In my Devil's Arms

After few days

In the end Riya decided to sneak into the palace at night. She really wished to visit the palace. Probably for one last time. She planned it. She stayed with Lisa in her hostel.

So Manav and his family were not worried.

She included Lisa in her plans.

" Are you mad", her friend said. " At night. The monster.."

" There is no monster but this folklore can come in handy for us", said Riya. " I did my research, the guards get relaxed at night. Some of them are secretly scared too".

" Can't you bribe them and enter at day time", asked Lisa.

" I don't have that much money. Besides Oberoi pays them well".

MAY SHIVA CURSE HIM she thought.

" How will we go there", Lisa asked.

" I borrowed a scooty from a colleague", she said.

" But Riya"

" Look if you are scared of the monster you stay outside. I will go inside alone", Riya said.

" God Riya I guess you know what you are doing", said Lisa.

SHE PRAYED HER GOD TO HELP HER FRIEND.

Well they sneaked out from hostel by 11 pm. Riya took a bag from nearby garden where she hid it under a bench.

" What's in it", asked her friend.

" Supplies", she answered.

" What supplies", asked Lisa.

" Here ", she handed a large chocalate to Lisa to shit her up. She had a good plan in place.

They walked to a nearby local station from where they collected scooty from vehicle stand. Then they started in the direction of the palace.

Riya was going to get inside that palace by hook or crook.

On the other hand

Vikram was enjoying his days in the palace. No talks of marriage. No therapies. The hard work that he made his body do both physically and s*xually made him tired. Couple that with alcohol and he would sleep soundly at night without any nightmares.

He disguised himself well as a local called Srihari. He literally got his hands dirty. He worked as a gardener, a mason, a painter , a farm labourer or even as a cleaner in nearby constructions, farms and houses. He never got really close to anyone but got along well with locals. He told them he was a widower with no kids and left the old place because it was full of his wife's memories.

True in a way he thought.

He brushed that thought off. He was Vicky now not that man.

Well he heard the local folklore about the king.

" He is cursed by Shiva", said a local.

" He became a blood sucking monster", said the other".

" Oberoi is doomed", said another. " Shiva wants this place to be in ruins".

" Really I worked as a cleaner there once. I didn't see any monster", he answered.

" You didn't go inside", said another.

" I cleaned inside only", he shrugged. " They paid me triple the salary"

" They did", said a man".

" Yeah", said Vicky.

" Look come with me they need men to move boulders", he said.

" Not at night", said an old man.

But finally some youngsters got ready to work.

He himself joined him. As per his orders none of his security recognised him. The labourers were paid thrice the salary.

GOOD WORD OF MOUTH WAS NECESSARY FOR THE SUCCESS OF HIS RESORT.

He caught tresspassers too. Students topped the list but a few local gangs were involved too. His father was friends with SP. So the police helped him easily to remove such people.

But the best part was girls. His good looks attracted gemales.Students, fellow labourer women, widows, bored wives; he had no scruples, they were cheating not him. He brought none in the palace. Local inns and taverns for them.

NOTHING WAS NON CONSENSUAL AND NO STRINGS ATTACHED WAS FIRST CLAUSE.

On one such night

He was tired with all the above activities and had dinner at a dhaba( local mess). Good food top grade liquors. He bathed in a nearby river and went to a small room in palace. He has remodelled it for himself. A woven cot, an earthern pot with clean drinking water and battery run portable fan. He removed his clothes and slept in a sheet.

Meanwhile

" Wait for me here", Riya said to Lisa.

Then she took out a rope and hook . She fixed it and threw. It stuck in a wine going inside the tenth time.

" Thank God", she said. She knew nothing about hiking.

She started climbing, bruised her knees, got bitten by bugs but continued. While getting down she slipped and fell. As she touched the ground with thud her back hurt.

" Aah curse you Vikram Oberoi. How do you sleep at night".

Meanwhile

The man in question was having a troubled sleep. She was back as fair as moon as innocent as a newborn.

" Gunjan"

" Yes Sahib", answered the doe eyed beauty.

" Where did you go my wife", he said.

" Far away sahib. You said you don't want to see my face."

" Leave you fallen woman. You aren't my wife anymore."

He fell on her feet.

" Forgive me Gunjan. Come back my love. "

" But I was a consort Sahib. I was impure", she said sadly.

" The king is gone. I will finish this palace too. No one will ever remember him", said tbe vengeful soldier.

" But what if someone wants to remember him", she asked him.

" Gunjan"

But she started to leave.

" Gunjan wait", he shouted.

She ran fast as if running away from a monster.

" Gunjan don't go", he cried.

" I will meet you Sahib", she said. " Our bereavement is over".

" Gunjan"

But she disappeared into thin air.

Thud thudaak

He heard a loud sound of someone falling. Disoriented he got up.

" Gunjan ", he said. " Is that you?"

But as he came to his senses he realized it was just another trespasser. He dressed up in a black t-shirt and pyjama. He picked up his gun and walked in the direction. He could hear the footsteps.

Meanwhile

Riya was inside her favourite room. Here were the potraits of Chandbai. As she rushed to see it she saw it was missing, probably removed by Oberois. She could just mourn it.

" What harm that poor girl could have brought you Oberoi", she said to empty walls.

What about the king she thought.

Thankfully the potrait was still there. She climbed slowly on a large ladder. It was high up and the palace walls were taller than normal buildings. She slowly reached the top cursing oberoi.

Hiding behind a door Vicky chuckled. He was peeping at this chit of a girl. He caught up with her as she reached the main hall. He cleared his throat a few times to warn her but she did not hear him. She was lost in the palace beauty. She lamented its loss and cursed him again and again. He could not see her face but her figure looked nice. Her long hairs have come out of her ponytail. Overall she gave an ethereal look.

Vicky chuckled again. Now she was talking to the dead king.

" Goodbye handsome. I shall never come here again".

HER SADNESS WAS CONTAGIOUS. Vikram felt sad.

" You know Oberoi is the real monster not you. But why did you kill innocents handsome. You look like a good man", she said.

LOOKS CAN BE DECITEFUL BEAUTY THOUGHT VICKY.

" Why don't you smile handsome", said Riya.

She slowly caressed his face.

" Probably because he is dead"

A deep dark chocalaty voice echoed.

Riya turned suddenly. She saw a dark tall silhouette at the door.

" A blood sucking monster roams there", she remembered.

She made a sudden movement to save herself. But the ladder tripped and started to fall.

" Shiva" she shouted closing her eyes.

Vicky ran in her direction. He meant to surprise her, shock her probably scare her a bit. But he meant her no harm.

" F*ck , f*ck , f*ck", he muttered.

Riya thought she was about to die.

" Shiva", she cried again.

She realised that she stopped mid air as if a strong force held her there. She could feel that force in her body. Tears came out of her closed eyes.

He caught her. Her death will not burden his soul. Vicky was so tired with broken sleep that this accident shook him. He hugged her tightly to his chest closing his eyes.

HE FELT PURE BLISS.

Then he heard that sweet voice again,

" Sahib I came. Back in your arms."

He snapped open his eyes and looked at the girl. Creamy white skin, soft pink lips, brown hairs, eyes closed and teary.

" You are safe, its okay", he said.

And then she opened her eyes and his world stopped. Just like her

Forest green eyes.

It was as if she was staring back at him. He could not blink. She would disappear any moment now. He held her tight.

Riya looked at the man. Tanned brown skin, coal black hairs and his eyes so deep black like mysteries. He looked like a fallen angel. She could not blink either. Just stared at him.

Both of them just stared at each other. No words were spoken. It was if they were meeting after a long time. Probably a century or four.

What do you say to someone for whom you were waiting your whole life??

Her breathing increased. Her eyelids fell in shyness and nervously she bit her bottom lip..

He was shocked for a moment

" Gunjan", he whispered slowly.

The girl hesitated for a second and looked at him again.

" My Gunjan", he repeated..

Riya felt the name familiar. It was not her name but still.

Her mouth fell open. Mine she tought. She didn't know why she think that.

Tentatively she smiled. His eyes widened first. Then his lips curved into a smile too. He transformed from a fallen angel to a prince. Such breathtaking was that smile. Mesemerized she just stared.

" So this is how I meet you".

She heard his chocalaty voice again.

" I..I..", she had no words.

" Sri darling you didn't come ", came a female voice.

Their reverie was broken. Riya saw behind him a scantily dressed woman.

" I was waiting for you", pouted the woman. " But I see you found yourself another. What does she have that I don't", she said.

VIRTUE FOR STARTING THOUGHT VICKY.

He was suddenly pushed back hard. The beauty's eyes shone like fire.

" You b*st*rd", she shouted angrily.

" Its people like you that spoil this place's beauty",

" You don't know me", smirked Vicky.

" Ohh I know very well", shouted Riya.

" You are a wh*re who contaminate this place with your.. your... s*xual endevours.

" A good word", smiled Vicky.

This made her angry.

" No morals", she said. " Bet you are thief too. Let me tell security I caught the gang member".

" Also explain your tresspassing", he low laughed.

" I, I..I am student. Do I look like loose woman or a thief. Show your face to that moron Oberoi and tell him wh*res and thieves look like you", she said.

" Really", he said. " How many have you come across?"

She kept quiet. She refused to dignify that question with an answer.

" And w.what about you"", he smirked."Any boyfriend?"

" I am not like you", she said angrily.

" That's a relief ", he said.

"What?"

" So my beauty where do we go from there", he asked.

Something came over her. Probably it was the jealousy to see him with another woman. STRANGE. But like hell she cared.

" Now I tell you , she screamed. "Continue your loose morals with this woman of your standard and I just leave".

She turned to go.

" Hey , hey stop whats your name", he asked.

" That I give to men with high standards", she replied.

She ran. He ran after her.

" Wait beauty", he cried. She was going away. Again. Did he imagine her?

" GUNJAN", he screamed.

Unwittingly her legs stopped momentarily. He was coming nearer and nearer. Suddenly something scared her.

" No, no", she panicked and ran again.

" Stop", he almost caught her on terrace. But she held the wine and slipped bruising herself more.

" Hey", he shouted.

But Riya caught her rope and climbed down. She ran to Lisa. She started the scooty and they left.

She left him again but she has come back. His Gunjan. His wife. After such a long wait he finally met her.