In my Devil's Arms

Riya and Vicky started choosing art. They walked slowly discussing a few pieces . They held hands. They looked like a couple in love.

" I guess this time he is been captured", said Tara Raichand to Pammi.

" Let him be", sighed Pammi. " We always have other fishes".

Pammi didn't like high maintainence men. She washed her hands off Vicky.

" Look the tree", said Riya . " And the river. It reminds me of our first picnic together".

" Lets buy it".

" Okay", she said shyly.

Over next half an hour many women came to them. Vicky was very popular. Riya held his hand indicating her territory as she ward all of them out. She was not as much as interested in art as she was in scaring all other females away.

This changed when she saw the painting that halted her steps.

" Vicky that..", she said pointing to a painting.

IT WAS THAT OF THE PALACE . Their were a series of them. Palace, the war that king fought, one was of king praying in Shiva temple. Another was of him softly holding Chand's hand in his garden. He was lovingly offering her a rose but she miserably looked down.

The series read..The cursed king. And king dominated the pictures. On his horse, with his wives, with numerous courtesans. But there was only one that of him with Chand. In one pf the pictures he was shown getting the curse from Shiva too.

Paintings by Vishnu Pundit...said the caption.

" How", said Riya. " He knows a lot".

" Because he is a pundit", said Vicky pointing to his surname.

" You mean", Riya's eyes widened.

" Yeah", said Vicky.

Srikant has finally realised his family lived.

Shiva's curse was for him not his brothers. They survived. They escaped too.

Riya was now talking to the organizer.

" Excuse me", she said.

" Yes madam".

" I would like to meet the artist who painted the cursed king series", she said.

" Madam you can put a red dot on the painting you are interested. We will help you buy it. We do not allow the direct interaction of guests with artists."

" But I just want to meet", she said.

" Sorry madam. Its a part of our contract", he said.

Riya was crestfallen.

She returned to Vicky.

" They won't allow us to meet him.", she said. " Hey are you alright"?

He was not.

Riya saw he angrily looked at king's and Chandbai's painting.

" She did not love him", said Riya softly touching his shoulders.

" Hmmm", he said softly. Then he put a red dot on the picture indicating a purchase. SHE WAS NOT SURPRISED.

In the same series there was a picture of huge Shiva idol titled THE BLESSING.

" Vicky will you buy this for me", she said.

" Absolutely ", his good mood returned.

She hugged him. " Love you", she said.

Vikram froze. SHE LOVES ME.

" Love you too", he smiled.

Riya was happy that he did not snap.

GUNJAN WAS HIS BREAKING POINT.

" I don't want to meet him", said Vicky about Vishnu. " I am not Srikant anymore".

" True", said Riya.

BUT SOME INSTINCT TOLD HER THAT SHE SHOULD. But how?

After the exhibition was over Vicky and Riya were invited by Pammi for an after party.

Riya wished to avoid but Vicky said," I need a drink".

" Okay just one", she warned.

" Yes madam".

The high class parties were different. Vicky steered her away from the crowd.

" She feels suffocated ", he politely relayed to their host.

If a girl was with Vikram Oberoi she was the princess saw Riya. She got first class treatment. He got busy with some business people but the drink remained just one. She was bored. She saw a garden and wandered there.

A group of youngsters were partying.

" Pass the beer", said one.

Some were dancing to a hip hop.

" The exhibition is a success. I saw rich people inside", said a girl. She looked like a gypsy.

" Whats the use. They still pay us pennies", said a boy. He looked 19.

" Hey Vishnuu join us", hollered another boy.

Riya looked in that direction. A young man of around 22 or 23 was sitting on a chair under a tree. His sketch book was open as he sketched something.

Vishnu Vishnu.. Ohh Shiva... Vishnu Pundit..

She walked towards him. Even when she reached there he did not notice her just continued sketching.

" Hello Mister", she said softly.

Vishnu was irritated. Half an hour before he has seen a beautiful Goddess. A perfect specimen of a female as if she walked out of one of those carvings in ancient caves. In a blue shift dress and chignon. SHE WAS PERFECT. But she was with a rich man. They all always were. BUT HE TOO WILL BE RICH ONE DAY. Right now he was just trying to sketch her. But hell with these disturbances.

" WHAT THE F*CK", he screamed as he looked up.

And stopped in his tracks. His Goddess stood in front of him. MINE he thought.

Riya got a little scared by his scream and moved back.

" I am sorry", she said. " Are you Vishnu Pundit"?

She was looking for him.

He still could not speak.

" Am I disturbing you. I'll leave", she turned to go back.

" Hey please stop", called Vishnu. " Sorry. Plese sit", he gave her another chair.

She sat down and smiled at him. " Thank you". He beemed.

" What brings you to me", he asked.

" I saw your paintings", she said. " The cursed king series. I bought one".

" You like them", he asked.

" I don't know much about art", she confessed honestly" but I like it."

" Whats your name", he asked.

" Riya Sachdeva ".

" And what do you do"?

" I am a research student in history at JB college", she said. " In fact I am researching on that very cursed king and the palace you drew", she said.

" Its a beautiful masterpiece but the new owner is destroying it", grimaced Vishnu.

She shrugged.

" We take what we can get", she said.

" So what inspired these drawings", she asked.

" Riya", came a voice.

They looked up. A rich man in three piece suit was walking towards them saw Vishnu.

" Vicky", she said excitedly as she got up and rushed to him. VISHNU DID NOT LIKE IT.

Vicky hugged her.

" I was searching for you", he said.

" Sorry I got bored and came here but look whom I met", she pulled him excitedly towards Vishnu. The young man stood up.

" This is Vishnu Pundit", she said to Vicky.

" Vishnu this is"..

" Vikram Oberoi ", said Vicky.

" Nice to meet you sir", he said offering a hand.

" Pleasure", he said shaking it.

" Umm", the lad fidgeted.

" Nice work", said Vicky looking at him. He was trying to size him up.

" Thanks".

" What inspired you to draw it", asked Vicky.

The lad hesitated for a bit. Vicky noted it.

" The site. Paintings inside", he said. " We used to visit earlier and the local folklore".

" Hmm", said Vicky. There was something off about this boy. He don't know what but it was. He couldn't put a finger on it.

" Vishnu", said Riya. " Do you have any more work related to the palace"?

" A few pieces more", he said. He smiled at Riya.

MURDER DOMINATED VICKY'S THOUGHTS.

" Riya its getting late", he said. " Lets leave".

Vishnu did not want this.

" I live in Boriville East with my parents. You can see my art if you want", he tried.

" I think artists mingling with guests go against the contract Mr. Pundit", said Vicky. There was a subtle warning. The lad understood and backed off.

" Very well", he said. " See you Mr. Oberoi. Bye Riya ".

" Bye Vishnu", she said as she left with him.

He saw the boy's reflection in a mirror. He looked jealous. Vicky smirked. Vishnu want what he has. Nope his descendants were not upto standards. He wrote him off.

" You are like a sweet cookie", he said to Riya. " I leave you alone for a minute and flies start buzzing around".

" Oh yeah", she joined the banter. " Then you are like a jar of cookies considering the Pammis buzzing around you".

He laughed out loud. It was so infectious she joined it.

Completely ignoring a young man whose heart was filled with hatred.

" This happens when you are poor", came a voice to Vishnu.

He turned back.

" Think hard Vishnu do you want to be rich. You can have any girl then."

Devil always comes in the form of temptation. Its up to your conscience to reject it.

WELL VISHNU COULDN'T.