TALES OF TAJ

CHAPTER XIX

PLOT STORY:

Ava, driven by rage and a desire for revenge, kills Suresh, Nikolas' grandson, as punishment for Nikolas' past mistakes. Ava's actions set off a chain of events that affects the entire family.

*Main Plot Points:*

1. Ava kills Suresh and delivers his body to Nikolas' palace.

2. Nikolas is devastated by Suresh's death and performs his last rites.

3. Ruby is grief-stricken but also relieved that Suresh, a man with a criminal nature, is no longer alive.

4. Ava takes advantage of Ruby's isolation and lack of security at the palace to meet her.

5. Ruby's elder cousin Rajesh is advised to leave India for a few years due to fears that Ava might harm him.

*Subplots:*

1. Ava's backstory and motivations for seeking revenge against Nikolas and his family.

2. Ruby's complex emotions towards Suresh's death and her own isolation.

3. Nikolas' guilt and grief over the loss of his family members.

*Themes:*

1. Revenge and its consequences

2. Family dynamics and loyalty

3. Trauma and grief

*Genre:*

1. Thriller

2. Drama

3. Crime

MAIN STORY:

Ava regains consciousness and finds herself in a dark room. She gets up and quietly makes her way to meet Suresh. She tells Suresh, "Your time of death has come. Nikolas was wrong to separate me from Ruby. Now, I'll punish Nikolas for his sins by killing you."

Suresh was already in a terrible state, unable to comprehend what Ava was saying. He seemed to have been brutally beaten, with blood oozing out of his entire body.

Ava moves closer to Suresh, grabs his hair, and pulls it, saying, "Now your grandfather will know the pain of losing someone." Ava then slaps Suresh and hits him with her stick. She continues to punch Suresh's face until he dies.

When Ava is convinced that Suresh is dead, she starts laughing like a maniac and then breaks down into tears.

Ava recalls the first meeting between Maskman and Suresh, where she was also present. The meeting took place at Suresh's secret location, chosen to keep the planning of Ruby's murder a secret. During the meeting, Ava excused herself to use the restroom. However, she forgot the way and accidentally stumbled upon a strange room. She tried to ignore it, but the sound of someone frantically pounding on the door caught her attention.

Ava cautiously approached the door and asked, "Who's there?" A faint, pain-filled voice replied, "Please, let me out. He'll kill me if I don't escape." Ava inquired about the girl's identity, and the girl responded, "My parents must be looking for me. I'm an 18-year-old student. A man kidnapped me outside my institute and brought me here. He's tried to assault me multiple times and beaten me severely. Please, save me."

Ava's emotions overwhelmed her as she listened to the girl's plea. She decided then and there that she would make Suresh pay for his cruel actions. Ava broke open the door, freed the girl, and called her attendant to take the girl to safety.

Ava, fueled by rage, was about to confront Suresh when Maskman intervened, sensing her anger. He quickly wrapped up the meeting and escorted Ava away from the scene, preventing her from committing a rash act.

Maskman's timely intervention saved Suresh's life, but Ava's anger and determination for revenge only intensified.

Ava confronts Maskman, "Why did you bring me away from there? You know what kind of man Suresh is. He deserves to die. Why did you stop me?" Ava's anger escalates, and she starts yelling loudly.

Maskman places his hand on Ava's head and says, "Calm down, Ava. We will kill him, but his death won't be that easy. First, we'll use him to reunite you with Ruby. After that, we'll kill him, but only after weeks of torture. He'll beg for death, but it won't come. And when his body can't take it anymore, we'll end his life. He won't feel any pain when he dies."

Ava's anger subsides, and she says, "Alright, but I'll be the one to kill him with my own hands."

Ava returns to the present, where she is seen dragging Suresh's lifeless body by his hair in a forest. Ironically, this is the same forest where the robbers had ambushed Ruby and Ava earlier.

Ava instructs the driver, who is sitting in the van, "This gift is from me to Nikolas. Make sure you deliver it to him. And tell him that I haven't kept anything that belongs to him, whether it's this van or his grandson. I've returned everything to him."

The driver bows his head respectfully and says, "Yes, your highness."

Ava then pauses and hands the driver a letter, saying, "Wait... give this to Ruby. And don't forget, after you deliver it, don't linger there for even a second. Your life might be in danger. Complete your task and hurry back here."

The driver bows his head again, starts the van, and drives away. Ava smiles, watching the van disappear into the distance, and says, "Just a little more time, Ruby, and we'll be together forever."

The driver delivers Suresh's lifeless body to Nikolas' palace and says, "Her Highness said this is just the beginning. You'll have to face many more consequences."

Nikolas collapses to the ground upon seeing Suresh's body, tears streaming down his face. He's too shocked to speak, utterly devastated by Suresh's death.

The driver then spots Ruby walking towards him and hands her a letter from Ava. After delivering the letter, he quickly departs.

Ruby sees Suresh's lifeless body and immediately understands that Ava was the one who killed him. Ruby is also grief-stricken by Suresh's death, but deep down, she knew he wasn't a good person. Her sorrow stems from losing a brother, but she's also relieved that a man with a criminal nature is no longer in the world.

Nikolas performs Suresh's last rites and returns to the palace, where Ruby awaits him. Nikolas, grief-stricken, says to Ruby, "I don't know why, but why do I always have to perform the last rites for my children? You know, Ruby, I've already performed the last rites for my two sons and two daughters-in-law. How many more deaths will I have to witness?"

Ruby realizes that Nikolas is not in a state to talk, so she decides to leave him alone for a few days.

However, Ruby is also worried about her elder cousin Rajesh, who recently got married. She fears that Ava might harm him too, so she advises Rajesh to leave India for a few years. Rajesh asks Ruby why, but she refuses to explain and books his flight to another country.

The palace, once bustling with activity, is now deserted. Ruby is alone, and Nikolas has left for a few days to perform prayers for Suresh. Ava is aware of Ruby's isolation and the lack of security at the palace, with no bodyguards or servants present. Ava sees an opportunity to meet Ruby and arrives at Nikolas' palace.

To be continue...