"Why?"
He weakly smiled at her. "Because I can't see my great-grandkids.....My last wish will not be fulfilled" He looked away "It's fine. I am old now....I should not wish for more....I have already lived your childhood....I should be grateful for that."
Ira looked at him with pity and a thought crossed her mind. She gathered her whole courage and spoke "T-That's not true."
Viraaj looked at her and asked "What?"
"Your last wish will be fulfilled." Ira looked down at her hands and took a deep breath. She looked up and smiled at him. "I am pregnant." She lied.
Viraaj's eyes widened in surprise and tears collected in his eyes. "Really?"
Ira nod with a smile. She took his hand in hers and placed it on her stomach. "You are going to be great-grandfather."
He chuckled and tears fell from his eyes. He opened his arms, asking her for a hug and she did. He caressed her head and kissed her forehead. "You don't know how happy I am."
His voice cracked at the end.
Ira clutched his shirt tightly, feeling guilty for lying to her grandfather. But she can't see him sad. She can't fulfill his last wish of seeing her kids but atleast he can feel their presence.
At night, after having dinner and checking on her grandfather, Ira went to her chamber. Raksheet was lying on bed, feeling stressed. He heard everything. It's hurting him.
Viraaj don't even know how Irya died. He don't know that Abhiveera married Irya and she killed herself. It's a coincidence or their fate that they are connected to eachother by Irya without knowing anything about eachother. And after so many years, they met and bound a relationship.
For a moment, Raksheet thought to tell Abhiveera about it but at the next moment, he dropped the idea. If Abhiveera got to know that Irya was in love with Viraaj and had given birth to Dhishva, he might feel that he is the reason Viraaj and Irya got separated. He already considers himself responsible for Viraaj's health.
Ira came towards him and sat down beside him on bed.
"Are you tired?" She asked, removing her jewellery.
"Hmmm." He responded, without looking at her.
"Did you talk to father about war?"
He sighed and opened his eyes "No. He was busy so I didn't got the time to talk to him. I will talk to him tomorrow."
"Hmm." She looked down at her hands as she was feeling guilty for lying to her grandfather. And she should tell Raksheet about it, incase Viraaj ask him about her pregnancy.
"Raksheet.." she called.
"Yes?" He sat up and rested his back against the pillows.
"I....I told grandfather that I am pregnant-"
"What?!" He shouted in disbelief.
"I lied!" She immediately spoke, not to give him any false hope.
His expression dropped "Oh..." He looked down.
Ira can see the disappointment on his face and she covered his hand. He looked up at her and tried to smile.
"I am sorry. Grandfather have a last wish to see our kids but we can't fulfill it." Tears collected in her eyes as she can't even fulfill her grandfather's only wish, who fulfilled all her wishes. "I didn't wanted to break his heart so I lied. At least he can feel their false presence."
Raksheet side hugged her and rubbed her arm. She rested her head on his chest and whispered. "I am sorry."
He chuckled and kissed her forehead "It's alright."
The next day.
The sun has risen high in the sky but Ira was still sleeping in her chamber. Her husband didn't disturb her, knowing that she must be disturbed after knowing the reason of her suffering in past. He just layed beside her and looked at her. The breakfast was served in their chamber. But he didn't wanted to disturb her sleep and didn't wanted to eat without her, so he left the breakfast on table, waiting for her to wake up.
He was admiring her, thinking how she will live without him when he will go on war. He forwarded his hands to caress her cheeks when suddenly someone knocked on the door. He flinched at the sudden knock as the knock was getting louder and aggressive. Hearing the knock, Ira woke up and looked at him and then at door.
"What happened?" She asked in her sleepy voice.
He stood up from bed "I don't know." He walked towards the door and the knocking continued.
"Your highness!" A maid yelled in trembling voice.
Raksheet opened the door and found a maid standing at the door with tears in her eyes.
"What happened?" He asked worriedly.
Ira stepped down from the bed and came towards the door.
"Your highness.....h-his majesty.....his condition worsened.....he is on death bed." She said with her trembling voice.
Ira's eyes widened in shock and tears started to collect at the corner of her eyes. She immediately ran out of her chamber and went towards Viraaj's chamber, Raksheet following her.
She cried throughout the way and rushed inside his chamber. Doesn't matter how much Raksheet shouted from behind to stop her, she didn't.
She reached the chamber and stopped at the door. Her eyes fell on Viraaj, who was barely conscious. Raksheet came and stood at the door as well. He found Agastya and Ankush standing at the door. Ankush was crying non stop and Agastya was trying to console him though he himself was crying silently.
Ira rushed inside and sat down beside Viraaj, holding his hand.
"Grandfather..." She called, but he didn't responded.
Ankush looked at Raksheet and said while crying hard. "Y-Your majesty.... please do something." He pointed toward Viraaj "Please save him."
Raksheet's eyes soften and he looked at Agastya. Agastya looked at him and tried to wipe his tears but again burst out in tears. He covered his mouth not to sob. He don't want to look weak infront of his king and Ankush because he have to console Ankush. If Ankush see him broken, he will cry more.
Raksheet pulled Ankush in a hug and rubbed his back to console him. Ankush hugged him tightly and cried hard. Raksheet looked at Agastya who can't bear it anymore and walked away.
"Grandfather!" Ira called again, crying hard.
Daksha held Ira's shoulder and Ira immediately hugged her. She caressed Ira's head, crying silently.
Dhishva and Veer looked at eachother and pretended to be sad. Even though Dhishva wanted to kill his father, he had some tears in his eyes. He love his father but he had to kill him to save his son. Sadhya was crying, pretending to be heartbroken to see her husband dying. Veera was standing behind her mother and shivering in fear as she have never seen someone's death and the person who is dying is her own grandfather. It's making her shiver even more.
"Mother..." Ira said, sobbing. "W-Why grandfather is n-not responding?"