76.
Aarav paused, taking in the place before him.
Six years had passed, yet so much remained unchanged. The same grand fa?ade, the same stone beneath his feet—only now, a flag bearing Shaurya's name flew proudly at the front. Head of the family. Head of everything. The title suited him, even if it still felt surreal.
The guards lined the path, bowing as they passed.
Some faces were familiar, others new. Aarav noticed everything—he always did.
Six years ago, when Shaurya had brought him here after their wedding, Aarav had walked these halls not just as a prince, but as Shaurya's husband.
Back then, the respect had been personal, intimate.
Today, it was formal. Calculated.
A courtesy offered to someone destined to be king.
And beneath that courtesy, Aarav caught it—fleeting glances, tightened jaws, resentment barely masked. Anger. Directed at him.
His chest tightened.
Shaurya sensed it immediately.
When Aarav looked up, Shaurya was already watching him, eyes soft but alert. He offered a small, reassuring smile and extended his hand, silent but steady. Aarav took it without hesitation, their fingers intertwining as they walked inside together.
Only then did Aarav breathe.
Inside, Shaurya instructed Ravi to show Yug to his room before turning back to Aarav.
"Aarav? You okay?"
Aarav nodded, though it was half a lie. "Yeah. I just... want to look around a bit."
Shaurya nodded in understanding. "I'll tuck her in, then. Is it okay if you stay in the room near my office?"
"Of course," Aarav said softly, leaning in to kiss Aarya's cheek before watching them leave.
Once alone, Aarav exhaled slowly, clearing his throat.
This place held too many memories.
Some would call it sentimental. Maybe even cringe. But every corner carried pieces of a life he had once lived fully—laughing, loving, breaking, healing. And every bit of it had been worth it.
He wandered toward the dining hall first. It was just as he remembered. Long table. Polished wood. High ceilings. And there it was—his chair, still placed beside Shaurya's, untouched, unquestioned.
Aarav smiled despite himself.
From there, he moved through the long corridors lined with framed family photographs. Generations frozen in time. In one picture, everyone faced the camera—except him and Shaurya. They were turned toward each other instead, mid-laugh, caught in a moment too real to stage.
Aarav's smile softened.
Then he heard it.
A distant rustle. A low call.
He turned toward the sound and stepped into the open yard.
Peacocks.
They moved gracefully across the grounds, their feathers catching the light, colors deep and alive. Aarav had always believed peacocks belonged to Rajasthan—that their presence completed the land. He remembered asking Shaurya, almost casually, to keep some here someday.
He had never thought Shaurya would actually do it.
A soft chuckle escaped him.
And then, across the opposite yard, he saw them.
The cheetahs.
The tiger.
The panther.
Powerful. Restless. Beautiful.
Shaurya's babies.
Aarav shook his head fondly. Shaurya had always loved cats—big or small, wild or tame. It made sense that even here, amidst royalty and bloodlines and power, Shaurya had carved out space for the creatures that mirrored him most.
Dangerous. Loyal. Untamed.
Aarav stood there for a long moment, letting the weight of it all settle.
He was back.
And nothing—and also everything—had changed.
Aarav went upstairs, instinctively heading toward Shaurya's room.
When he stopped in front of the door, he took a slow, steady breath.
Too many thoughts collided inside his mind at once.
The day he had walked out of this mansion after Shaurya told him to leave and never come back flashed before his eyes.
And yet, here he was again—standing at the very same door.
The past was the past, he reminded himself. But no matter how hard one tried, some things never returned to what they once were.
Aarav reached out and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. He frowned. That was strange. The room was never locked. Shaurya never locked his room.
Before he could think further, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"Good morning Sir. It's nice to meet you again."
Aarav turned around and smiled when he saw her.
"It's nice to meet you too, Roshni. How are you?"
"I'm good from God's grace. Hum sabka yeh hi asha thi ki aap laut aaye. Bade sahab bohot khush honge."
Aarav nodded softly, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Hume bataye, yeh darwaza khul kyu nahi rahi hai." Aarav asked, tapping the door lightly.
Roshni's smile faded just a little, replaced by something gentler, sadder.
"Bade sahab yaha rehte nahi rehte ab. The room beside the fountain area, that's where he stays."
Aarav's hand froze on the door.
"In a guest room?"
Roshni nodded.
Aarav rested his palm against the wooden door one last time, as if saying goodbye to a version of life that no longer existed.
"Okay. Thank you," he said softly.
Roshni bowed and started to leave.
"Aap bohot khubsurat lag rahi hai waise," Aarav called out.
Roshni paused, blushed instantly, and hurried away with a shy smile. Aarav chuckled to himself. He had always been like this—teasing, warm, treating the staff like family. Some things, at least, hadn't changed at all.
Aarav decided to check on Yug. He wandered through the corridors for a while, until he thankfully ran into Ravi, who wordlessly pointed him in the right direction.
But Yug wasn't inside his room. He was already standing outside, hoodie pulled over his head, hands tucked into the pockets.
"I was just coming to meet you," Yug said. "Let's go outside. It's too dark in here."
Aarav nodded, falling into step beside him.
"Did you like your room though?" Aarav asked casually. "Ravi told me you'd surely love it. I wonder what he did."
Yug looked at him, confused.
So... it was his idea.
Umm. Wow.
But he's still a fucking creep. He just saw my place once.
"Aren't you hungry?" Aarav continued. "I'm really hungry."
Yug nodded.
Before they could move any further—
"Mamu!"
A small voice echoed across the courtyard.
Aarav turned just in time to see Vayu sprinting toward him. He instinctively picked up his pace, scooping the child into his arms with a laugh.
"Hey kiddo!"
Almost immediately, two familiar voices followed—arguing loudly as they approached.
"Tum kahi nahi ja rahe ho. Shakal dekhi hai apni. Jungli lag rahe ho."
"Yaar, hume meeting to puri krne deti. Ajeeb ho yaar. Aur jo churail jaise dekh rahi thi mujhe."
"Churail? Main churail hoon. Acha. Main batati hu churail kise kehte hain."
Aarav's heart skipped.
Aarohi and Veer.
Time seemed to pause. His little sister—now a mother—stood there, frozen mid-step. Veer was beside her, visibly not fully healed. Bruises marred his face, one eyelid swollen, exhaustion written all over him.
Aarohi stopped completely when she saw Aarav.
Veer only stared.
Then Aarohi smiled, her eyes immediately filling.
"Bhaiya!"
She rushed forward. Aarav smiled softly and extended his free arm—the other occupied by Vayu. Aarohi stepped into his embrace, holding him tightly. Aarav closed his eyes, exhaling as he kissed the top of her head.
"Why are you crying, Mumma?" Vayu asked innocently.
"She cries a lot. That's her habit," Aarav said lightly.
Vayu giggled.
Aarav cupped Aarohi's face, brushing away her tears with his thumb.
"Stop crying. I can't see you cry. It breaks my heart, Aarohi," he murmured.
"You're home, Bhai," Aarohi whispered.
"I'm home," Aarav replied, smiling.
He pulled Aarohi and Vayu into a gentle squeeze together. Vayu cheered, clapping his hands, and Aarohi laughed through her tears. For a moment, everything felt whole again.
Then Aarohi glanced toward Yug, who stood a little aside, smiling faintly—though there was something heavy in his eyes. Veer still hadn't spoken.
Aarav turned toward him.
"Tu mujhse baat nahi karega?" Aarav said, attempting a smile. "Shakal ki halat dekho iski. College mein bhi ek din aise hi pita tha. Remember our match, Veer?"
Veer didn't smile.
"Hume sab yaad. Aur waise bhi kuch badla kaha hai. Par tumhara pata nahi," Veer said flatly.
"Veer—" Aarav's tone hardened slightly.
"I hope you enjoy your stay here, Aarav," Veer said, his gaze shifting to Yug.
Yug cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Baal kaha hai tumhara?" Veer asked bluntly.
"Jahannum mein," Yug replied.
Veer smirked, just for a second.
"Welcome back. I hope you're okay," Veer said, then added, more formally, "Really, I must say your work is amazing. I hope you can help me with mine as well."
Yug smiled. "Thanks."
Veer glanced briefly at Aarohi, then back at Aarav.
"Meet you guys later," he said, before walking away.
Aarohi turned back to Aarav, worry evident. "Bhaiya, he's—"
"That's okay," Aarav interrupted gently. "I deserve this anyway."
He watched Veer disappear down the corridor, then looked at Yug.
At least... he hadn't treated Yug badly.
For now, that was enough.
"Mamu, is Aarya here too?" Vayu asked, his eyes lighting up.
"Yeah, she's here," Aarav smiled. "You can meet her, but I think she's sleeping right now. Go get changed quickly, and I'll wake her up."
"Okay!" Vayu chirped.
Aarav gently put him down.
"Mamu, bike ride," Vayu said again, almost as an afterthought, tugging at Aarav's hand.
Aarav laughed softly. "Yeah, right—the bike ride. I'll take you for one, just like I promised, okay?"
Vayu grinned from ear to ear and ran toward his room, two of his nannies hurrying after him.
"Bike ride?" Aarohi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He saw my bike and got excited," Aarav explained. "I told him I'd take him once we came here. I can't exactly ride with him in public."
Aarohi nodded, understanding.
"Yug, thanks for coming here," she said warmly. "It really feels nice when someone visits. Otherwise, this place gets unbearably boring."
Yug chuckled softly. "I can imagine."
"You must be hungry," Aarohi continued. "I'll tell the cooks to hurry. Yug, I don't really know what you like—"
"I can have whatever everyone's having," Yug replied easily.
"You're staying here for a while, right?" Aarohi smiled. "Ravi Bhai hired hundreds of people to decorate your room."
She said it so casually that Aarav was amazed.
"What?" Aarav looked from Aarohi to Yug, completely baffled.
Aarohi grinned mischievously. "I'll be back," she said and walked away.
Aarav turned to Yug. "What is this?"
Yug sighed. "I don't know either. I'm genuinely scared of him. First, he threatens you—and then he does things that make you lose your brain cells."
Aarav laughed.
"You'd lose your mind too if you saw that room," Yug continued. "It's exactly the same as the one I had back home. Literally the exact same. Should I be creeped out by that?"
Aarav chuckled again, though deep down he was impressed by Ravi's effort.
"And the way he looks at me," Yug added, lowering his voice, "it feels like he's planning my murder."
"Well, he looks at everyone like that," Aarav said, trying to imitate Ravi's sharp, intimidating stare. "He can't stand me either. He looks at me like an eagle."
Yug snorted.
"But honestly," Aarav said more softly, "he's good at heart, Yug. You can trust him—just as much as you trust me."
Deep down, Aarav felt relieved. Ravi wouldn't have gone this far unless he genuinely cared. And Aarav didn't want Yug to leave anytime soon.
"Whatever," Yug muttered. "Let's see what my little rat is doing. Is she still sleeping?"
"I think she should be awake by now," Aarav replied with a small smile.