Gaurav looked at Prince Rajeev Singh Thakur.. The b*stard was smiling.
. Ranjeet Singh.. Yes it was him.. No mistake. He would not be fooled by that lazy, easygoing, foolish and friendly nature. This here in front of him stood PREDATOR.. The most dangerous of them all.
Well two can play the game.
" If you are here", he said biting a chicken as he cut it neatly into pieces and ate.. " So are the other monsters. Where are they"?
" Umm here and there", said an equally calm Raj.
" This is my fortess prince. No one enters in my area without being pursued and destroyed by me", he said.
" I agree. The dogs do mark their area and attack in packs", said Raj smirking at him.
" But when the lion enters", his voice chilled suddenly and his eyes held menace; " Then all the dogs understand who the king of the forest really is".
Gaurav was amused as he laughed.
" You would have made a great ally Srikant had you not sacrificed our friendship for a mere woman", he said,
" Gunjan was my wife", said Raj.
" So tell me G do you still want to do those nasty things to me", asked Kenny losing her calm.
" SHUT UP", said Gaurav. " I AM YOUR FATHER. I never would think that about you. I just planned to marry you off to a weakling and control him through you".
Kenny was in tears now.
" Stop crying Kenny. It pains me", said Gaurav. " I would have never hurt you. You girls just married wrong men.Now prophecy said you hold the cards for power. So..but I would have never harmed you. ".
"To that I agree. Relax beautiful.I think we all need a break", said Raj.
" I just want to put him in prison where he belongs", said a tearful Kiara.
" There there sis in law. Calm down. We do have time. So let's hear his story. Please girls. Cut him some slack. Old friends catching up.han Gaurav."
" You don't fool me Raj", said Gaurav.
" Questionable ", he smirked.
" The military is alerted", said Kenny. " Your dreams of rruling Junagarh are over", she sneered.
" Junagarh", Gaurav chuckled. " I lost my interest in it way back. I want more power now. Power to rule the world".
" World", Kiara was confused.
" Strong elemental power", said Gaurav.
" Srikant's power and his immortality ".
" That was a curse", said Kenny.
He won't understand beautiful. It's futile..Raj spoke in her mind. We need him occupied. Control your emotions.
Kenny pulled all her self control and calmed down.
Looking at Gaurav Raj said,
" So let's start. Gaurav Shekhawat dies in infancy at around six months of age. It was at this hospital Vibha met her childhood friend Devika. The infant Bablu was ill too. But he survives. You survive", he said.
" Fate", said Gaurav. " Which brought me back here to India as Gaurav was cremated as Bablu. Vibha secured my life as running from law, bikers and no education would have turned me to a ruffian. Both she and Devika died soon after. Bhairav Shekhawat brought me up with an iron Fist. Discipline, Morality, hard work".
" You grew up into a refined young man though your morals were always questionable. Bhairav remarried and through Jhanvi you met grandpa", said Raj.
" I liked him irrespective of how things got ugly in the end", said Gaurav.
" Meaning like you murdered him", said Raj.
" It was him or me", said Gaurav. " Well your father was a fool. No offence. He didn't understand business ".
" None taken. He was not cut for business.And it was through Bhairav you met daddy", said Raj.
" Business acquaintance ", nodded Gaurav. " And another useless addicted son of a genius".
" It made him restless to see such opportunities go waste", Maddy had inferred earlier to Raj. " He was brilliant in a destructive sort of way".
Trust Maddy to psycoanalyse a criminal.
" But something changed in Vicky after his Ganges trip. A one eighty he did. Graduated with top honours defeating the class topper Joshi crushing his scholarship dreams", said Gaurav.
" Because he wasn't Vicky ", said Raj.
" Fooled us big time. His dad paid for Joshi and we became friends and partners", said Gaurav.
" You were jealous of him", said Kiara.
" Not jealous it was a healthy competition ", said Gaurav.
" And then Bhairav sent you to England to study", said Kenny.
" And the ghosts of past resurfaced", said Gaurav looking at horizon...
Flasback
" Hey Gaurav man your photograph is in art department ", said a boy in his class.
" Jake I don't do arts. My dad will have a fit. I am his only son and I have to be his business heir. So I study business management ".
" But.. "
" You are mistaken", assured Gaurav.
" Ohh sorry".
And he forgot about it.
A month later..
He had a girl from arts he was f*cking so he went to meet her there and collided with an old man..
" Sorry ", said Gaurav.
" Ohh it's alright.. Ohh my God Sourish", said the man.
He was really old.
" I am Gaurav sir.. ", he replied.
" Ohhh".
The man stared at him for some time.
" Sorry son. I am a bit old. I am the art teacher here. One of my ex student looked like you".
" It's fine sir", said Gaurav and helped the man pick his things.
And again he let it go.
It was around the end of first semester when the students were having a party at an inn.
He got a headache and slipped out nursing a drink.
" Sourish", a man touched his shoulder.
He turned.
" I am afr.. ", his words halted in his mouth.
This was a goon. A criminal who approched him. He had a gun. Tatooed and in bike.
No three is not a coincidence..
" You know me", he asked.
" Sourish are you trying to fool me. You look a bit younger but it's you", he said.
" Younger", he mused.
" Hey Gaurav ", a girl came out and kissed him.
" I am with woman", he whispered to the man. " Let's meet here. Say next week."
The man smiled and left.
Next morning
The first thing he did was rushed to art department and saw the photograph.
" Sourish Singh Thakur".
He was a mirror image of the man.
He then dug around and information came in fast.
Sourish was the younger son of the elder prince of Junagarh who abdicated to marry a foreigner. He had a brother Shamsher and two nephews. He had many girlfriends but no wife..
And he was related to king of Junagarh..
" WHAT THE F*CK"?
Gaurav was gobsmacked. So many coincidences. His stepmother was sister of king of Junagarh. And he looked like this man who was one of the heirs to that throne.
" What's the truth", he asked himself.
And then answered his question..
" I will find out"..
Oh yes I will..