Trojan Horse

Summary : Durga Prasad sends his best man to bring Sanskar back and Shankar Bose has his own history with Sanskar. On the other hand Swara wonders if she had brought the right man into the folds of her family and Sunny wants attention.

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Shankar Bose, Durga Prasad's age old secretary found Sanskar in the lobby of VB soft, exiting deep in conversation with Vivek Bhardwaj himself.

They were having third round of discussions about a security software developed by VB soft which Sanskar wanted for Karma Co. The trial as it was decided would be run in Nirvana chain to see if the product stood up to its reputation.

It was Vivek who noticed the man first. His reputation proceeded him. There were very few places where Shankar Bose would not be recognized and revered as Durga Prasad Maheshwari's right hand man. The older man, smart in his crisp suit - well combed white hair and spectacles had a demanding presence.

Vivek paused mid conversation when his eyes fell on Shankar. It was only then, intrigued by his silence that Sanskar turned and found him watching expectantly.

He could not help the grin his face split into, instantly lighting up his rather sombre expression. This old man had carried him on his shoulders, had played chase with him - he had been family in a way Sanskar's own uncle and aunt had never been.

"Sunny baba," Shankar called, wrinkled face crinkling into lines of laughter. "Long time!"

Sanskar went to him, took the older man's hand with both of his.

"Shankar dada," he responded and did something neither Shankar nor Vivek had anticipated.

He bent down And touched Shankar's feet. Hand of the older man shook as he blessed the rebellious heir of his master, and gripped his shoulder with pride when the younger man rose back to his full height.

"May lord keep you blessed, baba." He said and meant it.

"Kahiye, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Sanskar asked him.

Shankar stiffened with the question. He had never truly forgotten the task his master had set on him. It was a matter of great importance and secrecy, and such task Durga Prasad would hand only his right hand man, his loyal servant of many years.

That much Sanskar also surmised. Shankar was the Bheeshma of Maheshwari throne, if something has required his personal attention, it is a matter of grave importance. The older man's face however betrayed nothing. After all lobby of VB soft was stranger's ground. He would not speak there.

"Can we speak privately, Baba?" He inquired in a softer tone. Sanskar exchanged a look with Vivek, and nodded to the older man.

"You can use chairman's cabin," Vivek offered.

"Aaiye," Sanskar invited Shankar.

Neither of the younger men spoke as they entered the secluded office space, Vivek excused himself and the door closed to a sound proof room. Sanskar did not inform the older man that the office he was invited into was his own, but pretended as Vivek had that he was depending on a favour.

Origins of VB soft better remain out of Maheshwaris' knowledge for the time being.

"Sunny Baba," Shankar begun.

"Shankar dada, please don't call me that. Don't you have another Sunny baba at home? I think the name suits him better than it does me."

Shankar smiled away the embarrassment and said,
"We are not supposed to call Shantanu baba anything but his given name. Mrs. Annapurna Maheshwari has expressly requested from everyone."

Sanskar frowned.

"Now she has a problem with nicknames too?" He muttered for a moment darkly reflecting upon the fate of that poor child stranded in a house full of problematic adults. "So tell me Shankar Dada, humse kuch kaam tha?"

Shankar shook away the melancholy that had befallen him and said,
"I came to invite you to dine with family."

Sanskar paused.

"To dine with - whom?" He repeated slowly.

"Mr. Maheshwari personally wants you there - baba. Ghar aajaiye, it is after all your own house."

Sanskar knew Shankar meant those words. He was however uncertain if Durga Prasad had meant them in the same context.

His fingers flexed and tapped over the polished table top.

"So he has regained consciousness- aapke bade sahab?" His impersonal tone made Shankar shift. He dropped his gaze.

"Bade Sahab wants to meet you. There are things he wishes to discuss that cannot be said unless you are in front of him. And this matter of his current health condition should not be made public knowledge."

"Your bade sahab seems to trust me a little too much Shankar dada, hum kaha unke apne hai?"

Shankar flinched.

"Aisa mat kahiye baba," he said pleadingly. "Bade sahab still cares a lot for you. If you come you'd see - they even maintain your room to date - just as you left it. Phir, your father would be there as well. If not for bade sahab, at least for him?"

Sanskar bit his lip and looked away.

"I won't come."

"Baba -"

"I've left that house Shankar Dada, and its memories. I don't want to dangle them on my neck once more. Tell your bade sahab to relay whatever secret he wishes to discuss to you. You may come to me whenever you wish. Unke ghar hum kabhi nahi jaayenge. Kehedijiyenga."

"Chale toh aap gaye the," Shankar said slowly. "You did leave Sunny baba. But people you've left are still in tatters. I know you've hurt yourself so. I know you blame bade sahab and Malkin for that. But they were not the only people you left behind. Aap ek dulhan ko mandap mein chod gaye the- yaad hai Sunny baba?"

Sanskar closed his eyes, exhaling. Shankar was a master negotiator. If Durga Prasad would send him, he would not take no for an answer. And how could he have forgotten - how easily it had slipped his mind - the circumstances in which he left the Maheshwaris.

"Shankar dada -"

"She was my granddaughter. The bride you refused to marry. Did you forget?"

It clicked him then. It hit him as heavy as a ton of bricks.

"Swara - that was Swara, wasn't she?"

Sanskar did not realize he has spoken out loud. Did his detective make some kind of a mistake? If Swara is Shankar's granddaughter- then what was she doing in Hungary when Lakshya met her? How come she became a pianist there?

Something, he realized for the first time, something in this story did not add up.

"Yes. After the mess you made, we had to send her Hungary to her father. Kahin mein moo dikhane layak nahi rahe hum. Still, despite all that - I forgave you Sunny baba. Because I know - because I admit, you were right in your place. Aur phir, humari Shona bhi toh kissi aur se Shaadi karli. She was happy with Lucky baba.
But, but today, I'm asking something in return of all the trouble, all the indignities I had to bear because of you." The older man shook his head when Sanskar opened his mouth. "Nahi, I don't need your apologies. It is all water under the bridge. Bohot saal hogaye uss baat ko. But if you have an iota of regret for what you've put us through - what you've put Shona through - you won't disappoint me. You won't say no. You won't let some greedy man exploit your nephew's inheritance. You won't make those people who have nothing to do with your ego clash suffer its consequences."

The man stopped, realizing he had said a little too much. He wiped his eyes and stood up briskly.

"If I said something wrong pardon me, Sunny baba. It is all I had to say. We will see you in the evening."

Then, without waiting for his answer, the older man left, as confident as he had arrived. Sanskar sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as Vivek entered.

"Yeh kya naya siyappa hai?" He demanded.

"Swara - Swara Bose," Sanskar said slowly. "I feel like beating up that PI."

"That bad huh?" Vivek observed.

"Well, he made an entire horoscope of her but missed out she was Shankar Bose's Granddaughter. Humari ex - fiancee. Here I thought she was some Hungarian raised pianist."

He buried his face in his hands and began to laugh. Vivek raised his eyebrows fully aware that Sanskar could not see him.

"Oh -" he said still laughing. "I think I just hijacked their trojan horse Vivek."

"Will you speak human - please?"
Sanskar sobered up and wiped his face.

"Durga Prasad was playing with me. Praying on the fact that I did not know who Swara Bose was. He was using her to test the water. Test my intentions." He rose and came to stand in front of Vivek.

"It was a nice hand, if I had been any other player. If I had never seen Durga Prasad play this hand." He smirked and held out his hand for Vivek in a mock handshake.

"You are looking at the future owner of Adarsh Maheshwari's shares in the Maheshwari group Mr. Bhardwaj - and the possible acting chairman in the absence of Durga Prasad Maheshwari."

**

Even the sense of victory cannot overcome the pricking unease Sanskar felt when Maheshwari mansion loomed closer. Most of the house was submerged in darkness, apart from orcher lights of the portico, standing impressively inside their ornate, glided cages. Old trees cast long, disfigured shadows on dimly lighted lawn extending their creeping claws to scratch walls of the house.

Sanskar swallowed thickly as he dismounted. Along with his return to the premises every disturbing memory that he had left behind seemed to claw on his conscience in a similar manner.

Shankar, accompanied by Ram Prasad Maheshwari - Sanskar's father and head of Maheshwari Legal - awaited him by the door. Behind them he could see the lights of entrance hall filling the otherwise desolate room with pretence of a cherry brightness.

Ram shifted in a way that suggested he wanted to make a move of greeting his estranged son, still he remained unmoving. It was Shankar who approached him with a bright smile.

"You came Sunny baba," he said happily.

Sanskar nodded at him, lips pressed into a line of mere tolerance.

"Don't forget to let your bade sahab know how great an effort you put into bringing me here, Shankar dada." He said as he entered, ignoring his father. "Humari nahi toh kam se kam aapki toh kadar kare."

"Sanskar -" Ram begun warningly only to be cut off by the look Sanskar send his way and also by the sound of feet pattering on the stairs.

"Bade papa!" Sunny came to a screeching halt just in time.

Sanskar seized him by the shoulders to make sure the boy did not collide with him.

"Oops!" Sunny said with that bird like tilt to his head. He held out tiny hands smudged with blue and yellow paint.

"Sunny come back and wash your hands!" A harrassed looking Swara came down the stairs after him, wearing those thick glasses of hers and a Dupatta over an oversized tee shirt. She paused when she noticed them, rising a self conscious hand towards her messy hair. Sanskar could see a smudge of same blue paint on one of her cheeks.

Sunny tried to circumvent the adults and go into the dining hall only to be held back by Sanskar.

"Kahaan?" He raised an eyebrow at the boy who fidgeted against his grip. "Why are you running away from mama?"

Swara adjusted her dupatta and climbed down from shadows.

"Sunny, don't dirty anyone's clothing. Come here."

There was frost in her tone as she reached out and pulled Sunny back into her arms.

"Chaliye, let's get you cleaned up."
Sanskar frowned. What was this new conflict he was unaware of? Or had her entire friendly demeanour been a stage prop in Durga Prasad's Agni Pareeksha?

Sunny seemed to echo his thought as he struggled to free himself.

"Daadu, I'm gonna see daadu!"

"Haath saaf kijiye, then go."
Shankar reached out and mused Sunny's hair before inviting Sanskar towards Durga Prasad's study.

"Bade sahab is waiting for you."
Sanskar took a moment longer to respond, bitterness etching into him.

She was after all groomed to this role, he told himself. This Swara Bose Maheshwari had grown up with expectation of entering the Maheshwari family, a long lasting agreement between the families.

It was only natural that she was adapt in this power play, being a pawn in her father in law's chess game, being the ever willing trojan horse. Perhaps he had made the mistake of projecting his own views upon her, seeing a honesty that wasn't there. Sanskar berated himself inwardly. How could he possibly forget what Maheshwaris were capable of? How could he possibly think she needed to be protected?

Shaking his head, Sanskar turned to follow Shankar.

"Sanskar?" She called abruptly. "A moment please?"

"Shona -" Shankar began to protest.

"Buss ek minute nanaji" she told him carelessly. "I have something important to discuss. Papaji would understand."

Sanskar nodded briefly and followed her as she went into Annapurna's drawing room. It was eerily empty. Not that he expected Annapurna to be around waiting to greet him, still Sanskar found the darkened room stifling.

Swara turned on the lights and gently pushed Sunny towards the attached bathroom.

"Go wash your hands," she said. "Rub the back of your palms and clean under nails also."

Sunny sulked, but complied nevertheless. A moment after the door shut behind him they heard the water running.

Swara folded her arms, looking at him with that bird like tilt to her head.but unlike Sunny there was no mirth in her eyes.

"Aap ka plan kya hai?" She asked briskly.

Sanskar arched one of his brows. Irony of the situation was not lost to him. He glanced at his mobile dismissively where company mails kept popping up and buried it in his pocket.

"Isn't this quite too late to ask that question?"

Swara sighed, her hands fisting. Sanskar wondered off handedly whether she was aware of the paint smudge in her face or not.

Probably not.

"What are your intentions towards us Sanskar?" She asked next.

Sanskar could not help the tightening of his jaw. Swara flinched noticing the malice in his eyes.

"Define us." He said.

She waved her hands in frustration, turning away from him to find a perch for her nervous hands.

"I'm not in a mood for sparring words! Thak gayi hoon main! I asked you a straight forward question - kripa karke," she said clapping her hands together in a frustrated gesture. "Give me a straight answer."

Sanskar straightened, looming over her. There was something infuriating about her anger, about how she believed herself eligible to question his intentions.

"Didn't you have a field day investigating my intentions Mrs. Maheshwari?" He said coldly. "Or has your experiment generated no conclusive result? Did you not run your  findings through your nanaji and papaji?"

Anger coloured her cheeks. Her eyes burned with it.

"Papaji wants you to take Adarsh bhayya's place," she said slowly. "He wishes to hand over his responsibilities to you. Kya mujhe itna haq nahi hai - that I know if the person who will have the control of our lives, of my son's life - wishes to ruin him or not? Maan liya that I played a charade - but that brought you here did it not? Is this not what you were after? How can I live in peace not knowing if I had opened the doors of my home to a snake or not!"

"Subaan sambhaliye Swara," his voice had dropped into a threateningly calm note. "I have no idea what has agitated you. But I don't think I deserve to hear such words. Aap se bada hoon, tameez se baat kijiye."

Swara drew in a breath, her shoulders dropping, she hugged herself and turned away from him.

"I don't know why you find it so hard to trust me." Sanskar continued. "If this is because of that old matter pertaining to our families wanting to get us married - I think now it's more than appropriate time to let that go. We didn't even seen each other did we? And I was - I am - in love with someone else. If you did feel I had wronged you then, surely now, now that you too found love with Lakshya - now you realize why I did what I did? Will you hold it against me and question my intentions every single time we cross paths?"

Had he seen her face, seen how the anger dimmed and was over taken by confusion first and then fear, Sanskar would have guessed something was amiss with Swara that very night. He would have wondered why his words about finding love with Lakshya had somehow convinced Swara of his innocence. But he had not. Swara wiped her face hastily and turned to him, that look in her face, the absolute devastation made Sanskar pause.

"Swara?" Be said hesitantly. "Baat kya hai?"

Both of them jumped at the sound of an unlocking door. Sunny entered, waving his washed hands and sprinkling water everywhere.

He had washed his feet as well and now left wet foot prints along his way on Annapurna's cherished, imported rug.

"Done!" He said, showing Swara his hands. "Ab daadu ke paas jaau?"

Sanskar looked at Swara, "rug" he mouthed. Swara scrunched her nose, no wonder reminded of the older lady's tantrums regarding her room and its 'pushteni' stuff. Sunny paused staring up at his mother.

"Mama are you crying? Bade papa were you rude to my mama? Mama ko rulana buri baat hai."

Swara wiped her face quickly.

"Nahi toh. Mama's not crying. Stay there Sunny, mama will carry you upstairs okay?"

"But I want to go to daadu! Sunny wants daadu! Not sleeping! Daadu promised he will take me to beach for my birthday. I want to plan ke hum kya karenge -"

"Sunny baby sunniye toh," Swara begun.

Sunny's lower lip jutted out with a very unsettling resemblance to Lakshya when he was a smaller brat. His eyes began to water.

"Daadu...!"

Sanskar acting instinctively picked him up before he launched into one of famous Lakshya Maheshwari tantrums he was well familiar with.

Sunny was such a tiny child, he realized as he did so. It was strange, standing there - holding his late brother's child. Stranger yet was the warmth that brimmed his heart. He did not want to ponder upon it. So instead Sanskar made Sunny sit on his shoulders. Resulting in the child's gleeful exclamation.

"Bade papa will take you to the beach," he promised looking up at the boy. He had Lakshya's eyes, that lit up at the smallest things.

"Promise?" Sunny inquired.

"Sunny, bade papa ko kaam hai baby - come to mama-"

Sanskar gestured to her to stay calm.

"Promise," he confirmed. "I will take you tomorrow. Ab chalein? Shall I take you to daadu for now?"

"Yayyy!" Sunny punched the air. "To daadu!"

Meanwhile Sanskar turned to Swara.

"We are not done yet," he told her. "When we meet tomorrow you will tell me everything."  He tapped on his cheek and pointed at her. "Paint hai - aap ki gaal pe."

With that he turned towards the door, grinned at Sunny and off they went racing down the hallway.

"To daadu!"

**