Seize Her And....

Chapter :18

Out of Control.

The clouds barely leave any part of the sky for the sunlight to peek out. It's gloomy, gloomier than the previous days. The rain keeps pouring down like it'll never ever stop.

It has been four days since Maharaja's return. The neighborhood is eerily calm, like the silence before the storm. Aniruddha keeps pacing around his room. Saying he is worried will be an understatement. He feels tensed, extremely tensed. It has been four days since he last saw Mrinal. It is unlikely of her to hide inside the palace walls. Even if she is angry on him she never misses teaching the kids. Something isn't right and he can sense it.

"Will you stop pacing like that? Purohit ji from "Barman  Bari" has come. Baba is looking for you?" Ira says, standing at the door of his room. Her tiny figure has a striped saree wrapped around it. Her big twinning grey eyes look at his curiously.

"Are you worried about Mrinal didi? What's up with her? Why didn't she come?"  She asks getting inside the room and climbing up the neatly made bed.

"She'll come around, don't worry." Aniruddha answers, bringing out a light blue kurta from the cupboard.

"I have to. If she doesn't come maa will make me drink her portion of the milk again. Please, make her come back." She pleads and Aniruddha fails to control the chuckle.

"That's what makes you worried? Selfish devil!" He says as he moves out of the room, followed by the tiny one on his tail.

"There are other guests sitting there you know? A guy and a very pretty girl. Her hair is so beautiful, all curly curly." She says running behind him.

"Must be Purohit ji's son and daughter. I saw them once, when you weren't even in the picture. See, I visited more places than you." He says mischievously.

"Ha! I'll visit more places because you'll become old and toothless in no time and I'll eat good food and make you watch me do that. Then we'll be even." She says and he immediately picks her up in his arms.

"We'll see who gets to eat more when the time comes and from eating I just remembered you saying something about asking maa to give you one more glass of milk?" He says raising one of his brows.

"No! Never! Put me down. You are the worst brother ever!" She says and the very moment he laughingly puts her down she runs towards the back garden.

Aniruddha's attention falls on the sounds coming from inside the drawing room. As he enters he sees his father sitting on his usual armchair, Purohit ji sitting on the wooden chair beside him,  next to him sits a girl and a boy. The girl has a head full of curls. He remembers seeing both of them when he was younger.
The girl, he remembers as Ambika, looks up at him with her hazel eyes. Caught off guard he immediately displays his signature tight lipped smile.

"Ridhu, come here." Aswini, his father, calls. Aniruddha strolls towards him. Right now he is not in the mood of talking to anyone, his mind is way too occupied with Mrinal's absence. He got ready to practically go out and visit the palace. Maharaja, generally, stays out at this hour of the time. He walks towards Purohit ji and touches his feet for a pranam. He has known this man for a long time now and this has been a culture of their household to show him the respect he has earned.

Purohit ji places his hand on his head.

"It has been years since I've seen you this close. I've heard a lot about you though, you have become quite a respectable person for the villagers. They look upto you." Purohit ji says, smiling.

"Oh, don't listen to them they just say things out of love. It has truly been a long time. Have you been well Purohit ji?" Aniruddha asks, taking a seat beside his father.