I was writing in Aaryan's room for most of the day. It seemed that Aaryan managed to get people to actually leave me alone today and it felt nice to finally have a moment to myself. And writing seemed to make me feel even better, helping me spend some time out of my own head. I have not really thought much about how I haven't told stories in so long.
As I wrote, I nearly did not notice the door open, and when I did notice it, I didn't turn around right away because I thought it was Aaryan. But when I did turn around, I was surprised by Aayu.
I was going to stand up, but Aayu shook his head. "Sit, sister-in-law," he said kindly. However, almost immediately, his brows furrowed and his face scrunched up, a look of shock filling him. "Your face...:
I frowned. "I know, you don't need to rub it in."
Now he smiled. "Sorry," he said. "I just..." He seemed to be thinking of what to say, but then gave up. "I'm sorry for just barging on... Aaryan mentioned you wanted to be alone so I thought you wouldn't answer if I knocked."
I chuckled. I probably wouldn't have.
Aayu leaned against the desk and looked at me. "How are you?"
"As well as I can be... I suppose I could be better."
He smiled. "I heard you were roaming around on your own yesterday?"
Of course he had. "I needed to think."
"You're okay with Aaryan now?"
"We worked it out..."
"And you're going home?"
I hesitated. I suppose it did look like I was leaving because I was mad. "It's not like that... Aaryan agreed that seeing my family would be a good thing."
Aayu nodded thoughtfully.
"And what do you think?"
"About you going home?"
"No, about... what happened."
"What I think does not matter–"
"I would like to know."
He looked at me for a moment, thinking carefully about what he was going to say before he said it. "I think my brother acted impulsively but Aarun also deserved it."
I let out a breath.
Aayu reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. "Aaryan is right. I think going home would be good... you look unbelievably tired... and I think it does not have much with your sleep. So forget all of the nonsense that is going on here and relax."
I smiled. "I will do my best."
Aayu squeezed my shoulder. "Remember that I am here if you need anything. I'm on your side."
"Thank you, Aayu."
He continued to smile. "Now, I know you wanted to be alone," he said as he pulled up a chair. "But I want to see what you are writing."
I suddenly felt a little embarrassed. "Why?"
"Because I heard your stories are good," he said, grabbing one of the pages. "Why is it that Aaryan is the only one who gets to read them?"
I grabbed the page from him, surprising him. The look on his face made me laugh before I pulled open one of the drawers and pulled out a few other pages. "This is the beginning."
---
As I had asked Aaryan, he let me get ready to leave once my bruises began to heal. By the time we got ready to leave, my face had about twelve days to heal. Most of the bruising was gone now, thankfully. What was better was that since the trip to Nandioor was a few days long, I was certain I would be completely better.
What I had not expected was that Lady Suhanya was coming with us. I didn't have any problem with that, but was wondering whether or not she actually wanted to come with me. I know she had never been rich or anything of that sort, but had she ever lived in a village before? If I remember correctly, she spent most of her life serving in the palace.
Whatever the case, I could not deny that I was unbelievably excited. This would be the first time I would be going home since I left.
And if I had to admit, as soon as we left past the gates of Aathikara in the beautifully decorated carriage that Aayu had gifted me as a wedding gift, I let out a breath of relief.
Finally.
It took us a few days and I can say with confidence that I had never been so impatient in my life. Minutes felt like hours and nights felt like days. It didn't help that travelling was much harder when you were quite a few months pregnant.
However, it was all worth it. And when we crossed into the land of my village, it seemed that people were expecting us. People young and old were lined up along the dirt road, watching the carriage in awe and curiosity... but really, I couldn't care less because soon, I could see the hill that led down to my family home.
I could see my nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters-in-laws rushing to the top of the hill to meet me.
It was when I saw my mother and father though that I realized the carriage could not go fast enough. I felt as if I could have ran faster if I were not pregnant.
But when the carriage finally came to a stop, I was out and crying in my parent's arms before Aaryan could even come around and help me out.
My heart was hurting. It was throbbing in joy.
And it throbbed in even more joy when I saw that the ecstatic Maadu broke from her restraints and was rushing up the hill to meet me as well.
---
Though I missed Aaryan as I often did when he was gone, I had to say, I was unbelievably happy.
It felt so good to be able to wear a simple sari, and no jewelry except for my wedding chain, the Rudraraja band and the anklets that Aaryan gifted me.
Strangely, it felt like the first time in a long time that I could even hear the anklets again... all the other jewelry were too overpowering... jingling and jangling with every step... now, with all of that gone, I could hear the sweet bell sound again.
If it weren't for my large belly... I felt like who I was before I left. It also helped that my family was more than accommodating, so much so that I felt like I had not left.
Lady Suhanya, unsurprisingly, was having a swell time. She got along quite well with my family and did not ask for much at all. Though she did not seem particularly used to living the way that I did, she was happy to learn.
Aaryan spent a little while with my family before heading off. He left behind ten men to guard and watch over myself and the future possible heir to the Chandraba throne.
I didn't really want any guards behind... but Aaryan said his father was adamant and so I knew I had to listen as well.
As the days passed, my family stayed quiet about what had happened until they deemed that I had completely settled in. Of course, I knew this was coming, but despite this, I found myself to be unprepared for it.
I had written to them about it, not in detail, but enough for them to know I was okay. So I couldn't blame them for wanting details now. Of course, I downplayed the entire thing, not wanting to upset my family more than they already were.
As I had expected, my father, though looking shocked at Aaryan's response, did not condemn him. My brother's anger was directed at Aarun and Aarun only, and from the look on his face, I knew he was also saddened by the fact that this had even happened, though he did not say it out loud.
My brother's were a lot more harsh. They praised Aaryan, and went as far as calling Aarun a son-of-a-bitch. The language seemed to worry my mother, whose eyes I saw flickering towards Lady Suhanya here and there, but Lady Suhanya seemed non judgemental.
When that conversation was over, I felt relieved.
It was strange. I had done nothing wrong, but I felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders.
---
I received a letter from Aaryan the next day. I was sitting on the porch of our tiny home, Maadu and her now grown Erumai near me, as I read it.
He told me that things in the West had gotten much more serious than he had imagined it would be.
The noble family he had come to the west to appease when he first met me were now beginning to rise against the crown for some reason.
Unsurprisingly, I worried and Aaryan knew I would. So he made the effort to calm me down in his letter. He assured me that everything was going to be okay. Though they had not expected this to happen, they were still prepared.
I put down the letter and sighed.
"Everything okay?"
I looked up and saw my father looking out at the farm, sipping some tea.
"Yes, 'pa," I smiled.
He sat next to me. "Are you sure? Your face seems to suggest otherwise."
I hesitated. Lady Suhanya had gone to the market with my mother to buy herbs for me... I suppose I could talk more freely. "Aaryan said things in the west are more serious than he had expected."
"The young man can never catch a break, can he?"
I chuckled. "He really can't," I said. "He's always so busy and it's beginning to drive me insane."
My father waited silently, knowing quite well that I had more to say.
"He's gone as soon as we wake up and back only for bed. We never even eat together. And in all my time there, I have not made him a single cup of tea."
"Are you happy, love?"
I hesitated, though I was not surprised by the question. "I... am happy when Aaryan is with me."
"Which is not often, it seems."
I let out a breath, realizing what I had put myself in. I felt my heart sink... I did not want my father to think I was unhappy. "That's not what I meant... and when the baby is born, I'm sure I will find myself preoccupied–"
My father put a hand over mine. "Seetha, I would rather you be honest with me... I am your father, it is not the other way around. You do not need to try and shield me... I love to worry about you... and it worries me more to know you feel the need to lie."
I frowned.
"Of course," he continued. "You will understand how I feel soon."
Now I chuckled, resting my hands on my belly. It was huge now. I felt like it was ready to pop, though I had some time left.
"I would like to think that your unhappiness comes from the fact that you are still not used to that world."
I nodded. Yes, that certainly had a lot to do with it.
"And that is something that will solve itself over time... and as you said, having a child to occupy you would certainly help."
I nodded again, trusting him. I always trusted the words of my father.
"Aaryan told me you've been writing your stories?"
I hesitated, wondering when Aaryan got the chance to mention that to him. I was with him the whole time before he left.
"I think that's a splendid idea. You should not be forced to keep those wonderful stories in your mind. It would also help you take your mind off of things... and Aaryan mentioned how he looks forward to when you can share them with your child... maybe that's something you can also look–"
"When did you talk to him about this?" I asked, curious.
My father looked quite surprised by the question. "He writes to me."
"He does?"
"You did not know?"
"No," I said.
"Hmm, he writes quite regularly. Not as frequently as you but at least once a month."
My eyes widened. "What? What do you talk about?"
"Mostly you... sometimes about himself."
I was certainly surprised... but at the same time, I was thrilled that Aaryan was trying to maintain a relationship with my family. For some reason, that meant the world to me... especially when I thought of the fact that none of my brother-in-laws did the same.
My father, probably seeing the look on my face, smiled. "He certainly loves you my dear... and thankfully it did not take cutting off his brother's arm to prove that to me."
He said that in a funny way, and for the first time, I found myself laughing at the thought of the armless Aaryn.
My father seemed to be pleased with himself, happy that he made me smile.
I reached out and hugged him tightly before leaning against his shoulder.
After a moment, my father spoke. "It continues to blow my mind that my little golden girl is going to be a mother."
I smiled. "I'm excited. I'm excited to be given the chance to be as good to this child as you have been to me."
He chuckled. "It will not be hard. You will be a wonderful mother."
"Thank you 'pa," I smiled widely at him.
"You don't ever need to thank me, love," he said before kissing the top of my head.
I knew that, of course, but I still wanted to. How could you not? My father was wonderful.