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hiya, Asna right? Just came across this FF of yours today and I really like it, please continue soon, its a great FF =)
Armaan awoke to the sound of shuffling feet nearby. He sat up on the crate and rubbed his eyes trying to clear his blurry vision. When he lifted his legs to place them on the ground, he groaned as he moved his sore leg. It was not hurting like the night before, but it was still swollen.
"Armaan!" Someone called his name from across the room and he heard footsteps coming closer. "I see you have awakened!" Registering whose voice it was, he tried to stand. "No need for you to stand. Remain where you are." Armaan looked up and saw Shashank appear from the darkness with a smirk upon his lips.
"Sir," Armaan lowered his head showing respect. "I apologize for the inconvenience. But I could not return home yesterday."
"No need to explain, Armaan." He stopped in front of him and looked down. "Let me know this, however. Will you be able to carry out your duty when Khanna arrives the following week with your injuries?"
"I will, sir. And I assure you everything will go as planned." Armaan stood and said with confidence looking right into his eyes.
"I am sure you will." He patted his shoulder. "I advise you to take some more rest. I had medicine put on your arm wound while you were asleep. Your foot however, was just wrapped more properly so it will need rest if you are to go home later... and carry out the plan." Shashank informed him. Armaan looked down at his foot and saw it much more neatly wrapped. He then glanced at his arm to see it properly bandaged as well.
"Thank you, sir." Armaan slowly lowered himself back onto the crate.
"I will send one of our doctors to check on you." Armaan nodded and watched him walk away. He turned his head towards the frosted glass window that limited the light in the room. He couldn't tell if it was morning or afternoon, all he knew was that the sun had risen.
"Sir?" Armaan turned his head back and found a man standing before him.
"Yes?"
"Sir has sent me to look at your injuries." He placed a small bag down on the ground. "May I?" He pointed to his arm. Armaan nodded and scooted over so he could sit. Armaan remained lost in his thoughts as the doctor continued to check his arm and foot.
"Your arm is healing." He said as he wrapped Armaan's foot. "Your foot, as well. You must not place weight onto this foot though. Keep it rested as much as you can." Armaan simply nodded in response. "I will leave now." He gathered up his things and left.
I'll just rest for a while longer. I have to return home, Armaan thought as he brought his foot up slowly and laid down straight, shutting his eyes.
----
Armaan limped down the streets heading home. Heads turned to look at him, but he ignored them and continued. Placing his hand on the wall of a building, he stopped to rest for few minutes. Armaan lifted his head and saw Vivek leaving from the home up ahead. Confusion grew within Armaan.
"Wasn't he supposed to leave?" Armaan staggered forward a little bit. He realized whose home it was it shocked him even more to see Vivek happily talking to the man at the door before leaving.
"Shilpa" He let out as he wobbled towards the door at quicker pace. He stopped in front of the door realizing that he couldn't barge in to check on her. His eyes searched for a window. Seeing one a few feet away he quickly made his way to it. His gaze went straight to Shilpa who stood there with her arms joined and her head lowered. Armaan couldn't hear what was being said but he clearly sees the man at the door pointing to Shilpa with a stern look on his face; he assumed it must be her father. She lifted her gaze and nodded and Armaan noticed her moistened eyes. She swiftly turned and ran up the stairs. Armaan backed away from the window and looked up; looking for a way to reach a window on the second floor.
Armaan walked around to the side and saw a ladder that ended just before the edge of the roof. He climbed up and then jumped onto the roof making sure he landed on his unharmed foot. He walked unsteadily towards an open window. He heard sobs and looked in to find Shilpa sitting on her bed crying into her hands.
"Shilpa." Armaan called. She sniffed trying to stop her tears as she looked up and placed her bangs behind her ear. "Shilpa, it is I, Armaan." She twisted her head around and saw him sitting on the window sill.
"Armaan!" She cried out as she ran to the window and threw her arms around him. Armaan steadied himself before wrapping his arms around her as well. He heard her sobbing into his chest so he gently rubbed her back trying to soothe her.
"Why are these tears flowing from your eyes?" Armaan moved back but cupped her face. She kept her arms around his waist, not wanting to let go of the comfort of his presence. Her tears continued flow and she looked down not being able to speak. Armaan pulled her to him once again trying to calm her down.
"Armaan..." She spoke as her tears subsided. "Vivek.. he came... he.." She hesitated with her words.
"Why was he here?" Armaan asked authoritatively. Not getting a response from her he asked again. "Answer me, Shilpa. Why did he come to your home?"
"Father... He came to speak with father." She continued to stutter. "Vivek has asked for... my hand in marriage. And my parents.." She choked on her words and finished her sentence with a croaked voice, "they have agreed." She tightened her arms around him as if he would disappear in any moment. Armaan fisted his hands on her back and his jaw clenched. Shilpa pulled away from him and fisted his shirt in her hands.
"I can't marry him Armaan! I can't!" She shook him still grasping his shirt. "My parents will not even listen to me. I cannot marry someone I do not love!" She slid down onto the floor, breaking down. Armaan kneeled down in front of her watching her. She looked so helpless. He lifted her chin and looked right in her eyes.
"Shilpa, please do not cry. I will make everything better." He assured her.
"How?" She stared back holding his shirt once again. "How will you fix this Armaan! You'll only hurt yourself if you do! Vivek is of such an influential family! No one can do anything to stop this!" She shouted back at him. Armaan was about to say something but looked up when he heard the door slam open.
"Shilpa!" She shot her head to the door and saw her father standing there with anger filled eyes. "What is this?!" Shilpa quickly turned back to Armaan and made him stand up.
"You must leave Armaan." She pushed him back to the window and helped him out. Armaan climbed out the window and ran to the edge where the ladder was. He turned around before descending and saw that her father had rushed to the window.
"Leave my daughter!" He yelled to Armaan. "Or I shall kill you!"
"Now, now, Sir. That will not be necessary!" Armaan placed his foot on the first step of the ladder.
"Guards! Guards! Get hold of him!" He screamed at the top of his lungs to the nearby guards.
"Father, leave him please!" Shilpa pleaded.
"Such a thing will not happen! How dare you!" He pushed her back and hurried out of the room to go down onto the streets.
Armaan had climbed down the ladder and looked at the guards coming towards him. "There is no need for violence." Armaan smirked when he noticed them pulling out their weapons. He knew it would hurt for him to run, but he had no other choice. If he wanted to live, he would have to. Taking a deep breathe he broke out into a sprint passing the approaching guards. They chased after him pushing people aside that blocked their way.
Armaan turned the corner and saw a dead end. His leg pained but he couldn't stop now. The pattering of the guards' feet was getting closer and he needed to find a way out from this closed pathway.
The guards rushed to the dead end and looked about. No one was there except a beggar draped with an old cloth.
"Did a man run over here?" One of the guards walked up to the man and gave him a kick to his leg.
"No, sir. No one has come this way." He grumbled in a shaky voice.
"He must have gone the other way, come!" Another guard yelled. All of them rushed behind him and soon were out of sight. Armaan removed the cloth from his head and tossed it to the side. Looking down the alley and finding no one, he let out a huge sigh and leaned his back on the wall. When the pain receded, Armaan got up and started to walk back home.
He stood in front of the door preparing for the talk he would receive from his parents. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He saw Rahul sitting on the chair nearby with his chin resting on his joined hands. Armaan looked left and right, searching for his parents, but didn't see them; nor did he hear any movement.
"Brother," He walked in front of Rahul.
"Little brother! Where have you been? I have been so worried!" He jumped from the chair and held Armaan's shoulders.
"Where are mother and father?" Armaan asked, ignoring his question.
"I do not know! First you disappear and then mother and father! I left the house in the morning to feed the horses and when I return, they are not home. Nor have they returned even once since. May you have a clue as to where to must be?" He asked with concern.
"I do not, brother." Armaan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion wondering where they could possibly be. "We must search for them!" Armaan was about to run out the door.
"Where will we search? We don't know where they could have gone!" Rahul said.
"I don't care. We must start somewhere." Armaan muttered before walking out the door. Rahul followed behind him after shutting the door. They rushed down streets and alleyways nearby searching every corner but found nothing. They made their way to the marketplace and saw one of their father's friends.
"Have you seen father?" Rahul rushed to him.
"No uhh.." He began to stutter, "I haven't, son." Rahul looked at Armaan showing his suspicion. Armaan returned the same look.
"Are you sure?" Armaan moved to him with his eyebrow raised. "Do not lie to us."
"If you know what is best, do not question the whereabouts of your parents, Armaan." He said and walked away. Worry was clearly visible on the two brothers' faces. They continued to rush to the other side of town, asking anyone that they knew where their parents were. But all of them replied with the same answer as the first.
"Where could they be that no one is willing to inform us?" Rahul asked. They turned the corner and stopped short seeing the scene before them. Their eyes widened and words could not escape their mouth. Armaan fell to his knees and Rahul steadied himself against the wall registering the sight.
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