Playing Games
Siya ~
I thought that I'd have a bit of flexibility after getting out of the wedding dress but here I was, getting dressed in one of the heaviest sarees in the world again and this was literally my first time wearing one, so imagine my plight.
I again found myself in red with a huge Navratna necklace around my neck with matching earrings and bangles. The vermillion on my hair partition still as dark and visible as Preeti worked around my hair in a bun and as I looked into the mirror, a person totally different stared back at me.
Siya's Look -
I looked very different and unusual and had no idea how to feel about it so once again, I shut myself off. It was actually getting pretty convenient for me to do it.
" Can I call you Di?" I asked Preeti who was just covering my head now.
" You can call me whatever you want Raanisa." She gave me a wide smile and my eyes widened in shock. What did she call me?
" No Di. Please don't. Call me Siya. That is one part of my identity still under my control." The last words rolled off my tongue before I could control myself.
" Siya, no matter what, never forget who you are. Not your name or last name or anything, just you as a person. That is what matters at the end of the day. What bhaiya has done wasn't right in the least and everyone knows of it, even she does but he of course will never admit that in front of anyone. I am not going to stand here and justify his acts because they truly cannot be justified but what I will tell you is that he is a broken man. He may not show it or let anyone know but eventually over time, you will see it. I think he saw you and something inside him snapped because never has he taken one impulsive decision since he has taken over the role of King. His every decision is always calculated and reviewed over a thousand times in his head before he gives a nod and then suddenly with you, I don't even think he even allowed himself to contemplate about his actions because if he had, he would never have gone with this whole thing and perhaps, lost you." She finished as she knelt down in front of me and kept her hands on mine.
" Well what's done is done Di but if he thinks I am going to be easy on him, he has a fair few shocks coming his way." I don't know but there was something in her eyes that made me trust her to confide.
" Oh you most certainly should give the toughest time in the world. In fact, make him sleep on the couch for the next six months." She chuckled and my heart suddenly gave me weird sensations.
" I'll have to be in the same room as him." My stomach dropped. I had not given that a thought till now!
Di must have sensed my discomfort as she made me stand up.
" Siya you must know that even bhaiya's actions have suggested otherwise with everything happening, he will never touch you till you don't want him to. Ranaji can be an egoistic King who gets what he wants but he will never by force or otherwise dishonor you." She squeezed my hand gently, assuring me but that wasn't something I was worried about because I was prepared. If he tried to touch me, I'd pepper spray all his handsome face and burn his eyes before locking him up in the closet. But I most certainly wasn't entirely comfortable in sharing my personal space with him! Damn I should have demanded for a separate bedroom in the list of terms and conditions!
I managed to give her a weak smile before she guided me to wherever we were supposed to be, which was a huge living room, like even bigger than my house with every inch decorated and had a personalized touch.
" There she is." Raani Maa Sa said and walked over to he, guiding me to sit on one of the low stools and just opposite to me was another one and in the between was a huge copper bowl filled with milk and rose petals. Ughh these games, really?
My so-called husband was talking to Samarth bhaiya when Raani Maa Sa asked him to take his seat which he did and Jahanavi rushed to my side and sat next to me, giving me the biggest smile of all.
" Hello Chikki!" She said with her toothy grin and my eyes widened in surprise. How did she know!!!
" Haww? How did you find out?" I asked, pulling her on my lap as she giggled.
" Kritik asked me to call you that." She said shyly with her thumb in her mouth which I gently took off.
" So he tells about about everything? You know he had promised me that he'd never tell anyone what he calls me when no one is around!" My little devil couldn't keep his mouth shut.
" Janu come on here now. Let your Bade Papa and your Chikki start with this ceremony so that it finishes soon and we go and have dinner please?" Samarth Bhaiya asked her but she shoved her thumb back in her mouth and shook her head in a no but did climb off my lap and sat next to me.
" Very good Jahanavi beta you have changed your allegiance in the family really quick? Not supporting your Bade Papa anymore but good, good....we both are in the same party!" Dad said and came to sit next to the little angel.
That is how the other family members split up. Raani Maa Sa and Preeti Di were sitting by Ranaji and Papa with Samarth Bhaiya and Chikki were on my side as I let my eyes meet his ever since I had walked in the room. They were on me as we dived our hands in the vessel. I wasn't going to lose this one, no matter what.
I dropped my gaze from him to the game in front of me and struggled to find the ring, pulling up a coin first along with some weird grass while Ranaji pulled out the ring with a smug look on his face. I rolled my eyes and once again, our hands were inside the vessel for round two.
This time, as I was searching for it, my hand accidentally brushed his and again, I felt exactly how I did earlier today while he was handing over the gathbandhan cloth to me.
I looked at him with widened eyes and saw a muscle near his lips twitch as if he was trying not to smile. Did he feel it too again?
" Come on Siya!" I heard Dad's voice bringing me back from whatever trance I was in and I focused on finding the ring again, this time pulling it out correctly.
" Last round now. Whoever wins it will get to dominate this marriage." Mom announced and I immediately started my struggle again. I had to win this stupid competition!
Again this time, I easily found it but apparently, so had Ranaji because we both were holding this ring from each curve and I tightened my hold even more and once again looked at him to let him know that there was no way I was letting it go, no matter what.
He met my eyes at half and I glared at him. HE.WAS.NOT.WINNING.THIS, I WAS and I tried to convey that to him at best.
Oh god what the hell were his eyes made of! I had to blink now but at the same time I wanted him to loose and doing both at once wasn't possible. That is when that ghost of a smile earlier threatening to break on his face finally did and I felt his hold on the ring loosen and I immediately took it out. Ha! He gave up, good.
" Siya wins!" Samarth bhaiya declared and Jahanavi gave me a kiss and extended a chocolate to me as a gift.
" But I don't have anything for you." I replied, showing her my empty hands.
" Will you read me my favorite story before sleeping from tomorrow night?" She asked so hopefully. Baby I'd do anything for that smile.
" Of course darling! I will read a lot of stories for you." I promised to her. English literature was my one true love, be it in any form!
" Come on now everyone, let's go and have dinner." Preeti Di announced as we all stood up where Mom guided me to the dining room which was had a very long table with about twenty four chair in there. Dad sat at the head of the table. I was just walking to take a seat when my leg entangled itself with the saree and I was thrown ahead as I shut my eyes closed to avoid the damn embarrassment of following down in front of everyone but luckily, the fall never came and I found a hand holding my upper arm tightly along with my right shoulder.
I opened my right eye to peek through it to confirm that someone has actually held me to stop me from falling and most certainly, someone did as I found Ranaji's tight grip, steadying me.
" Thank you." I murmured softly to him as I balanced myself on my feet again and felt his hands withdraw from me.
" Are you fine, little flower?" He asked extremely softly and I gave him a distracted nod as I was bending down to correct the fold of the garment near my legs. He again touched my hand, stopping me from bending as I gave him a confused look. He didn't say anything in clarification but went down on a knee himself, smoothening the creases of my saree properly and then got back on his feet.
I was too shocked to react because firstly I was about to fall and he saved me, then he did something I never asked or expected him to do so instead of thanking him again, I stood there like a statue while he pulled a chair for me, holding it for me to sit.
" Siya are you okay beta?" Mom asked and my eyes went to her. They all had already taken their seats.
" Yes Mom." I replied, managing to give her a weak smile as I placed myself on the chair as Ranaji went on to sit next to me.
Dinner was then served and as I took the first morsel for kheer, I found myself choking on it and started to cough badly. I was about to reach out for the jar of water when Ranaji once again beat me to it as he poured water for me in the glass and brought it to my lips. I had taken the glass from his hands if my throat wasn't killing me. So I decided to suck it up and take his help and I took a few sips from the glass still in his hand and unknowingly, I was holding his wrist slightly while I was gulping down the water.
" Thank you." I said as I was feeling better. All he did was give me a nod, keeping the glass back on the table.
" Carefully beta. Are you fine now?" Dad asked me and I gave him a small nod after which everyone continued to eat.
It hadn't been two hours since I had married him and he had already helped me twice. What was Ranaji trying to prove?
Okay Siya, stop it. You'll reach nowhere if you keep on overthinking. He's just playing games with you, nothing else. Have your dinner, your hunger is probably making you act like an idiot, chirped my inner voice as I took another morsel of food which was in reality, the tastiest I had ever had in my entire damn life!
THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER I AM GOING TO UPDATE BEFORE 12TH JANUARY.
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