Running away from THE ASMODEUS (COMPLETED)

Chapter 13

PRAKRUTHI
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The wedding was organised in a small temple right next to the hospital so dad could attend the same. I didn't know what was running in Ava's head but she looked too determined. For what? I don't know. But there is a fierce gaze she is carrying today. It's like the fire in those eyes could burn Neil into ashes.

Dressed in a red Kanjeevaram saree and minimal jewellery and a simple hairdo, we had asked the priest to skip most of the rituals in a traditional GSB wedding because we knew dad couldn't sit longer and it's only because Omkar Anna knew Dr Aahir Sehgal personally, dad was allowed to be here on a wheelchair just for the Kanyadaan ritual. However he looked happy. There was satisfaction in his eyes. Sharada Mom held dad's hand and smiled while Dad only looked at her with eyes filled with tears and whispered

'Thank you for accepting my daughter!!!' to which Mom smiled. I still have no idea how she agreed for this wedding because as much as I'm aware she can't even tolerate Avanthi's shadow. Neil who was sitting at the holy pyre looked engrossed in his thoughts which were cryptic as well. He said he wants to correct his mistakes by marrying Avanthi but then if he was so guilty then why is he still in touch with his girlfriend? Couldn't he fix his mistakes well in advance? He didn't even apologize to Avanthi once in the last seven years. What was running on his mind? This wedding looks extremely mysterious. Everyone seemed to have a hidden motive.

The priest asked for the bride to be brought and Prarthana's father Devdas uncle brought Avanthi to the Mantapa(altar). Even in a simple saree, minimalistic makeup and minimal jewellery Ava looked like a goddess. She was always the most beautiful one since our childhood days, just that over the years, especially after she started residing outside the country, she has learnt to groom herself very well. That enhanced her beauty. She gracefully started walking the staircase and reached the altar and stood in front of Neil.

Two priests had covered Neil with a thick silk cloth and were reciting melodious hymns. The groom and bride are not allowed to see each other until the hymns are done. Avanthi anyways didn't look interested, she was looking elsewhere whereas Neil on the other hand was staring at the thick cloth that was separating them and then suddenly the cloth was removed and their eyes met. The priest asked Neil and Avanthi to exchange garlands.

I didn't want this for Avanthi. I wanted her to have a happy married life with someone whom she loved but she was stuck in her past life tornado which only kept sucking her into itself as much she tried to run away from it and today she's going to completely drown herself into it. This would either destroy herself or destroy the entire world around her including mine.

I can only pray that God gives them strength to heal each other's wounds and may they find solace in each other someday. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath when I felt an arm circle around my waist. I turned around and looked at the man who stood next to me. My Kedar. It was ironic that I was also in the same situation 7 years ago. Then I thought it was a punishment god gave me for my wrong doings but Kedar turned out to be the biggest boon in my life. I could only pray that some miracle happens in Avanthi's life too. I know Neil isn't the right one for her but today I wanted to be proven wrong. I wanted Neil to be the one and only one for her.

Dad was asked to do the Kanyadaan ritual. Pranay and Kedar helped him to perform the same and I saw dad and Pranay both getting emotional while Kedar patted Pranay's back and consoled dad but what left everyone speechless was the way Neil held dad's hands and whispered something to dad. I couldn't hear anything due to the saxophone being played during the rituals but I could see Dad getting extremely emotional such that he hugged Neil and Neil hugged him back.

It was clear Neil was definitely not a human. He was either a demigod ready to protect Avanthi or he was a demon like Avanthi calls him, an Asmodeus ready to play around everything only to satisfy his ego.