Fingers glided in air, playing a note of an imaginary piano.

Slowly and steadily, a smile grew on Veer's face. He cocked his head to one side and scrutinized his reflection in a nearby glass-window.

The smile turned into a wicked one.

This certainly was rejuvenating. After ten years of stagnancy, he was making some process. Finally, his transition, or as he liked to term... catching up was ready to form numerous catastrophic hurricanes.

Ring finger moved down to press an invisible key, in order to obtain a heavy chord.

Closing his eyes, he savoured the moment.

The part of him which had witnessed a steady withering under the unfavourable conditions of the past years, was undoubtedly catching up to him. And like a long lost friend he was ready to embrace that side of him, the dark side of him.

His fingers stopped in mid-air, pausing in the act.

"No," he opened his eyes.

"I am meeting up with Gauri. This side of mine should be hidden and tucked out of her reach," he mused.

Even a single slip-up was forbidden. This path asked him to tread carefully, very carefully. Every single person related to Gauri mattered to him, they did.

Gauri was his precious key, the key which would unlock the get way to evident solace and unmatched exhilaration.

The index finger dipped, pressing the thin air followed by other fingers.

The haunting melody ringing inside his mind, made him sigh in contentment.

Though lined with a shade of insanity, the intoxication of this dark side was overwhelming.

The corners of his lips tugged more to give him a malicious shine blended with the wicked glow.

"You're already bringing out the best of me, Gauri," he muttered.

"And we have yet to know each other, more closely."

Veer was about to dispatch for his destination but stopped short in his steps when a sweet voice called him.

"Veer bhai."

Veer turned around only to be greeted by his sister's bright smile, and he couldn't help but mirror it.

Aadya dismissed the maid at her service with a flick of her wrist and walked up to Veer.

"Nice weather," Aadya chirped.
"Forgive me if I am delaying you bhai."

"Even if you are, I know my princess is worth it," Veer said.

Aadya's smile grew fractionally.
"Then you wouldn't mind joining me for a stroll, would you?"

The shadow of momentary hesitation painting Veer's face didn't escape her notice. The jubilancy on her face dampened a bit.

"It's fine by me," Aadya stated.

"It's just...," she shook her head.
"I have been so caught up with myself that I couldn't even spend my time with you, with dhada bhai."

Aagya gave a wistful smile.
"Look at the irony, wasn't I the one who kept chattering about dada bhai during his absence?" She paused.

She looked at Veer. He was trying very hard to mask his displeasure, she had to give him that.

"... And when he is finally here, I am not here for him. It's like... like we're drifting apart," she whispered the last phrase.

Veer gritted his teeth. Not even a normal conversation with his sister could go well without the intervention of his great-elder brother.

He smiled.
"You, my dear sister, think a lot. We aren't. It's not as if anything is your fault, by the way. I am to blame as well. And," he smirked.

"... it's not like dhada bhai was much interested in spending his time with us... with you."

Aadya frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Veer dismissed the matter, shrugging.

He draped an arm over her shoulders and beamed.
"If ever my princess gets such baseless thoughts, come to me. Veer bhai is always there for you and you should know that," Veer said.

Aadya's eyes glittered with zeal.

"I know," she chuckled.

"Trust me bhai, I am always around you," Aadya smiled brightly.
"... whether you know it or not. Always."

Veer walked alongside her. Apparently, he had to wait to meet up with Gauri.

"That has to wait for the time being."

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Gauri made her way out of the shop and proceeded towards the parking lot.

A brief ping of her phone brought a smile on her face. Juggling the shopping bags and shuffling through the contents, she finally fished out her phone.

Her lips pursed in an angry pout. Many of those useless notifications popped up one after another but not a single one for which she had been anticipating.

Heaving a sigh and chucking her phone back, she walked up to Chetak.

"I cannot understand him," she thought angrily.

"Is it too much to give me a ring or atleast a text or two? It's not like I want to pin over him. There's just a way of feeling, a sense of belonging that maybe I am something to him. That, somewhere or the other maybe I have a right to know about him, to care for him. Is it too much?"

She unceremoniously placed the shopping bags. Fixing the helmet, she adjusted the rear view mirror. While adjusting it she noticed a flash of black behind her.

Whipping her head around, she looked in all directions. Was it a figment of her imagination? Or was someone actually standing there?

Her hand viciously gripped the keys. Now when she was out of her thoughts, she noted just how deserted the parking lot was.

"Not good," she muttered.

Turning the ignition key, she started her scooty. The prickling sensation of her caution senses alarmed her. She turned and scanned the area. No one.

Without further delay, she rode off.

Her face contorted in a grimace.

Something wasn't right, she had a gut feeling about it. In these past few days, she felt like she was being watched and stalked. At first, she brushed it off, terming it as her paranoia but now, she wasn't sure.

"Should I tell someone or am I really being paranoid?" She mused.

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.
.

His fingers made a circular motion on his temple.

With his eyes close, Rudra was leaned against the couch and his fingers were massaging his forehead.

All of a sudden, he let out a chuckle which soon turned into a full-fledged laughter.

Splaying his arms over the headrest, he opened his eyes and gazed at the engraved ceiling.

"This is turning out to be more easy than I thought," he whispered to himself.

"But I play hard."

His phone rang, breaking his reverie. He grinned suavely.

"Just in time," he chuckled at his thought.

"Hello," he drawled.

A string of smooth giggles was his reply.

"What needs my attention?" He asked, suppressing his smile.

"Do you want me to tell you?" The voice was laced with amusement.
"Knowing you, I think you would've predicted it already."

Rudra smirked and laid back, "Enlighten me."

"He approached her," the person on the other side, said.
"Her... your acquaintance, I think."

Rudra tried very hard to squash the bubbling laughter.

"Wise with the words, I see," he spoke teasingly.

"Did you expect any less?" The person quipped.

Rudra stood up and walked towards the wide gallery. His golden tinged eyes were roving everywhere.

"My expectations are higher from you," Rudra chuckled.

"There's a reason because... " he paused.

Grinning, he buried his hand deeper into his pocket.

"... blood is thicker than water, dear sister."

Aadya's face broke into a smile. Her thumb unconsciously fiddled with the ring on her middle finger.

"Of course, dhada bhai."

Rudra's eyes shimmered with a strange devilish shine. Aadya Pratap Rathore was thorough and thorough his sister. No one, not even his family knew of what  a deadly sorceress she was beneath the charming mask of an innocent doe.

Aadya, his eyes and ears in the palace for ten years long.

"Good," Rudra replied.

Aadya let her fingers glide over the surface of silver-plated mirror, another one of those extravagant gifts.

"There's one thing though, that keeps raking my mind," her sweet voice reached Rudra, reminding him of the venom laced on it.

It wasn't his fault she turned out to be the way she was, rather he had always wanted to keep her away from all of it. But guess, it was in the genes.

Rudra's lips curled up in amusement.
"At the end of the day, she is my sister."

"What is it?" Rudra's voice turned deeper.

"You asked me to keep an eye on Veer bhai, as always," Aadya stated.

Turning sideways, she flaunted her new dress in the mirror.

"Now, isn't it peculiar?" She said, scrunching her face as the colour of her dress was too flashy.

Rudra's index finger tapped upon his lips, as if to physically stop the smirk that was threatening to form.

"What's peculiar in that?" He asked innocently.

"Dhada bhai," Aadya whined.
"You could've asked me to stop Veer bhai from meeting your acquaintance but that is in case if you wanted."

Rudra hummed and leaned on the railing. He was enjoying it, how often did someone start reasoning his acts?

Very less.

"You didn't, however," Aadya reasoned and threw the dress on her bed.

Picking a new set of dress, she held it near chest and examined it.

"This means you wanted Veer bhai to meet her, Gauri," she whispered.

"Why is it so?" She frowned.

"Is that why you aren't here in Jaipur?" She questioned.

"Speaking of which, where are you? I am sure as hell, you aren't in Ahmedabad."

Rudra's hair danced in light breeze. He raised his gaze towards the sky.

"Like every other traveller, I find myself walking on the familiar path of this journey, princess," he said.

"For you to know, I am under the wing of warm yet soothing sun; safe and sound."

Aadya shook her head in disapproval. Sometimes or like most of the time, her elder brother's words were beyond her understanding.

"What in the world does that mean?" She asked, irritated.

Her only reply was his obnoxious throaty laughter.

"Find out," he teased.

"I know you, dhada bhai," she furrowed her brows.

"Or I think I know you enough to know that you wouldn't leave without a proper planning. You, going out of state, Daata's increased party meetings and Veer bhai's newfound interest on your acquaintance; these all are no mere coincidences," Aadya said.

"It's not like you'll leave knowing well that something in Veer bhai screams, he is upto no good."

Rudra smirked. His fingers raked along the length of his hair.

"There's someone else here, in Jaipur. Your confidant, perhaps? They are making sure everything stays the way it is until your return," Aadya smiled, finally finding the dress of her taste.

"You never fail to prove that you are my sister, Aadya," Rudra spoke, tilting his head to one side.

Aadya giggled, "Hmm... I want to know who is he or she? However, that can wait," she said.

Puckering her lips, she sorted her dress and called a maid. She handed it over to the maid and took a seat infront of the dresser.

"My new dress has golden embroidery with lime green crystals encrusted on its neck line," she said, smiling brightly.

Rudra laughed, "Let me gift you some jewelleries to go with it, princess."

Aadya untangled her wavy locks. Her dhada bhai always knew her wishes and choices more than herself.

"Come back soon, dhada bhai," she smiled genuinely.

"Soon, princess. Soon."

Disconnecting the call, Rudra gave a sardonic smile.
"See daata, I am turning more into your son with each passing day."

His gaze, then hardened while his face lit up with a vicious smile.

"Veer, dear brother. Why are you so predictable?" He chortled.

"Where's the fun in that?"

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Aadya stared at her phone's screen.

Had she been in Veer's place, she wouldn't have dared to have Rudra as her opponent.

As much as she loved her brothers, she knew she couldn't fathom her dada bhai's nature.

Moreover, she always liked to play safe and stealthy.

She sighed, placing her phone on the dresser's top.

She glanced at her ring and then at her reflection.

She took her time to admire the beautiful face staring back at her.

"You are harmless as a kitten, Aadya. F**k the reality," she giggled whilst winking and blowing a kiss at her reflection, simultaneously.