Swasan SS - Ice King

8.Two Graves

‘When Confucius said, before you embark upon a journey of revenge dig two graves he didn’t mean what everyone thinks he did,’ Sanskar said to his Skype screen. ‘Here I am recording another message you’re never going to receive Kavi,’ he stopped for a moment. ‘But my old counselor said I should, in order to keep my mind intact. I don’t believe her, well, sometimes she makes sense though.’
He laughed a little.
‘What would she say if she knows I want my mind intact so I could make them lose their peace of mind? I can hardly imagine that. Only a person who has lost as much as we have would understand.’
He stopped again and took a sip of water.
‘I know what you’re going to ask, what I am doing here, when I should be in Maheshwari Mansion wreaking havoc, the old man locked me in the room.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Looks like I didn’t lie to Shona when I said he’s going to torture me in her absence. If he thinks confinement grants him safety then Kavi I have nothing to discuss with him, he’s a lot case. Obviously there’s no one in the room, but he would not find that out now would he?’
‘The biggest victory I have scored is Mom. I’m glad she came to senses although lately. Yes, Kavi she knows the truth now and will stop at nothing to gain her son back.’ His gaze turned a little empty. ‘You and I both know not much of that son is left though she doesn’t, I’ve let her believe what makes sense to her slightly scrambled mind. She’s going to cover my tracks, the most one can ask from her.’
‘Can you imagine how much I loved her then Kavi? Had it not been for her I would not have been a bonded slave for the old man for so long. I lived there for her, because I was all she had then, I thought she would feel the same way about me.’
‘She didn’t Kavi. Or she would have understood that you meant a lot to me. I was not all she had then; her ego played a large part too. Even she abandoned me when I wanted her, even she had plans for me, and even she doesn’t deserve my love. All these people, they try to own me, and I…I keep running away from them towards an imaginary freedom. I felt a faint one when I took off that Maheshwari tag; it had been choking me for many years. I will feel it completely when I uproot that empire…but I’m not sure anymore.’
He kept watching the empty space ahead of him for a long moment, analyzing his thought.
‘That’s where Confucius comes in. What do you think; I thought the same; one grave for your enemy while the other is for yourself. Better to scare one off from the path of revenge. But I have realized what he meant now, or rather my version of it. It was you who told me once that every quote has our version to it, what it means for our life. One grave for your soul and other for your conscious… Before you go further you should bury them both deep beneath the ground. Or they won’t let you reach your goal, or achieve your peace. Why I say so… Let me tell you what happened tonight…’
*
In the night sky outside the glass wall of Sanskar’s penthouse stars were popping up. Stars, the twinkling lights you enjoy at night, their innocent gleam captures your fancy, their soft aura make you fell for them. But in reality stars are burning balls of energy, the nearer you go the faster you burn. They are slowly reaching the end of their own existence, consumed by their inner battles until one day they would explode. Then it would no longer gleam, no longer twinkle at you innocently. It would become a trap itself, a black hole that would eat away the very existence of others around it; the symbol of destruction.
That was what both of them were; stars burning in the pain their respective beloveds had graced upon them.
The faint sweetness of a slight victory was not enough to overrule the deep bitterness her continuous defeats had left in her soul. Ragini sat in front of a large elaborate mirror that reflected her full length dress of flowing soft azure fabric and adjusted her neckline a little. She had her hair tied up, in elegant twisted knots and her kohl lined eyes looked as impassive as ever.
Make up, was the tool of women as well as their weapon, it could easily double up their charm or conceal their agenda. At the moment she wanted to do the both. Slowly slipping up her pearl earrings for the evening she gifted her reflection a fake, dazzling smile just as Sanskar appeared behind her.
He looked every inch the handsome youth he was, in his complete black attire and the silver tie. But what mattered to Ragini was the composed, manipulative look in his eyes and the cold expression his features were arranged in to. With a sigh she recited their plan to herself and wondered what effect it would have on her immediate family. She was going to ruin her sister…well half sister as for that matter; but did it really matter at all?
And Sanskar...Whatever he has left in his world he is going to ruin them all. This one move of theirs and the Maheshwari fortress collapses. It will be Swara, crushed under its stones, but will they escape her cries? She was not sure herself.
‘Are you sure this will work?’ She asked in a small voice and looked at the ice craved face of Sanskar. ‘What if she recognizes you?’
‘I am not the Sanskar she used to know,’ he said extending his arm for her to take. Slightly gripping his fingers she stood up, their fatal combination in the mirror caught her attention for a moment she used that to pin her stole to her shoulder. ‘That one died a long time ago. No matter how marvelous she is, Swara can’t raise the dead.’
‘You think she’s marvelous?’ She tore her eyes off their reflection.
Sanskar raised an eyebrow.
‘She is.’ He said in a firm tone.
Ragini had suspected them to reach this edge, where she had to make an alter route which she could use in case her commander came under the mercy of her rival queen. She knew Durga Prasad was no fool, he had chosen his queen wisely. Even Sanskar, the man of sharp ice would tremble under her charm. After all they share history. Without another word she fanned her eyelashes in agreement and they left the penthouse together.
Unknown to Sanskar Ragini had synced his data devices with her own.
‘You can still back out Sanskar. There are those who would forgive you for whatever you do. But me… I have caved in all my exit tunnels myself. This is a one way journey for me…’
*
Lakshya did not come to pick her up, making Swara go to the charity gala herself. She knew he would reach there soon; under no circumstance would he just leave her to attend the event alone. But somewhere - as her mind kept telling her, the assumption seemed wrong.
She sighed as she watched over the masked crowd, these masquerades got to her nerves sometimes. The semi darkness occasionally penetrated by the soft silver spotlight and the moving shadows increased their effect. She was afraid a little as she knew Lakshya was not there. What if something unwanted happened like at his birthday party? Who was going to protect her now?
Someone was making an announcement. It was simply the beginning of the dance round. She had obligated her first dance to the host of the ball, so putting up a fake smile she took the old man’s hand. The gala was accompanied by some music launch and their latest slow tune started to play.
‘Ohh…oooo…tell me…’
They swayed in the soft spot light as the song started somewhere. Listening to endless business talk around her and occasionally joining in she let her eyes continue their search for Lahskya. With the soft twirls the partners exchanged.
‘Will this eternity remain, until I see you again?
Will we still stand, hand in hand?
Her nostrils caught up familiar cologne as she slipped in to his arms.
‘Lakshya?’
He smiled in a faint mocking sort of way, as their steps matched perfectly. His eyes behind the mask gleamed in a cold glitter.
‘Even in your perfect senses you mix us up do you?’
What was he talking about? But that voice, that voice send shivers down her spine. It could never belong to Lakshya.
Will my heart lay frozen, beneath the dreams they broke
Will it be awoken, with words you spoke?
It was time again for them to exchange partners, but he didn’t seem interested at all. Instead they claimed the spot light together, breaking the ring of dancing couples around them. She followed him, rather in a trance that she did not want to end.
‘Who are you?’ She asked him, not seriously wishing for an answer.
‘Someone you certainly should not be dancing with,’ he replied mysteriously. ‘Someone you’ll eventually start to hate.’
‘Why? What are you going to do?’
They danced in silence as he pondered over his answer. Her eyes travelled over his face as if trying to penetrate both his mask and the wall of coldness he had put around him. It had been many years since they had been so close together. Up close in the soft spot light’s slivery glow she still looked the girl who captured a butterfly in her delicate palms. Unwillingly he felt that this time he was the butterfly, captured unknowingly in her soft charm. There was no way he could hurt her, without ultimately bleeding himself. 
Give me a chance, or break this trance
Walk away, while you’ve got the chance
Turn around before I can see
Those eyes still gleam for me…
‘Nothing,’ he said finally. ‘At least not today…’
‘Why?’
He twirled her in silence, his eyes gleaming rather warmly now.
‘You ask a lot of questions,’ he said in a light voice.
‘There has to be a reason for every action.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Unless of cause you’re insane…’
‘I have no choice!’
‘People always have choices they tend to over look them sometimes.’ She smiled at his uncomfortable look. ‘I’m confusing you aren’t I? In your imagination I might have ran away by now.’
‘Yes.’ He agreed slowly. But does not that happen to everyone who walks in to a spider’s web. Do not they enjoy the softness of its threads before being trapped in an un-escaping fate? Do not they usually look upon the approaching spider with wonder filled eyes? But does the spider always hesitate like this?  
Will you be the one -Oh rose of fall
That loved the sun -though it burned all
Or instead the night will you choose the dawn
Oh my moon light will you take me down
They did one perfect dip and he inhaled that sweet fragrance of hers. Had it been some alternate universe he might have kissed her then.
What the hell was he thinking?
Just a glance is that all I gain
End of the trance will I die in pain
Ohh…ooo…tell me…
Will this eternity remain……..
*
In his Skype screen Sanskar rubbed his temples.
‘I don’t know Kavi… We had a plan. Mind you in past tense. I was supposed to drug her. She would have made a mockery of herself…but…I couldn’t.’
He stopped again.
‘I’ve heard that good people are watched over by gods. But how can someone be so good that even demons watch over them? I can’t protect her now Kavi, she has fallen too deep in to my web… But I can’t watch her suffer either! What is it that I’m supposed to do to be salvaged?’
*