When Riddhima woke up in the morning she realised the bed she was laying on foreign to her. She sat up on the bed with a start and looked around fearfully. The location wasn't very familiar but she did recognised it. She remembered being brought here against her will by none other than Vikramaditya Raghuvanshi. His thought gave her chills. Anxiously she looked around to see if he was around. Thankfully this wasn't the case. He wasn't in the room.
"Hey Ram!!!" she whispered, rubbing her back. Her back hurt terribly. Perhaps because of this heavy lehenga she was wearing. This was the very reason she hated lehengas anyway. They are always too heavy and sometimes absolutely uncomfortable. To her surprise, when her eyes landed on the floor she found her sandles waiting for her neatly below the bed. She was sure it was him who must've took the sandles off her feet and placed them here for easy access for her.

The place was cold honestly. And with the windows open, the cool Breeze flew inside unhindered, hence dropping the overall temperature inside the room. She could smell the scent of forest flowing and into the room. Only if she hadn't been kept hostage here, she might've loved this place. This place was quiet and peaceful in some way. She could hear the birds tweeting in the distance. To the left of the cottage, and very near to it, a river gurguled noisily on the smooth bed of pebbles. From the windows itself she could see deers and monkeys drinking water from the river. She even espied a loan jackal prowling into the woods, looking for prey perhaps. Something about this place was really beautiful. It was just peace out here nothing else. She could even faintly smell the subtle fragrance of wildflowers wafting in the forest. However, suddenly she realised she was a captive here. She should think about how to leave this place rather than revel in the beauty of her new environs. Quickly she sprang out of the bed, slipped her feet into the sandles and very quietly sneaked out of the door which was luckily open.

She took great caution while crossing the door and coming out into the clean hall. She was vigilant enough to look around for Vikramaditya. Luckily he was nowhere. Perhaps he was out. She saw this as a chance and ran out of the front door. A feeling of finally tasting freedom surged inside her. But it was transitory since once she was out in the jungle she realised she has made a fool out of herself. This was a jungle not Brahmapuri. Here Brahamapuri's laws don't apply. The denizens of jungle follow the law of jungle, eat or get eaten. Riddhima gulped as terror built up inside her body. Still she decided to run away from the cottage and find a way out herself. Even though she knew it was nearly impossible for her to find a way out because this jungle was huge and in some places even impenetrable. And what will she do when she's besieged by a pack of wolves?? Besides there are a lot of tigers in Brahmapuri, what if she come across one??? Well, then it will be the tiger who will decide the fate of Riddhima then. She ran and ran into the ghastly jungle, unaware of what will happen to her next minute.

She only gave up running and started walking when she observed that she had left the cottage far behind. Now Vikramaditya's fear was gone, because now it was the terror of jungle that had caught her in its jaws. Riddhima hated to confess but she low-key thought that it was better had she stayed in the cottage. Atleast he would've fed her and most importantly she would've been safe, atleast from the wild animals. But she was dumb enough to run away from the cottage and now she was absently wandering in this labyrinth of trees. But, she wasn't going to keep herself in bondage there as well. He brought her here against her will and therefore she has all reasons to run away. And between Vikramaditya and death, she will choose death. Yeah, I know she's an idiot.
"Please God show me some way out please." she prayed, looking up at the gigantic trees standing around her.
"How can he when you're walking on the wrong road!!!" she heard a voice behind her. Not any voice but HIS VOICE.

Riddhima's feet turned cold as she quietly spun around. There he was, standing under the giant deodar tree. A thin shaft of sunlight fell upon him making his slightly tanned face glow handsomely. He looked fresh and bored to be honest. He was seriously fed up of this regular drama of her trying to run away from him. Like was it necessary everytime??? Doesn't she know already that there's no escape from him??
"Um....Um...." Riddhima found hard to make even a single sentence. He drew in a breath before stuffing his heads into his pocket. He was wearing the same clothes from last night.
"Are you done with your morning jog sweetheart?? I guess if yes than let's get back to the cottage. I just wanna put this out for you that tigers here are quite a lot in number." he told her bored. She looked at him nervously. He closed his eyes and sighed when he saw that she wasn't ready to move even an inch.
"That's enough Riddhima. Come, let's go." he said grabbing her wrist and turning around to leave.

She pulled her hand back courageously. He turned back to glare down at her, certainly not in a good mood.
"I-I..... don't want to.....go...." she stuttered nervously. Vikramaditya's eyes turned dark.
"We have talked about this a lot many times before Riddhima. I don't think you want me to say the same things again and again. Come with me, don't piss me off now." he spoke sternly. Riddhima looked up at him innocently.
"Please Mr. Raghuvanshi why don't you try to understand....."
"Do you try to understand my feelings, my emotions.....What I want...???? Huh!!! Do you ever think about me???" he shouted, livid. Riddhima flinched.
"But-But Mr. Raghuvanshi......I just want us to....to move on in life and...."
"Oh God Riddhima you're gonna madden me in a moment!!! Why the fuck should I move on in my life when you're all that I have ever wanted in my life!!!! Is this little thing too hard for you to understand Riddhi????? How many times should I tell you that I FUCKING LOVE YOU....!!!" he yelled at her, crossed with her obstinacy. Riddhima still tried to pacify him.
"But I don't feel the same way....."
"I don't care. I fucking don't care. You'll start loving me once you give me a chance, you just don't want to give me a chance for I don't know what." he interjected hotly. Riddhima looked at him disgusted. If his feelings matter than so does hers.
"How can you be so selfish??? You don't even care about my feelings." she told him with tears. He looked hurt for a moment. He wasn't being selfish. Atleast not in his dictionary.
"Had I been selfish I wouldn't have given you so much time to accept me at your own volition. Stop accusing me Riddhi. All I've ever wanted is you to be safe and healthy and in my arms. Nothing else." he fumed. Riddhima looked at him in disdain.
"You're lying." she spat vehemently. He squeezed her cheeks and forced her to look into his eyes.
"Look into my eyes and say this again." he challenged. She pushed his hands away forcefully.
"I am not your slave Mr. Raghuvanshi. You can't treat me like your personal property." she shouted at him. He looked her in the eye and spoke.
"But you're my wife. And therefore you belong to me." his eyes were unyielding as he said so. She looked at him hatefully.
"I'm not. I was married to Addy. I was never married to Vikramaditya Raghuvanshi and therefore you have no right over me. Understood." she fired back.

Suddenly he stopped. His lips were reposed in a solemn manner as he watched her darkly. Riddhima had a feeling that she had crossed the line perhaps. But what did she say wrong??? She was married to a mentally retarded man who went by the name Addy. Vikramaditya is nobody to her. Very well Riddhima now explain this to him, if you can.
"Oh so is that the case. Hm. Is this why you don't want to accept me as your husband?? Hm." he spoke in a whisper, his fists clenched. Riddhima gulped. Should she say yes, I mean it's only true??
"Fine then. You know what dear, Addy is dead. Now you're marrying Vikramaditya Raghuvanshi. Come with me." he snapped at her as he grabbed her wrist and started dragging her to, probably his cottage. Riddhima struggled.
"Mr. Raghuvanshi you're hurting me. Just let me go and.... and where are you taking me!!!!" she pleaded, trying to wrest her wrist out of his grasp. He slightly loosened his grip on her although didn't let her wrist go. He surely didn't wanted any harm to come upon his Riddhima, I don't care what the world says.
"I'm fed up of this waiting game. It makes me sick." he muttered, clearly talking to himself. Riddhima looked at him in horror.
"Mr. Raghuvanshi I'm sorry..."
"Sorry for what. For what huh!!!! For hurting my feelings...... for making a fool out of me." he turned and shouted. Riddhima flinched. He had some piled up in the corners of his eyes. Riddhima felt bad. Was it her fault??? No way, all she did was tell him the truth.
"Mr. Raghuvanshi atleast tell me where are you taking me???" asked she with tears as he threw her inside his car. He shut the door on her face before she could hop out frantically. She banged her fists on the window.
"Let me out please." she pleaded with tears as he climbed behind the wheel and twisted the keys into the ignition.
"You can't force me like this." she yelled at him. He turned towards her angrily.
"I can do much worse than this I swear. Sit quietly like a good girl ok." he hissed at her. She recoiled in fear. Satisfied that she was spooked enough, he drove the car into the forest.

Riddhima cried quietly in the car as he drove down the jungle to somewhere. He was pissed off that was certain. But where was he taking her??? Well she soon found out as he jammed on the brakes close to a small temple. It looked rather old but old or new temples are always beautiful.
"What......" she whispered as he climbed down the car and pulled the door open for her. She sensed what he was trying to do and therefore was unwilling to leave the car.
"Come out...."
"No way...." she yelled at his face. He drew in a breath before picking her up in his arms.
"What are you doing..... just put me down please......Mr. Raghuvanshi don't do it please...." she begged with tears as he climbed up the temple stairs and reached the main shrine. It was a temple devoted to Radha Krishna.
"Leave me...." she pleaded as he finally put her down but he grabbed her wrist instead.
"Pandit ji...." he shouted. Riddhima looked at him horrified.
"What is wrong with you....???" she yelled at him.
"Everything." he answered and meanwhile the priest of the temple came running out of the from the door in the left.
"Jai Shree Ram Thakurji." the priest greeted him. Vikramaditya quickly touched his feet as a mark of respect.
"I want you to get us married." he told him showing their entwined hands. Riddhima was aghast.
"Absolutely no. Panditji please don't...." Riddhima pleaded, trying to free her hand and run away. Vikramaditya glared down at her.
"Either Pandit ji is marrying us together or pandit ji will lose his life. Right Pandit ji." Vikramaditya was damn serious. His eyes told that. Pandit ji was terrified. In this lonely jungle, no one would bother if a pandit like him is murdered.
"Mr. Raghuvanshi why are you...."
"Shut up Riddhima!!!! If you say a word more I swear people will die with my hands and it includes some people you love. Get it." Vikramaditya threatened her openly. He was literally threatening her that he might plan and eliminate the people she loved which meant the Rautelas. Her breathing was erratic as she thought about Rautelas who've always been so kind to her, they're the only family she has. She can't lose them at any cost. Helplessly she looked up at him, tears streaming down her eyes.
"You won't utter a word now. Will you??" he asked threateningly, his eyes dark and unforgiving. Poor she nodded miserably.

The hawankund was set up. And priest was chanting some mantras, you know the regular marriage stuff. When he asked the two to stand up for pheras, Riddhima resisted.
"You don't understand do you..." he said, desperation laced his voice. He forcibly pulled her up and completed the pheras with her, against her will ofcourse. And then the pandit asked Vikramaditya to put vermilion on her head. With a smiling face he scooped the vermilion in his fingers.
"Mr. Raghuvanshi please..... this is a sin. We both will be bound in a bond which will give happiness to none." she tried to explain to him. He looked at her with a smirk.
"It's what you think. I'll love to prove you wrong." he whispered, putting the vermilion on her head. She closed her eyes and cried. This was the thing she had always dreaded. And now her worst fear was right upon her face.

He helped her climb down the stairs. And man, Vikramaditya actually gave away his rolex watch to the priest in excitement of his marriage. Poor priest was happy that finally he had hit a jackpot.
"Careful." he whispered sweetly, helping her down the last step. She was still in tears. If there was a mallet around than Vikramaditya would probably had a fractured skull.
"What did you achieved after all this??" she asked him with hatred. His eyes were now softer.
"You." he replied faithfully. She looked at him in disgust.
"You're highly mistaken." she said, glaring at him. He looked down at her seriously.
"I didn't turn myself a billionaire from a millionaire by doing mistakes. Vikramaditya Raghuvanshi knows what he's doing. And now it's you who needs to understand. You're Vikramaditya's wife....Addy is dead." he spoke in a whisper. She looked away, too tired to respond.
"It's cold out here....here..." he spoke as he wrapped his blazer over her shoulders. She peeked at him to find his nose red. Perhaps he was feeling cold too. She wanted to tell him to take the blazer back but something kept her from doing so.
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