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Seating ourselves on the table, which was placed on the outsides, the service boy came to our table “Good evening Sir, Good evening Mam,”He simply nodded and I smiled at his direction.“Bring us two glass of water” Shesh said. I had busied myself with looking around. Reading up the menu, he gave the order and then looked at me “What would you like to have?”I told him. “So, you must be thinking that, why haven’t I had thrown any sort of party or something, right?”“No,” I said, “How can I when I never even knew that it was your birthday today?”He smiled at that “Right,” “Did nobody wish you the whole day?” I asked him, curious about the sudden piece of news, which I have got from him. “Vritra and Nuwa did” he smiled, as he recalled something “they even presented me an amazing pair of punch bags” Boys, what pleasure did they have from getting a punching bag, as a birthday gift. I smiled at that and the next question just came out of my mouth. “And, Ahi Sir” Instantly, his face went the colour of a red tomato. What was this thing between these two brothers? This was not the first time, Shesh had acted like this to Ahi’s name. In meetings too, I had noticed the way he acted around Ahi as if he was some untouchable, whose mere touch had the power to pollute him. Didn’t Shesh like Ahi? For a long time, there was no answer “I am sorry Sir. If you don’t want to talk on this matter, then, it’s perfectly alright. I won’t force you”“I don’t accept wishes from strangers, Rashi,” he said, before, I could finish my sentence. “Stranger,” I asked “Who is the stranger? He is your brother” “My illegitimate brother” he shrugged casually as if that didn’t matter much. “His mother was the real love of my father, so, when she died, Dad had to take the bastard, inside the family”“I am so sorry, Sir” I had stopped eating and was gazing up to Shesh, in a dumbstruck manner “I have no right to say this but, you should not say something like this for him. After all, he is your brother, whether you consider him, or not. It’s bad enough that he has that title over him, without you making it much worse, than it already is”“I don’t care” he sipped his drink. I nodded and looked sideways. Was that the reason Ahi was so far from everyone else? It could be…“Rashi” he said “I am sorry, I shouldn’t have started this topic” I looked at him at that, and said “It’s alright, I guess, I really should have kept my mouth closed” “Hey” he grasped my hand across the table, as he said that “Are you upset now? I said I am sorry”“It’s alright,” I said, as I tried to take my hand back out of his grasp. Why this sudden revelation of his family matters to me? My mind suddenly came up with that question. I never asked him that who was his family, or how they came here. He just started the topic all by himself. Yes, deep down inside I was curious to know more about his family life, past life, and the present one, but, somehow, this sudden revelation and his hands on mine made it difficult for me to concentrate, on what I was going to say next. Hastily, nervously, I took my hands from his. The contact was so alien. “I would like to go home” I said, “It’s already too late” “Rashi” a sudden huskiness in that voice of his, as he spoke up next word “you must be considering all these things strange, but,” he struggled with words “ you should know everything about my family, about myself .After all, if you are going to be my girlfriend, then…” “Just wait a second there,” I said, “What-what did you say about that girlfriend's stuff, come again” He looked confused and almost slowed down as he said, “I said if you are going to be my girlfriend, then…”“Who said anything about being your girlfriend?” I asked him, almost immediately, as my sleeping rage level, slowly, rose up inside me. The man had the guts to call me his girlfriend without even asking my opinion on that matter. I was simply astonished by that.“I…” he looked more puzzled over my reaction, “I thought, you liked me, Rashi. That day in the office, the way you looked at me,”
“Your mind range is way much ahead than time, Mr Chauhan,” I said slowly, filling enough offence in my tone “Did you even asked me once about my feelings? Did you ever give them a consideration before calling me your girlfriend?” I was surprised by the audacity of the man.“Don’t say that,” the hurt evident in his voice “I thought…that you are too shy to confess them in front of me, so, I decided to make it easier for you”“There was no need,” I said, biting my lip, as I spoke again “When did I ever appear coy in front of you, Sir? If I ever had those feelings for you then, trust me, I would have had come to meet you myself and would have told you about them. You simply amaze me, Sir”“So,” the pain in his eyes,“You mean to say that…that-““I am sorry, Sir” I cautioned him with my eye, trying to make him understand “But, I don’t share those kinds of feelings for you. On the contrary,” I looked down now, knowing, that the next sentence I utter will be the one, which will make him sadder “I love someone else, how can I love you ?”
The whole way both of us kept the silence without either of us making an effort to break it. It was rude on my part to tell him in that way but, seriously, all those talks about girlfriend stuff coming from his mouth, really threw me off balance, for a minute there. How can he consider everything like that, when I never said those things? I had committed a crime by breaking someone’s lovely heart, and not just anyone, but, my own boss. But, I was true to myself, that’s what mattered more. I simply cannot say yes, to him, while knowing that in my heart there was someone else, that too, a were snake! After dropping me on the doorstep of my house, he was just about to turn back, when I said “Thank you for the dinner, Sir, and Happy birthday, again” He nodded “Good night, Rashi”“Sir,” I said, filling my voice with enough warmth “I am so sorry, Sir. It wasn’t my intention to break your heart. You had good intentions, but” I looked sideways and then back at him “I have not even told my mother about this secret of mine so, how could I have told you, I hope,” I splayed my hand helplessly in front of him, so that he could understand “I hope you understand my situation and will try to search for your mate elsewhere. It will be hard to forget the first girl or boy, you had your attraction to but, please, try”“It’s alright, Rashi” he said “My admiration for you had grown higher, because of your honest nature. You could have lied by saying yes, to me, even though you love someone else. It’s not every day a girl is proposed by me ” he winked at that and I smiled, happy to see him getting normal “ But, still” he went serious again “It will take me some time to get over this confession of yours. Whoever the boy is, I must say, he is one lucky man to get such a loyal girlfriend” he smiled, though there some piece of sadness still lurked in his eyes “May I know his name?”“You mind if I keep it secret?” I asked “No, I don’t” he shook his head and then, sighed heavily “So,” I asked hesitantly “Shall I consider, both of us to be just friends for now, or not?”“Yes, of course” he said, turning to me “I will try but,” he paused “It will take time,”“If you want, I can resign from the job…” I said, even though it made me sad. “Impossible,” he said “I don’t want to lose a good employee, and a friend” he smiled at that and cleared his throat “Well, forget it. Let’s call it a night and proceed to our sleeping nests, shall we? I am damn sleepy” “Alright,” I said “I would like to say Goodbye and good night. Drive carefully and message me, when you safely reach home” “Alright,” he said “Bye” and drove before I answered back. From that moment onwards, one thing became clear, it would be difficult to work as Shesh’s secretary now. One can always hope, and try.
Diwali holidays started, and with that started, the restlessness inside me. Shesh’s face, twenty-four seven, roamed in front of my eyes, along with his voice. I wanted to forget that talk now, but it was embedded in my system, somehow. Why did everything have to turn up like this? I need some relaxation now. Though Shesh never asked me, I had read the question in his eyes, which asked, that if my boyfriend loved me too? What should have I answered to him? I never asked him? I should make my feelings clear to Vasu, irrelevant to his answer. Indirectly, I already knew his answer, but, still, a c
onfirmation through words was kind of necessary for me, at this time. A day before the main festival, at night, I waited like crazy for Vasu’s call. In my bed, my gaze kept on flickering to the bedside watching, hoping, that now the bell would ring. I must have fallen asleep because, when the bell finally rang, rubbing my eyes, I finally picked up the phone
“Angel sssss”“Vasu” I heaved a sigh, before I spoke “Hi, how are you? Why did it take you so long to call? I was tensed, thinking that something has happened to you?”“Ra” he lisps “cool down, I am fine. Sort of busy that’s it. Why-what happened?”“Vasu” I closed my eyes, as I said “I want to meet you”
A complete silence on the line, as I finished. Is he shocked? “Vasu” I spoke again “Are you there? Are you listening? Say something”“Ra” he spoke again “Are you alright? How can I meet you? Do you want me to come over in your room?” happiness lurked in that voice.“No, I want to meet you in person. I want to meet you as a human” My voice shook and wobbled, “Rashi” he sounded startled “Angel are you crying? Something has happened, isn’t it? Tell me”“Nothing has happened” tears rolled down now, my internal fear, suspicion, and doubt, had appeared now. Fear, that my love will go unanswered. Fear, that Vasu may be considering me as his friend, when I so wanted him, to take the place of a lover. Wiping my cheek, I said again, literally pleading this time “Please Vasu, please love, meet me once. I want to see how my lover looks like. Please, once. It had been eight months; eight months, ” I paused, wiped my cheeks again “Enough for anyone to fall in love, isn’t it?” his voice, full of wonder resonated on the line “You love me Angel sssss? You love a were snake?”“Of course stupid, how can you ever doubt that” I gulped down a sob. Did love made you cry?“Think one more time, Rashi” he said “Are you saying it from your heart? Because I fell in love with you from day one.” “Really?”“In our Naga tribe, basically, a male chooses a female by bedding her. This is how two people fell in love but, a rare case happens if a Naga falls in love with a human, girl or boy.In some one thousand years this thing has happened, that a Naga of our tribe has fallen for a human, that is, me” he paused “For that to happen, a Naga feels connected to the human as the human turns out to be his soul mate, not girlfriend or wife but, like true another half. When that happens, only that person matters. The World can go to dogs, for all it matters”I felt like floating, flying high beyond my expectation.“And, what happens to human?” I asked lightly, smiling this time“ the Same thing. Apart from the Nagah, human will be never connected to anyone, whether human or any other lycanthrope. This is common in all the other lycanthropes that are werewolf, were-cheetah, werebear, and all. I wanted to say these words to you long back but thought that you will get scared. You were already scared by my real form, weren’t you?”“Yes,” I cracked a smile “But, not now. Tell me, when are you going to meet me?”“Soon” he said “Say, after Diwali?”“So long” I asked, “What about tomorrow?” “Tomorrow” he sounded doubtful “I am not sure if I will be able to” “You can try,” I said“Sorry love, I won’t be able to and, I don’t want to make you disappointed. So, I promise, after Diwali, on your assigned place, I promise”“Thank you” I said “Now, I can sleep peacefully”“Ra” he asked again “Has something happened today?”“My Boss proposed me,” I simply told him “I told him, NO”“What did he say?” The idea of Vasu getting jealous with Shesh thrilled me. “He said, that the boy who is loved by me, is really lucky” I smiled“Indeed, I am” he chuckled “So, he has given up on you?”“He has, for certain” I said, again“Make no mistakes, angel” he lisps again “You are mine, and nobody can take you away from me”“Sleep now Love, Goodnight” I said“Good night”
Diwali, the celebration of love and happiness was one of my favourite festivals. I simply loved it. Though, right after Dad’s death, mum and I were too sad to celebrate it for years, so, when I finally turned fifteen, we started celebrating it. Like every year, I was busy in decorating the entire house with lightning diyas with mum preparing dinner. The delicious aroma, from the kitchen, entered my nostrils. I was right now on the roof, making sure, that every small corner is covered with the Diyas.Suddenly, my phone went crazy. This was from the morning onwards. Wishes, laughter and talks, was one of the common happiness factors, in the celebration of the festival. I was simply tired from attending the phone calls from the morning. Simply push the green button, I held the phone to my ear, without paying much attention to the caller“Hello”“Happy Diwali, R-Ms Sharma” that cold, I-rule-the-world voice was enough to make me guess the name of the person, on the other end of the phone. But, still, I wanted to make sure that actually, it was Ahi Chauhan, and not anyone else.“Happy Diwali, Ahi Sir,”There was a small chuckle and, then, I heard him “How did you recognise me? I thought nobody can ever recognise my voice”“I just knew” I simply said, “Was there any work, Sir?” I asked, because, Ahi called me, only when there was some work he had from the library, or when he had to order some new books, for his work.“No,” he said “I called to wish you happy Diwali from the side of entire Chauhan family. As for work, Yes, I have some work from you”“Please, go ahead then, Sir” I smiled “Ms Sharma, for two weeks I won’t be coming to the office, even after Diwali break gets over”Yes, I thought, I won’t have to see him for that many days. I felt like doing rock n roll.“Oh,” I filled my voice with enough sadness, as if, that was the news of great grief “That’s too bad, Sir. We will miss your presence in the meetings” You could not have given me much better news…“Thanks for your concern, Ms Sharma. That’s why I decided, to ask from you, a simple work. I had taken some books from the library so that I could read them in the holidays. I have finished with their reading, and I will be sending them to the office, through the hands Of Vritra Khinna or Nuwa Kadra, alright. You can collect them from my office by using your keys”“But Sir,” I said, hesitating this time “You have forbidden anyone to go in your area, what about that?” “That’s what I am telling you. I have told Hari to permit you inside my room. The books will be kept on the table so, you may collect them from there and if, by chance, Hari is not there then don’t worry. Simply enter the room with the help of your emergency keys, alright”“Very well, Sir,” I replied “Good night, Sir. Happy Diwali once again”“Good night” saying that, the line went dead.
I was waiting desperately for this Diwali week to get over. Not just because I was bored of domestic life and wanted to return badly to my professional life, but also, because, after Diwali, Vasu had promised to meet me. The place wasn’t decided yet, but, that was no hassle. I had decided to meet him in the Nag Devta Temple.As I counted the days, soon the break came to an end and I returned to my office life. Days beamed with happiness. Everyone was relaxed, refreshed, after such a long break. The first day, when I entered my library, I glanced around every single thing. From the table to the book rack, seemed, as if, they missed me too. Shesh Sir was also very delighted to meet every one of the employees. I didn’t saw a flicker of any other emotion in his eyes, apart from happiness and excitement. I was happy, that he was trying so hard, to overcome my rejection.“Good morning Sir,” I said, as I entered his room with his daily schedule“Good morning, Rashi” he lighted up as he saw me and got up from his seat. After supplying him with all the information, I was about to take my leave when I recalled Ahi’s work. Books, I thought, I had to take them. I asked the same, to him to which he said that, he had no idea and that I should better ask to Vritra Khinna or Nuwa Kadra. What was the meaning of these two alien words “Khinna” “Kadra”? I so wanted to ask them these questions but, was afraid to ask, if I offended them or something.“Rashi” he called, as I was about to exit“Yes Sir,”“About that night…please, I pray you, don’t tell anyone about the things I told you about my family…about Ahi…” he didn’t finish but, there was no need to, as I said “Don’t worry Sir. It’s a secret, which will be in my heart till the day I die”He simply smiled and said “Thank you, friend. Stop calling me Sir, call me simply She
sh.”“I can’t, Sir” I said “For you are my boss and following the office etiquettes, I should stick with your official title only, so” I paused again “Sorry to disappoint you once again. As for now, I should go to Ahi Sir’s room and take the books back. Good day”
Certain nervousness arose in the pit of my stomach as I inserted the key in the lock. Hari was absent today, as it seemed to me now, so, I took the only option which was left to me. I used my emergency keys and soon heard the click from the other side.Pushing the door towards, I stepped inside the small corridor which had Ahi’s private elevator in it and Hari’s room, too. Total silence prevailed here along with the lighted chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Gulping down enough saliva to calm myself, I entered the smallest looking key in the main “Dragon’s Den”.A click sound, and slowly I pushed the door open, careful enough not to make any sort of noise. The Dragon had permitted me to enter his den, I thought. I was not committing any sort of crime, why did I have this guilt? Everything was covered in darkness. Searching for the switchboard in the near wall, I switched on the light. The curtain had been moved in front of the back glass window due to which, there was such darkness. Moving to the window side, I moved the curtains so that, light may enter the room. Smiling to myself, I turned and had just moved to the table, in order to collect the books from it, when something caught my attention. That photo frame, which I had seen there for the first time, which I could not see for the simple reason, that Ahi had entered at the main time, my curiosity got better of me again, whose photo adorned Ahi Chauhan’s table? Carefully, I rounded the table and stood in front of it. Still, I could not see the person in it correctly, as the outside light was creating a reflection on it. Picking it up, as I held it in the right amount of light, I had gone numb. My face was totally heated up to my hair root. My tongue thick and mouth went dry. The occupant of the frame was none other than… me!
I could not believe my eyes as I kept on staring at the frame for end number of seconds, before; I could make out a head or a tail to that photo. Me, I thought again, why did Ahi had my photo on his table? I blinked my eyes several times before, I was convinced that I was not dreaming or hallucinating. What was my photo doing here? What does this all means? I was still staring at the photo frame with a puzzled expression when, absent-mindedly, I caressed the sides of the frame. As if I have given the magical command, suddenly the drawer beneath the table, stood open. I gasped in amazement, as I saw that. What was going on? I could not stop myself from gazing at that drawer and its content. Slowly, as if something inside me was commanding me to do that, I sat down and saw the thing lying in it. It was a black diary which said “Ahi Diary”. The miracle of miracle happened as, even on its cover, I saw my name written along with Ahis. It was written in this way “Rahi”. Kind of combining my, and Ahi’s name! Then, before I could control myself, my hand went to that out of its own accord. It was wrong on my part to read it. I should have left the matter where they were but, I could not. Not, after seeing my face in that photo frame. My hands were shaking and I was shivering from head to toe till I took the book in my hands. No Rashi, don’t, it's bad manners…don't read it.I don’t care, I said and, with shaking hands, I flipped open the diary.
I could not find it, yet again. When, when will I get that Mani? Why is God so unfair to me? Wasn’t it enough that, I have already lost them? It will take some time but, where is it? Didn’t Nuwa tell me that it had to be somewhere in Mussoorie? I am so confused…I still can’t forget their faces. The horror of it, as I saw those two assassins burning their bodies. Raja Saab and Rani Sahiba, just like it had happened yesterday. I never told Vritra and Nuwa about it but now...The night, when Raja Sahib and Rani Sahiba had emitted the three magical stones from there inside, was the night, I had been ordered to call Vritra Khinna. But, I didn’t. How could I? When, it was his and Nuwa’s first night, after the wedding. It was one magical night. Khinna and I are same in our appearances when we are in snake form. So, without informing him, I took the form and went into the jungle. Jaipur jungles, have always fascinated me from the day, I entered this family. Being an illegitimate one, I believe, had some advantages. Full moon light, greenery all around me, it was the time when the magical process took place. Raja Sahib emitted green one which Mom told him, belonged to me, as I am his love child of, his one true lover. She said that true Love mattered more than anyone else. Mom gave out two red ones which she said, will be the responsibility of, Vritra and Shesh Khinna. I love my Mum and elder Khinna for the love they have shown to a bastard child. Then as soon as the process ended, two shadows emerged from the tree side, of those two cruel people. Big bulky looking one attacked Raja Sahib, thereby, slashing his mouth from the head. This was simply too much for me, and Mom, to take in.Another one was simply standing by the side, watching the crime. He never moved from his side but, simply took the three stones handed to him, by the bulky one. It was so dark that, I could not make out their features. Mum was killed next, in process of saving me. I simply had to hide, so that, I may return back safely to the castle and tell everyone about the murders.Uncle and Aunt, as soon as they heard about the murder, told the four of us to simply move out from Jaipur, as, without Mani, we were just that, helpless and without any power. If the three stones would have been with us then, Vritra Khinna could have been the next “Kashyapa”, in line. The King of the were snake, with Nuwa as “Kadra”, Cobra queenThe quiver i.e. our group, needed that but, it was just because of those two men, that we are orphaned now. Three of us, to sayI guess if Mussoorie will be home to us now because, Jaipur will always remain, one. It was bad enough that I lost not one but two mothers. My real one and the step, who became more real to me, than anyone. Mom named me Vasu, once. I remembered when she said that Kashyapa, the great Vasuki, was the greatest of the King Cobra in the Naga tribe history. She uses to say that in me, she sometimes, glanced him.I will be always the “Parijana”, the attendant; helper of the quiver. I would have been given the holy responsibility for carrying out and enforcing decisions made by Kashyapa and Kadra, to fulfil all orders for punishment. Raja Sahib always thought that Parijana held equal authoritative power as the Kadra, two often see eye-to-eye. I can never see eye –to-eye to Nuwa. She is the only elder sister I have got after she got married to Vritra.I wish we find it in Mussoorie because, as legends state, this is where the Great Vasuki found his one true soul mate, the great Kadra, Mayuri, first Cobra Queen. I often wonder sometimes that, how a Cobra can fell for a human. Mayuri Kadra was a human, so I heard, from Nuwa, once...Will I ever find anyone? I turned the pages…I don’t remember when the last time I saw an angel, but I am sure, that I saw one, today. She was there, like a bright star in a dark night. She told people not to hurt me. Such grey eyes, as if the cloudy mists before the rain. Mouth, the delicate rose petals waiting to be plucked. I think I want to get lost in those eyes for my whole life. She is brave, courageous and just like me…alone, waiting for a true love. At that moment, I just wanted to change back in my human form, embrace her and tell her that I am ready to give her every single drop of love that is stored in my heart, from that moment, for her.She is frustrated with a job, her mind told me that much. She has got a name more beautiful than the sweetest berries I have ever tasted, Rashi. Her physical self is an irresistible temptation for me, a temptation, which I won’t resist, I love her like crazy. Isn’t that what Nuwa told me once that, when my girl will appear in front of me then, I will simply care less for others and more for her…Turned some more pages…She is here, in the office. Thank God, my scheme of recruiting her worked. Though Khinna said that she was amazed as that stupid Deepak Kathra’s, in whose wife’s birthday party I had visited and who has simply forgotten me, confused her by saying that he never forwarded her resume to Chauhan’s office. True, we never got her resume but, it was necessary to answer her that her resume was forwarded to Thakur’s office from where it mistakenly came to us. Stupid Kathra!.He could have simply ruined my plan. No woman is allowed to enter my office.
I wish, someday, when I will explain her density of my feelings, that day, I will be able to show her not only my office but my home and especially my bedroom...Shesh will always hate me, but, I deliberately told Khinna to make her Shesh’s secretary so that, in this way, she will be under my vision. O Ra, if only the circumstances were simple if only, I could have been the extrovert kind of boy that it would not have been hard for me to show you how much I care for you...Vritra and Nuwa are happy for me, especially Nuwa, who always considered me off in the world. She says that Rashi has changed me. Well, who could take out faults with the delights of love?…..The girl has been simply scared by my appearance in her bedroom. I don’t blame her. She has a sweet, innocent soul, If I would have been in her place then, I would have run to other direction, just like she did. My plan was to simply see her sleeping but, as soon as I saw her sleeping form, I simply could not resist myself from entering her room and call her name in my snake tongue. It was wrong on my part to do that but, Rashi bring out those wild tendencies in me….…she missed me. It will be some time before she accepts me. She made me her friend. It’s alright; I am not in a rush to proceed with my relation with her…….She loves me. O Yes…though she has taken such a long time to confess it. The little tease the girl is but, I love her talks, her laughter. Hell, I love everything about her. I guess, what will she say to the fact when she will become aware that the person she is afraid of most in the office is the person she is in love with? will she be happy or sad? I just hope that she doesn’t get too offended.The one fact that Ahi is Ahi Vasu Chauhan! Her Vasu!
I kept on sitting on the leather chair. It didn’t matter, that I was getting frozen sitting on that cold seat or that, it was nearly one in the noon and I have been sitting in that office from the whole day. All that mattered was that I simply could not move from my place. Empty, inside out. Cold, deep within me. As if, somebody has slapped me hard, or as if, I have come to the party which had already taken place yesterday. Cheated, betrayed. All the talks I had shared with so-called Ahi Vasu Chauhan in the past few month started flashing in my mind’s eye. I could hear him laughing at me. Laughing at my foolishness, on my empty brain, that I simply could not recognise him in the first place. My situation was when I had no idea whether to laugh or cry. Laugh, on my foolish brain which could not add two and two thereby creating the answer of four. Cry, on my empty dreams, baseless hopes, and worse that, one feeling which had once taken me to the sky and which, right now, had dumped me so ruthlessly on earth. love. I need some air, to think on things with a fresh mind. Eight months, I thought, it took eight months for me to finally…But, I could not complete my train of thoughts and right now, my eyes were staring at a golden locket which was lying on the wooden base of the diary drawer. Keeping the diary in its right place so that, nobody has a suspicion of it being read, I took the locket in my palm. It was an almond-shaped golden locket hanging by an elite light golden chain. I kept on looking at it with blank eyes. My emotions were in complete dishevelled form right now. Should I be happy or straight away run from that office, and do not look back? Right now, the locket was opened from the middle with its back to me. Turning it on the other side, I looked inside and this time for sure, a tear slipped on my cheek as I saw the content of the locket. On one side of the Locket one big ‘An’ and on the other there was an ‘R’!