Ramayan: Untold Romance

20. The Proposal part-2

The past few days had been weird. As much as she tried to push those devastating thoughts away, they kept creeping back in to her mind. It's wasn't a nightmare she could just forget about...it was the truth of her life. She won't be the Princess of Mithila anymore...she would be the Yuvrani of Koshal. Nothing could change that....not that she wanted to. She would move to Ayodhya leaving her birthplace forever. The palace of Ayodhya would be her home now. Does that...does that mean she will have to handle Soumitra's pranks on a daily basis. The mere thought made Sita's soul tremble with fear. If Lakshman dares to dress up like the Queen of Snake again and try and whatever with her Raghunandan She would choke slam him into his grave...and probably hurt her hand in the process.

Sita had enough stuff going in her mind to give her painful stress. She dashed into the bath so she could pretend to be away from the material world. The cold water seemed to wash away her stress. 'The showers must be the most peaceful place on this earth' Sita chuckled at her own statement. Her shower fantasies had eaten up quite a lot of her time...more than she expected. She knew she was late for the day. She tried to make up for it by speeding up her daily activities. Her hands reached out to grab the nearest piece of fabric she could throw on. She flung her long wet hair back and tied the last threads of her blouse. She won't have time to get ready today...no solah shringaar. She can't keep her lotus-eyed prince waiting. Maithili walked out of her 'most peaceful place' in a hurry like never before. She slams the door shut behind her and heads out, only to bump into someone's chest. Sita eyes widened at the sight of her Raghav standing in front of her, beaming at her. 'Walking into some girl's room without her permission doesn't suit you.' Janaki muttered in a low voice. 'And making your to-be husband wait for more than 3 hours doesn't suit you.' replied the dark skinned prince with a chuckle. 

He roamed around as if this was his own room. He outstretched his hand and she, obviously, took it without any questions. Ram lead her to the dressing table and pulled out the chair for her to sit while he bowed down to her. Typical hopeless Romantic Royal Prince. Although Sita didn't utter a single word for she was still recovering from yesterday's events. It was a prank and Saumitra was forgiven...but not forgotten. A sense of insecurity made its way into Vaidehi's heart. She might as well stay binded with the chain of her thoughts forever but a sharp sound hit her ears. It seemed like Raghunandan was looking through her jewellery set and dropped something. He immediately bent down to pick it up as fast as he can...as if he was committed some and didn't want to be caught. 'Sorry! I don't know what keeps on happening to me. I am usually not this clumsy' he said while smiling sheepishly....only to drop it again. This time as he bent down to pick it up he bumped his head into the dressing table. Sita just smiled at his antics and shook her head.

Sita- What are you trying to do Dashrathnandan?

Ram- I am trying to pick up this damn piece of metal and it's just not happening.

Sita- No in the sense, what are you doing in my tent? And why were you going through my jewels.

Ram- I am gonna help you get ready. I am gonna dress you up.

Sita- But-

Ram- No ifs no buts. I am gonna dress you up and thats final. And I know what you are thinking about..I am a prince and I won't know and I will make you look like a clown with a parrot's beak and monkey ears...falana dhimkana. But trust me, I am the best hairdresser and makeup artist in Ayodhya right after all the people who are better tha me.

Sita- You are not making sense you know?

Ram- Whatever! Not wasting anymore time.

With that, Ram started drying her long raven black hair. Raghav combed her locks with utter gentleness and tied them into a side braid. 'Your hair is so pretty you know. They smell like Jasmine and can definitely lure and trap any innocent men like me.' he said while placing her braid infront of her right shoulder. He later curled some free strands with his fingers and let them fall at Janaki's face. 'I shall always envy these curls for they get to brush against your plum cheeks every now and then' he said as he pulled out a bunch of fresh petunias for her braid. Ram then proceeded to bring her chest of jewellery...without dropping anything this time. 'Your ears are so soft and delicate just like you. I fear if you wear some heavy jhumka they will start bleeding.' He exclaimed while slipping a pair white pearl tops into Sita's ears. He made Sita wear matching necklaces, armlets, waistband, bangles, anklets, nose ring, slave bracelets while constantly complimenting her each body parts. Be it her collar bone or her toe nail according to Raghunath everything about Sita was oh no beautiful. Maybe he was the best hairdresser and make up artist in Ayodhya. Ram now started applying khol to her lotus eyes with all the care in the world. After he was done, he cupped her face and whispered 'You have such enchantingly beautiful eyes, my love. They look like two brown pools of honey and nectar I would gladly drown in. With your long thick eyelashes that graze your cheeks like two black fans.' Ram would have loved to continue describing her beauty but he had to finish what he started. So he got back to work. Now came the most difficult part, the maang tikka. He had picked a silver one studded with blue stones to complete the look but he will have to place it in her hair parting. The hair parting that would be empty, without any vermilion. It looked so plain, so not-red, so wrong and so torturously painful to see. Raghav placed the final piece of jewellery as quick as he could and then proceeded to scan Maithili from head to toe.