Back to the Present:
Samskriti slowly opened the large window of her room. A smile crept across her lips feeling the cold breeze from outside. She looked down at the large banyan tree standing with all its pride. She had a lot of memories with Lakshya under its shade. Tears flowed down her cheeks remembering the first time she proposed him near that tree and his reaction. A strong vibe from inside made her wipe the tears. She knows that this is not the time to cry. It's time to smile. The smile she lost years back. Because tomorrow her Laksh is coming back after getting released from the prison.

She closed her eyes recollecting everything that had happened in her life.

She was living a meaning less life until she met him. She falls in love with him gradually. She believed in true love and that's why he had to finally admit his hidden love for her even after so many denials. It was her patience that was the root for thier love. He made her life meaningful with his love, care and everything. And then his fears overtook his courage and her love became his weakness. Thats when he asked her to leave. She had to go away only to be pulled back by him again. They were meant to be together and no destiny could destroy their love for each other. Their marriage has been fixed and it felt like she was living her dream days. And then everything ended on that most tragedic day of her life. She lost her Appa and Mama thereby shattering her world. On the other side fate declared separation for her and Laksh. She was completely devastated from inside. Only thing remained with her was the mangalsutra he tied on her neck.

Law punished Laksh with 5 years of imprisonment. But she was sure that no one can destroy true love that she is believing. She was ready to once again wait for him. On these 5 years she didn't even visit him at jails for once. She had no strength to see him in a jail uniform. She was also sure that he too don't want that to happen. She wrote letters to him every month with the same words. No one got bored with those repeating words from her. Because it's their means of love, confidence, strength and hope.

She closed her eyes and touched her wedding chain. She then touched her hair partitions where vermillion is applied.
"This is enough for me to wait for you Laksh. You have given me what I asked from you. Your name on me. That's all I wanted."she muttered smilingly.

She opened her eyes and again looked down until a hand tapped on her shoulders. She turned back to see Shivani smiling at her. She smiled back.

"Thinking about him?"Shivani asked and she looked at the floor.
Shivani cupped her face and kissed her forehead.

"All your sorrows will be ended tomorrow. It's time for you both to live your life now. Dont think about the past now. You went through a lot. Now you should smile always. For him, for your Appa and Mama. And for you."Shivani said making her smile.

"Akka...."she whispered happily.
"We have a present for you. From your Akka and Anna. And you know what, your Anna has exclusively selected it for you. So dont blame me if you didn't like the color."Shivani said handling over the packet to her hand.

Samskriti smiled before opening the packet and she found a beautiful red saree in it. She looked at her Akka with surprise in her eyes.
"For me?"she asked

"No. For your Laksh since he used to wear sarees."Shivani teased and she bursted into a laugh. Shivani couldn't control the happiness of seeing her sister laughing after 5 long years.

"I did like it. Thank you. Special thanks to my Anna who selected this exclusively for me." Samskriti said.

"Tomorrow you should wear this to welcome your husband back. Dont let him sad by seeing you in this old saree of our mother's. And you should forget everything that happened on past."Shivani paused seeing her sister's shining eyes.
"I know its not easy to forget. But you should atleast try to find happiness in your new life. I am sure that he will be excited to start a life with you which you both dreamt a lot. It's time for you to move on."she added and Samskriti hugged her.

"Thanks Akka. I will definitely keep this on mind. And for your kind information I have no plans to spoil my future life by thinking about the past. Its my duty to keep Laksh happy hereafter and I will do that for sure. We will live the life that we were waiting for with all hopes."she assured making Shivani relieved.

"Ok then it's a long night for you. A very long one. Sweet dreams my angel."Shivani once again kissed her forehead and then left to her room.

Samskriti moved infront of the mirror to look herself how it looks like with the red saree on her that her Akka has handed over.
"You are beautiful Samskriti."she felt like Lakshya's whisper and she closed her eyes blushing.
_______________________________________

Next Morning
A beautiful day for Sreeram and rest of the people. He was running here and there arranging so many things. He didn't feel satisfied with any of the arrangements and went on arguing with the maids and even with Shivani sometimes. It made her angry and she decided to stay away from him for sometime so that he can quarrel with anyone. Since Lakshya is coming back today, they had arranged a prayer at their home. And Sreeram is more excited than anyone else in the house.

"What's this Raghu? Didn't you go to bring the pandit till now? I don't know why each and everyone here are lazy today." He yelled placing his hands on his hip.

"Pandit ji asked me to come pick him at 11 am. It's only 10 now. He might be not ready." The poor helper Raghu explained.
"And also Shivani akka have given me a lot of other jobs."he added making Sreeram glare.

"What kinda responsible idiot you are Raghu? If you have committed one job why are you nodding your head at everyone who are asking for your help?"he asked and Raghu wanted to run away from giving another round of explanation to this angry enthusiastic young man.

The scenario was noticing by someone and she came for the help of Raghu.
"Raghu, did you bring the flowers?" Shivani asked.
"Just a minute. I was on the way."Raghu rushed out of the house as fast as he can.

"Raghu, where are you going? Stop there. Pandit might be waiting now." Sreeram tried to stop him and Shivani blocked his way.

"What's your problem? Can't you allow the poor workers to work in peace?"she asked seriously.
"Why did you come now? You were angry at me. Did you forget?"he asked back.
"Because I can't see all workers in this house cursing my husband brutally."she said.
"Thanks for your concern. By the way I know how to manage things here. I am going to the central jail to bring him back. A little break for our fights. Bye."Sreeram was about to go when Shivani stopped him forcely.

"No need for you to go. Guna and Vinay already went to bring their friend back."she declared.
"What? Didn't they think to ask me for once? I wanted to join them too."he was shocked.

"Are you for real? You are the one who instructed them to go and pick him. Did you forget about that?"she asked catching her head between her hands.
"Oh sorry. I forgot. By the way did you check on Samskriti? Is she ready?" He asked in an attempt to change the topic.
"I didn't. Because my sister knows to manage herself and she might be ready now."she replied.

"What? How responsible sister you are?"he asked with his jaws dropped.
"Stop over reacting Sree. You are bit over today and even your own wife cannot stand you. Leave others."she declared while he giggled.

"Arey cool down wifey. I was trying to imitate your father."he said to melt her.
"And it was a failed attempt I must say."she said.
"What??"
They were about to argue over another topic when they heard the sound of a jeep horn.
"See he is here."Sreeram went to the court yard to receive Lakshya back to the house after 5 years. He had already arranged everything for a grand welcome.

The moment Lakshya is out of the jeep he have been welcomed with a warm embrace by Sreeram. He pulled back to see a different Sreeram from whom he knows.

"Hey are you crying?"Lakshya asked funnily.
"Not at all. This is we call happy tears."Sreeram said giving another bone crushing hug.

"Hello boys time over." They were disturbed by Shivani's words. He was amazed to see her standing with aarti (a tradition to welcome someone into a house) in her hands.
"This is for me?"Lakshya asked with wonder.
"Yes ofcourse. Because you are the younger son in law of this house."Shivani's words brought him back to his wife's thoughts. He travelled his eyes across the surroundings looking for the special someone in his life only to be get disappointed.

He was desperate to see Samskriti and all he wanted now is escaping from this crowd. Her presence is enough to heal all his wounds of last 5 years. But she was nowhere to be seen. It made him sad.

"Come here."Shivani dragged him and made him stand on a comfortable position infront of the house. He felt happy for getting all this love. All thanks to his wife who is the only reason why he can now say that he too have a family. Shivani applied aarti and prayed for their well being.
Then he entered into their home with huge claps around him.

His eyes again started travelling across the familiar places of their house. The places where he spent time with her. But she is still invisible for him. It made him little bit irritated. He looked around to see familiar people around him, mostly all Sooryamoorthi's men. But now their hands are free and no swords or weapons are there. They all are indulged in some other jobs while greeting him. He felt unlimited pleasure seeing all with so much of peace and love. If his imprisonment could bring such a great change that she always craved for, then he can never regret for the lost 5 years of his life. He smiled wholeheartedly.

"Where is she?"he asked losing the last thread of patience that he had.
"Which she?"Guna asked immediately.
"May be about our Janaki Amma. She is at the kitchen washing dishes."Vinay said hiding the smirk.

"Hey idiots. I am asking about my wife." Lakshya glared at his friends.
Everyone bursted into a laugh.
"Glad that finally you asked it."Sreeram held his shoulder.

"She is waiting for you at her room. Go upstairs and meet her. If you delay it for one more minute, she may die."Shivani said pushing him towards the staircase. He smiled.

"Yeah we promise that we won't intrude into your moments together."Sreeram assured and with that Lakshya rushed towards her room literally panting.

He opened the door and his eyes got stucked at the lonely figure standing at the window with her back facing him. She is wearing a red saree and some ornaments which added to her beauty. Hearing the little sound she turned back and their eyes met. She had a glowing face. Slowly their eyes welled up conveying a lot of messages that they were waiting to share with.

She smiled in between tears and he started taking small steps towards her. She stretched her arms for him and he hugged her tightly kissing her hairs.
"I missed you Samskriti. Really missed you. Each day was hell without you."he confessed making her sob.
"I love you Laksh."she said making his heart skip it's beat.
"I love you too Samskriti."he pulled back and kissed her forehead and then all over her face wherever he got access.

She touched his cheeks to confirm that she is not dreaming. He smirked.
"What's this Samskriti? Were you not eating for the past 5 years? You are looking very lean. But ofcourse my wife is always beautiful."he said making her blush.
"I was doing well. You feel like that because you are seeing me after a long time."she said.

"No don't try to hide me now. Guna and Vinay told me everything during the journey. What did you gain after torturing your body? Eating less, sleeping on floor, confining to a room, anything else.....yeah what about that old sarees your mom was wearing?"he asked and she felt numb.
He seems to be angry and that made her weak.

"Do you know how much I got angry when they told me everything? I felt like I am the reason why you were suffering here. I even decided to not talk with you after reaching here. But somewhat I couldn't. Because I was living only for this day. To meet you, to talk with you, to live with you."he said shaking her.

She hugged him tightly.
"I am sorry. Please Laksh, don't stop talking with me for this reason."she pleaded.
"I won't. But do you really think that I will be happy hearing that you were living a prison life here. It hurts me Samskriti. It kills me. I can spend my entire life on jail for you. I will be glad to do that if it's for you. But if you suffers, it's better I die."he said looking into her eyes. She saw the ocean of love in his eyes for her.

"I love you."she cupped his face and kissed his forehead. He closed his eyes feeling and capturing the moment in his heart. Forever.

"I feel lucky. Out of all men in this world, you chose me to love. This devil. I am the most luckiest one Samskriti."he said taking her into his embrace.
"Yeah because I am devil's girl and no one else can own me."she declared making him happy from heart.

He pulled back to meet her eyes.
"So my dear devil's girl, are you ready to start your life with your devil?"he asked smirking.
"I already started. The moment when you tied this mangalsutra on my neck."she said proudly touching the wedding chain on her neck. He had no words to express his gratitude and love for her.
"This wedding chain of yours is my life Laksh and you are my world."she said making him stun disabling his ability of responding.

He looked into her twinkling eyes and then he pressed his lips softly onto her lips making her lost in this moment. A moment that they were longing for.

The couples that are meant to be, are the ones who go through everything that is meant to tear them apart, and come out even stronger.
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Thank you all for giving me an amazing experience as an author. Love you all so much. It was an amazing journey with a group of amazing readers. 

Introducing my new story, Here Presenting the Title and First Look!!
"Ms.Quiet v/s A Noisy World"

Those who are interested can find the prologue from my profile. This book is a tribute from my side to all the introverts in this world. The most powerful, intelligent and observant people. A power that others can't measure. A big shout out to them. I am extremely proud to present this story infront of you all. If had a choice I would have arrange a press meet too.😂😂😂

And ofcourse, a Pranushka story. A story in which two different people having two different behavior meets and then..... Coming to the next update, it will take some time. But hopefully soon. Thank you all.