Dusky Moonlight (Part-II)

41(1)

Nakan made them defenseless, helpless, and peaceless just as it wanted. Whenever Aathiyan steps in to talk about this matter to Kayanangai, he hesitates greatly. He doesn’t want to risk anything as he’s afraid to lose everything after that.

After taking care of his court duties, Aathiyan returned to his chamber, frustrated. Today he heard the people’s problems and discussed expanding their food storage unit. Today wasn’t a great day, he kept thinking about his problems, even Narenthiran noticed it and asked what’s the problem. Aathiyan lied as usual and pretended to smile. He hoped there’s going to be a time where he will no longer feel this way.

Aathiyan saw Kayanangai lying on the bed and he sighed what she must be thinking right now. He walked to her and hearing his footsteps Kayanangai got up immediately.

She looked at him with a smile and he sat next to her. “Are you tired? Shall we go somewhere?” he asked.

“No, I am not. Let’s go somewhere,” she agreed and got up.

“Wait for me, I will change my clothes,” she said.

Aathiyan nodded to see the change in Kayanangai. In the past weeks, they have become more distant and they spend less time together.

She looked so dejected but now she smiled. A spark of happiness hit her senses.

When Kayanangai removed her saree folds, she felt someone’s presence behind her and she immediately covered herself before turning. It’s the devil, in an attractive male form.

She stepped back in shock and her eyes filled in the terror which has just now faded away.

“Looks like you have missed me,” it said.

“W-what do you want?”

“You shouldn’t go with him,” it ordered.

Kayanangai frowned hearing that. “You can’t me,” she said and proceeded to walk her way.

“I am ordering, don’t go,” it held her hand.

Kayanangai looked at its eyes and the next moment she complied.

Hearing the mumble, Aathiyan walked in to find Kayanangai standing there looking somewhere else.

“Kayanangai!” Aathiyan called her to bring her from the trance.

“Huh?” She looked at him, totally confused.

“What are you looking at?”

She nodded, “I am not feeling well, can we stay here?” she asked.

Aathiyan couldn’t deny it but he wants to know what’s this sudden change is.

“Why, you just now said that we can go? What happened?”

“I don’t know, I feel dizzy,” she lied and Aathiyan sighed.

“Fine,” he nodded and walked out of the place in anger. He does want to see Nakan right now to confront what he’s doing to his wife.

He came to the garden fuming in agony and frustration, he punched the tree. The pain isn’t excruciating more than this feeling haunting him now that he’s incompetent of doing anything against Nakan. He couldn’t save the one person he loves the most.

“Hurting yourself wasn’t the best choice,” Nakan’s voice got Aathiyan’s attention. They were meeting each other after weeks.

He’s in Aarani’s form. Nakan knew how to handle them, Aathiyan would never hurt a woman even if a devil was inside her and Kayanangai was afraid of Aathiyan. After studying her for all these days, Nakan concluded that her deepest fear was Aathiyan, she doesn’t want to fall into his bad side and at the same time, she loves him way too much. It’s pretty hard to understand this woman.

Aathiyan furiously came closer but stopped as he couldn’t hit a woman.

“What have you done to her?” Aathiyan asked.

“I didn’t do anything,”

“If you lie again, you will face the worst side of me,” Aathiyan warned.

Nakan smiled, “Do you think I’ll be scared?”

Aathiyan calmed his anger. He wanted to be honest as he had no other choice.

“She’s a fragile, innocent woman. She’s suffering because of you. Leave her alone, she can’t bear this,” Aathiyan said.

Nakan’s face frowned, “I know, but don’t worry I am not going to let her die. I will make her happy,”

“You can’t,” Aathiyan yelled.

“Lower your voice, she will hear it,”

Aathiyan gritted and asked, “I don’t know what you want from Kayanangai, but I want to know what you want from me?”

He analyzed that Nakan never says his next plan until it reaches a point where no one can stop what he has planned. For all these days, it has interacted only with him but now it starts to talk with Kayanangai, maybe something is happening which he isn’t aware of.

“Now you have asked the best question at the right time,” Nakan chuckled, “I want you to be away from her,”

“Why?”

“Because she’s carrying my child,” Nakan revealed with a smile.

Aathiyan was vexed by the revelation. He has faced many situations in his life but this one struck him hard. His eyes welled in tears and he gritted his teeth to control every emotion that’s oozing out of him. The only person he trusted and loved the most has gone far away from him like he no longer sees her as his person.

This feeling makes him give up on everything he has now. His dreams, hopes, and life have been destroyed, there’s no point in building all these again.

“It’s not like what you think. She didn’t betray you, I just used the love she has for you,” Nakan said.

Aathiyan looked at Nakan, “So used my face?” he asked.

“Yes, what do you think about your wife? She will never think about betraying you,” Nakan said in favor of Kayanangai.

Aathiyan frowned hearing that. With this anger, he will give a very gruesome death to this girl but he knows he can only rip this body but not the soul that’s inside.

“You don’t have to talk for her,” Aathiyan yelled. “I am going to kill that child right now,” Aathiyan stepped forward to do that but he couldn’t move an inch and it felt like someone choking his throat. If he tries to move, he will die breaking his neck.

“What do you think you are doing, huh?” Nakan changed in its devil’s form. Seeing that, Aathiyan got scared. He hasn’t seen anything like this before.

The devil’s eyes filled in anger. It came close to Aathiyan.

“If you try to harm my child, I will kill your son and then you,” it said.

Aathiyan became speechless and stared at the devil.

“Do what I say, then everything is good for you and your family. One wrong move, you will face the worst of all,”

Aathiyan wasn’t afraid to die but he wanted to protect his son so he considered that.

“What do you want?”

The devil smirked, “Stay away from her and pretend that you don’t know anything,” it said.

“No, I can’t do that,”

“Then I wonder what else you are going to do?” it mocked him, “You have no choice, Aathiya. Listen to what I say,” Nakan said and released Aathiyan from his grip. Then it changed back to Aarani’s form.

Aathiyan coughed and caressed his throat. “If I do what you say, what will I get?” Aathiyan said. Nakan smiled, “You will get anything you ask,”

Aathiyan nodded, “Kayanangai, I want her back. You should leave us,” he asked.

“Fine, after she gives birth to my son, I will give her back to you,” Nakan agreed.

“What if you deceive me as you did with Veera?”

“I am promising you, trust me,”

Aathiyan half-heartedly agrees.

“You should keep your word, don’t try to do anything nonsensical,” Nakan warned. Aathiyan walked away not reacting to that.