VAISHALI-3

3

"That must be a rare one." Vaishali pointed out to Rishi a bird with a multi coloured plummage thankful that Tejas was sitting on a rock far towards the left from them and chatting up someone on his mobile.Else he would have teased her finding some or the other reason."

Nope we find many such birds near water anywhere across the world", Rishi whispered back but clicking away neverthless. "shaalu will you pose for me ?"He asked suddenly! "What? since when are you interested in human beings? common give me a break!" Vaishali wandered away towards her right away from both of them as Rishi walked forwards to the lake  TOWARDS THE SOUTH...!!!

As she walked, she approached the fence and beyond it the land scape was really beautiful and about twenty meters from the fence the greenery was thick and absolutely wild. It was very dense and alluring in a certain way!She turned right and walked towards the lake and reached it. Here it was bordered with tiny rocks and was difficult to approach! 

She found Rishi taking snaps to her right! She walked quite a distance from them she thought. But well within their site. She sat at the edge of the waters on a rock that was flatter than the others and with her sari slightly tucked up so that her feet were in the water. The water lapped up around her ankle and the sound of the lapping of the water on the tiny rocks was very nice to listen to after the hustle bustle of the city traffic! Nature, greenery, water, birds, fresh and unpolluted air! Heaven she thought!

She looked into the crystal clear cool water! The setting sun gave the clear water a golden hue and vishali admired it and kept staring at the water ripples created by a gentle breeze that started blowing from the south that was to her back now! 

Wait a minute was the water turning golden brown or was it her imagination? She looked around and found Tejas still talking on his mobile while Rishi moved farther away from her he was using his lense for long distance meaning he was busy. 

She again turned back to the water and she saw the water rippling and as she stared at it the ripple opened into a golden haze which was functioning like a screen of sorts and a film unfolded on it... there was a fire a big one and she saw a lady in the fire walking into it actually, wearing a garland of white  and yellow flowers dressed in turmeric coloured bright yellow sari which was typical as it had a long pallu... very long but the fire was not burning her long pallu and the lady ran into the fire and caught someone by the hand and pulled. Vaishali could make out a hand a strong man's hand and it wound round the neck of the lady as if for support and she noticed something else very clearly!  Before she registered in her mind what was it that she saw, the lady turned back and Vaishali's breath hitched and heart skipped a beat. It was her!!! 

------VAISHALI------

At exactly the same time ...Mumbai, In the Agnihothri Chambers on the top floor...

"You crazy?" The executive asked at the man dressed in a long kurtha and jeans. Long hair secured at his nape with a piece of rope and holding a big square envelope which looked like an invitation of some sort ! "Here people are waiting for more than six months for an apointment and you expect to walk in? What do you think you are? where do you think you are?" The man looked at the receptionist and the secretary sitting across the hall and said "just let me explain! "

"Sorry! You can't coz you need to have an appointment even for breathing here!", the executive shot back exasperatedly! He checked his watch again and said "please leave! Boss is due any moment and he does not stand any one who is here without a prior appointment!"

The man in jeans said "how do i take an appointment?" The executive shot him an irritated look and said," okay! just go the receptionist there and fill your details and then the secretary will get back to you in a day or two !"

"What but i have to meet him today at any cost the man pleaded." 

"Sorry to disappoint you but thats impossible. Leave your details you shall be informed. Now...." he was about to finish when a strong pair of hands lifted the man and placed him aside and then brushed past the executive. 

It was a very broad and tall man dressed in black with a blue tooth and in dark glasses ... a bodyguard! 

Then the Boss  breezed through the automatic sliding doors. He was in his late twenties and to an onlooker he would come across very powerful exuding a charm so potent that he can be termed as a stunner both in looks as well as his presence.He was a six footer lean yet lithe with broad shoulders a square jaw and a personality that would attract not only the opposite sex but would invite attention from his own.

He was dressed in Khakis and a collared white shirt and wore a light weight jacket which he through at the secretary saying,"Mary the Gem and Jewellery Consortium stuff... now... quick!!! " 

He turned then and saw the man and froze for a moment as recognition dawned on his face while the man moved towards the Boss, the same pair of hands held him for which the Boss reacted by saying," Nissar! leave him! "

Then he greeted the man in jeans saying "Waqeel! What are you doing here? Why didn't anyone tell me you are here?" the Boss said  looking around at the at his staff.

"Sir... "The executive tried to cover up but the Boss brushed him aside by saying ," Come Waqeel" and went into his cabin. Waqeel walked into the spacious cabin which looked on to the Mumbai city as it was done ceiling to floor in glass on the other side. He was made to sit in a chair while the Boss sat on the other side behind a huge desk.

Waqeel handed the envelope to the Boss for which he said," Don't tell me you came all the way just to give me this invitation!"

Waqeel replied, "You know Abba! After he spoke to you yesterday he packed me off to Mumbai to deliver the invite personally" 

"That is not required at all I told him so! "The Boss replied but took the envelope and opened it to reveal a very artistically done invite which was for an art exhibition and as the front page of the brochere was revealed the Boss found himself staring into a pair of beautiful big eyes... They were mesmerising and there was a strange pull in them.... he never was a man for instant attraction and actually didn't believe in such stuff! !It was a painting that was of the face of a young woman with only a pair of eyes half closed revealed while the rest of it was shrouded in a veil and the title IBAADAT.He had to give it to Abba for making such a wonderful piece of art.... no no! he had to give it to the model to whom those eyes belonged to as they were very pretty.

The man called the Boss-Neelkanth Vardhamaan Agnihothri-popularly known all across the country and the world as The Wizzkid Neel Agnihothri, found himself drowning in those eyes! So much so that what Waqeel was saying got drowned in his own musings and he surfaced as Waqeel ended saying"... this time its special as Abba made splendid stuff at the behest of the Government."

"Huh?"Neel was stil looking at the painting! "yeah. Abba always makes such stuff. Did you have anything to eat?" Neel enquired."

"You do one thing ... ",he looked up as Mary walked in with a folder. "Mary call the cafeteria and ask sireesh to set up something for waqeel." 

He addressed Waqeel and said," have food and you shall be dropped at the airport."

Waqeel got up and went to the door which Mary opened for him to leave but he turned back and with moist eyes asked Neel, " aap aavogey  naa? then he added "Bhai". 

Neel got up and rounded the huge desk in a giffy and hugged Waqeel and said," You know I will." waqeel held him tight. 

Bodyguard Nissar and Mary if they were stunned at seeing their boss hugging someone, they did not show it as they were trained for the worse although this was not at all ordinary of their aloof and eccentric Boss who kept everyone at a distance. 

"Infact i have a convention at the same venue on that day so all the more sure of making it."Neel assured Waqeel. 

"Amma will be happy to see you bhai," Waqeel said and then he sobbed! Neel squeezed him tight and said," hey common chotu its ok" 

Neel stood for  a while looking at Waqeel as he left the foyer and turned back to the desk picking up  the invite yet again. 
Whose were these eyes? Neel Agnihothri never found any woman fascinating! never! None could turn his head so much that he could say that he was fascinated. The world he knew was superficial with relationships built on transactions and trade offs!

For twenty eight years of age he was a fairly experienced man in this area and from the beginning kept his relationships few and far and less complex. 
He chose his women with care owing to his personal and family reputation and settled the score with them once he was bored which off late was quite faster than before. 
His charm and success made it difficult for any woman to resist him as well as leave him. 
But Neel always made sure his women knew the score that he was a free man. They had an entry only if they acknowledged that. 
Oh! he treated them with respect and courteousy so much so that his latest find a super model of Indian origin from the US was a hot property of the press cause of the rendezvous he planned for her and the likes. Well thats the perks she got for being a good balance between a clinging vine and a hassle free time pass. 
Neel laughed to himself but his laughter slowly died as the eyes on the invite yet again lured him and he found himself looking at them. How beautiful that woman must be. 
It was not the physical beauty but the character that those eyes conveyed.
They were shy... he was sure of that but they had depth in them and there was a certain uncertainity and fear in them that showed the owner of those eyes had a good experience of life but was a child at heart.... 

wow! One pair of eyes can tell you so much? Neel thought and turned to look at Nissar who now was staring at him awkwardly!
Neel realised that his staff was not used to him emoting at any level as they always saw his tough exterior. 
He just waved Nissar off for a break and leaned back on to the head rest of his huge chair ,closed his eyes! The pair of eyes haunted him and a tiny smile played on his lips as he waited for Mary to join him! 

------Vaishali------

It was her! The woman was her...with a lei round her neck and a long teeka of vermillon with chandan at the base.Vaishali felt the breeze turn cold and felt a chill in her back! 

A pricking sensation and then suddenly the ripple waved and she saw the dome of the temple which looked familiar and immediately the turrets of an old dilapidated fort and as she tried to recall where she saw it! 

Then she saw it!!! 
She saw a reflection of a face covered in blanket in such a way that it hid the face in darkness but for the ash that was smeared on the forehead vertically down across the nose down. No trace of lips and a  staff which was very crooked! Just a second it... !!It was a branch chiseled at the top. The figure was right behind her and she heard a voice, husky and like  stage wishper:

" The goddess had fasted for the handsome lord then but 

the lord of the trident shall fast for his goddess now! 

 He alone can save her and she alone can salvage his clan! He went on... 

"As the stars descend on the earth, 

she shall descend like a princess from the fairy land and fall in waiting arms! 

The sky would be aglow when the arrow strikes!!!

But beware not everything is hunky dory in the fairy land! 

The snake shall spoil the paradise and the darkness shall reign if the golden haze ..." .. 

The voice changed to a hiss suddenly saying "DO NOT TURN BACK."

" Vaishali!" where are you? Rishi's voice echoed in the distance and the figure vanished. 

Vaishali realised then THAT THE FIGURE AND THE VOICE WERE NOT A FIGMENT OF HER IMAGINATION!!!... but she wanted to turn back badly and as she tried she slipped as she was precariously perched on the rocks and fell sideways hitting her head and she saw Tejas and Rishi running towards her before her vision blurring momentarily before it settled again! SHE SAW NOTHING!!!!