ITS TIME!

In a location far far from Neoona, there is a small town that was secluded from the rest of the world. You have to go through many days worth of travelling inorder to reach that town. They do not have many contacts with the world and people do not usually go out of the town. Almost all the people in that small town knew each other and call each other by relations that they themselves developed out of human bonds and not so much by blood.

One of such families was the Kautyas. Their house is one of the biggest and cosiest in the town. The well respected family of teachers consists of 5 people, the kautyas and their daughter Mani Kautya and the 2 paternal uncles of mani.

The one and only breath of the whole family is Mani, the 25 year old chirpy girl full of life. Her parents, the Kautyas run a local school and help people gain the knowledge and the values they needed to grow into better humans. Since they have other business run by the whole family, they run the school for free. The town in itself is a kingdom run by a small feudal lord. But there is a secret this family carries or more like Mani carries with a heavy heart.

Every night, before going into bed, Mani goes into the basement of her house and shut the doors. No one knows what she does there, but once one of her uncles Vashi saw her and confronted her. But she escaped saying that she prays to her favourite god there and that she needed that peace before bed which the uncle bought.

But for the last few days, Mani was not feeling well. She suddenly feels her whole body heating up or heart beating faster so much that she could not breathe. All of these things mean only one thing and she knew what it was. She knew what she had to do, but she needed sometime to take care of some things.

One fine morning, mani was woken up by the sound of someone knocking on the door. She lazily got up and walked upto the door. But by the time her other uncle Vipin opened the door already and was talking to a man outside. Mani couldn't make out who it was as vipin was standing against him. So mani took a few more steps and stood behind vipin. As she slowly moved across the door, she saw the tall man standing across asking vipin if he could talk to the kautyas. Mani was shocked to see him. She knew this day was coming but she didn't think it will be this sooner.

Seeing mani behind vipin, Chend waved at her and said "Mahi! Dear! Its been so long!"

Mani smiled a little bit and nodded. "Whats wrong Mahi! Who is that at the door" Sasi kautya came walking hurridly to the door. Upon seesing Sasi Kautya, Chend was delighted. Sasi recognised him and invited him inside. Vipin was still scratching his head on where he had seen the man before. After exchanging of pleaseantries, all of them sat together in the lawn. Mahis mother brought out some delicious breakfast and tea and all of them sat and started chatting.

"So! What a pleasant surprise sir chand! What brings you here after these many long years?" Sasi asked chend.

Chend then looked at mahi who seemingly was a little bit anxious and then turned towards sasi saying "Honestly..where should I start. Because it is going to take a couple of days to complete the story." to which all of them laughed and mahi gave an uncomfortable smile.

"So, Mahi! How are you! Its been almost as good as 12 yrs. You did not forget me did you?!" he has an inner intention in saying that.

"Ofocourse not sir chend! Ofcourse not! How can I forget you!" she said giving back the intention that she remembers and that she knew.

"Good! Good!" he replied.

All the them ate the breakfast and went on their way.

"Mahi! Could you help me clean the table?" her mother asked

"Yes mother!" she replied and took all the plates and went back inside.

After they were done with it, mahi and her mother came out to a resting chend. Meanwhile sasi also finished getting ready for his school. He said to chend "Sir Chend, I hope you don't mind, but I have to go to the school. I promised the children that we will do some activities thorough out the town today. Please take rest for as long as you want here. Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the day. I will be back in the evening." He said and left and his wife followed after instructing mahi about everything needed to take care of the guest. Both her uncles went out on their businesses.

Mahi and chend were still at the table in the lawn. Mahi was sitting awkwardly against him while chend was holding both his hands and thinking deeply. Finally mahi decided she cant take any more of this anxiety. So she tried to break the ice.

"Sir chend! I think I understand why you are here!" she said

"Mmm..i know dear! I am so sorry! But I really wished things would have been different" sir chend said without having the courage to look at her face

She stood up and walked upto him and said "Sir chend! This time I had until now! I was the happiest and luckiest person in this entire world. I know I cannot ask for more and I know I promised I wouldn't. But I need a favour" she said hesitatingly

"Ask away my child! Anything but more time" he replied to which she teared up

"But sir chend! That is what I wanted. But I cant ask you that. I know that!" she fell on her knees and started crying

"Mahi! You are making this even more difficult for me." Chend said and sat opposite to her.

"My child! I wish things wouldn't have to be this abrupt. But Neoon is in chaos. And Neoona was killed. And so was the king Foloe. The kingdom needs this" chend said tearing up as he spoke

"I know! I understood the circumstances even before you asked me now. But I am begging you. Could you please give me just one week more. Just one week..Please." she pleaded

He thought for a while and said " Alright! It is not fair for me to ask you something so big just like that. So, I will give you one week time. Anything more than that, please don't ask. You know the rules." He warned her with a heavy heart

"I know! Thank you ! Thank you so much sir chend! I will forever be greatful to you!" she said and ran back into her room trying to act brave and withhold her tears.

She stormed upstairs into her room and locked the door. She sat on the floor in a corner and started wailing. After a while she picked herself up and started planning all the things that are needed to be done in the week she had just bargained for.