Part 3

The air was thick with tension, the kind that precedes a storm. Ariyana stood in the dimly lit room, her gaze fixed on the doorway, her heart fluttering with the anticipation of Arjuna's arrival. But destiny had woven a different thread this evening.

As the silhouette appeared at the threshold, it wasn't the familiar contours of Arjuna that greeted her. Instead, a figure cloaked in the regalia of royalty stepped forward, his presence as unexpected as a desert rain.

"Yuvraj Rajveer?" Ariyana's voice was barely above a whisper, her words trembling like leaves in the wind. Confusion clouded her vision, and a subtle shiver of fear ran down her spine.

(Prince Rajveer?)

Rajveer's lips curled into a smile, but it was devoid of warmth, as if carved from stone. "Lagta apko Arjuna ka intezaar hai," he said, his voice smooth as silk yet carrying an edge that could slice through the thickest armor. His smile didn't reach his eyes, which were cold and calculating.

(Looks like you are waiting for Arjuna)

Ariyana's instincts screamed that something was wrong. Rajveer's smile was a facade, masking something far more sinister. The question that gnawed at her mind was as persistent as the beating of her heart — how did he know of this clandestine place that only her Arjuna knew? The walls, which had once felt like a sanctuary, now seemed to close in on her, echoing her rising panic.

Ariyana's question hung in the air, sharp and direct, cutting through the pretense. "Aapko ye jagah kaise pata? Jabki ye jagah toh kisi aur ko nahi pata sevai humare Arjuna ke," she demanded, her gaze piercing into Rajveer's, seeking the truth that lay hidden behind his unwavering eyes.

(How do you know this place? No one knows of it except for my Arjuna.)

Rajveer, unfazed by her scrutiny, responded with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. "Yuvrani Ariyana, shayad aaapne kabhi humare aur dekha nahi par hum bhi aik Yuvraj hai," he declared, his voice a low rumble that resonated with the weight of his royal lineage.

(Princess Ariyana, perhaps you have never noticed me before, but I am also a prince.)

Ariyana's mind raced as she processed his cryptic words. "Aap kehna kya chahte hai?" she inquired, her tone laced with a mix of fear and caution.

(What do you want to say?)

His response was enigmatic, a riddle wrapped in a mystery. "Vahi jo aap sun nahi sakte," he replied.

(That which you cannot hear.)

Ariyana's intuition was a silent alarm, warning her of the unseen, the unheard — trouble brewing in the shadows. The absence of sound was as telling as a scream in the night, and to her, it signified only one thing — a misfortune had befallen Arjuna.

Her question cut through the thickening air, a desperate plea for the safety of her beloved. "Aapne Arjuna ke saath kya kiya?" The words escaped her lips, each syllable heavy with dread.

(What have you done with Arjuna?)

Rajveer's smile widened, a predator baring its teeth before the strike. "Yahi mujhe aapne pasand hai, Yuvrani Ariyana. Aapki ye hoshiyaari. Waah," he praised, his words dripping with a venomous charm. He advanced, each step a deliberate provocation, a test of wills.

(This is what I like about you, Princess Ariyana. Your cleverness. Bravo.)

Yuvraj Rajveer was Arjuna's younger brother. Unlike his sibling, Rajveer was not bound by duty or honor. When he laid eyes on Ariyana, something shifted within him. Her laughter became the melody that haunted his dreams.

Rajveer's love for Ariyana grew like ivy, entwining his heart until it threatened to suffocate him. He watched from the shadows as she and Arjuna stole moments together — their stolen kisses, their whispered promises. Each touch between them was a dagger in Rajveer's chest.

Ariyana's feet were planted firmly on the ground, resolved. She refused to retreat, to take even a single step backward that might betray the fear simmering beneath her composed exterior. Inside, her royal blood surged with indignation.

"Kaha hai Arjuna?" she demanded, her eyes ablaze with more fury that could ignite the very air around her.

(Where is Arjuna?)

Rajveer's laughter was a dark melody, filled with a chilling mirth. "Jaha unko hona chahiye," he replied, his chuckle sending a shiver down Ariyana's spine.

(Where he should be.)

Ariyana, realizing that no words would break the silence, decided to leave in search of Arjuna. However, before she could take a step outside, Rajveer's arms encircled her, halting her escape. One arm firmly grasped hers while his other hand gently caught a lock of her hair, positioning her back against him.

"Na. Aap yaha se jaa nahi sakti Yuvrani," he declared, his voice cold and commanding, sealing her fate within the confines of these walls.

(No. You cannot leave from here, Princess.)

"Chodiye hume," Ariyana countered, her voice a mix of feigned weakness and underlying strength. She was a princess, but more so, a warrior in her own right. With a swift move, she struck him under the ribs, hoping to catch him off guard.

Hitting him under the ribs with her elbow.

(Let me go.)

Rajveer, however, was not a man easily outwitted. "Isse koi faida nahi hone wala hai, Yuvrani," he retorted, his voice betraying no sign of the pain she had inflicted.

(This will not benefit you, Princess.)

He didn't love her just like that, he was well aware of her strategies and anticipated her next move.

The moment her elbow connected with his ribs, he winced, a hiss escaping his lips, yet his grip remained unyielding. From his pocket, he drew a knife, its blade glinting ominously in the half-light. "Aaaj se yahi aapka raajy hai," he whispered venomously, and with a swift, treacherous motion, he plunged the knife into her back.

(From today, this is your kingdom.)

Ariyana's gasp was a sharp note in the oppressive silence of the chamber, a sound of agony.

Rajveer's confession, though a mere whisper, carried the weight of a thousand declarations. "Maaf Kar Dijiye, Ariyana. Hum aapse bahut pyaar karte hai. Aapko Arjuna ke saath kabhi nahi dekh sakte. Ilsiye hume ye karna pad raha hai," he murmured, his words a twisted mix of obsession.

(Please forgive me, Ariyana. I love you very much. I can never bear to see you with Arjuna. That's why I have to do this.)

With each subsequent stab, his actions spoke louder than any proclamation of love could. The knife descended again and again, each thrust a punctuation to his warped sentiment. And with each strike, Ariyana's strength ebbed away, her body succumbing to the cold embrace of the floor.

One moonless night, Rajveer made a pact with the ancient witch, Morwenna. Her eyes glowed like embers, and her voice carried the weight of centuries. She promised him the separation of eternal lovers. In return, Rajveer vowed to deliver his soul to her.

The moment had come today. The one Rajveer had been anticipating. He watched them flee, their figures a testament to their desperate hope for freedom and a new life together. As a prince himself, he was not without his resources — loyal confidants who would whisper to him the secrets of his elder brother's escape.

Her voice broke as she called out for the one she awaited, on the verge of losing her breath. "Arju...na..."

As Ariyana's soul left her body, Morwenna appeared. She chanted incantations, binding Ariyana's spirit to the grove forever. Rajveer strode forth into the night, his steps measured and resolute, with Morwenna, the architect of his dark victory, at his side. He was prepared to pay the ultimate price, to surrender his very soul to the witch whose sorcery had torn the eternal bond between Arjuna and Ariyana.

"Arjuna?"

Ariyana, in her spirit form, attempted to chase after them, after her Arjuna, but it was futile. An invisible barrier repelled her. She wasn't able to step out from the confines. Morwenna's spells didn't allow her. Tears of despair flowed freely as she lamented the wrongs inflicted upon her, upon them.

Arjuna was already killed, his spirit now a lamenting echo in the glass. She could see his soul's anguish, his cries reaching out to her across the realms. Morwenna trapped Arjuna's soul too, in a crystal vial, sealing it with dark magic. The witch's spell would never break the glass.

The injustice was overwhelming, and their cries mingled in the void, echoing the pain of their shared plight.

With each step Morwenna took, the gap between Arjuna and Ariyana widened, an invisible chasm stretching with her every stride.

Ariyana collapsed beside her lifeless form, engulfed by the magnitude of their shared sorrow, betrayal, injustice, and their snatched freedom.

A few hours later, a piercing scream shattered the silence. "YUVRANI!!"

(PRINCESS!!)

Her parents, the king, and queen, had just arrived at the scene. They stood in shock, screaming her name, as they beheld their daughter lying in a pool of blood.

King and Queen of Chandrakantha Rajy cremated Ariyana. But couldn't cremate her soul which was entrapped in the place. No mantras from Pandits and Maha Pandits helped Ariyana's soul to release from its confines. And so had the King and Queen of Neelkant, the grief that the younger son had inflicted death upon their elder son, Arjuna gnawing at their hearts more.

In the memory of Ariyana and Arjuna, the King and Queen of Chandrakanth and Neelkant had their portrait painted. Ariyana found her home — The Portrait, of hers, of his.

A portrait that is magical, a testament to the artist's skill. Crafted with such ingenuity, it presented Yuvrani Ariyana Indu from one perspective, while a shift in viewpoint revealed Yuvraj Arjuna, each image a beautiful art the artist had crafted.

She waited a century and more for someone to release her, release them, give her the freedom, give them the freedom, the justice she deserved, they deserved.

Their soul remained trapped, miles away from each other, unable to find peace. They whispered their love and longing for each other through the confines of the shields, their anguish echoing in the wind.

And somewhere, in the depths of eternity, Ariyana and Arjuna's spirits yearned for release, their love stronger than death itself.

As Ariyana emerged from the depths of her memories, Khushi was found dabbing at her eyes with her dupatta, visibly moved to tears by the heart-wrenching fate that had befallen the two star-crossed lovers.

"Humara jism, vo yaha se bahar toh nikal saki lekin humari rooh, kabhi nahi," she whispered through her constricted throat.

(My body may have left this place, but my soul never can.)

The shock was palpable when they realized they could cross the threshold, yet Princess Ariyana could not.

Khushi, her voice quivering with emotion, said, "Ye aapke saath bahut galat hua," as she sniffed back tears. Arnav, equally saddened by their tragic story, attempted to console his wife, hoping to stem her tears. But with each effort, her tears only seemed to flow more freely.

(This was very unfair to you.)

Ariyana offered them a melancholy smile.

Khushi's teary gaze fell on the portrait and this more clearly, as she attempted to see it from a different angle, and there, Arjuna's smiling pic was visible.

"Hawww! Humne aaj tak aisa potrait dekha hi nahi," Khushi gasped, her tears momentarily ceasing.

(Haww! I've never seen such a portrait before)

Arnav's attention followed Khushi's, familiar with such artistic illusions.

"Bahut khoobsurat," she beamed, admiring the portrait, but as the realization of its origin dawned on her, she was once again overcome with emotion.

(So beautiful)

"Khushi..." Arnav gently gripped his wife's shoulder, stroking her head, his touch a silent plea for her tears to stop.

Is Khushi the one to be easily consoled? She continued to sniffle, muttering curses aimed at Rajveer and Morwenna.

And then, pondering aloud, "Ye kaisa naam hai? Morwenna?"

(What kind of name is Morwenna?)

Before Ariyana or Arnav had the chance to utter a word, Khushi launched into a tirade.

"Aik chudail ke liye itna ajeeb waali stylish naam, hmphh! Aur kaam bilkul ghatiya vaale," she whispered indignantly.

(For a witch to have such a weirdly stylish name, hmph! And to do such vile deeds)

"Khushi—" Arnav began, but he was swiftly silenced by Khushi's stern interjection, "Aap chup rahiye."

(You shut up.)

Under her breath, yet audibly enough for Arnav to catch every word, she grumbled, "Laad governor kahika, kabse humare peeche pade hai, hume teek se rone bhi nahi de rahe hai."

(He's such a lord governor, always after me, not even letting me cry properly.)

"What the!" Arnav couldn't help but exclaim. His attempts at consolation were born from his inability to bear her tears, yet they seemed only to fuel her frustration.

Ignoring his jabs, she turned towards Ariyana who was slightly amused at their silly banter. It reminded her of her own silly fights with her Arjuna.

Rajveer and Marwenna managed to snatch their beautiful destiny.

"Aap aur Arjuna ji ko milne ki koi raasta nahi, Aariyana-ji?" she asked, her heart hurting at the thought they had to be arrested in their confines till the end of the world.

(Is there no way for you and Arjuna ji to be reunited, Aariyana-ji?)

"Hai," Ariyana replied with a hopeful smile.

(There is)

"Kaisa raasta? Agar hai toh aap intezaar kyu kar rahe hai? Jo bhi karna hai, kijiye na, aur Arjuna-ji se mil sakte hai aap. Do premiyon ka milan koi nahi ruk sakta hai." Khushi pressed on with two dreamy hazels, "Batayiye na kaisa raasta hai?" her questions tumbling out in rapid succession.

(What way? If there is one, why are you waiting? Do whatever needs to be done, and you can meet Arjuna-ji. No one can stop the union of two lovers)

(Please tell us, what is the way?)

"Khushi, tum usko bolne ka chance dogi toh vo bolegi na," Arnav chided gently.

(Khushi, if you give her a chance to speak, she will)

Khushi pouted, her gaze fixed on Arnav's seemingly innocent stance.

"Aik aisi raasta jinpe aap dono ko jana hai," Princess Ariyana revealed.

(There is a path that both of you must take)

"Hum dono?" echoed Arnav and Khushi in unison, turning to look at each other in surprise.

(Both of us?)

"Ji, aap dono." Ariyana confirmed with a nod.

(Yes, both of you)

"Hum kyu?" Arnav raised his eyebrow.

(Why us?)

"Yeh jo safar hume aapse chahiye, vo aasan nahi hai. Iske liye chahiye ek aisa rishta jo janmon se bhi paar ho, ek aisa pyaar jo sadiyon tak goonjta rahe. Tum, Khushi aur Arnav, aise hi rishte mein bandhe ho. Tumhari ekta se hi raasta khul ke samne aayega," Ariyana continued, her gaze now locked with theirs, imparting the gravity of her words.

(The journey I want you to embark on, is not for the faint of heart. It requires a bond that transcends lifetimes, a love that echoes through the ages. You, Khushi and Arnav, possess such a bond. It is through your unity that the way will reveal itself.)

Arnav and Khushi looked at each other in surprise.

"Hume kya karna hai?" Khushi asked, her curiosity piqued.

(What do we need to do?)

"Hume aazadi dene ki pratibha sirf aap dono me hai," Ariyana conveyed with a sense of hope.

(Granting us freedom is in your hands)

"Morwenna ke mantron ka asar khatam ho sakta hai," she continued, "agar do aisa log jo aik dusre se beinhtehaan mohabbat karte hai, jo humare aur Arjuna ke nakshatra me paide hue hai, jinka pyaar sabse upar hai, unhe jaakar us aik cheez ko khatam karna hoga jisme Morwenna ka mantr, uske shaktiyan base hue hai."

(The influence of Morwenna's spells can be nullified, if two people who love each other boundlessly, who were born under the same stars as Arjuna and me, whose love transcends all, go and destroy the object where Morwenna's mantra and her powers reside)

"Uske baal," Ariyana revealed the source of Morwenna's power.

(Her hair)

"Vahi uski shakti hai, usime uski jaan basti hai," she affirmed.

(That is where her life force is, within her hair)

"So do we need to go to that witch's place and cut her hair?" Arnav asked, his face having a look that screamed 'Are you serious?' He never thought he, great ASR, would someday embark on the journey to cut some witch's hair.

Khushi's laughter echoed softly as she observed the comical dismay painted across her husband's face. In response, he shot her a look that was meant to be stern, yet couldn't quite hide the affectionate twinkle that soon followed in his eyes.

(So do we need to go to that witch's place and cut her hair)

"Na. Bas aik Kamal unke baal me rakhna hai, uske baad sab kuch khatam hoga — vo, uski shaktiyaan aur humara tadap," Ariyana explained the simplicity yet profundity of the act required.

(No. Just place a lotus in her hair, and after that, everything will end — her, her powers, and our agony.)

"Kamal? Vahi kyu?" Khushi asked curiously, diverting her attention to Princess. Arnav was intrigued too.

(Lotus? Why that specifically?)

"Kamal hi hai jiski wajah se vo aik chudail bani. Kehte hai na, jiske saath shuru hue usike saath khatam bhi hote hai." Ariyana explained with a hint of solemnity in her voice.

(The lotus is the reason she became a witch. It's said that what begins with something must also end with it)

It was all silent.

"Morwenna ki shuruwat Kamal se hui, uska antha Kamal se hi hoga," she continued, her voice tinged with the wisdom of the Yogi-ji's words, who had once endeavored to free her but to no avail. It was he who had discovered this resolution.

(Morwenna's beginning was with the lotus, and so shall her end be with the lotus)

"Intezaar karo, vakt ka. Vakt tumhe un dono se mila degi."

(Wait for the time. Time will unite you with them both.)

Ariyana knew now who those two are and in her reflective tone, there was a mix of hope and sorrow — hope for an end to the curse and sorrow for the trials she and Arjuna had endured.

Khushi's voice broke the silence, her words tinged with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Aur humko ye kamal kaha milegi?" she inquired, the gravity of their quest hanging heavily in the air.

(And where do we find this?)

"Kamal ke liye hume Purani Rajdhani ki or jana hoga," Ariyana said with determination. "Vahan ek vishal talab hai, jismein saal bhar kamal khilte hain."

(To find the lotus, you must head towards the Old Capital. There lies a vast pond where lotuses bloom all year round.)

Khushi nodded her head not asking where Purani Rajdhani was as if she knew where it was already. "Chalo, phir der kis baat ki? Agar yahi uss chudail ke ant ka marg hai, toh hume abhi nikalna hoga."

(We'll have to go now then, what are we waiting for? If this is the way to end Morwenna, we must leave at once.)

Arnav, ever the pragmatic businessman, voiced the concern that lingered in the air, heavy with the weight of their ethereal existence. "But we are mere souls," he remarked, the furrow of his brow betraying his analytical mind at work. "We wouldn't be able to touch anything, would we?" His question, logical and full of reason, hung between them, a stark reminder of their intangible reality, "And where is this Purani Rajdhani?"

Khushi, upon hearing her husband's words, felt a twinge of realization. She had momentarily forgotten the limitations of their ghostly forms.

"Kisne kaha aap chu nahi sakte. Aapke paas shaktiyaan hai. Aap dono kaaz nakshatr ki ho." Ariyana informed with a smile. "Aur Purani Rajdhani Neelkant aur Chandrakant ke teek beech me hai."

(Who said you can't touch? You have powers. You both are special. And the Old Capital is exactly between Neelkant and Chandrakant.)

"Aapne toh bataya hi nahi Chudail kaha rehti hai," Khushi probed, her words hanging in the dimly lit room.

(You haven't told where the witch resides)

"Vo aik gruh me rehti hai, Purani Raajdhani ke paas hi hai." Her answer seemed to echo around them, as if the very walls were listening and soon, they saw her disappearing into the portrait.

(She lives in a cave, right near the Old Capital)

Arnav's gaze swept across the room, eventually resting on Akash, who was enveloped in the collective sorrow of his family. Moving towards them with a quiet resolve, Arnav discreetly retrieved his phone. The soft clicks of his fingers tapping the screen filled the silence as he sought out the coordinates they needed.

Khushi's gaze fell on her family mourning their death. Shyam is consoling everyone with his sickening sweet words. Not leaving the chance granted by the situation, she left the task of locating the place to Arnav while she engaged in a revengeful attempt to hit Shyam with a ball.

"Don't cry, Rani Sahiba. We'll find out who did this to them." As Shyam was absorbed in consoling his wife, he suddenly felt an impact against his back. Startled, he turned to find a ball rolling on the ground behind him. Puzzled and slightly annoyed, he scanned the area, wondering which mischievous child might be the culprit.

"Kameena," With twice the vigor, Khushi lobbed the ball at Shyam again. Meanwhile, Arnav, having pinpointed the location, intervened just in time to prevent her from throwing another not wanting all eyes to follow the trajectory of the ball arcing gracefully through the air.

"Let's go."

And so, Arnav and Khushi embarked on the journey to Purani Rajhdani. 

Regards, 

Poly, 

29-04-2024

P.S. One more part and the last one that is!