The Other Son

XXIV. The Blue Eagle

Chand chupa baadal mein
Sharma ke meri jaana..
Seene se lag ja tu
Balkha ke meri jaana

Shivaay strode out of his bedroom, wearing a slightly old fashioned, yet extremely royal and beautiful sherwani. It was a cream colour sherwani with a red colour embedded on it's collars. Personally, Shivaay found it perfect, more so because his Dad had come over to his room and helped him in alterations, the little that were done.

"My father had gifted this to me, and had asked me to pass it on, it made little sense, but now I feel it was a great idea.", Shakti had said, adoring Shivaay in the sherwani.
Shivaay was pleasantly taken aback.
Nowadays, he knew the Oberoi Mansion was not the same anymore - people were changing, evolving, slowly but they were.

And he had to thank Abhimanyu for it.

His eyes searched for Anika. And there she was.
In a red lehenga with golden embroidery. She was sitting and settling the diyas, it was almost time.

Shivaay stared at her in awe.
How can she look this beautiful? Is this even fair?

Anika looked up, and caught him staring. He instantly looked away, blushing deeply. She slowly stood up and walked down to him.
"What happened? Am I not looking good?", She asked smoothly, pretending to not understand his feelings.
"No-absolutely not- I mean you look so hot, I mean sexy-", Shivaay paused, trying very hard to not embarrase himself, "I mean you look very beautiful, Anika. I never thought Mom's lehenga would fit you, but you look damn gorgeous."

He heaved a sigh of relief.
"Aww.. Sharmila Singh Oberoi, ha?", Anika asked grinning.
"Ya ya whatever.."

Yeh sama haan yeh sama kuchh aur hai
O ho ho chand chupa baadal mein
Sharma ke meri jaana
Seene se lag ja tu
Balkha ke meri jaana

Abhimanyu stepped out of his room, his hair combed neatly, wearing a cobalt blue sherwani, the collars with golden embroidery and buttons placed diagonally. He felt a different kind of pride wearing it. It was very old, but for him it was no less than a prized possession.
He drew in a deep breath trying to calm down his overexcited heart.

He did not understand him nowdays.
He loved Divyanka for twelve freaking years, but ever since Svetlana was around him things had changed. On asking the same to his Dad, Tej had looked at him with a raised brow and called it the "Svetlana Effect".

"It is a phenomenon where you suddenly forget your bachpan ka pyaar and are heads over heels for Svetlana Kapoor for God knows what reason.", Tej had replied, feeling extremely proud that finally someone had perfectly fit in his sherwani.
Abhi had agreed to it, and well, maybe that was the reason he had bothered to fast for her. But of course he won't tell her because of his huge tadhi, as Anika says it.

"Thank you so much.. no genuinely..", He heard Svetlana's voice and turned to his right instantly.
And froze.

He had never thought the wild girl from circus could look anything close to this celestial, she wore a cream colour lehenga, with beautiful net embroidery over it. Somehow it fit her perfectly too. She didn't notice him since she was busy thanking Jaanvi.

"Oh hello Abhi.", Jaanvi said abruptly. Abhimanyu blushed looking down. 
"You look handsome, Abhi.", Svetlana said, trying very hard to not show how annoyed she was because Mr. Iron Man was keeping a fast for someone else, and not her.

"Yeah, both Tej and he look really good in blue. What do you think?", Jaanvi said addressing Svetlana.
"Yeah, of course.", The latter replied awkwardly.

"Okay bye.", Abhimanyu said before instantly turning and heading towards the terrace.
"I think he likes you.", Jaanvi said plainly.
Svetlana looked at her, extremely awkward.
"I doubt.. I mean-"
"He does. Just that his huge attitude and his own rational mind don't side with him.", She added, smiling softly, watching him go.

Svetlana drew in a deep breath.
I wish.

●

Anika looked around nervously.
It had been almost three hours, and now it was time for the moon to come out - and Shivaay was nowhere to be found.

"Ani, where is kiddo? I needed to talk to him-"
"I don't know Abhi bhaiya! I am also searching for him, god knows where he went!", Anika said, on the verge of panick.
"Don't worry Ani. Stress is not good for you.", Abhi said as she nodded.
"I have a bad feeling about this..", She mumbled.

Shivaay's back hit against the wall, hard. 
This man before him was trained. He was an African assassin, Shivaay could make out, sent here for a special mission. Shivaay found it very difficult to fight, his height giving him the disadvantage.

"Who should I kill before? You or your wife?", The man asked in a British accent.
"Do not even think of touching Anika!", he said desperately trying to push the man away.
The man smirked.
"Then it is option two."

Saying so he instantly lunged out of the room, in a swift movement. He had a gun in his hand, ready to fire. Shivaay somehow regained his breath and ran out.

Abhimanyu looked around, he had walked away from Anika wondering,
what had happened to kiddo suddenly?
His gaze fell on a particular shadow behind a pillar. He couldn't see anyone but there was a shadow.

It took him a few moments until he realised.

He immediately ran towards Anika, "Anika move!", he shouted. Anika stepped away taken aback, when the bullet was shot. Much to the assassins dismay.

Abhimanyu ran towards her, but he was suddenly pushed from the side. He lost balance, and fell, but the loud screams did mention the saviour.
"Shivaay!", someone shouted. Abhimanyu instantly sat up, Shivaay was hit on the side on his arm, the bullet and just touched him.

Nothing serious.

He instantly turned towards the pillar.
I need to catch him.

He instantly got to his feet and ran down the corridor. The assassin was nowhere to be seen, but Abhimanyu heard a groan from his right. He immediately stepped into the room and looked around.

"Are you here to watch a film?!", Svetlana shouted. Abhi looked down to find her pinning the desperate assasin on the floor.
"What the.. when did you become Black Widow from Senorita?", He asked impressed as he knelt beside, the suffocating man.
"I am making him unconsicous.", Saying so she hit him on the neck.

The assassin fainted, within a few moments.
"He will live.", She said standing up, dusting her hands.
"Okay, that was impressive.", This was Omkara at the doorstep.

"Are Shivaay and Anika okay?", Svetlana asked immediately.
"Yeah, both fine.", Abhi stood up, thinking about what had just happened.

"Kiddo, put his life in risk for me.. such a sweetie.", Abhimanyu said smiling, as the realisation dawned upon him.
"And you put yours for Anika.", Om said, his grudges against this man had lessened considerably in the past few days.

Svetlana nodded, looking at the unconsicous man.
She noticed something very pecular.
She picked up the bracelet on his hand, there was a symbol on it, an eagle in blue over a black background.

"Also, Sve made some good use of her martial arts training for the first time.", Abhimanyu added, as he turned towards her.
"What is it?", He asked.

Svetlana looked at him, in horror.

"The blue eagle."

●●●
Precap :

"So it is a terrorist organisation that deals in drugs and is based in London?", Shivaay asked in disbelief.
"Yes. They supplied drugs in our circus too.", Abhi added.
"But why was their man here?", Shivaay asked.
"The man mentions something about Kapoor.", Shravan said sceptically.

"Kapoor?", Omkara asked perplexed.
"Not Svetlana of course, because she was here all this while dealing with you guys. There might be someone else.", Abhi said instantly, defending.
"Whatever it is. We need to find out, as soon as possible.", Shivaay said sighing.

●●●

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Also.. did you notice the little symbolism I did with the Sherwanis?
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