Naina's pov.
I can't seem to calm myself down. The Panditji is chanting mantras that I don't understand. I am sitting beside rudra who, even after sitting, is so tall and bigger than me. When I removed my heels I barely reached his chest, I look small in front him which is very intimidating.
Anushka nudges me for the second time. I know I am getting lost in my thoughts, but it is hard to exactly focus when my life is getting ruined like this.
"Put your hand in his hand." Panditji says. He looks at me like he wants to scold me for being absentminded during an important work.
I look at the hand rudra is holding out for me for a second too long and then I put my hand in his with my Palm facing up.
When I was little I loved putting henna in my hands. It was so fascinating to see brides with their arms covered with it. I wanted to cover my full hand with henna when I was a kid but mom told me only brides get their entire arms done with henna. But not me, on my sister's mehndi function I was so busy helping mom that by the time it was my turn to get it done I was so tired that I asked them to roughly draw the most basic design while I fought sleep.
Henna should be the least of my worries right now, but it's like obsessing over something small will make the pain of big things go away.
As soon as the ritual was done I removed my hand from his.
"Groom's sister should tie the knot for the pheres."
Shreya, rudra's sister who I have talked to quite a few times, comes forward. She picks up one end of my dupatta and ties it to the end of the pink cloth hanging on her brother's shoulder.
She gives me a warm smile which I barely return with my half smile.
She bend down besides her brother's ear and says something.
"Hold your husband's right hand and take three rounds around the holy fire while walking in front of him." Panditji says to me and then looks at rudra. "Then you take the lead and walk in front of her for rest of the four rounds."
Rudra stands up and looks down at me, he was about to give me a hand when I turn to Anushka and ask her to help me up. This freaking lehenga is one of my many problems, it's not coming under my feet because of its underskirt but still it's too heavy and long. And it's hot, especially while I am sitting in front of the fire beside this big and huge man.
Once steady on my feat, I walk in front of him and give him my right hand. He holds my hand a little too tight, I wince internally and dig my nails into his skin. Rudra did not wince or pull away, instead he tighten his hold a little more before loosening his grip.
I look away from him and start walking because the Panditji is giving me judgemental looks. Of course he is, after all he is oberoi's personal pandit, if that's a thing.
I was done with three rounds, I wasn't even counting and was about to take one more when rudra tightened his hold on my hand almost painfully, making me stop.
Without saying anything he walks in front of me, changing the angle of our hand hold a little and pulls at my hand to take rest of the four rounds. All the while I was either looking at his back or down at my feet so I don't trip over my lehenga. I did catch a look of my parents and quickly averted my gaze to Shreya who was smiling widely at us. With every step I take, I feel my heart breaking. I wish for something to happen, something that will stop this absurdity.
"Here, tie the mangalsutra around your brides neck."
Panditji shoves a decorated gold plate containing mangalsutra in rudra's direction, once we were back in our seat. He picks it up and turns to me. This is the time I want to say no, to stand up and run as fast as I can. I want to scream at his face to stop this nuisance, I am even ready to beg him to not to ruin my life for his malicious reasons.
I look in his eyes with desperation and hope. He looks at me for a second before the corner of his lips lifts up in a cruel smirk. All the hopes inside me breaks when he put the chain against my neck, lean against my ear and whispers.
"You are now mine, Mrs Naina oberoi."
A tear slip from my eye when he lock the nupital chain around my neck and straightens back up.
Panditji asks him to fill my hair partition with the vermillion. He picks up the box, takes a pinch of sindur and fills my partition without looking into my eyes. Then to my greatest shock I feel his pinky finger wiping away the tear that fell down my cheek. I look into his eyes only to see nothing in them. No warmth. No soul. Just empty.
"Vivaah sampann hua. Aaj se aap pati patni hain."
(You are married now. From now onwards you are husband and wife)
"Take blessings from your elders."
Blood rushes into my ears as soon as anushka helps me stand up on my feet. My head starts to spin and I feel a tight grip on my already bruised arm before everything goes black in front of my eyes.
~•~
Rudra's pov.
Weddings can be boring when you are the groom. Too many rituals and too much drama. All I want to do is get this over with.
I get up once we were done, naina's cousin help her to her feet. I need to get out of these clothes and get the fuck out of here. I take a step forward but stop as Naina starts to sway in her place, I quickly catch her arm before she could fall on the ground and pull her body against mine. I wrap another arm around her waist to keep her limp and unconscious body upright.
Everyone gasp around us and her mother shrieks loudly while calling her name. "Naina?"
She reaches us in quick steps and pat naina's cheek but she is unresponsive in my arms. "Naina, open your eyes."
"Someone get some water."
"Rub her palms."
Someone says from the crowd that started gathering around us. Instead of waiting I wrap one arm at the back of her knees and other one on her back and pick her up in my arms. Her head rolls awkwardly before landing against my chest. She is as light as a feather in my arms, so small and breakable.
Earlier when she walked down the aisle with her head held high against all the whispers, she looked nothing less than a regal queen. But her armour broke when she looked at me. When I gave her my hand, she took it with caution as her fingers shook in my hold.
This entire time she was sitting as stiff as a cardboard beside me. She kept zoning out so much so her cousin had to nudge her every now and then. Her moves were mechanical at best, like her body was here but her mind might as well be in some another place.
She didn't take the hand I offered afterwards, playing tough, I liked that. Seeing fire in her eyes at times is good because I love extinguishing them along with her hope like the time when I was trying to tie the mangalsutra around her neck. She looked at me like I'm her god, the only one person who can set her free from this and that made me want to keep her even more.
"Take her to her room." My mom says while shaking my arm frantically. They all need to calm down.
I walk away from the people and to the elevator. I look down at her face, her eyes were all red and swollen earlier which meant she had been crying before walking down the aisle. Now, she looks peaceful. Like she has escaped the nightmare.
I walk inside the elevator and Shreya holds it open, giving me a stink eye. She has been telling me to loosen up a little and smile at my bride. "What?" I ask her.
Before she could answer, my mother and naina's mother walk inside the elevator and Shreya press the button for the top floor.
Within a few seconds we reach the floor where the suites has been booked for everyone. I walk to the room where Naina was getting ready earlier.
I put her frail body down on the bed and take my steps back. The ladies started patting her cheeks and rubbing her palm.
"Did she eat anything before the ceremony?" Mom ask as she pass a glass of water to naina's mother.
She shake her head and sniffle, "She was up on her feet this entire week and didn't get any rest a bride deserves."
Because she wasn't the bride. Atleast not until today, but I don't say it out loud. I'm certain two out of three women in this room are against me and my opinions right now.
"It is my fault she skipped all of her meals today...with everything that has been going on." Her mother turns her head and looks at me "Plus the added stress."
Yes, label me as the stress. I mean I kind of am an added stress. She wanted us to postpone the wedding but I denied. Guilty.
"Rudra, go call the doctor." Mom says giving me a hard glare. I guess the number of people against me in this room went upto three out of three if we do not count my unconscious wife.
"I already did." Shreya says froms the foot of my bed.
Naina's mother looks at me like I'm a stress, but my own sister looks at me like I'm a devil, a monster for ruining another girl's life like this. I still can't see how I ruined anything. Her own sister did all the ruining.
"I'll wait outside." I left with my sister following behind me.
I stop and turn around. "What?"
I love my sister and would kill anyone to protect her but she has a way of testing my patience ever since she was a kid.
"You are not at all worried about her?"
"Why should I?"
"Because she is your wife!" She whisper yells at my face. She knows no one talks to me that way and lives. She knows I love her and won't harm her so she speaks her mind. Which I hate sometimes, well most of the times.
"And that changes what? She was as much of a stranger to me now as she was yesterday." Shreya shakes her head, looking at me like she wants to yell at me again.
The door of the elevator opens. "Go help mom."
I get inside the elevator and press button for the parking. I have no time to deal with the drama.
I dial a number and put the phone to my ear. "Meet me in the parking lot with all the information you have."
~•~
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