The Wedding
Arjun ~
I was treading on the lines of obsession when Siya Dhar was in question. I hadn't seen her in two weeks and yet all I could think about was her. When she just so casually said that she hated me, it was more of a challenge to me than an insult.
The way her eyes spoke to me, every flick of anger in them and every time she scrunches her little nose in irritation is an expression inviting me to read her.
In all honesty, I could not wrap my head around what the fuck was I doing while the whole family had started to prepare for the wedding. The only reason Siya must have agreed to this wedding was because her father had told her the truth to her and she felt indebted.
Well, that was going to change. The one woman I trusted was the one who betrayed me and now, I was trusting another one without any effort. After Vani, I was determined to never marry again, never trust a woman again but that day when I saw that little flower who made me feel something in a long, long time I knew that I had to do something, anything to keep her close as if she was my last chance to survive. Her laugh was like a breath of fresh air for me in an otherwise suffocating world.
Whether or not was I committing a mistake by trusting her was a question I did not wish to dwell too much on. All I wanted for now was to keep her close to me even if it means hiding the fact that she is married to me from the world. She could have asked for my crown and I would have given her, she could have asked for anything and I would have given her just to keep her close to me and never let go.
The two weeks went by with me taking care of the NDAs for all my staff to sign so that no one finds about the wedding or the fact that she will be my wife. Everyone who was under the employment of the Rajvanshi Family were made to sign one after they were explained the consequences of breaching it. Every staff member who had complaints against them regarding talking to the media or spreading rumours were fired and fresh batch of servants were hired.
If it was anonymity that she wanted for a few years, I'd gladly give it to her. That was the least she deserved after what I was putting her through because of my own selfish reasons.
Her admission here to the University of Jodhpur was also taken care of by her father.
The moment I saw her walking towards at the wedding pavilion to me was the moment of realisation for me. She could hold my heart and break it into a million pieces and I wouldn't finch as long as she stays by my side to collect those pieces over and over again. Love at first sight had always been a foolish notion for me and love in general more so after Vani but today, I'd willingly do it all over again with this woman by my side, even if it kills me. She could stab my heart as long as hers were the last eyes I looked into before losing my soul to her.
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Siya ~
While the Panditji was chanting mantras and doing the puja, I was trying my best to listen to him but for some reason, I kept zoning out but my excuse was that this whole thing was nothing but a drama so who cares if I'm zoned out?
When he asked for us to stand for the phere, I tried to but the damn lehenga was so heavy that I was just struggling like a fool to stand on my feet. I saw mumma Bhabhi rushing to my help but Ranaji extended his arm towards me. I looked up at him and then at his stretched hand and decided to take his help this once. I didn't want to act like a brat in the middle of this.
I gently placed my hand in his as he swiftly helped me stand on my own feet.
" Thank you." I murmured mindlessly and was about to withdraw my hand from his because even that slight touch was doing something very weird to me and hadn't felt like that ever in my life. Like almost giddiness. What was wrong with me? This man isn't my crush or boyfriend!
At I loosened my hold, his tightened and I looked at him, wide-eyed. What was he playing at? There was no mockery or taunts on his face.
Panditji instructed us to start revolving around the Holy fire and had started to explain the meaning of every phera in detail but those were not the promises I was going to make to Ranaji. I had my own set of them ready.
" I will never listen to this man."
" I will make his life a living hell."
" He will wake up every single day and regret meeting me."
" I will make him go bankrupt."
" One day, I will shred all his expensive suits. Actually why one day? I will shred all his expensive suits starting tomorrow. One every day."
" He will always have to listen to me."
" I will create chaos and turn his every day into a day of adventure he never wanted."
I could go on and on with these promises but unfortunately, Panditji had run out of the actual promises by this time and we were asked to sit once again.
" Were you even listening to what he was saying?" A hoarse, scratchy voice rang in my ears and I turned my head to look at him. He was leaning towards me ever so slightly with my hand still in his.
" No but I have made seven promises of my own to you." I whispered back.
" Mind indulging them?" He asked, his tone more amusing than curious.
" I guess you have a lifetime to figure them out Ranaji. Why the hurry?" I was going for insulting him but it didn't work as I had planned.
" That we do little flower, a lifetime with us." He said with a smile lurking on his face and I rolled my eyes. I know that he was right but he is so going to regret this.
I decided to keep my mouth shut after that.
" Wouldn't you like to find out what are the promises that I have made to you?" He asked me after a few seconds.
" I'd like to find out on my own just like you will find about the ones I made to you." I just wanted to put an end to this conversation.
" Now Ranaji will tie the mangalsutra around the bride's neck." Panditji announced and both Raani Maa Sa and Mumma came near us, bringing it along with the sindoor in a plate.
He gently left my hand that he was holding and picked the necklace up, leaning into me a bit as his hands went around my neck but his eyes bore into mine. This time, I decided to look into his and find out something, anything that I could about this man but alas, nothing! Just a pupil, sclera and iris. No figurative emotion.
" Ranaji please fill the bride's maang with sindoor." Panditji asked him again. This was it, I would be a married woman after this in totality.
Mumma gave him the sindoordani and he took some in between his thumb and index finger. Hansika Bhabhi lifted my maangtika up and my eyes automatically closed as he brought his hand near my forehead, filling my maang.
As I opened my eyes, I found everybody smiling and there were unshed tears in my parents eyes while Ranaji's family was smiling from ear to ear. I didn't know how to feel about any of it so I decided to tune out the emotional looks of everyone and mentally started to blast Anti-Hero in my head. What else could I have done?
My parents performed the kanyadaan where papa placed my hand in Ranaji's and the Panditji read some more mantras, keeping something on my palm and offered it in the hawan.
We then got up again to take everyone's blessings and Papa was the first one
" I know I don't have to say this but please take care of my daughter Ranaji. She is my heart and I have protected her with everything that I could." Papa said to him and this is when my damn emotions make an entry again as I struggle to hold back my tears, why did he have to be so emotional!?
" It is now my responsibility to look after your daughter Papa." Ranaji said and bent down to take his blessings and called him Papa! That is not fair. He is my father!
" Ranaji please don't. You are our King." Papa stopped him from touching his feet and folded his hands in front of him.
He then clutched me to his chest and I wrapped my hands around his shoulders tightly and bit my lip to stop myself from sobbing. I wasn't going to cry.
He then kissed the top of my head and told me that he was proud to have a daughter like me and I couldn't hold back a tear this time. By the time I was with mumma who was a crying mess, I was one too.
" My darling girl, I love you so much." She hugged me and I told her the same.
My bhabhis were the same as we hugged. Kritik was just happy to be playing with Jahanavi and seriously, I had all the jealous vibes as he royally ignored me.
" We are going to Ranthambore next month. Just the three of us. Don't react." Rohit bhai said extremely seriously and I couldn't hold back my laugh.
" Done. I will look after the Safari bookings. You take care of the travel and Cockroach here will book a nice hotel." We were standing in a huddle.
" Deal done." We three agreed and group hugged. It has always been our thing.
" Trouble the hell out of him for stealing you away from us. But yes, not too much. The Kingdom requires a King and on the fairer side, he made you stay here in Jodhpur. We practically live ten minutes away." Karan bhai whispered and I nodded, chuckling.
After which, my family performed a small vidaai ritual and then left for home, promising me that they'll pick me up first thing tomorrow morning for the pagphera ceremony.
I held back more tears desperately. I didn't want them to see me crying.
" Welcome to the family bhabhi. I know I am elder to you but you are my brother's wife and now just like my sister. So if this person here troubles you, let me know. We will prank him together." The younger prince, Samarth said.
" I will hold you up for that offer Bhai. Can I call you bhai?" I asked him, wiping the tear that had just left my eye.
" Of course you can bhabhi!" He gave me a smile and then Preeti came and hugged me followed by Ranaji's parents.
" You will call me mom or maa or whatever okay. No Raani Maa Sa." She said, kissing my forehead.
" Okay Mom." I smiled.
" So I am naturally your dad." Dad said and I nodded, laughing.
None of them are as weird and twisted as Ranaji. How is he so weird, I wondered.
" Preeti beta please help her change for the post-wedding rituals. I'll go and check the preparations." Maa asked Preeti who gave me a smile.
I asked for the other end of the gathbandhan cloth from Ranaji which he easily handed over to me with his knuckles accidentally brushing on my wrist, leaving shivers down my spine as I immediately withdrew my hand and clutched the cloth in it tightly.
What had just happened? One look at him and I knew that he had felt exactly how I had because for the first time that I had seen him till now, he looked a bit taken aback and not in complete control over himself and others around him.
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