A BRIDGE ACROSS FOREVER

9. SWEET MOMENTS IN TIME

2012, DEHRADOON

Abhay stared at the picture he had pencil sketched, his heart hammering furiously. He had meant to draw a portrait of Maithili, standing beneath the starry sky, a palace in the distance, as she waited for someone beneath a flowered tree. As usual, he had let his heart control his hand, when he had started to sketch. And something else had come out instead. Instead of long flowing hair, the girl in his drawing had curly hair. She wore the same gown that he had imagined when he had first started to draw, but instead of the palace, he had drawn its ruins. The girl of his picture stood on a cliff, not under the tree. His eyes widened at his own creation andhis hands trembled as he submitted the drawing. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a voice that he tried to ignore told him that had he used colour on his paintings, the colour of the eyes would not be black, but deep baby browns.

*******

"Oh,congratulations" Piya screamed, jumping up and down, and Abhay couldn't help but smile. " u came out second..See? See? I told u'u are so talented, and u fit in here perfectly well!! Yay!"
Abhay's smile widened, glad that her jumping and shouting was taking his mind off the muddled thinking of his brain, regarding the painting, Piya and Maithii..
"I have a surprise for u" Piya continued. "Lets go to Picnic Park. We can celebrate there. Not much just some snacks, but it's a great day, not too hot, and perfect for a outdoor day!! Come on"
Abhay smiled ."Ok. But remember Piya'"
"I know what u are going to say" Piya told him, cutting him short. "I will do whatever u want me to when we've had something. Come on, I'm starving."

1812,PANDHER PALACE, PANDHER KINGDOM.

Siddharth entered the balcony where Maithili was waiting for him.
"You called, princess?"
Maithili turned around, her face looking pained. "Siddharth, thank heavens u r here. I desire to meet Abhayendra immediately."
Fury erupted in Siddharth as he heard her take his wretched brother's name. But he controlled himself and taking a deep breath muttered. "I am afraid, princess, that it cannot be possible. My brother is bedridden, and security is very alert."
"But I need to see him" said Maithili, looking agonized. "Have u the faintest imagination how it feels to not see the person who owns your heart?" I may have some idea, Siddharth thought, looking at her. "And father desires that I marry the Prince of the Shah Kingdom. How can I? How can I ? I need to talk to Abhayendra, and u can help me Siddharth, I beg u, as a friend.."
Siddharth looked at her, shocked. She wanted HIM to help her go meet Abhayendra? Highly improbable, he thought, with a smirk. Well, time to show her how much I really love her'and she will forget Abhayendra'.
"When the princess wants to meet her true love, Siddharth will of course help" he murmured, noting the flash of happiness in her eyes. " Be ready at midnight tonight, princess, and I shall take you to him. Do not fret over the guards."
Maithili's face glowed. "Oh, Siddharth u mean it! Thank u so much!"
"For u, I've given up my heart princess" Siddharth thought. "This is going to be a piece of cake" He bowed at her. "I shall take my leave now, Princess'Maithili" he spoke her name with a carress. "Be ready at the West Tower of the palace tonight, Princess."

2012, RATHOD MANSION, DEHRADOON.

Ajay Rathod had just returned back from Mumbai, and headed straight to his study. He opened his email, checking whether any permission to his plea for keeping the documents had arrived yet. None. He sighed in frustration. He hoped the permission would come early. Just before coming, he had predicted something, which made him doubt whether he was deciphering it all wrong. He needed to check the documents once more. Because that particular sentence in the document had made no sense. How on earth could a time-machine ever exist in the real world, especially at a time when science was not advanced?? And besides, these were just real in the world of science-fiction, right?