Seize Her And....

Chapter : 24

The Leader.

It has been five days since she last saw him. She remembers sobbing her heart out at the thought of losing something she couldn't even understand. She would've never if Aniruddha didn't show up himself. Now as she stands infront of the window overlooking the cloudy mountain range, she understands his words far better.

"We grew up together Mrinal, I know you more than your own parents. I know what you love to eat, what you hate wearing, where to find you when no one else does. I know when you're upset or when you're happy. I can tell it simply by looking at your eyes. They speak to me more than you do." Aniruddha said looking straight at the lake. His back facing her.

"If anyone would've asked me a few years ago why I know all these things? Why is it so easy for me to read you? I would've failed to answer. I could easily say that I studied you better than others. But where is the need to study a random person more than necessary? The answer is simple Mrinal. When the person is not just a mere person to you. When the person becomes more than just the random girl visiting your house. When every growth on that person, be it the physical growth or mental, seems appealing, intriguing..... attracting.
I never wanted to rush things Mrinal. I would still love to see you running around the entire area with that innocent, untainted smile on your face but the situation is demanding something else right now." He turned around and his intense grey eyes fell on hers.
"You need to face some truths and you need to take decisions on them.

And the truth begins with the first and foremost fact that you're not that small girl anymore Mrinal. You've grown up...." He said, moving towards her slowly.
"You've grown up to become this beautiful woman standing right infront of me. As true the fact is that I would love to protect your innocence for the rest of your life, there is another truth and that's where I need your decision. The prospect of you being loved by any male other than me doesn't go well with my brain. Being loved by a male includes touching, a lot of that Mrinal. Hell, it means way more than that. I know somewhere deep within, you already know it. I don't like the image of it and my mind doesn't stop creating them unfortunately. You know, I am a jealous man and I don't love sharing my favorite people, particularly a girl with obsidian eyes. What makes it even worse is that I have been craving to love her since I stepped into adulthood." He slowly places his hand on her cheek and wipes away the tears. Then he nears his face a little closer to hers.

"I wanted you to feel what you mean to me and my family. The things I let you you do, you've earned them. I can't let some unknown woman touching my books now, can I? It needs enough trust, enough.... love to become her. I am not getting married to anyone Mrinal, because I can't. Because I have given every bit of myself to one and one woman only. I think I don't need to explain who that is.
Now, if you want to claim your rightful place, you have to decide on it. The place, however, will remain vacant, whether you take it or you don't." Aniruddha whispers before placing his lips on her forehead. Her heart stopped right there.

That's it. She saw him leave with Tashi a few minutes later. Tashi is one of the guards of the palace, he is also a very close friend of Aniruddha. What worries Mrinalini is that he hasn't returned since that day. On the other hand, the Mahipal is about to arrive tomorrow. She feels weird about the entire turn of events. A part of her is relieved thinking she'll get rejected once again but the slightest chance of getting accepted by them is clenching her heart from inside.

How fool can she be? How fool to not realize what she feels for the one man she could tolerate apart from Baba. How did she fail to understand that what he gave her was much more than mere comfort? Every thing he did for her is out of love. Everything he still does is out of love. He makes her feel safe, he protects her at every situation, he encourages her, stays beside her no matter what, what is it if not sheer love?