Hello divine beauties 🪄

So, here is the first chapter

Enjoy reading🪄

The golden morning spread its soft light across the fields of ripe wheat, each stalk shimmering like strands of gold under the sun's tender caress. The cool breeze whispered through the air, carrying the chirping of birds, creating a symphony of nature. In the midst of this idyllic scene, the sound of a flute floated through the air - a melody so delicate, so mesmerizing, it seemed to weave magic into the atmosphere. The tune carried the kind of sweetness that could heal wounds unseen, make hearts dance, and even bring a tear to the eye of the most stotic soul.

But the spell was broken by a deep, warm voice, "Shanvi!"

The music stopped abruptly, and the silence was pierced by the sound of hurried footsteps, accompanied by the jingling of anklets. From behind a row of swaying wheat stalks, a little girl appeared. Her tiny feet barely touched the ground as she ran toward the voice. She couldn't have been more than eight years old, her red frock bright against the green and gold of the fields. Two neatly braided plaits swung with her every movement, and in her small hands, she clutched a flute, her dark, expressive eyes glimmered with excitement as she stopped before the man who had called her.

"Ji Baba?", her voice was soft and excited.

The man, Madhav was dressed simply in a white dhoti, with a gamcha tied around his forehead. His youthful face held the roughness of a farmer's life but softened with the warmth only a father could exude. He crouched to her level and gently tugged at her ear, his tone playful yet stern.

" Baba ki shetaan bacchi", he said shaking his head, "kaha thi tum kabse, tumhari maa tumhe kabse dhundh rahi hai, aur ab tumhari wajah se mujhe bhi daant suni padegi"

Shanvi giggled, her laughter like a tinkling bell, pure and contagious. Throwing her arms around his neck, she said in a sing-song voice, "Baba aaj mera birthday hai, mera gift kaha hai?"

The annoyance on Madhav's face melted into a smile. He reached behind his back, his movements slow, teasing, "gift chahiye?", he asked, pretending to think. Then, with a dramatic flourish, he produced a brand-new flute.

Shanvi's eyes widened in wonder, her small hands trembling as she took the flute from him, " mere liye, Baba?", she whispered, her voice laced with awe. Before Madhav could respond, she flung her arms around him, holding him as tightly as her tiny frame could manage.

""Thank you, Baba! Thank you so much!", she pulled back just enough to press a loud kiss on his cheek, making Madhav laugh heartily.

As she turned the flute over in her hands, admiring its smooth surface, a thought struck her. Her brows furrowed, and she looked up at him, her face the picture of innocence and confusion. " lekin Baba, mere pass toh pehle se hi ek bansuri hai toh aap dusari kyu laaye?", she held up her old flute, its faded color visible even from a distance.

Madhav took the old flute from her, his calloused fingers running over its surface with care, "ye bansuri", he said, his voice soft, " meri hai. Aur meri nanhi kalakaar, ab tumhari baari hai apni bansuri paane ki, har kalakaar ke pass uska khud ka vadak hona chahiye, jisse vo apna keh sake, jisme uski jaan basti ho".

Shanvi tilted her head, her small face scrunched in curiosity, "kyu, Baba?", she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Madhav smiled, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. " kyuki meri bacchi", ek kalakaar ka vadak uske jeevansathi jaisa hota hai, jo uske har dukh sukh me uske sath rehta hai, jiske sath vo apne har aasu apni har khushi baatn sakta hai, aur fir vo aapas me mil kar ek aisa sangeet bnate hai jo logon ke dilon ko hi nahi unki aatma ko bhi chhu jaata hai"

Shanvi looked at her new flute, then back at her father, "lekin Baba", she said, pouting slightly, "is nayi bansuri ke hone ke baad bhi mein aapki hi bansuri se abhyas Karugi, kyuki mujhe aisa lagta hai jaise aap har pal mere pass reh kar mujhe kuch naya sikha rahe hai".

Hearing the tender, sweet words of little Shanvi, Madhav's chest swelled with pride. Placing a hand on her head, he said, Govind ki kripa tum par humesha bani rahe meri bacchi, aur ek din tum bhaut badi bansuri vadak bano, aur mera sar garav se uccha kar do, jiska mene sapna dekha hai".

Shanvi's eyes sparkled with determination. " mein banugi, Baba", she declared. "Aapki Shanvi ek din aapka sar garav se uccha jarur karegi!"

At that moment, the distant creek of a door brought Shanvi back to the present. Her eyes opened slowly, the memories of her childhood fading like a dream. She found herself standing before an idol of Lord Govind, a diya burning softly in front of her. A single tear slipped down her cheek, taking a deep breathe, she touched the Lord Govind feet for seeking his blessings, beside the statue of Govind stood a framed photograph of her father, adorned with a garland of fresh flowers. The scent of marigolds lingered in the air, blending with the faint aroma of incense sticks that burned nearby. The picture seemed to radiate a quiet dignity, capturing the essence of the man who had once been the foundation of Shanvi's world.

Shanvi gently touched her father's photograph, bowing her head as if to seek his blessings. Her fingers trembled as they grazed the flute placed beside the picture, and a wave of emotion washed over her. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she whispered in a shaky voice, "Sixteen years, Baba....It's been sixteen years since you left us."

She picked up the flute with reverence, pressing it to her forehead before planting a soft kiss on its surface, the weight of her memories making her heart ache. Just then, a loud umistakable snore broke through the silence, pulling her out of her moment of solitude. She turned around to see her roommate sprawled across the bed, passed out drunk-yet another weekend routine.

Shanvi sighed in disbelief, shaking her head as a faint, rueful smile played on her lips. Clutching the flute close to her chest, she stepped out of her room and made her way to the terrace.

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It was around 4:30 in the morning when Shanvi climbed to the terrace, the city still cloaked in the quiet stillness of pre - dawn. The fading chill of the early morning air brushes against her skin, sending a shiver through her. The sky was painted in deep hues of navy blue, with just a hint of light peeking from the horizon, promising the arrival of dawn.

She held the flute close to her chest, its cool surface pressing against her palm as if grounding her in the present. Standing on the empty terrace, she glanced at the world around her-silent, asleep, oblivious. A few dim street lights flickered in the distance, cast long, faint shadows. The only sounds were the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant, sporadic calls of night birds.

Shanvi closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and brought the flute to her lips. The first note resonated softly, slicing through the stillness of the morning. It was gentle at first, hesitant, as if testing the waters of solitude. But soon, the melody grew, pouring out with raw, unrestrained emotion.

The sound of the flute carried through the crisp air, blending with the faint rustling of the wind. It wasn't just music; it was her soul laid bare - a wistful tune steeped in longing, memories and a deep ache she had carried for sixteen years.

The stars above seemed to twinkle a little brighter, as if acknowledging her unspoken girl. The flute's melody rose and fell like waves, each note a tribute to her father - a man she had loved deeply and lost too soon.

As she played, tears slid silently down her cheeks, the pain in her heart finding solace in the hauntingly beautiful notes. The world may not have been awake, but in that moment, it felt as though the universe was listening, holding her close in its quiet embrace.

When she finally lowered the flute, the first rays of sunlight began to peek over the horizon, casting a golden hue over the city. Shanvi wiped her tears, gazing at the awakening world with a bittersweet smile. For a brief moment, she felt lighter, as if her music had carried a part of her pain to the heavens.

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Shanvi stood in the kitchen, preparing breakfast while chatting with her mother on the phone. "Ji Maa, mein bilkul thik hu aap bataiye - aap kaisi hai? aur Radha?", she asked with a warm smile.

Just as her mother began to reply, Shanvi heard a groan of pain from the other room. Siya's voice hoarse and desperate, called out, "yaar Shanvi, ek glass nimbu paani bna de mere liye please! Mera sar phatta jaa rha hai dard se"

Concerned, Shanvi's mother immediately asked, "kya hua Siya ko, Shanvi? Uska sar kyu dard ho rha hai?, tabiyat toh thik hai na uski?"

Before Shanvi could respond, Siya - who had been lying on her bed, clutching her head - leapt up as though the pain had vanished. She hurried into the kitchen, her eyes wide with panic. Seeing her, Shanvi raised an eyebrow mischievously, silently asking, "should I tell her what you've been up to"

Siya clasped her hands together in mock prayer, shaking her head vigorously like a child caught stealing cookies.

Meanwhile, Shanvi's mother pressed on, her concern mounting "Shanvi, bta mujhe kya hua Siya ko?, Rehne de, tu usse phone de mein usse khud hi puch leti hu"

Siya froze, her face paling at the thought. She knew if her beloved Sumitra Aunty heard her hangover voice, the truth would be out, and no one - not even God - could save her from her beloved aunty's wrath.

Acting quickly, Shanvi said, "Relax Maa, Siya ki kal night shift thi vo bas abhi ek ghante pehle hi wapis aayi hai, bas isliye uska sar dukh rha hai"

Hearing this, Siya sighed in relief, pulling Shanvi into a side hug. Shanvi handed her the glass of lemon water, hearing her response, her mother calms down a little and says, "dhyaan rakha karo tum dono apna" , listening to her aunty's words, Siya blows her a flying kiss, making Shanvi chuckle in delight.

Shanvi couldn't shake the feeling that her mother was hiding something from her. Finally, she asked, "Maa, koi baat hai kya, jo aap kehna chahti hai?"

Her mother chuckled softly, the sound laced with a bittersweet nostalgia. "Tu sach me apne Baba ki parchhai hai", she said, her voice warm yet heavy, " Vo bhi bilkul aise hi the, mere bina kuch kahe sab samajh jaate the"

A gentle smile appeared on Shanvi's face as she remember how deeply her father loved her mother. For her, love was epitomized by her parents - the perfect couple.  Her father was not only a wonderful parent and a gifted flustist but also a husband who loved with unmatched intensity.

After a brief pause, her mother voice grew quieter, tinged with sadness. "Bass....mujhe unki bhaut yaad aa rahi hai, aaj unki 16vi barsi hai"

The words hung heavy in the air, and Shanvi felt her chest tighten. The cheerful facade she had been wearing all morning vanished. How could it not? She had lost her father - not just a parent, but her mentor, her bestfriend,  her everything. There wasn't a day that passed without her missing him, but today was always the hardest, a day that felt like reliving a nightmare.

Shanvi went silent, her mind swirling with memories. Seeing her in such a state, Siya, who had been shipping her lemon water a short distance away, walked over and gently held her hand.

Sensing Shanvi's pain through the phone, her mother spoke softly, "mujhe pta hai beta, ye din tere liye mujhe se bhi jyada mushkil hai. Issi din, mene apne pati hi nahi balki apni nanhi Shanvi bhi kho di. Tune apna sabse bada bansuri vadak banane ka sapna chhod, ghar ki jimmedari apne khandho par le li"

Tears welled up in Shanvi's eyes, the dam she been holding back finally breaking. They streamed her cheeks as she tried to respond, Her voice cracking

Before she could say more, a sharp, angry voice interrupted her. Her uncle's voice rang out, loud and accusatory, "Naukari mili yaa nahi tujhe? Yaa tu waha bas aawaragardi kar rahi hai? Mujhe roj us zamindar se gaaliyaan suni padti hai, tera baap toh chla gya, mere sar par ye teen bojh chhod gya."

Shanvi's fist clenched at his words, anger boiling inside her, but she remained silent. She knew that speaking up could escalate things, creating more trouble for her mother and younger sister. Taking a deep breath, she replied calmly, "ji, chacha ji, mene interview diya hai, ek ,do din me pta chal jaayega"

Her uncle grumbled, "thik hai", and hung up without another word.

The moment the call ended, Siya brust out, " why don't you say something to that useless man? How dare he insult your family like this?"

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Shanvi replied, "you know why, Siya.  I don't have a choice. One wrong step from me, and it could make things even harder for Maa and Radha."

Before they could continue the conversation, there was a knock at the door. Siya said, "you stay here - I'll check who it is"

Just then Shanvi's phone buzzed with a message. The anger, frustration, and sadness that had clouded her face moments before suddenly melted away, replaced by a radiant smile. The message was clear - she had been selected in the interview. Not just anywhere, but at one of the best marketing company "FOXTAIL", a place where even the most accomplished dream of working.

Overcome with joy, Shanvi couldn't contain herself. She jumped up on her place, shouting, " Thank you Govind!, Thank you Baba!", her heart was brusting with excitement as she rushed out of the room to share the news with Siya.

But as soon as she entered the room, her smile faltered. The sight in front of her made her blood run cold......

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Hello divine beauties 🪄

So, how did you all find the first Chapter?

And if you like it don't forget to like and comment !

By cresent  🪄