Malignant Ardor

Author Note

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking time to read this story and providing your feedback through votes and comments. In this note, I will share with you the information sources and the story behind the pen.

The concept for the story came from a popular dialogue, "same, same but different". Being a SwaSan story, the concept directly applied to Swara and Sanskaar. While I am a diehard SwaSan fan, I have a penchant for writing Ragini and Sanskaar scenes. Through the initial days of Swaragini, I felt Swara and Lakshya were similar. Hence came the craziest idea that I ever wrote on, the swap of siblings.

It's easy to write on perfect characters. It's fun to write on complicated characters. I read in one of writing tips, 'hit your favourite characters with the worst'. I wrote this right after Pyaar Ke Rishtey. So, the urge to twist the perfect Sanskaar and the sorted Swara from that story took over my plot. Here you have them, who have erred in various stages.

Most of you hated Sanskaar, but Swara is also to blame. She knew the way out, yet didn't implement it. She supported Sanskaar by accepting the forced wedding, covered for him before Ragini, and pushed the crime on Danny. Sanskaar was misguided, yes, but he was the one to perform the act. She confides in him instead of leaving him.

The scene, Truth of the Past, is from the stories I have read and also from personal experience. When you are betrayed by the people you love and left alone by the circumstances, a stranger with a listening ear is a far better choice than wallowing in the river of tears. On that note, Swara lets Sanskaar off the hook.

The confession from Swara, when she asks for her gift is inspired from his quote.
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tsu

Uttara is only introduced in the last chapter. However, throughout the story, I wrote her scenes that influenced Sanskaar's actions. To keep the suspense and the length, I would cut her scenes. I had preserved this in a separate file, so I thought to publish here. It happens the night of the blackmail which triggers him to clarify with Dida about the past. This is especially for IF readers who read the story again.

~~~~~

Sanskaar couldn't sleep after what he did. There was only one person he could speak to, at this moment. Uttara was an undergraduate at University of Melbourne. Without thinking of time zone, he texted. She replied immediately.

S: Uttara, I got married.
U: What?? To whom?

He sent Swara's photo. She knew her, like he knew most of his secrets. He had confided thinking the little girl would hardly understand, but she stored info to trade for favors now. This was one such info.

U: Swara???????
U: Didn't she have a boyfriend??
S: I blackmailed her.

Uttara called. As a greeting, she shouted, "Have you lost your mind? Why?" He explained.

"Does Ragini know? She won't forgive you. One sweet memory you had of your depressing college life and you had to go mess with that as well, that too big time. How could you listen to an ex-boyfriend? How could you not cross check, if not Swara, with someone else?"

~~~~~

With this, I sign off. See you with a new book.

Cheers,
Sharon.