Author POV

Jaswant was declared dead publicly, and Niharika's revelation had proved that Jaswant was totally involved in this deadly plan. Luckily, Balraj and Mandakini were reunited, but Niharika's condition worsened after that because of the trauma that had been devouring her for the last two years.

The media covered Jaswant's last rites, unaware of the fact that the dead body wasn't his. As expected, communal disharmony pervaded all across the state, causing severe casualties.

The women were still safe, but they could soon be attacked, so the influential families had to do something as soon as possible.

"Jaake bol na unko!"

"Go and talk to him!"

Jai pushed Arjun to the open area, where Balraj was sitting with Dhanraj.

"Hel.... hello bhaiya."

Arjun flinched and greeted everyone, trying to balance himself, and strode to him, but not before glaring at Jairaj once.

"Hey Arjun, have a seat." Dhanraj cheered, and Arjun took his place, clearing his throat.

"The entire state is emanating the animosity between the Thakurs and the Khans. What if we do something that can prove them wrong, that can portray the love between these two families!"

Arjun elucidated, Balraj frowned, not being able to discern his thoughts.

"Say it clearly." He grumbled.

"Bhaiya, till now we were unaware of the fact that the Khans have a daughter, but now we know it. What if we arrange an alliance between the families, by.....um..... getting Jairaj married to his daughter - Inayat?"

Balraj straightened up immediately, exhaling sharply. Arjun gulped, getting a little scared of his gestures.

"This is impossible, Arjun. Amjad will never agree to this alliance, no matter how many people lose their innocent lives."

Balraj complained, and Arjun cleared her throat. Dhanraj flickered his gaze before suggesting

"There must be some other men in the Khan family too, someone who cares for the people?"

He asked, and Arjun nodded.

"Armaan Ali Khan, the younger son of Amjad Ali Khan. After Aryan's death, he is the eldest offspring of Khan Saheb. He is quite sensible. I'm very sure that he will understand us."

Arjun asserted, and both the brothers inhaled deeply.

Balraj decided to visit the Khan's haveli with Dhanraj. Jairaj was kept out of this until the Khans agreed.

(In the Khan's haveli)

Just a month had passed since Aryan's death. Nafisa was heartbroken, and Inayat had lost her ability to chirp anymore. The youngest twin Khans were upset because their eldest brother had died on their birthday.

Albeit Armaan was trying his best to not show any grievances, but his heart was also drowning in melancholy because he couldn't save his brother from misunderstanding his ideologies.

"Khan baba... thakur saheb aur manjle thakur aye hai."

"Khan baba.... thakur saheb and manjle thakur have arrived."

Armaan's eyes widened, listening to these names. Amjad wasn't home, so he had to handle this. The women of the family seemed worried. Inayat was locked in her room.

"Why are you both here?"

Armaan growled, folding the sleeves of his kurta till his elbow, and carrying a gun in his hand.

"We've come without any weapons, Armaan. We want to talk regarding the riots that are going on in the state."

Balraj grunted, joining his hands, to show that he was greeting him.

"Take the seats!" Armaan greeted them back, and asked them to sit.

Dhanraj gazed the walls of the haveli, rotating his head from left to right.

"So do you have any plans?"

Armaan enquired, perching on the couch.

"The state follows us. They are fighting because we fought each other."

Dhanraj exclaimed, Armaan nodded in response.

"So do we need to showcase a fake friendship between us?"

Armaan frowned, asking this question.

"Not fake! We will have to do something real."

Balraj declared, and Nafisa arrived with a tray, carrying khus khus drink.

"See I know that...." Balraj cleared his throat

"That it's weird but we would be able to handle the situation really well if Jairaj gets married to..........um.. Inayat."

Armaan immediately left the seat, and pointed his gun at Balraj's head. Nafisa screamed

"Ya Allah!"

"HOW DARE YOU?"

Armaan roared, his eyes turned red. Dhanraj instantly pointed his gun at Armaan, but Balraj held his gun's body and pushed it down.

"We aren't here for this, and who asked you to get this gun over here?"

Balraj whispered, close to Dhanraj's ear.

"I knew such a situation would arrive." Dhanraj groaned, thinning his brows.

"Put the gun down, Armaan. That's the only solution."

Balraj growled, glaring at Armaan.

"Hm..ye is duniya ka akhri tareeka bhi ho to bhi Hume qubool nhi hai. Hamari behen hai wo aur aap chahte hai hum uski kurbaani Dede."

"Hm.. even if this would be the last option in this world, I would not have accepted it. She is my sister and you want me to sacrifice her?"

Armaan roared back. Nafisa held his wrist to lower the gun.

"This is for the people, Armaan. Our people are dying and this won't stop until we do something significant."

Balraj elucidated him, in a gentle and polite voice. Armaan shook his head

"Not my sister."

Armaan turned back, and began raking his fingers through his hair.

"And her marriage is already fixed with Hamid Qureshi, my chhoti Ammi's brother's son."

Armaan exclaimed, turning back to them.

"WHAT?"

Balraj and Dhanraj bawled simultaneously.

Jairaj POV

"Abe yaar...tum ekdum pagle ho ka? Nhi ho payegi ee saadi chahe tum jitna papad belo. Apsara jaisi Inayat ko Hamid kyu chhodega be?"

"Ohh man ..are you mad or what? You won't be able to marry her no matter whatever you do. Why would Hamid leave a nymph like Inayat?"

Arjun complained sitting on the backseat of Jairaj's bike, who was riding it. He was going to meet Hamid Qureshi - the fiance of Inayat.

"You stay quiet! Only Hamid can help.us now. If he backs from this alliance, I'll marry her anyhow."

I replied, pivoting my head sideways.

"Pagla Gaya hai sasura!"

"You have gone crazy."

Arjun mocked me, but I didn't care much.

We stopped at the restaurant where Arjun had called Hamid. Both of us walked inside, and Arjun squealed in a low voice

"There he is!"

I looked into the direction he pointed his finger at and saw a lean man sitting over there. He adjusted his glasses timidly, and his gaze was flickering here and there.

I frowned imagining him and Inayat together.

Are you serious, Mahadev? He will not look good with her. Please replace him with me.

Adjusting my collar and sleeves, I strode to him, me and Arjun took seat before him, and he flinched gawking at us.

"It's me, Hamid."

Arjun muttered, and his frightened gaze began flickering between me and Arjun.

"Chh...chho... chhote thakur."

He mumbled, gulping after it.

"Yes!" I replied.

"Hamid, daro mat. Bina katte ke aye hai."

"Hamid, don't be scared. He has come here without a gun."

He cleared his throat, and began fidgeting his fingers.

"You are marrying in the Khan's family, and you are scared of guns?"

I couldn't stop myself from asking this question, since he seemed quite frightening.

"Ab hum kya bataye miyan. Hamari to taqdeer bigad di Allah ne. Kyu hi ho raha hai hamara nikaah waha?"

"What do I say? My fate is ruined by Allah Himself. Why is this marriage happening?"

He muttered, in a devastated throaty voice, and me and Arjun glanced at each other in confusion.

"But why?"

Arjun enquired, thinning his brows. Hamid adjusted his glasses again before muttering

"Dekho miyan. Nikaah ho raha hai to zahir si baat hai shauhar thoda apni biwi ko janne ki koshish karega. Ek din hum bhi yahi soch kar thoda paas Gaye Inayat ji ke."

"Listen to me. We both are getting married soon, so it's obvious that I would like to get a little close to her. One day I tried getting closer to her..."

I felt like thrashing him right there, imagining him getting closer to her. I just couldn't see anyone with her, except me.

"Lekin unhone Hume zor ka kantaap jada."

"But she slapped me mercilessly."

He quavered, rubbing his fingers on his cheek, as if he recalled that slap. I cleared my throat to prevent myself from bursting into laughter. Arjun frowned, and leaned towards my ear to mutter

"Sochle Bhai, ladki danger hai."

"Think again brother. The girl seems dangerous."

"Hume aag se khelna pasand hai."

"I would love to play with fire."

I replied instantly, and our focus shifted back to Hamid, who continued to share his grief with us

"Aur kehne lagi ki tum hamare Armaan Bhai jaan jaise nahi ho aur Hume unke jaisa shauhar chahiye Jo nek Dil aur bahadur ho, aur hamare nakhre unki tarah utha sake."

"And she started complaining that I am not like her brother, Armaan. She wants a husband like him - loyal, strong and one who can take good care of her."

He sniffed, brushing off literally nothing on his cheeks. Quite dramatic man!

"So do you wish to get rid of her?"

Arjun asked him, and he nodded like a mad man. Is she so dangerous?

"Fine, so let's talk to his brother. My brothers are already there, and give all your problems to me."

I asserted, and Hamid frowned, gazing at me from top to bottom. I cleared my throat and continued

"It's not like I love her or something, but I'll just sacrifice myself for the state and its people."

I tried to cover up my words, and Arjun choked on the water he was sipping. I began patting his back, and with each smack, my intensity increased, making him cough in real.

I glared at him, and he wiped off his lips with the back of his hand.

"I'm ready. Let's go to the mansion."

Hamid stood up instantly, and we both also straightened up after him. All of us rode my bike, Hamid was sandwiched between us, and we proceeded to the Khan's haveli.

Author POV

"We can't do anything if she is already engaged."

Dhanraj muttered to Balraj and he nodded.

"Fine then, I hope we can do something significant to cease these riots."

Balraj declared, Armaan gulped, still not being able to process what the Thakur brothers had just proposed for his little sister.

Inayat, on the other hand, was crouching inside her room, unaware of the tornado that was coming to her with every passing moment, to turn her life upside down.

"Bhai jaan!"

Hamid arrived in the haveli, before Balraj and Dhanraj could leave that place.

"Bhai jaan!"

Hamid yelped, and ran to Armaan, ultimately falling in his feet. Armaan glanced here and there.

"What are you doing?"

Armaan got a little frustrated, and straightened him up.

"Bhai jaan, I'm sorry I couldn't say it before, but I cannot marry your sister."

Hamid quavered, Armaan widened his eyes, and Nafisa palmed her mouth. Shaziya walked into the scene, and gaped at Hamid. She is Hamid's bua (aunt).

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING HAMID?"

Shaziya yelled at him, and he lowered his face.

"I just don't like her, and she doesn't like me. I know it. You ask her, Bhai jaan. Please cancel this alliance."

Hamid implored Armaan, and he flared glaring at the Thakur brothers.

"Even if my sister dies a virgin, I won't let her marry you, Jairaj Singh Thakur."

Armaan bellowed, glaring at Jairaj.

"My father will kill me if I fix this alliance."

He declared, this is when Balraj clenched his fists, and roared back.

"FINE! LET THE STATE DROWN IN THE POOL OF BLOOD. ONLY HINDUS AREN'T DYING HERE, MUSLIMS ARE ALSO SUFFERING, BUT LET YOUR EGO WIN."

He glared at his brothers, and walked out of the haveli. Jairaj glanced at Armaan, with softened gaze before leaving the haveli.

Armaan eyes turned weepy remembering the old school days when he was best friends with Jairaj. The religious boundaries were not an issue in the childhood, because children are unaware of such boundaries.

There friendship is pure, but time changed and they grew up. Once the school students got divided into two groups over a communal fight, and that is when they got separated.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

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