Royally yours

26. She will get married when she wants to!

"Bhai! It's time to leave!" Akansha said breaking my thoughts. I nodded and walked out. 

We reached her home. Uncle and Aunty along with her Bua received us.  We settled in the couches when Chaitra walked in with her brother and cousins along with her bhabi. She looked nervous. I assured her with my eyes when our eyes met and she gave me a smile.

She sat beside me as Aunty asked, and started fidgeting her fingers due to nervousness.

"Don't worry, I will take care!" I whispered and she held my hand. I stilled for a second but intervened our fingers. She placed her dupatta in such a way that it covered our hands. I smiled at her cuteness. 

"I don't want them to get us married tomorrow seeing this." She said making me smile broadly. She is damn cute.

The priests calculated something and looked at all of us. Chaitras' grip on my hand tightened. I rubbed her hand with my thumb in a comforting manner.

"There are 3 dates. One after a month, the second in 5 months, and the third in 8 months."  One of the priests announced.

"I think the 1st one will be the best!" Nithi di and Bindu bhabi chirped and everyone agreed without letting me or Akash and her other cousins speak. I can see Chaitra becoming pale. I kneeled in front of her and took her both hands in mine. Everyone looked at us stopping their discussions about wedding shopping. Akash sat beside her side-hugging her.

"Chaithu, look at me!" I said in a soft tone and she raised her lashes and looked into my eyes.

"Don't worry. We will get married when you want to. That's a promise. No one will force you into this. I will wait for you till you will get completely sure about this." I said rubbing her hands and she threw her hands around me hugging me. It was quite a shock for other people as they didn't see her hugging me before.

"Can we go out? I want to talk with you" She whispered in my ear. I nodded into the hug.

"Pick me up in the evening." She said before breaking the hug. 

Then Akash wiped her tears and hugged her.

"My Chinni will get married on the day she wants to. And you can take your time to think about it and decide. " He declared making her smile and hug him again.

Her dad and my parents wanted to say something but stopped when Akash and I gestured for them not to. It's she who is going to enter a new world leaving behind many things. So, it should be her decision when she wants to take that step. They can't ask her to do so to fulfill their wishes or to make them happy. And not to forget that she is still a student. 

After that Devansh suggested that all the youngsters play something in their game room and we all went there. It will also distract Chaitra a little.

"What shall we play?" Bindu asked Akash, who glared at her. She pouted and sat on the couch huffing.

"Do you want something Chinni?" Akash asked his sister to which she nodded in negative.

"Let us play your favorite game Chinni!" Hithen beamed making her smile. 

"Okay, Hithu! Dev bhai and Chinnu will also join us!" She clapped her hands. Dev and Akash nodded their heads defeatedly. They played some game of their own for some time which no one understood. Then, Hithen challenged her to play chess with him.

"Chaithu, let's play chess," He raised his brow in a challenging manner.

"No, it's boring. We will play something else." She replied and raked her eyes to find some other game.

"Just say you are afraid of getting lost, sore loser!" he mocked.

"Huh!" she opened her mouth and bought her hands to her chest dramatically.

"What huh? Sore loser!" He again mocked her.

"Let's play! I am going to win!" she declared stomping her feet and went away. She came back with chess coins.

"I want white!" She announced.

"No, I want white!" He argued.

"Why? Can't you win without white?" She questioned back.

"Can't you?" He argued.

"They started again," Dev sighed, and Akash nodded in agreement. The fight continued for a good 10 minutes and finally, she took the white while Hithen settled for black giving her death glares.

They both sat opposite to each other throwing daggers at each other with eyes. They made a few moves. I cleared my throat when she was about to move the wrong coin. She looked at me and I shook my head in no. She understood my signal and moved another coin. The game continued for a while and I guided her standing behind Hithen. My friends and cousins gave me teasing looks while Akash and Dev stood behind her maintaining a smug look so that Hithen can't suspect them.

When she was about to win, Hithen disturbed the board and threw the coins.

"You helped her!" He accused Dev and Akash.

"You saw us standing here! No one helped her," Dev argued acting as if he didn't see me helping her.

"I can never believe her winning chess without help, you are all cheaters!" He huffed and stomped out giving her an irritated look.

Chaitra, Akash, and Dev burst out laughing as soon as Hithen walked out. He came back and they both glared at each other before they four started laughing once again. Her laugh managed to bring a smile on my lips.