Nandini looked at him perplexedly. What did he mean...

She was on the verge of asking him when a memory flashed through her mind.

Burying a phone in the earth and telling Sankatmochan that -

She reddened with embarrassment, and without meeting his gaze, dolefully said, "Janki ma'am gave it to me."

"And naturally, anything is preferable over my gifts," Prithvi rejoined coolly, handing back the phone with disgust.

"It's not like that," she said awkwardly, holding the phone behind her back.

He grimly countered, "Really? So the gold chain went through plastic surgery?"

Nandini's hand sprung to her pretty silver necklace. She had not wanted a replacement for his precious birthday present. Then yesterday morning, her grandfather had given her the silver chain and a red thread for protection, and she'd been too emotional to say anything.

But then she had given the bag to Sumer Singh weeks ago, and something about Prithvi's annoyance suggested he had found out only now..

"I gave the chain to Sumer uncle when he was leaving Shamli," she admitted resignedly, feeling worn down. "I returned the – other articles too."

"Obviously," he smiled mirthlessly, and then gestured to the back of the vehicle. "Get in."

Relief swamped her. She had readied herself for returning to the house at the end of his grilling. So while the abrupt change in topic was puzzling, she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Then a doubt gave her pause. Casting a nervous look at the front of the jeep, she whispered, "Is he going to drive?"

"He's the chaperone," Prithvi informed.

Nandini glanced back at him wryly. "I'll feel safer without a chaperone like him."

"You've misunderstood. His job is to protect me from you," he said gravely. "I can't take risks after the way you attacked me last night. Hugging me like a maniac and jumping on my feet," he reminded accusingly. "I was traumatised."

She couldn't help giggling. "I promise to behave today."

He loftily said, "Okay, in that case..." and moved sideways to look at the driver.

"Out," he ordered. "I'll be driving."

"Yes, your highness," the guard responded promptly and disembarked.

"You could have told him politely," she remonstrated mildly.

Prince Charming paid no heed and walked over to the other side of the vehicle.

Nandini sighed and got into the passenger seat at the same time that he slid into the driver's spot. The small compartment under the dashboard caught her eye. She opened it, quickly stashed the phone inside and closed it. Then she fastened the seat belt, attempting to portray serenity despite the fluttering in her stomach.

It was the first time she was travelling with him like this. And the first time she didn't have to panic about the possibility of being spotted by familiar faces.

She looked happily at him as he started the engine. He hadn't secured himself in the seat.

"Seat belt," she said tentatively.

"I don't need it," he dismissed as the jeep set off slowly.

She removed her own seat belt.

He directed an irritated look at her. She met it tranquilly. He irately yanked at his seat belt to fasten it. She hid a smile and followed suit.

The jeep took some quick turns along narrow lanes and soon they were cruising on a broad road with sparse traffic. They travelled past houses and farms, small shops and colourful markets.

She cheerfully took in the sights and enjoyed the breeze on her face while waiting for her heart to behave. The silly thing was jumping erratically in her chest just because he was at an arm's distance.

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

Janki reviewed the elaborate plot outline and character sketches she had jotted down in her journal and felt satisfied with her work. It was a relief to be able to write again.

The horrible mental block had lifted this morning after she ascertained from multiple sources that Prithvi wasn't a young - albeit much superior - version of his great- uncle.

While Nandini had been asleep, she had used her formidable list of contacts to excavate information on Prithvi's character. And at the end of the investigation, a reasonably detailed character sketch had formed in her mind.

Extraordinarily intelligent, arrogant, fearless and hot tempered, superbly accomplished in sports and many other fields, as self-contained and detached as an ascetic, honest to the point of cruelty, brutally sarcastic, wholly indifferent to society, its norms and its opinions...

All in all, a highly unusual young man.

The most unusual part, however, was the utter lack of any corrupt tendencies. She had failed to find the tiniest speck of dirt in his personal history. No drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or women.

It was astounding. And to her cynical mind, plain unbelievable.

As the last resort, she had called up Bhoothnath. After assuring him that Nandini was safe and fast asleep, she had opened a topic about an imaginary youth in her acquaintance who had fallen into bad company, and had sought her friend's advice.

Then she simply had to listen as Bhoothnath offered wonderful guidance and concluded with a lament about the dearth of sterling males like Prithvi.

He had praised the young man to the heavens. In the middle of his affectionate monologue, he had revealed more astounding facts. Prithvi had put himself at risk twice to save Nandini's life. He had been critically injured both times, and had required hospitalisations and surgeries. Bhoothnath had sounded shaken while merely recounting the events, so she could gauge the seriousness of the incidents.

By the time she had cut the call, her major fears had vanished.

Her childhood friend was quite naïve and trusting in some ways, but he was unparalleled in his ability to sense evil.

Spiritual wisdom and healing were traditions in the Bharadwaj family. The sweetest words and most cunning charades could not deceive Bhoothnath if they concealed a wicked, degenerate mind. About people he liked and trusted, he would speak fondly and respectfully. But it was rare for him to lavish such love and affection on someone outside his family.

If he thought so highly of Prithvi, she could trust the young man, who was undoubtedly smitten with Siddharth's daughter. And the girl reciprocated his feelings, Janki contemplated jadedly.

The thrill on Nandini's face on hearing she could go out with Prithvi...

And then before she had left on the "date", the nervous child had unknowingly poured out her heart in a series of fumbling statements in his defence...claiming he was a very good human being...dependable and upright...and she was safe with him.

By and large, it did seem like everything was going to turn out fine, Janki mused.

She would have a talk with Prithvi in any case. He needed to know that power wasn't exclusively on his side.

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

Prithvi glanced at the girl beside him.

Nandini was gazing outside, hands folded neatly in her lap. He could bet she didn't know she was smiling. Or that there was a sparkle in her eyes and a fetching pinkness on her cheeks.

The sweetness of that face was going to be his undoing.

He forced his attention back onto the road. The grating voice of his conscience, which tended to become particularly maddening in her presence, had to be squashed before it ruined his plans. It had already stung him when he had seen faint shadows under her eyes, and witnessed her struggle to answer his questions. He couldn't let it influence his future actions.

Yet, he had to deal with one point of immediate concern - her expectations regarding this jaunt.

The day's itinerary was far from nice. He intended to visit some ashrams that were at the other end of the town. Putting off the search even for a day was inconceivable. Moreover, it would give her a preview of the depressing art film that his life had become lately, adding to the emotional pressure on her.

He knew Sumer Singh was under the impression that he was going to take Nandini for some kind of pleasant sightseeing. And his great-uncle had strongly recommended a rendezvous in a darkened movie theatre, he reminisced amusedly.

But he had not given any thought to Nandini's wishes, he realised uncomfortably as the vehicle powerfully swept along the road. He had assumed she would fall in with his plans. What if she wished to -

"Where are we going to look for her today?"

He looked at her quickly, astonished by the matter-of-fact question and its uncanny timing.

Prithvi warily asked, "How did you know we're going to...."

"If you halted your search for a day just because of me, I would have to ask for your identity proof," Nandini chuckled, and after a second's pause, delicately added, "I don't know if she's - but if she is alive, I want her to be found at the earliest. I only wish I could be with you when you find her," she said wistfully.

His eyes were suddenly very gentle as they rested on her face. He appeared to have been touched by her response, though she couldn't decipher the reason. It didn't help that she was feeling deprived of oxygen.

He transferred his focus to the road to manoeuvre a tricky and uneven stretch, and she breathed.

Then the way smoothened again. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he grasped her right hand and raised it to his lips. He glanced at her for a second with a stirring intensity, and kissed her fingers.

The tenderness in the action was incalculably moving. Blushing with shy delight, she gently pulled her hand out of his clasp and dropped her gaze to her lap.

"I missed you."

With deepening colour on her face, she looked up at Prithvi, uncertain that she had heard the hushed statement. He was staring fixedly at the road, and the flush on his face warned her not to remark on the rarity of the occasion.

She whispered, "I missed you too."

A beautiful silence filled the space between them for a while.

Then the jeep slowed and took a sharp right turn. The vehicle entered a narrow dirt road, which had dry shrubbery on both sides and didn't appear to lead anywhere, and came to a gradual halt.

Mystified, she stared at his tensed profile as he unfastened the seatbelt and climbed out of the jeep.

Prithvi walked restlessly to the front of the vehicle and lounged against the bonnet.

He had rightly relied on her gullibility and soft-heartedness for the triumph of his manipulative tactics. He had not, however, counted on the impact of her love.

He heard her disembark and walk to him. If only he could throttle his ******* conscience....

Well, he still could do it.

But he didn't want to, Prithvi acknowledged gloomily as she moved to stand in front of him. Regardless, he wasn't going to say a letter more than necessary.

He clasped both her hands and studied their supple and delicate perfection.

"What happened?" Nandini asked bemusedly.

"I wasn't really angry. And this...this outing was my idea," he muttered reluctantly.

She stared at him uncomprehendingly, trying to make sense of his confession...trying to understand...

He knew how profoundly his behaviour and words tended to affect her. Yet, he had behaved coldly and left her feeling miserable and torn last night. She had wept over him, striving to think of ways and means to see him happy again.

And then, in a burst of brutal clarity, she understood.

He had banked on her guilt and pain to turn her into an eager-to-please puppet. And she had fallen hook, line and sinker as usual.

"We should go," Nandini said dully, tugging to free her hands.

Surprised by the tame reaction, he retained his hold to stop her from heading back to her seat.

"You're not upset?" Prithvi asked doubtfully.

She looked at him tiredly. "It doesn't matter. This isn't the first time you've played with my feelings and it won't be the last."

Incensed by the accusation, he turned red and liberated her arms. "I couldn't let you leave," he bit out roughly.

The rawness of his admission was hard for her to bear. "You think I want to?" Nandini asked helplessly. "I don't have a choice. But till I'm here, can't you show a little kindness?"

Without warning, a coldly feral emotion blazed in his eyes.

"I will never be kind towards you," Prithvi said slowly, placing a subtle yet potent emphasis on the final word. "I can't afford it."

She stared at him unsurely as bitterness gave way to conflicting sensations. 

Beneath a calm surface, his words had throbbed with violence.  She couldn't fully grasp the meaning of the strange forewarning, and she was afraid to explore its many hues. Yet, something in her had leapt wildly at his callous promise.

Flustered and confused, she evaded his steady gaze and moved to stand next to him. Leaning against the bonnet, both didn't speak or budge for many minutes.

Then she hesitantly coiled an arm around his. He caught the soft hand and firmly pulled her closer. She pressed a cheek against his shoulder. He slid an arm around her in a warm embrace.

They held each other in a strangely resigned silence, painfully aware that they had reached a crossroads.

Turning back was not an option.

And any step taken forward would be irreversible...

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