RANVIJAY AND SWARA – A LOVE STORY BEYOND TIME

She walked ahead with a soft smile, her eyes lingering on her books, while the tiny bells attached to her sandals jingled gently with each step. Just as she placed her first foot outside the lawn, a man suddenly collapsed at her feet. Startled, she instinctively lifted her books close to her face, covering half of it, her wide, astonished eyes fixed on the man lying on the ground. Blood was streaming out from every part of his body, staining the earth beneath him.

“Do you plan to just keep staring… or are you going inside?”

Hearing the deep, commanding voice, she struggled to tear her gaze away from the blood-soaked man. Slowly, she lifted her eyes, and in that very instant, her breath froze in her chest. Right in front of her stood Ranvijay Randhawa. His forehead was smeared with blood, his entire presence radiating danger. He wore no shirt; his broad, muscular torso glistened under the faint light, and the taut veins along his arms and shoulders pulsed with a rage that spoke volumes of why the man at her feet was in such a state.

Her trembling eyes tried once more to return to the man on the ground, but before she could lower them completely, Ranvijay’s voice thundered through the air, echoing like a command she could not disobey.

“Swara…”

The sound of her name struck her like lightning. In that moment, her heart raced, and without a second thought, she turned and dashed inside with all the strength in her legs. Ranvijay’s head tilted slightly, his gaze following her. He didn’t call after her, didn’t move to stop her; he simply watched. His piercing eyes tracked the fading outline of her shadow until it finally disappeared into the depths of the house. The moment the sound of her hurried footsteps ceased, silence returned.

Ranvijay’s attention immediately shifted back to the man on the ground, who was desperately crawling, trying to drag his battered body away, as though running from the wrath that had already marked him for death. But Ranvijay moved swiftly, his hand fisted into the man’s hair, yanking his head back so violently that his face was forced upward. Blood dripped down the man’s cheek as Ranvijay studied him closely, his jaw tightening with lethal intent.

In the next moment, he slammed the man’s skull brutally against the ground, his lips lowering until they hovered right next to the man’s ear. His voice came out low, venomous, and laced with unrestrained fury.

“I could have ended your life the very moment you stepped in here… but you dared to lift your filthy eyes toward her. You dared to look at her, even for a fraction of a second. For that sin alone, it was necessary that you fall at her feet, like the worthless insect you are. She is not someone you are even worthy of glancing at. Her dust on your head would have been too much of an honor, and yet you dared dared to pollute her with your disgusting gaze.”

The man whimpered, his body trembling as his eyes darted helplessly around. But before he could plead, before he could utter even a word, a circle began to form. Every man standing nearby stepped closer, enclosing them within a human boundary, their silence filled with fear and submission.

Ranvijay’s hands gripped tighter around the man’s face. With a sudden, merciless jerk, he twisted the man’s head sharply to the side. A blood-curdling scream pierced the air for a brief moment, and then, just as suddenly, everything went utterly silent. The sound of death lingered in the atmosphere, mingling with the faint jingle of Swara’s anklets that had already faded far away.

Swara rushed straight into her friend Priyanka’s room, slamming the door shut behind her. She tightly clutched her books to her chest, feeling as if someone had stolen her very breath. Priyanka froze mid-move, the remote still in her hand, as she cheerfully tried to dance along to a lively song playing on the TV. Her jaw dropped slightly as her eyes widened at the sight of Swara’s trembling form.

Swara hugged her books closer, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her lungs struggled to calm down.

“Kaun maar gya…”

(Who died?)

Priyanka’s teasing question jolted Swara. Her eyes flew wide open, and she stormed toward Priyanka, fury flashing in her expression. But before she could yell, she clamped her hand over her mouth, forcing her voice into a harsh whisper.

“Whether anyone dies or not, one thing is certain: one day because of you, I’ll be the one in danger. Do you even know what I just saw when I came here? Your brother… your brother was thrashing a man like a dog. If you had seen the state that man was in, then maybe you’d understand why I am in this condition right now.”

Priyanka quickly tossed her remote aside and rushed to the window with a big smile on her face. She pushed the curtain away, peering out intently, scanning every inch of the outside world. But she wasn't able to see anything properly. She leans her upper body out of the window and tries to see clearly, but despite widening her eyes and examining everything carefully, she still cannot see anything. After a moment, she spoke in a half-mocking, half-complaining tone.

“You’ve completely lost it. There’s nothing out there. If someone was beaten up, if something had really happened, there would at least be some sign. But look at this place; it’s so quiet, so normal, that it almost feels like in a few minutes even the walls themselves will start shouting, ‘Somebody come here! I’m all alone in this house.’”

Listening to her, Swara’s hands shook. She tossed her books onto the bed with trembling fingers and moved beside Priyanka at the window. She blinked hard, rubbing her eyes as if to prove to herself that what she had seen was real. Her heart still pounded in her ears, echoing the image of blood splattered across the ground, of Ranvijay’s violent rage. She whispered, scratching her head in disbelief.

“But I really did see Ranvijay… I saw him beating someone to death with my own eyes.”

Priyanka glanced at her with a wry smile.

“Look, I won’t deny it. I’m sure you did see my brother beating someone up. That’s his favorite hobby, after all. If he doesn’t knock down at least ten or fifteen men in a day, I don’t think he considers the day complete. On that point, I agree with you completely. But here, right now? There’s not even the faintest trace of anything. You said the man was drenched in blood. Forget blood; there isn’t even a drop of water spilled on the ground… I was so happy to hear what you said. Today I will be able to watch a fantastic wrestling match for free…. But there is nothing.”

Swara’s eyes darted back outside, and her heart clenched. Priyanka was right. The ground was spotless, unmarked, like nothing had happened. But she had seen it, the man collapsing at her feet, the gush of blood, the metallic smell heavy in the air, and Ranvijay’s terrifying voice echoing her name. How could it all vanish? She shook her head faintly and whispered, her voice weary.

“Whatever it is, one thing is clear: I’m not coming to your house every single day anymore.”

“Don’t say that….” Priyanka protested instantly. “You know very well that my brother doesn’t like me going anywhere. If you don’t come to tutor me, how will I ever pass? You know me; I have to finish my graduation, and after that… all I want is to somehow marry Dushyant.”

The moment that name left her lips, Swara’s hand shot out and smacked her hard on the arm. Priyanka flinched and instantly covered her mouth with both hands, trying to hold back her laughter, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Sorry…” she whispered with a grin.

“Keep your sorry to yourself,” Swara snapped, glaring at her. “If your brother ever finds out I knew all along and you were using me as an excuse to sneak out, to roam the market, eat golgappas, and secretly meet that fool, then I swear, I don’t know what he will do to me. Already, I’m terrified of your brother. On top of that, every time your mother looks at me, it feels like I’ve committed some crime just by being here. Your whole family is terrifying… Do you even know how the entire city looks at me? They all whisper, ‘This girl must be really brave; she dares to step into the Randhawa mansion.’ But the truth is I feel like every time I come here, I place my life right in the palm of death.”

Her words trembled in the air, a heavy silence falling between them, broken only by the faint sound of the TV that Priyanka had forgotten to switch off.

Sometimes, all of a sudden, Priyanka’s favorite song would start playing on TV, and she would instantly forget everything, dancing with full energy and excitement. Swara, sitting beside her, would glare at her with disbelief, but Priyanka seemed completely unaffected, too absorbed in her dance to care. Swara quietly turned her head back toward the window, trying to focus outside, desperate to find at least one thing that could assure her that what she had seen earlier had actually happened, because now, she herself could hardly trust her own eyes.

The two friends continued studying for almost two hours. Finally, Swara glanced out of the window again, noticed the deepening evening, and said softly to Priyanka,

“I think I should leave now… It’s already getting dark, and it’ll be very difficult for me to go back.”

Priyanka turned with her usual carefree tone.

“Why are you always so worried? You know, right? If it gets too late, I’ll have the driver drop you off.”

Swara shook her head firmly.

“Absolutely not. You will do no such thing. It would look inappropriate, and your mother would not like it. I should know my limits and act according to my position.”

Priyanka’s face softened with guilt.

“Arrey yaar, please…… Don’t mind my mom’s words. She’s just like that. You know I’m nothing like her."

"If it weren’t for you, do you really think I’d be coming here? Everyone in Patiala fears this house. People say that if you dare step inside, you should forget about your life. Yet I come here only for you.”

At those words, Priyanka instantly hugged Swara tightly, as if to erase her friend’s uneasiness. Swara gathered her books and made her way downstairs. As she descended the steps, she saw Dadi sitting in the hall. With a bright smile, Swara rushed to her, bent down, and touched her feet. Dadi immediately recognized her by touch and said affectionately,

“Swara… You’ve come at just the right time, beti. I can’t find my glasses anywhere. I can’t even see your face clearly. Quickly, please find them for me so that I can look at your beautiful face properly.”

Swara and Priyanka exchanged amused glances, both struggling to suppress their laughter. Swara reached up, removed the glasses resting on Dadi’s head, and carefully placed them on her eyes. She teased gently.

“Dadi, how do you forget such things?”

Dadi chuckled warmly.

“Arrey baba, what can I do? The moment I know that either you or Priyanka—or even my Shera (Ranvijay) are nearby, I just forget everything else, no matter how close it is to me. I know that my two granddaughters will quickly find anything I need."

Both girls giggled softly. Swara touched Dadi’s feet again respectfully and said,

“Okay, Dadi, I really should be going now. I’ll sit and talk to you properly another day. It’s already very late, and with the darkness, I’ll face trouble on the way.”

“Aree, why are you so afraid? I’ll have someone drop you home. Just sit with me a little longer.”

Swara, though she wanted to, couldn’t bring herself to refuse Dadi. She was about to sit beside Dadi when her eyes suddenly flicked toward the gate. A black Thar SUV had just entered swiftly. Swara instantly knew whose car it was. Her heart skipped, and instead of sitting, she quickly rose again, saying to Dadi,

“Not today, Dadi. Tomorrow for sure.”

Clutching her books tightly to her chest as though they were a shield protecting her from fear, she lowered her head and hurried forward.

Ranvijay stepped out of the car, his tall frame commanding attention. Swara, with her head still bent low, walked past him toward the exit. He checked his watch and looked around, the evening sky was still glowing with plenty of light. As he began his journey inside, a faint smile tugged at his lips, but his gaze remained fixed solely on Swara.

When she passed close to him, Ranvijay could hear the rapid pounding of her heartbeat, so fast it almost echoed in the silence. A smirk formed on his lips at the sound, but instead of stopping her, he continued forward, heading straight to his Dadi, who was seated near the entrance. Settling beside her, he turned his face back toward the door, his gaze following Swara as she tried her best to rush out quickly. But the mansion’s lawns were vast, and it would take her time. Slowly, with each step, her figure grew smaller, fading into the distance. And for as long as he could see her, Ranvijay let his eyes remain fixed on her retreating form, unwilling to blink.

Dadi was conversing with Priyanka, who, as usual, spoke incessantly. Ranvijay listened to both, half attentive to his grandmother’s words and half absorbed in the image of Swara. When Swara finally disappeared, he closed his eyes for a moment, as if to preserve her last image in his memory. Then he turned to his Dadi with a playful smile and asked,

“Why do you look so sad, Dadi?”

She sighed.

“When will you give me the joy of seeing my great-grandson, hmm?”

At this, Priyanka burst out laughing loudly. Ranvijay shot her a sharp look, and instantly she pressed a finger against her lips, sitting quietly again. He turned back to Dadi and replied smoothly,

“First, let me get married… then you’ll surely have your grandson.”

“Then why don’t you marry soon?”

“What’s the hurry, Dadi? One day it will happen. Priyanka’s graduation is still going on. I was thinking once things settle a bit, once accounts are in order, then I’ll consider marriage.”

Priyanka and Dadi exchanged meaningful looks, then turned their questioning eyes back on him. Ranvijay understood exactly what they were thinking. Rising to his feet, he said quickly,

“If I suddenly get married now, her studies will get disturbed. You know her, she’ll want to shop endlessly and spend hours in the market; so many things will come up. And then her education will suffer.”

With that excuse, he started climbing the stairs. Priyanka, with her hands on her waist, watched him leave and said to Dadi in a tone of mock annoyance,

“Do I look like Swara, who’d be distracted by shopping? If even one of Swara's grades drops, she will become extremely upset. But me? Exams don’t bother me at all. I’ll pass anyway. Marriage only happens once in life, and I want to shop till I drop on the bed. If you ask me, we should fix the marriage right now… I want all colors of suits for me.”

Dadi laughed at her dramatic words. Ranvijay, now in his room, had caught every bit of her chatter. Smiling faintly to himself, he unbuttoned his shirt and murmured under his breath,

“That’s exactly why I’m waiting for her exams to end. Once they’re done, I’ll ask Papa to go to her house and speak about our alliance.”

His lips curved again as he recalled Swara’s lowered face when she walked past him. Holding on to that image, he quickly went into the bathroom to bathe, still smiling to himself.