Eksha: Us Against the World chapter 1

It was raining cats and dogs outside from the last 2 hours nonstop like the sky was crying for someone or perhaps with someone trying to share their pain.

The thunder was loud like it was screaming for help not for itself but for someone who themselves couldn’t ask for it.

Isha was worried. She had been calling vedant ever since it started raining but he didn’t pick up, that had never happened before. She was restless like she could understand the rain and the thunder asking for help. She could feel it in the very fibre of her being that something was wrong very very wrong. Veeransh and abhay had already arrived and were in their rooms while she was pacing in the living room contacting Vedant’s security team hoping for an update she knew he was on the way but no one was telling her anything more after all everyone feared vedant’s anger.

Just when Isha was about to send out a search part and going to go out herself. Vedant’s convoy arrived she heard it before she saw it 7 bullet proof cars each with a trishul symbol in front ‘the sisodiya family crest’ in row 3 in front and 3 in the back with a shiny black Rolls-Royce in the middle.

The security was necessary after all not only were they one of the richest family in the world but royalty of udaipur.

Isha ran outside and as soon as she opened the door she was stunned. She couldn’t keep her eyes on her brother as she took in who was with him. There besides her eldest brother stood and The Ekagra Singh Shekhawat drenched and lifeless. His always confident and powerful presence was no where to be seen. His eyes and head which were always held high as a sign of his strength and determination were hanging low. His shoulders which even after carrying the weight of the world always were seen straight giving people a sense of safety and peace ensuring that everything will be alright as long as he was here were now sagged. Water dripped from his hair but he didn’t seem to care the once mr perfect who was always seemed to be in control now appeared not even his senses to the point that anyone with eyes could tell that he didn’t even know where he was.

Isha kept staring at him shocked and stunned. She had never seen ekagra so… lost. Yes that’s what he looked like the pillar of strength, the symbol of power and justice, the king of Jaipur, the strategic and decisive businessman was standing at her door looking lost and broken. She looked towards her eldest brother holding many questions in her eyes, but when she looked at his eyes she saw the agony of seeing ekagra in pain in his eyes that mirrored hers. Vedant slowly shook his head indicating not to ask anything right now.

Isha didn’t know what happened but a spark went through her heart. A spark of determination, a spark of protectiveness, a spark of understanding. She was going to fix it whatever it was that was wrong, she would fix it. She won’t let ekagra break even if she had to break the whole world in order to mend him she would do it.

Vedant looked at his little sister and smiled he could see it in her eyes it was the right decision to bring ekagra here. She would mend him even if she has to stand against the whole world for him and he would help. They won’t let anything happen to him. Nobody knew it In the eyes of the world ekagra was just the King of an ally country but the world didn’t know the truth. Ekagra was more so much more.

Isha took a deep breath stood aside opening the door for them to enter seeing that ekagra didn’t move, didn’t even take his eyes off the floor Isha and vedant exchanged worried looks. Vedant was going to put his hand on ekagra’s shoulder to get his attention but before he could do that Isha stepped forward and held ekagra’s hand in hers.

She couldn’t hold his big hand in hers fully and ended up just holding the three fingers but as soon as their fingers touched ekagra could sense the warmth from her hand providing him with comfort and warmth. He looked up surprised coming into his senses realising for the first time that he was no longer in the car.

The moment his eyes met hers he was confused and stunned like he didn’t understand how he reached here in front of her but he didn’t break the eye contact he kept his eyes on her as if the moment he takes his eyes of her she’ll vanish like a dream and he didn’t want her to vanish. He wanted her, he needed her. Isha looked into his eyes they were red from holding back tears which refused to come out there was so much pain in his eyes that her heart broke but she didn’t let it show on her face. The moment he looked at her she give him a sweet comforting smile. Her eyes and smile held so many emotions, it held silent support, understanding, reassurance and most of all it held a sense of peace that wrapped around him like a cocoon taking all the burden of his pain off of his shoulders even if it was just for a second.

Isha tugged on his hand and led him to the living room to sit and ekaksh kept following her without thinking she has always been his peace. She doesn’t know it but he has always seeked her out consciously or unconsciously when he felt restless. She was his light, his strength even when she didn’t know it. He would follow her to the ends of the world to the depth of the oceans and to the height of the sky without a word. He would do anything for her if she so much as asked but he never knew how to tell her. Even though his heart knew that she understood him, she understood the unspoken words through his eyes, she could sense the flutter of his heart whenever she was around, she knew his desire to always be around her even when he wasn’t able to tell her that in words. HE KNEW THAT SHE KNEW THAT HE WOULD DIE FOR HER AND HE ALSO KNEW SHE TRUSTED HIM ENOUGH TO LIVE FOR HER.

Vedant followed them silently finally feeling at ease seeing his brother his best friend his best rival at last showing some reaction. He once again felt he made the right choice bringing ekagra here because ekagra ko agar koi sambhal sakta hai uski ekagrata wapas la sakta hai to who sirf uski shakti uski isha hai.

In the corner both abhay and veeransh stood they came down the moment Isha opened the door and had seen the whole interaction. Even the clueless and naughty veeransh could sense the unspoken tension and pain lingering in the air they both moved towards the living room behind them not knowing what to say. No one had ever seen ekagra like this before and it was shocking but they were more worried than anything, worried for their ekagra bhai sa.

Isha led ekagra to the sofa and sat beside him not taking her sweet smile of her face. She said

Isha (FL)

Veer jaaye jaakar apne bhai sa ke liye ek towel lekar aaye

She instructed without taking her eyes off of ekagra. Veeransh went to get the towel without a word understanding the fragility of the situation.

Isha (FL)

Aap baithiye hum aapke liye abhi adrak wali chai lekar aate hai

She went to stand but ekagra didn’t leave her hand that was in his hold instead he tightened the hold not letting her leave

Isha (FL)

Hume jaane de hum yu gaye or yu aaye aapko sardi lag jaaye ise phle kuch garam pina zaruri hai

She said softly but he didn’t react didn’t say anything didn’t move a muscle but tightened his hold again not painfully but in a way where Isha could sense his vulnerability.

Seeing this vedant stepped forward

Vedant (FL older Brother)

It’s fine tum baitho me chai banakar lata hu

After sending her a reassuring blink he moved towards the kitchen silently followed by abhay

It was just the two of them sitting in the lavish yet cozy living room. Isha didn’t urge him to speak she just kept holding his hand providing support and giving him some space

After a few minutes ekagra spoke his voice was hoarse from holding back tears sounding deeper than usual but there was an unmistakable feeling of pain and vulnerability in it that was hard to miss.

Ekagra (ML)

Hum.. eh… hum aapse shadi nahi kar paayenge sunshine. Hume maaf kardijiye.