In my Devil's Arms

Riya met Vicky at palace the next day. Her friends wanted her to leave without informing him. But she couldn't do that.

NOT TO HIM

AND NOT TO HERSELF

" Vicky we shall not meet for a few days" , she said.

" Why Riya", he asked. Vicky was alarmed. DID SHE FIND OUT? " If I did anything wrong I apologize " , he said.

" No Vicky its not", she just hugged him.

DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN HE PLEADED SILENTLY.

" Where are you going Riya", he asked.

" Its just a historical building Laxmi's father inherited. She wants me to have a look. Besides my first viva is coming up" , she said.

Then playfully she added,

" My new friend is so nice and entertaining your honour. He cares for me a lot. I can't study. SO PLEASE ALLOW ME TO LEAVE. I will be back soon."

" This life is over. Allow me to leave Sahib".

He remembered Gunjan's dying words. He couldn't speak or breathe. She took four centuries to come back.

Hugging her he said," Come back soon".

"I will Vicky", she replied. AS SOON AS I GET WHAT IS GOING ON IN MY BRAIN.

They bid goodbyes.

That Evening

By now girls have reached the vast Haveli( An enormous building where ancient feudal lords lived)

" This is huge"! Lisa was overwhelmed. She has never seen big structures.

" Yeah daddy got centralized AC in our wing plus water supply and bathrooms. We also got a fully functional kitchen and loaded refrigerator. "

They went in and freshened up. Then they ate dinner.

" I will show you the potrait room first", she said to the girls. " Then we all can study individually ".

" Okay", the girls said.

The potrait room was a huge hall. It has high walls. Laxmi's father got electricity and the potraits were cleaned too. The pillars looked strong.

" You can do an article on this place" , said Lisa to Laxmi.

" Yaa but go for the print version first", said Zoya. " And show directly to your father".

" Yaa otherwise that senior journalist will snatch it away from you again", said Riya angrily. " Shame on him"

The girls nodded in unision.

Laxmi has prepared a report on some disappearing people in villages close to forest. She was sure it was not a wild animal but something criminal. But the journalist took the report from jer and submitted to her father as his own.

" You know what", Laxmi said to her friends." One day I will marry a lawyer and he will bring all these nasty people to justice".

The girls giggled.

She then showed them the photographs.

" They date back to early 1500's", said Laxmi." Look dates are mentioned below photographs. When cameras were not invented they made potraits but real photographs are available after cameras came".

" There is your father", said Zoya.

" Yeah he is the owner now", said Laxmi.

Riya was keenly observing the potraits. She had no interest in photographs the girls saw.

" History nerd", whispered Zoya to others.

" We did right by bringing her here", said Lisa. " This place will help her forget him".

Riya looked keenly at one photograph. She had seen a similar one somewhere.

" Lord Roopkumar", it stated. It was dated 1737 the post medival period. She clicked a photo with her hand camera.

The girls then felt tired. They decided to rest for the night.

That night Riya did not dream of Srikant or Gunjan. She dreamed of Vicky. She saw him sad without her.

" Please come back fast Riya. I can't wait another life time", he said looking at her.

" I will", she replied unconsciously in dreams. She fellt like sleeping in his arms.

Can people talk through dreams"?

Vicky was sleeping with Riya's passport photograph which fell from her bag the day they met in this birth.

" Come back my love", he whispered sleepily.

" I will", said someone in his ears. He slept with a smile on his face.

Next Morning

The girls woke up early and had a heavy breakfast of curd and parathas. It was a busy morning as they all studied seriously for finals and Riya for her first Viva scheduled around same time.

" Submit the photographs you took in the palace to support your claims also about the literature you got", professor Gupta told her.

" What about Darshan", she asked.

" No you need to hold that for now".

" Okay sir", she said.

She read and re read everrything on king. He has molested Gunjan. But she could not hate him. She looked at the text providing his origin.

A stone carving said

" A priest. A son of Shiva. He grew up without a blessing on his head. He was the boon but he turned into a curse .

She looked at his photograph again.

" You should have tried to court her handsome", she advised him.

Without a blessing on his head means without parents.

She knew this.

A priest- she verified this by the photographs of him offering puja wearing a three thread holy binding that priest wore.

There was another photo of him sitting pn a throne with the previous king lying on his feet half dead.

" You were so cruel handsome", she chided. " What happened to you"?

Riya prepared each and everything including Chandbai.

She has already decided that Gunjan's name will remain a secret as Vicky wants.

Vicky...

She felt a pang in her heart. This distance has made him closer to her heart. She was unable to forget him. They were still friends. But she was a chicken too. She wants him close to her so much she will never let her feelings out. CLINGY..

By afternoon others were still busy studying so she decided to explore the potrait hall. She really liked the timelines it depicted and captured. When she reached the hall she observed closely the potraits again. And again she got stuck on Lord Roop kumar. As opposed to other lords there was a slight smile on his face.

" Riya", came a voice.

Her friends came searching for her.

" I was sure we will find you here nerd", said Zoya fondly as she hugged her.

" What are you looking at", asked Lisa.

" This potrait", she showed the one she singled out. " The style seems familiar to me. Its also of the same timeline I am doing my research on", she said.

" Yeah", said Lisa. " Post medieval ".

" Exactly ", said Riya. " Unfortunately writer's name is not mentioned", she said.

" Ohh it is", said Laxmi.

" Really", they asked.

" Yes come over here", she moved to a dice kept there.

" Look every photographer and painter name is here. My dad's was taken by famous Chintu Katani." He was a famous Bollywood photographer.

Riya got excited.

" Roop kumar", she started searching.

" Here it is", Laxmi helped her find it.

"OH SHIVA"! Riya was pleasantly surprised.

" Darshan", she said. " This painting, Darshan painted it".

" Who is Darshan", asked Zoya.

Riya explained her friends about the paintings she saw in the palace and her relation of it to that cementry in that village. But she omitted any of her discussions with Vicky.

THOSE MEMORIES OF THEIR PAST LIFE BELONG TO HER AND VICKY. She will be cremated holding them in her heart.

" Wow thats genius", said Laxmi. " This palace is a mine of information. Lets do it Riya. You history and

my article together.".

" And we will help in every possible way I promise", said Zoya.

" Yeah kickas*", said Lisa as they huddled together.

" Tomorrow we do this adventure", said Laxmi.

" Done", said everybody.

They made plans on dinner table as they bid good nights.