Echoes of Destiny

Wedding Night

Curiously, Advaita inquired, "But where is Kritika?" She scanned the room, not spotting her dear friend.

Vishakha and Preeti exchanged glances, their expressions betraying a hint of embarrassment. Vishakha hesitated before speaking, "Umm, Advaita, we didn't tell Kritika we were coming so early. We had something we wanted to tell you."

Advaita, puzzled by their sudden secrecy, raised an eyebrow, remarking, "Since when did we start keeping secrets that you had to leave Kritika out of it?"

Preeti sighed, "It's because she is neither married nor getting married today."

Advaita, still befuddled, gazed at her friends with a furrowed brow, "What does getting married have to do with any of this?"

Vishakha stammered, "Umm, it's about, uh, the night after the wedding."

Advaita continued to stare at them, her confusion growing. Preeti, trying to clarify, spoke quickly, "We just wanted to tell you about the wedding night, so that you're not clueless about how to act and what to expect. We don't want you to be nervous or scared. You understand, right?"

"Yes, so like... umm, we can't talk any of that in front of Kritika right now," Vishakha explained.

Advaita, now somewhat clearer but still a bit puzzled, nodded her head. "Yes, I think I understand. What is it that you want to share?"

Vishakha started, her cheeks slowly turning red as she spoke, "So, on your wedding night, you'll be alone with your husband. It'll be the first time, and he's expected to spend time with you, to get to know you, to talk to you, and... umm, to consummate your marriage."

Preet chimed in gently, offering clarification. "What she means to say is that since it will be the first time you and your husband spend time together as a married couple, you might talk about yourselves to get to know each other better. But ultimately, the goal of the night is to consummate your marriage."

Advaita looked at them, her face a mixture of curiosity and embarrassment. "Consummate the marriage?" 

Vishakha nodded, her cheeks blushing furiously. "Umm... yes, like he will hold your hands, hug you, kiss you, and do things that make babies." Her face turned even redder as she spoke.

As Advaita absorbed their talk, her face turned bright red. She couldn't help but react strongly. "You both!!... you are shameless," she fumed, her embarrassment evident in her tone.

Looking at her with a kind and reassuring smile, Preeti laughed gently. "Oh, my dear Advaita! There's no need to be embarrassed. This is all natural and important."

Vishakha agreed, her embarrassment fading as she spoke earnestly. "Yes, even I felt so scared and embarrassed, but it's all normal."

Flashback over

Advaita's heart raced as she remembered that conversation with her friends. Her face turned deep red with embarrassment, and a mix of nervousness and fear crept over her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability as she waited for Rajveer to arrive.

Rajveer stood at the threshold of the bedroom, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness swirling within him. He knocked once, a soft and respectful gesture, before entering. His eyes fell upon Advaita, sitting on the bed with her face veiled. The room was filled with a palpable tension.

Gently, he cleared his throat, breaking the silence that hung in the air. Advaita slowly lifted her head, her face still concealed by the veil, and as she moved, the delicate sounds of her anklets filled the otherwise silent room.

Rajveer approached the bed and carefully took a seat on the corner. His gaze remained fixed on Advaita, and he asked with a respectful tone, "May I?" Advaita nodded her head, giving her consent, as he gently lifted her veil.

As Rajveer beheld her unveiled face, he was struck by her exquisite beauty. She wore dangling red earrings, a golden mangtika adorning her head, and a nose ring that added to her charm. A tiny red bindi adorned her forehead, and her doe-like eyes, accentuated with kohl, met his gaze. He was momentarily lost in admiration until the sound of Advaita's bangles brought him back to the moment.

Clearing his throat, he greeted her with respect, saying, "Pranam." Advaita lowered her eyes and replied softly, returning the greeting with a heartfelt, "Pranam."

The room hung in an awkward silence after their initial exchange. Advaita, sensing the need to break the tension, decided to initiate the conversation. She spoke softly and hesitantly, her voice carrying a touch of shyness. "Uhh! Thank you," she began, and then continued, "Umm! The room... it is beautiful. It looks even better than my room in Amravati."

She lowered her gaze, avoiding direct eye contact, but she could still feel Rajveer's eyes on her, which sent butterflies dancing in her stomach.

Rajveer responded, maintaining his gaze on her. "It was all what I ought to do."

He then reached into his pocket and took out a box, offering it to Advaita. She took the box, looking at Rajveer with a puzzled expression. "This is?" she inquired. 

 "It is your muh dikhai gift. I did not give you one in the morning. You should open it."

Advaita eagerly opened the box and gasped in pleasant surprise. Inside was the most exquisite pair of anklets she had ever seen. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she turned them towards Rajveer. "This is... it's beautiful. Thank you," she expressed her gratitude sincerely.

Rajveer replied with a warm smile, "It's good that you liked it."

After this exchange, the room fell into silence once more. After a while, Rajveer broke the silence, suggesting, "Shall we sleep?"

Advaita nodded in agreement, saying, "Ji," and gracefully stood up from the bed. Rajveer moved to one side of the bed and settled down. Advaita, on her part, briefly looked at Rajveer before making her way to the changing room. There, she carefully removed all her jewelry, except for her mangal sutra and kadas. She also swapped her heavy yellow dupatta for a lighter red one.

Returning to the bedroom, Advaita noticed that almost all the diyas were unlit, and Rajveer was already asleep on the bed. She climbed onto the other side of the bed.  Slowly, she drifted into the world of dreams, with the beautiful anklets as a token of Rajveer's affection, their first night together marking the beginning of their lifelong journey as a married couple.