"Manik....shant ho jao." Priya said as Manik paced back & forth in his room.

"Rani Eliana ne kal toh hadh hi kar di...itne log they wahan aur....kya such rahe honge? Sab uski harkat ke baare mein baat kar rahe honge."

"Log aaj baat kar rahe hai toh kal bhool jayenge." Priya calmly said. "Lekin...uske liye itni badi sazza sahi hai kya?"

"Priya, maine ek baar keh diya toh bas! Rani Eliana ki sassa yehi hai." Manik declared. Rani Eliana who had come to convince Manik heard him from outside the doors. She fell anger and also sadness as she turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, after talking to Manik...Priya went over to Nandini's room where she was organizing her things and decorating the room.

"Arre wah...bohot sundar sajaya hai tumne kamre ko." Priya commented. Startled, Nandini turned to face her.

"Rani Priya...aayiye na. Baithiye..." Nandini greeted her with respect.

"Rani Priya nahi...tum humme Jiji bula sakí ho." Priya smiled as she sat down on the couch. "Aao tum bhi baitho."

Nandini sat down beside her and Priya sighed silently before speaking up.

"Nandini....kal jo bhi hua....woh sab tumne kiya hai na?"

Nandini's eyes widened in shock as Priya said that. "Main...woh..."

"Meri Dasi ne Tara Sitara ko dekha tha Sher Singh ko kholte hue. Aur humme pasta hai unki itni himmat nahi hai ki khud se yeh kaam kare." Priya continued. Nandini looked down, not sure what to say.

"Humme paata tha!" A voice screeched from the doorway. Eliana stood there furiously. She marched in and glared at Nandini. "Tumne yeh sab kya hai...humme nicha dikhane ke liye?"

"Eliana....shant-"

"Hum shant ho jaaye? Jiji...issne jo kiya usa kya?" Eliana asked.

"Maafi chahte hai Rani Eliana...par human shuruhat nahi kya. Aapne pehle humare kapron ko kharab kiya hai!" Nandini retorted. Priya stood up in surprise.

"Eliana...kya yeh sach hai?"

"Haan hai! Iss ladki ko hum iske aukat dikhana chahte they-"

SLAP!

Eliana placed a hand on her red, stinging cheek and looked at Priya in shock. "Jiji..aap."

"BAS!" Priya shouted. "Kuch nahi sunna hai humme! Kya kaha? Aukat dikana chahti thi tum? Kis Haq se huh? Manik surf tumhara pati nahi hai Eliana...woh humara phi pati hai. Arre...hum toh Manik ki pehli biwi hai...par tumhare aane ke baad humne toh kabhi tumhe tumhari aukat dikhane ki koshish nahi ki. Ulta humne tumhe apni choti behen banaya aur Nandini ke saath bhi hum wahi kar rahe hai...phir tumhari HIMMAT KAISE HUI YEH KARNE KI?"

Eliana was scared to see the usually calm & composed Priya so angry.

"Ab humme samajh aa gaya ki Nandini ne woh sab kyun kiya....vaise yeh humme samajdar lagi, issi liye Manik ko batane se pehle humne isse khud baat ki...aur sahi faisla tha humara. Tumhari saath jo hua...bohot acha hua."

Eliana got angry and stomped away. Priya turned to Nandini and cupped her face.

"Humme maaf kardo Nandini..."

"Nahi Jiji, aap kyun maafi mang rahi hai?" Nandini shook her head. "Aapki toh koi galati nahi hai."

"Par...Eliana iss parivaar ka hissa hai. Hum sach keh rahe hai Nandini....Eliana aisi nahi thi. Haan woh bina soche samjhe kuch bhi bol deti hai par....woh iss hadh tak gir jayegi, yeh humne kabhi nahi socha tha."

"Jiji humne kaha na...aapko maafi mangne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai." Nandini replied.

"Vaise...ek baat batao, tumne yeh sab Manik se kyun nahi kaha? Woh iss harqat ke liye Eliana ko sazza de ta." Priya asked.

"Humme Maharaj ki madat ki zaroorat nahi hai. Hum akele hi kaafi hai." Nandini replied with attitude. Priya chuckled.

"Tumne abhi bhi Manik ko nahi apnaya hai na?"

"Unhone apnaya hai kya?" Nandini asked. Priya started laughing & Nandini pouted. "Aap has kyun rahi hai Jiji?"

"Yeh soch ke ki....Badima ne jodi toh badi hi takkar ki banai hai, tum dono zidd mein ek dusre ko competition de sakte ho."

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

"Nandini!" Nakul ran into her room panting.

"Nakul? Kya hua? Bhaag kyun rahe they?" Nandini asked.

"Humne...humne abhi bahar kuch logon ko baat karte hue sunna ki woh aaj raat Shahi tijori ko lootne wale hai."

"Kya?"

"Haan...woh shayad daku hai." Nakul replied. "Par bohot acha hua na?"

"Eh?" Nandini gave him a look. "Acha kaise hua?"

"Matlab...tumhare liye? Tum hi toh keh rahi thi ke tumhare paas yahan kuch bhi karne ko nahi hai...toh ab hai! Ab Rakshika ko bahar laane ka samay aa gaya hai." Nakul replied.

"Nakul...Rakshika yahan kaise? Agar mahal mein kisi ne dekh liya toh?"

"Kuch nahi hoga Nandini..hum hoon na? Vaise bhi...unhone saare guards ko behosh karne ki planning ki hai toh ab tum hi kuch kar sakti ho."

Teaser:
Nandini is dressed as Rakshika as she fights the dacoits. Hearing the commotion, Manik starts walking towards them....
———————————————————————

Thoughts on this chapter?

Do you think Manik will catch Nandini?