"Shahzaib yeh nikkah kyu hua hai iss baat se aap aachi tarah se wafik hai"
Rahman spoke to Shahzaib looking at him.
Shahzaib nodded his head as a response while Rahman continued
"Shaho ki beti hai woh yaad rakhna. Shaho ka mizaaj bada garam hai aur Sikandaro ka bhi. Umeed hai ki aap hamari baat samjh gaye ho"
Shahzaib nodded his head and responded
"Baba fikr na kare main yeh mamla sambhal lunga"
Rahman nodded his head and opened the drawer and took out a box and handed it to him. Shahzaib looked at the box in his hand curiously and raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Rahman answered
"Aapki ki maa ne diya hai, aapke dulhan ki muh dikhai hai. Sikandaro ka khandani zehwar hai. Aapni dulhan ko samjha do yaha ke usoolo ke baare main"
Shahzaib nodded his head and Rahman indicated him to leave. Shahzaib left while his thoughts went back to his bride, Urwa.
She looked so ethereal in that red jora. When he looked at her covered head he was proud yet amused because no bride in their region covers herself on her nikkah.
Still he remembered her gaze on his hand when she was admiring him. Yes, admiring him. Shahzaib's mind went back remembering what his mother told him before the nikkah
"Nikkah main mohabbat jaruri hai par saath hi saath izzat aur aitbaar bhi. Jis rishte main mohabbat aur aitbaar nahi hota woh rishta andar se khokla ho jata hai. Ek dusre par aitbaar karna jaruri hai. Dushmano ki beti jarur hai par aab woh aapki biwi bane jaa rahi hai yaad rakhna"
Shahzaib knew that this marriage is not going to be an easy one. Two individuals who are so contrasting how they will accept each other? Shahzaib has heard about the 'valour' of Urwa. He knows how she disrupted the panchayat full of men when a woman was wrongly accused. At first he hated her shameless act, he still does. To be honest he knows she was right but still he can't accept this. That's how they are brought up with a deep sense of tradition. He knows she is not going to be easy to deal with nor is he going to coax her or something.
Shahzaib is going to give her a thriller life. He smirked at the thought of it. Shahzaib reached towards his room and stood outside the door feeling nervous suddenly not having the courage to get inside his own room, his heart suddenly beating fast.What the heck happened to him?
'Aab kya hua Shahzaib badi thriller life dene wale the na aapni biwi ko. Khud room main jane se dar rahe ho'
His subconscious mocked him.
Shahzaib ignored the mocking by his own subconscious and took a deep breath and headed inside his very room,his footsteps echoing. He saw his bride sitting on his bed, her red jora spread over the bed elegantly. While the red veil covered her face.
'Jara jyada flimy nahi ho raha hai kya yeh?Mujhe toh laga tha aab tak toh isne mere kamre ki har chiz uthal putal kar deni thi'
Shahzaib thought, eyeing his bride suspiciously.
Shahzaib noticed how his bride was nodding to her own self as if she was having a debate. Shahzaib stood near the bed clearing his throat trying to gain her attention. Urwa looked at him for once and ignored him waiting for him to get done with this rasam. If Urwa had the chance, she would have gotten out of this Red jora at earliest but she knew Sikandar's were too keen on traditions and belief and now she can't afford offending anyone at such a crucial time.
'Aabhi shaadi hui hai bhai bilwajah kyu dushmani mool lu'
Urwa thought ,justifying herself.
Shahzaib on the other hand was clearly offended seeing his bride ignoring him. No matter what circumstances they got married he is still her husband right? She needs to give him some importance.
Shahzaib coughed a bit trying again to gain her attention. Urwa let out a deep breath and looked at him. Shahzaib smirked internally after being successful but soon it vanished after hearing her next words
"Vicks ki goli de du gala kharab ho gaya hai toh? Mere pass bohot padi hai"
Shahzaib looked at her with a weird expression on his face and spoke
"Tum-"
"Haa mein. Kabse yaha baithi hu yaar, ghughat main dam ghut raha hai mera. Socha tha tumhare aate hi yeh fande se jaan chutegi par nahi Shahzaib Sahab toh aapna gala saaf karne main mushroof hai"
Urwa spoke angrily in one breath, glaring at Shahzaib.
Shahzaib looked at her veiled form clearly lost when he heard her saying his name. It just sounded too sweet , didn't it? Shahzaib never thought his name would sound better.
"Oyyee kya dekh rahe ho? Suna ya nahi maine kya kaha?"
Urwa spoke glaring at him.
"Huh?"
Shahzaib uttered, recovering from his lost state.
"Main kya arbi main bol rahi thi jo samajh mein nahi aaya?"
Urwa taunted.
'Ya Allah kaha aake fas gaya main?'
Shahzaib muttered.
"Kya badbada rahe ho? Ghunghat uthao aur farikh karo mujhe iss bahri(heavy) bohj se"
Urwa spoke coldly, glaring at him.
Shahzaib looked at her clearly annoyed by her behaviour and tried to speak but again Urwa cut him off
"Arrey soch kya rahe ho? Uthao Ghughat yaar"
Clearly done with her talks.Shahzaib took a hold of her wrist and twisted it behind her back, pulling her towards him and gazed at her with his dark brown eyes and spoke, his voice deep
"Begum agar aap chup baithe toh hum baat kar saakege haina? Par aap toh chup hone ka naam hi nahi le rahi"
Urwa struggled under his grip trying to get herself free from his hold but failed miserably and glared at him. She drew in a sharp breath, she could smell his light musky cologne,the fragrance was so enchanting yet intoxicating. She tried to speak but Shahzaib 'shushed' her and spoke
"Aapne bohot bol liya aab hamari baari hai. Tumhara shohar hu main aab , yaad rakhna. Meri baat sune beghair aagi ki baate mat samjha karo"
Urwa glared at him and spoke slowly
"Mera haath chodo"
Shahzaib smirked
"Aapka haath chodne ke liye thode thama hai Urwa begum. Aapke bhai se waada kiya hai humne aur sabko pata hai Shahzaib Sikandar aapne baato ka kitna pakka hai hain?"
"Tum-"
Urwa retorted.
"Haa main aapka shohar. Tumhara ghughat uthana hai haina? Chalo main tumhe iss fande se farikh karta hu"
Shahzaib assented and left her wrist while Urwa glared at him.
Shahzaib lifted her veil and saw her face for the first time after their nikkah.
"Mashallah"
He mumbled clearly mesmerised.
Urwa was looking beautiful. For the first time in his life he observed her so closely. She had perfectly shaped eyebrows, pouty lips, and a sculptured nose. He was clearly lost in her beauty, he was not able to look away.
On the other hand Urwa was getting nervous under his unwavering gaze
'Is he not going to look away?'
She thought.
Urwa shook her head softly and lightly hit in his head. Bringing him back to the real world. Shahzaib winced after receiving a unexpected blow and glared at Urwa and questioned
"Yeh kya hai?"
"Tumhari muh dikhai"
Urwa replied nonchalantly.
Shahzaib looked at her, giving her 'are you for real look' clearly lost at words.
Urwa shrugged her shoulder in response and responded
"Dulha dulhan ko muh dikhai deta hai haina? Phir dulhan dulhe ko muh dikhai nahi de sakti?"
Shahzaib shook his head and questioned
"Aisi muh dikhai?"
"Muh dikhai mili toh sahi na? Kaafi nahi hai? Khair atleast maine muh dikhai di toh sahi"
Urwa taunted at atlast.
Shahzaib smirked at her response and took out the box from his pocket and forwarded it to her who eyed the box suspiciously and raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"Aapki muh dikhai hai"
Shahzaib answered.
Cautiously Urwa took the box and was going to open it but looked at Shahzaib and asked
"Bomb wagera toh leke nahi aaye na?"
"Khol ke dekh lo shayad khwahish puri ho jaye"
Shahzaib responded, smirking at her.
Still cautious about it she opened the box carefully, she found the most beautiful set of bangles she had ever seen, a beautiful necklace with intricate design and a pair of earrings. The jewellery was just too beautiful. While Urwa was stunned seeing the jewellery she felt Shahzaib speak
"Sikandaro ke khandhan zewar hai yeh. Umeed hai ki sambhal ke rakhogi"
Urwa looked at Shahzaib and nodded her head, feeling the weight of responsibility over her. She knew safeguarding the jewellery was not that big a responsibility but still now she is living in an unknown place, a place where she needs to live for the rest of her life. This is just the beginning. Soon she will need to handle the rest of the affairs too. She is a Shah, even though the nikkah is done for peace still she will be a suspect of doubt everytime she knows that.
Shahzaib observed the changing expression on his bride's face.
'Lagta hai biwi overthink karne wali mili hai mujhe. Ya Allah yeh kya halat main aa gaya main'
Shahzaib thought cursing at his fate.
Jokes apart, Shahzaib was worried for her. Though it's necessary to think, it's not necessary that you should overthink right? She needs to get a grip on her thoughts.
"Urwa"
Shahzaib called her.
Urwa flinched at his sudden voice and looked at him returning back from her thoughts and raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"Change nahi karna?"
He questioned.
Urwa nodded her head understandingly and tried to get up from the bed. Her red jora creating more difficulties for her. Shahzaib shook his head at her futile attempts and bent to help her stand up. Urwa looked at him while he silently helped her stand.
Now on her feet Urwa walked towards the washroom to freshen up and get changed but tripped over her own dupatta. She waited to feel the impact but that never came instead she felt a hand around her waist securing her. Urwa closed her eyes in utter embarrassment and thought
'Aaj hi saare kand karna hai tune'
Shahzaib controlled his laughter that threatened to escape and questioned
"Begum lagta hai aapko hamare baho main girna jara jyada hi pasand hai haina?"
Urwa opened her eyes and looked at him boredly trying to calm her racing heart and responded
"Agar ho gaya ho toh main jau?"
Shahzaib helped her stand up while Urwa left to change. Shahzaib changed in the room itself and sat on the couch checking the delayed work due to the wedding. Tired from the eventful day he headed towards the bed at the same time Urwa entered the room wearing a cream coloured salwar kurta and headed towards the bed.
Both of them reached at the bed and looked at each other.
'Here goes other fight'
Shahzaib thought internally, whining while Urwa glared at him.
'Lo ho gaya jung ka agaaz'
Shahzaib sighed.