Benign Flame: Saga of Love

Chapter 14 - Veil of Fate

The countdown to Sandhya's wedding commenced with the arrival of the marriage party on that 6th June. The groom's entourage felt the official clout of Kamalakar, who by then became the District Collector. Officials worked overtime to spruce up the government guest-houses for the occasion. Fleets of department vehicles were lined up at a hailing distance from the guests. The kalyana mandapam was so made up as to resemble the durbar hall of a maharajah's palace. Attendants in their scores swarmed the place to be on hand for assorted errands.

Sandhya was wondering how to introduce Roopa to her fiancé. She couldn't take her to him, as custom ordained that a bride shouldn't move out of the house on the eve of her marriage. She wished that he would come home to see her but the norms left no scope for that either.

"What about going to the guest-house on the sly," said Sandhya to Roopa.

"Why not, if you don't mind me being labeled a groom-chaser," said Roopa in jest.

As they were wondering what to be done, Sandhya's mother called her,

"O, Sandhya, come down."

"She won't let me be on my own even today," grumbled Sandhya as she went down.

Springing down the stairs in irritation, Sandhya saw her fiancé following her movements from the drawing room. Even as her daydreaming brought him closer to her in her consciousness, she was still shy in his presence for the lack of intimacy. Thus, stopping in her tracks, she blushed to her roots.

"You look sweeter than ever," he complimented, going up to her.

"Thanks," she said coyly.

"It's I who should thank you for accepting my hand," he said taking her hand.

"It's you who started it all, by taking my hand to read in between the lines," she turned coquettish.

"What of your inviting gestures then," he said looking into her eyes.

'Don't tell me, you're blindfolded otherwise," she said all smiles.

"Won't your beauty impart vision even to the blind?" he said squeezing her hand.

'Oh, come on, I've a treasure to show you," she said enthusiastically.

"I thought you've more than one but why a premature display?" he said mischievously.

"Behave like a bridegroom, don't act like a playboy," she scolded him in mock anger.

"Hope you won't frame rules for our nuptial night and thereafter,' he said, and as she turned coy, picking up from where she had left, he added,

"Tell me, what's that you want to show me?"

"Simply follow me," she led him sprightly to her room.

"Won't that be my lifelong occupation?" he followed her smilingly.

When Roopa heard their steps, rather instinctively, she kept her inquisitive gaze door-wards. In time, when their eyes met, her gaze was frozen and he stopped in his tracks. As Sandhya was about to initiate introductions, her mother called her again and hurried by her from downstairs, she left her fiancé and her mate to fend for themselves.

As though guided by her charms, Raja Rao found himself walking up to Roopa without taking his eyes off her even as she stood rooted and fixed her gaze at him as though the slightest tilt on her part might distract his path of attraction. However, as he neared her, she insensibly extended her hand as though to ensure he wouldn't trip in his trance. While he took her hand, as if to hold on to the summit of his life, energized by her dormant desire, she found herself pressing it in all eagerness. As they held their hands thus, their eyes were locked, conveying to each other the convulsions of their hearts. Lost as they were in their enamored state, they had no words for each other but heaving a sigh on hearing Sandhya's approaching steps, as though to alert him, she pulled out her hand and wrenched her look. At that, as if cut off from the life force itself, his heart was seized and his hand dropped.