Nandini shyly asked the store assistant to show a few more rings that were displayed beneath the glass of the counter. The exhibits were almost heart wrenchingly beautiful, with brilliant diamonds and other precious stones adorning bands of gold and platinum. Maybe she should ask him to buy one of these, Nandini thought resentfully, so he could propose marriage to that angel from paradise and live with her happily ever after in any place that was miles away from Shamli. As the image sank into her mind, she started feeling a little nauseous...

"Didn't you like any of the rings?"

At the very innocent-sounding question, she swung to see her adversary gazing at her with utmost seriousness. But there was a suspicious hint of laughter in his eyes that told her he had known exactly what she had been thinking a second ago…

"No!" Nandini snapped at him.

She softly apologized to the store assistant, and hurriedly walked away. The woman at the counter, who had been staring at Prithvi from the instant he had walked in, saw him grin wickedly at the retreating back of the girl, and her knees went weak.

Nandini moved onwards to the next section and found herself staring at the most gorgeous collection of anklets placed in rows on the walls and beneath the glass on the counter.   

Some were of gold, others of silver, or was it platinum…and one pair was the prettiest she had ever seen. Minuscule diamonds lined both edges of the very slim silvery band and small star shaped diamond pendants hung in place of bells.  They were so beautiful that she would have paid money just to hold them in her hands once and look at them to her heart's content, she mulled ruefully.  She found the girl waiting to assist her, with the name tag of Komal, smiling at her obvious entrancement and Nandini grinned back.

"Don't bother looking at those."

"Why not?" Nandini frowned, looking around at Prithvi.

For some reason, she had thought he was right behind her, but he was lounging against the crystal pillar in the centre of the lushly carpeted showroom with a bored air, arms crossed. A pretty female store assistant was hovering around him hopefully, and was being magnificently ignored.

"Because thankfully she doesn't wear those annoying things," he retorted, and then impatiently said, "I'm going out for a while…select something and get it gift wrapped by the time I return."

Nandini sensed the curious gaze of the store assistants on her. They had probably concluded by his conceited tone that she was one of his servants. She reddened with humiliation and resentment.

"Yes, your highness," she said sarcastically, and ignored the ominous frisson that ran down her spine as he narrowed his eyes slightly at the mockery.

Turning her back on him, Nandini moved onwards to bangles section. She looked at the lavish spread of all kinds and forms of bangles with increasing confusion. There were some bangles of plain gold, some with precious stones engraved in gold, some made entirely of diamonds…

The woman with the beautiful hands would perhaps really appreciate the diamond bangles, and besides being exquisite, they looked very traditional too. She mentally kept them aside for later consideration.

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

A short while later, Nandini had seen earrings, necklaces, bracelets and even tiaras. Many more items had been kept aside for final consideration, and now she was sitting in the middle of it all, trying to decide which was the most gorgeous piece of jewellery.

All the girls on the floor were clustered around her, their initial negativity forgotten in the warmth of Nandini's smile and her cheerful, talkative nature. Knowing from experience that the manager would be dozing in his cabin and taking advantage of the lack of other customers, they had indulgently encouraged her to try on all the jewellery turn by turn.

Immersed in giggling and chattering nonstop with happy excitement, none of them heard the door swing open. But the abrupt prickling on her nape told Nandini that Prithvi had returned long before his irate question did.

"Would you mind choosing something before her next birthday?"

The store assistants jumped in alarm and quickly scattered back to their original positions. Only the eldest of them stayed, looking slightly displeased at the arrogant way in which Nandini was being questioned.

The object of her empathy, however, swung around and met Prithvi's gaze steadily.

"Just one last thing to see," Nandini said coolly and turned to the smartly dressed woman standing with her, and brightly asked, "Could you please show me a few of your most expensive pieces of jewellery?"

"Errmmm could you give me an approximate range, Nandini?" Komal asked uncertainly.

"Oh there are no limits to what he would spend on that woman," Nandini beamed, with a suggestive inflection on the last two words, and felt very pleased as she heard an angry snarl from somewhere behind her.

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

Rajeshwari treaded cautiously as she stepped out of the room where her grandfather held council occasionally with minor staff, including the fearsome guards who often turned henchmen for him. As usual, she had not been successful in her task. She had desperately wanted to find Prithvi's photograph for Kadambari, who she knew was pining for a sight of the boy she had secretly looked upon as her own son till he had been snatched away from her arms.

She walked through the cavernous, beautifully decorated hallway, shrinking back occasionally whenever she heard another person's steps. She was still some distance away from her own room when the massive doors to a room on her right started to open.

Rajeshwari went blank.  She simply stood there, unable to move, just staring at the opening door.  Then all of a sudden, absolute, chilling terror flooded her mind and body.

She ran.

Keeping her steps light with habitual ease, she scampered as fast as she could and then swerved and cowered behind the first column amongst the long chain of pillars that lined the corridor. With a hammering heart and a throat that was parched dry, she stood frozen in terror, now only eager to return to the security of her room.  She heard male voices speaking in a murmur but didn't dare peek around to know the identities. Then the men walked right past the pillar that was shielding her, and one of the voices became familiar.

Her mind immediately conjured up the image of a middle-aged man of medium height. A handsome man with graying hair….a man who very well dressed, who was soft-spoken, gracious and perpetually jovial…..a man with eyes that were vicious and spiteful.

She felt gladder than ever that she was hidden away and could avoid looking at him. Only someone like her grandfather could maintain such a close friendship with a man like that, she thought wretchedly. Though there were delightful rumours going around the palace that the friendship had started to fray at the ends….

When the men's voices had finally diminished to nothing, she slowly ventured from behind the pillar and cautiously resumed the walk back to her room, with her mind once again bitterly reliving her last failed attempt to know something more about her younger cousin. To the time when she had accidentally overheard Manohar and her grandfather talking about Prithvi. And a college in a far away town had been mentioned. It had taken her more than three weeks to gather the courage to visit the college all by herself. Two things had helped – the fact that her grandfather had been on a visit to another country, and secondly, and more importantly, she had desperately wanted to meet, or at least see Prithvi …

But she didn't even know which course he was joining or when he was scheduled to join. She hadn't known what to do or whom to ask for help. And she had always been petrified of crowds, which made the college's teeming corridors a horrible nightmare. Thankfully, some instinct had made her venture into the canteen, and then one of the students…Nandini, she remembered with a smile….had sweetly come to her rescue and helped her locate the principal's office.  She only had to knock and go inside and get some information about Prithvi, but she couldn't. She had just stood there like an idiot for a long time. And then she had turned around like a coward and returned home.

But maybe….maybe it was time for a second try….

After all, her grandfather would be away for a few more days. If she was careful, she could manage to leave the palace without getting caught, and maybe this time, she would at least be able to catch a glimpse of Prithvi….maybe even take a photograph for Kadambari…

Yes, it certainly seemed an apt time for a second attempt…

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