ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's ᴘᴏᴠ

It was midnight and rudra was still unable to get the sleep. He was feeling restless and to avoid it he decided to complete some work. Getting the laptop he walked near the table when his vision fell over the letters and box which he had left there itself in the hurry to meet akshita.  He kept the laptop on side and brought the box and letters.

There was a diary too in it, before looking at the letters he decided to see the diary. Flipping the blank pages he reached at the mid section where he got a photograph of two children. Seeing that photo a smile appeared on his lips and the long lost memories freshen up. It was him and his akshu. It was the same photo he had near him and it's still there in his cupboard.

He remembered some faded voices and orders of a girl who was none other than akshita herself.

"I don't want any mistake from you, okay? If you lose this photo then I won't forgive you." She demanded crossing her little arms and puffing the red cheeks. Seeing her dramas, rudra laughed and pinched her both cheeks.

"Okay baba, I won't do any mistake. See I am keeping this inside in front of you only." He showed her and once confirming she flipped her hair back with her tiny hand.  She then come up with another thing and he gave her a look.

"I don't have lot of space to keep every nonsense thing akshu. I'm not going to stay there forever. When I will return then give me everything." He told but she shook her head and ran to him.

She showed him a doll, which was made up like a bride. He took it in his hand and gazed at her. "This is me. Whenever you will feel alone, see this doll and remember me." Her voice broke and suddenly she started crying. Rudra wiped her tears and hugged her.

"Why are you crying akshu? I promise, I will come back soon."

"I'll miss you." She told as he smiled and pinched her cheeks, while she was cutely sniffling.

"I don't like crying akshu. Now give a smile or I will get angry." He pouted and she giggled. Seeing her smile he hugged her.

A smile formed over his face as he looked at the photograph with love and adoration in his eyes.

He flipped the diary till end to find many such photos of them together. And at the end there was his solo pic. It was when he had gotten the 'Businessman of the year award'.  His heart clenched after seeing her collection. Somehow he felt guilty for not reminding her. She had put him her first priority always. But in the highly competitive world, just to maintain his image he ran behind work, so much that he forgot about everything. And when he finally got the satisfaction he realized that whatever their parents did years ago was wrong, it was against law and he didn't have any wish in that. He felt pulled out with the fact.

Again focusing on the box he opened it and saw a beautiful gold chain with a trishul pendent and a rudraksha at the end.

His eyes shined as he picked it in his palm. He liked her choice, he was always fond of this kind of jewelery and keeping it in mind she bought it for him.

He read the note which was wrapped around the chain.

'Happy Birthday Rudra! Today you turned 28 years old and with that it's your 14th birthday which you are celebrating without me. I am very angry on you for not coming here. You didn't even answer to my last letter, you have hurt me. Just come here once then I will take revenge for everything. Just kidding! Okay, now leave this topic and tell me how's the gift?

I want to see your reaction after seeing it and that's why I won't send this to you. In fact when you will come here then I will gift you by myself.

I am waiting for you rudra, please come soon!'

A very different feeling hitted him. He kept the note on side and looked at those letters. An urge hitted him and he started reading everything. He had never thought that someone can love him to this end. Her words, her method of expressing love and the way she was showing her right through the words were telling how deep her feelings are.

Before he was taking it for granted thinking it's just because everyone had never let her forget about their marriage. And she was just loyal to the marriage which turned into love. But now he realized that she had loved him beyond any relationship. She had waited for him wishing nothing but love in returns which he never gave her.

He could now feel how bad she may had felt when she saw samaira with him and to get divorce from her he claimed to marry samaira.

Rudra was not feeling guilty but he was broken just by thinking about her sacrifice. He used to get mad over her for claiming her rights unnecessarily and forcing the marriage over him but at last she sacrificed her love, her relationship and her happiness for him. The reason is ONLY HIM.

He remembered one of the moments from the memory land when both rudra and akshita were playing and in that she ended up hitting her toe to the wall which resulted into bleeding.

"Don't cry akshu! See your toe is fine now!" Rudra tried to convince her while wiping her tears but she wasn't listening as it was paining her a lot.

Seeing her in tears he felt very bad and hugged her closer to himself. "It is paining." She said in between her sobs which he silently heard and rubbed her back.

"My akshu is very brave, right? Now smile for your rudra. I promise from next time I won't let anything happen to you and will always protect you." He said pushing the remaining tears from her cheek.

She smiled at him as he blew air on her injury while gently applying the 'haldi' (Turmeric powder) over it.

His thoughts saddened him. He had promised to protect her and never let her shed tears but now he's the one behind her pain and sadness. It was him who's hurting her the most. His promises just faded away. He couldn't think more about the condition of her heart which was bearing so much from these long years.

So many memories were getting fresh in his mind. The things she had written in her diary and the way she had expressed her love has developed something in his heart. His heart was feelings pulled out, he was wanting to see her, to get her presence but it was frustrating him that she wasn't there.

Why was it happening? Why did he feel so attached to her? Yeah, they had spent their childhood together but the thing he felt for her was beyond that.

Taking the chain and the diary he laid on the couch itself, falling deep into the memories. He hugged the diary closer to his heart as the chain hanging around his palm.

It was the backyard of rathore mansion where children were playing. Gauri was busy with little meera who was troubling her with her toys. And in the corner rudra was sitting with his book. He lifted his head and snapped back when a melodious voice hit into his ear.

"Rudra!!" Akshu ran from the big door as carrying the lehenga in her tiny hand she came to where he was sitting.

"Rudra, see what I brought. Come, we will play with my new dolls." She said showing him the dolls which she had gotten from her father.

"I'm not a girl to play with dolls. Go and tell meera jiji, she will play with you." He huffed and focused on his book. Whereas akshita sadly pouted and turned her face. He noticed her sad face which immediately melted his heart. He kept everything on side and went near her.

He forwarded his hand and said "Give me one doll and say what I have to do?" Her face lit up with happiness and she gave one of the doll to him.

They sat down on their places and akshu started instructing him about what to do. "This is bride and you have groom, now we will marry them off. You are on groom's side and i am from bride's team. Okay?"

"Huh, you girls are unbelievable!" He shook his head but then whatever he says at the end he has to do what she is telling him.

"I will complain to maasà that you are not playing with me." She pouted with a sad face to which he glared but huffed on her antics. She has her own tricks to mend him in her ways.

"Meri pyaari akshu! Now, will you start the marriage?" She sheepishly smile and nodded her head.

One by one decorating the dolls she did whatever she knew then asked him to stand up and herself took the place behind him.

"Now you walk before and i will follow you."

"But why?" He asked confusingly.

"Buddhu! (Idiot) Dolls can't walk so you and me have to carry them." She cutely stated making him facepalm himself.
He walked before him and following him she too did the same, taking fake peheres around the chair.

"Promise that you will always love me and protect me!" She said and he looked at her.

"Why you?"

This time she slapped her forehead and glared at him.

"Buddhu rudra! Me and my doll are one." He nodded his head and they keep playing the game.

The innocence, care and love they both were carrying was heart warming. Whoever had seen them was just in awe. The way they both loves each other was always a topic of adoration.

Rudra chuckled remembering about his demanding akshu, he was smiling to himself remembering that there was a time when a tiny girl used to make him dance on her tip of fingers and there wasn't any option to escape as everytime he tried she used to warn him about complaining to mamta for not playing with her.

Her cute face, those innocent eyes and the twitching of noses with which she used to melt him and atlast convincing him to do whatever she says.

He glanced at the diary and kissed over it. He was feeling very nice suddenly. Like he got something very precious.

Falling deep into sleep he skipped to the memory lane as it was soothing his heart. Unknown to him but he had started developing feelings for her, he could feel them but couldn't express it.

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𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 :- 𝟑𝟎𝟎 +