Chapter 10

Sicily, Italy

"Why do people say that Sicily is a dangerous place?" Arjun asked Myra with a question mark on his face.

"Well, because it is a dangerous place. It's the home ground of Italian Mafias and other dangerous people too."

"So being in the most dangerous city, you don't feel scared. But you are afraid of going back to India. So contradictory."

"Oh mio dio(oh my god). Arjun, it's not like that. I have grown up here. It's my hometown. And frankly speaking I haven't met any of the Italian Mafia. I never felt unsafe here. But considering India, well things are different there as much as I have seen through documentary films. I am not sure if they would ever accept me or not." Myra tried to make Arjun understand her situation and her reason behind being uncomfortable. 

"Don't worry. You are my sister. Things will be super fine. Well, have you applied for a Visa?"

"Yes, tourist visa. Hope it will be processed soon. As per your idea I have submitted your documents also to state the fact of being a part of Solanki family."

"Nice. Hope things will be better. We have more influence back in India."

"Wow. Great. I don't have such an influence in Italy but things go smoothly with me. I never had any issues."

"Seems like your maiden name Moretti has a good charm here. Or maybe people are afraid of you. You never know, maybe you do belong to a hot shot family of Italy also." Arjun couldn't stop himself from poking his little sister.

Rana Pratap was passing by when he overheard the last sentence of his son. Immediately he flinched at his place.

"I wish Arjun, you never get to know which Italian family she belongs to. I hope her mother did her best to protect her from all such information. She has the blood of the most arrogant and ruthless family of Italy running through her veins apart from Solanki." 

Rana Pratap Spoke in his mind while cursing himself. 

"My one mistake causes so much damage. I wish I had never met Minerva and never fell in love with her. I wish I would have known that she belongs to Italian Moretti family. But now I have to bear the consequences. I can't deny my own blood and can't take the risk of letting Myra live here also."

While he was busy in arguments with her own subconscious mind a voice came from behind.

It was Arjun who came to talk about it.

"Papa, I hope there is no other thought inside your mind regarding Myra. She would come with us. But I promised her that whenever she would feel like going back she could. We would never force her to make any decision."

"Since when did you start giving conditions to your father Arjun? Are you forgetting with whom you are talking?" Rana Pratap was having pure rage in his eyes.

"Since I came to know that my father had denied his own blood, I started questioning him and putting conditions. One more thing, I have not forgotten with whom I am talking. I am talking to the same person who didn't accept his daughter 19 years back. Who betrayed my mother? You call yourself the crownless king of Rajputana. A king who doesn't have the guts to accept his own wife. And you would no longer be the ruler of Legacy. It will be soon passed to me once Ragini is married off."

Every sentence of Arjun pierced Rana Pratap's heart in a million ways. He couldn't believe his own ears. He could see his grip getting loosen up on many things. But a long time back, just for this power, and his hunger for the throne made him do many things, slaughtering too. Deep in his mind he could clearly see the aggression and rebellious power getting transferred from Myra to his son. Minerva was a born rebel unlike any other ordinary woman. She was an equivalent tower of power like any man. Her sharp mind and clear view was enough to rule a complete empire. How could he ignore this fact? Myra is no less than her mother. She is the ultimate in any situation. During his stay in Italy he understood one thing very clearly that it's hard to win any argument with her. Once she is in charge, nobody else has any right to bring upon any statement or views on some fact. Just like her mother, she also has the same weak point. She can do anything to save any innocent's life. On the other hand Rana Pratap also believes that Myra won't think twice before destroying a traitor or anyone who would try to play with her. For the first time in his life he could see his own fear standing in front of him. His own daughter, Myra Singh Solanki or Myra Moretti.

While Arjun and his father were having a little bit of heated conversation, Myra came into the picture. Sensing her presence both of them shut their mouths.

"Mr. Solanki, I believe because of me there won't be any fight between you and your son. Moreover I don't want to be the sole reason for family fights."

Arjun waa trying to say something but hearing the cold threatening voice of Myra he decided to remain quite. Nowhere in his life, has he ever met any girl so powerful and strict like her. Sometimes Arjun asks in his mind, "Does she prepare her every speech before delivering? How could a girl be so composed and calm? Her private life is not in limelight. She has everything but still it feels like she has plenty of things hidden under her blue eyes."

Rana Pratap raised his face and looked at her. 

"Beta, nothing would happen. You won't be the reason for any situation. I promise you that."

"Well, Mr. Solanki, first my name is Myra not beta. Secondly, it would be good if I don't find myself in the middle of any family drama. I don't want to be a part of that." 

As soon as she finished her words Rana Pratap got an imaginary hard slap on his face. He understood one point very clearly that he is himself bringing the biggest gale in his palace. He has to take this risk. Either his Legacy would be destroyed by it or it would survive. But, if he doesn't bring her, anyhow his Legacy will be shattered.

Within a week Myra's visa got approved. She started packing. She was looking through her mom's wardrobe when she found the ring with a black stone. It was her favourite since her childhood. Her mother used to say that after her mom, she has the right to wear it. When she decided to move out from here for a few weeks, she decided to wear it. Under the ring, nicely a name was engraved.

"Moretti". "Maybe it is a symbol of the Moretti family", Myra thought in her mind. She took her necessary documents. She informed her office to drop off her work. They still wanted an analyst like her. Cause she was and is one of the best data analysts. They told her to work remotely if possible. After all, they are quite known to her. Finally Lily had arrived. 

"I am happy to see you accepting the happiness that was waiting at your doorstep. Myra, it's good to see you getting reunited with your family." Lily was having tears in her eyes.

"Hello, Miss world. I am not going there to get settled. I will be back soon. Don't worry. But as long as I am not here, you have to take care of this house. I would also ask your mom to have a look sometimes."

"Myra, why are you so negative about your stay in India? Of course I would take care of this house. But maybe you would get more reasons to stay back there. You never know what destiny has planned for you."

"Lily. Listen dear, I know you are optimistic. But dear, I have lots of memories with my mama here. In this house, in the garden, in the backyard. Believe me, I can still see myself playing with my mother here and there. I can still feel her presence around me. How can I leave this place? Sicily has seen me growing. This place has seen me from my first cry to my first puberty. The streets of this city have seen my rash drive, my first achievement, my first laugh. This city made me who I am. The composed, calm girl. I will never forget this city."

"Myra, once we get new memories, we learn to live with them. That doesn't mean that we have forgotten our past memories. That does mean that we can live with both of them. Sometimes we need to change places to learn more and live more. Maybe we would find love in a whole new place. But always learn to walk forward. Don't let anything hold you back in a single place."

"I can accept change. I can accept new things. But I can't accept my ignorance of my birth place. It's my home, it's my life. I have my heart here."

"Heart here? Don't tell me you are in love with Dr. Blake." Lily teased Myra.

"Shut up Lily. Ronan is a nice person. He helped me a lot. He gave me strength when I was almost broken knowing my mother's condition. He taught me to be strong in front of my mother to make her believe that she would survive. And she did too for more than one year. I am grateful to Ronan Blake."

"Ooooo. Myra, from Dr. Blake to directly Ronan. Nice leap." Lily started giggling while poking her friend.

"Lily. Stop it. Ronan is just my friend. There is nothing personal. Stop your imagination girl."

"Oh. Then maybe you would find someone better in India. Maybe instead of Mrs. Blake you would be Mrs. ... Well let me think. I don't even know any such surnames of India. Shit girl." Lily was still struggling to remember any surname from India while stroking her temple with her fingers.

"Thank god, you don't remember any surnames. Else I would have married off to any random Indian man." Myra left a breath of relief.

"Ah. Girl. I got it. Mrs. Singh Sekhawat." Lily recalled the surname.

"What? Sekhawat what? Who the hell is this? Where did you get this?" Myra barked on her face.

"Easy Myra. I don't know. But your brother was talking about a man, with whom Ragini is going to get married. Some Vijay..... Something name. And his family name is Singh Sekhawat. That's all I could remember and that's why I made you Mrs. Singh Sekhawat." Lily cleared her thoughts.

"Oh Lily. Did Arjun tell you the entire story of his family? So much information you have about my so-called Solanki family. I am feeling like sending you with them instead of me. Things would be easier for them. You seem quite excited also." Myra mocked her friend.

"Your brother was talking about his family and Ragini. Then he showed me some pictures also. Well, instead of Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Singh Sekhawat is better I think." Lily cracked the ultimate joke.

"Lily, I think I should make you Mrs. Singh Solanki by making you Arjun's wife. You guys seem good together. And as you both are quite talkative, knowing about each other's family, I must say you both can make a nice couple."

"Shut up Myra. I have a steady boyfriend. Richard Iglesias. Now stop this." Lily pouted at her friend like a kid.

"Yeah, yeah steady boyfriend. So Mrs. Iglesias, as you don't like to be Mrs. Singh Solanki, don't make me Mrs. Singh Sekhawat also."

"Ok. I won't say. Mom says that sometimes God overhears us and then God can easily grant the wish by hearing our words. So I won't call you that anymore."

"You are such a kid Lily. If after overhearing you, God grants your wish by making me Mrs. Singh Sekhawat, trust me I would come back running after you just to bite you." Myra showed a fake anger on her face.

Little did she know that God might have heard something?