NEXT morning I woke up, on his bed, in his bedroom.
He had left last night, and never returned.

Of all things, I knew he would keep his promise.

I walked into the bathroom. That bathroom was the size of my whole bedroom in my own house. With a golden tub for bathing, gold and white interiors that looked traditional Rajasthani architecture. I walked down to the basin. I looked back at myself, looking almost devastated.

I touched the tap to turn it own.
"Ouch!", I winced realising the palm of my hand had been blistered by yesterday's torch stunt.
Using my left hand, I turned the tap on.

I splashed water on my face.

The cool water, made me feel slightly better.
I looked back at myself again, realising his blood and the sindoor of his name had started to wash away.

It's sight reminded me of the nightmare that yesterday's evening was.

And I immediately started wiping it away, washing it, removing any speck of it from my hairline.
When I walked out, a clean cotton saree had been placed on my bed.

I took a step towards the bed when a servant startled me.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. The clothes have been sent from your home.", She indicated the worn out suitcase near the table lamp, by the bed.
"And this saree is a present from the King. He recommends you to wear this."

Saying so she took my permission and left.

I sighed.

Wow. So my father and sister instead of fighting for me, sent me my clothes. How awesome is that!

I took my clothes and towel, and of course the recommended saree of the so called King. I had no wish to annoy him anymore.

•

The moment I stepped out, dressed and ready, I heard music.

The echoing music of Veena.
From my musical knowledge I could tell it was the Rudra Veena.

The sharp chords strung in a beautiful symphony. The kind that gave goosebumps.

And then the voice.

“Jata Joot Bhairav
Viambar Shivoham
Sada Shiv Nirakaar
Shankar Shivoham”

The sanskrit shlokas, in praise of Lord Shiva, pronounced to perfection, in tune with the beautiful music. I immediately rushed out of the bedroom, almost drawn by the magnetic power of the music.

I followed the music to a huge room. Guards stood before it, heads bowed low.

The moment I stepped close to it, the guards and servants moved to a side.

“Yeh Tu Ki Main Hoon
Yeh Main Hoon Ki Tu
Kahaan Koyi Antar
Shivoham Shivoham”

I stood still, as I watched the man.
His fingers working seemlessly on the chords, the Rudra Veena resting on his shoulder and his lap. His eyes shut as he sang.

Aviram Raghuvanshi, sat bare bodied with a white dhoti, before the ancestral Shivling, his eyes shut. The edges of his eyes glinted with tears in the sunlight that poured into the room from the window right opposite to him. His body seemed to glow with an almost godlike aura.

“Shambhom Maha Shambhom
Kahaan Koyi Tere Jaisa
Bhakton Mein Hai Tere
Kahaan Koyi Mere Jaisa”

I felt drawn towards him like a moth to fire. I removed my sandles and walked in.

"Rani Sa, don't enter.", A guard had said, but I didn't seem to hear anything beyond the enchanting Veena.

I noticed the reason behind his tears was not just his unparalleled devotion. His fingers bled as they worked on the veena's sharp strings.

I knelt beside him. He didn't seem to get affected my presence. He was almost in another universe, unaffected by anything around him. Like a sage in meditation.

And gradually I watched his fingers slow down. A tear slid down the corner of his eyes. He slowly tuned the music to a befitting end.

"Jai Mahakal!", He shouted, opening his eyes, looking at the the Shivling.

Everyone repeated after him. He carefully placed the veena beside him.

I suddenly snapped out of my own daze.
I wiped my own tears.
When had I started crying?
I did not know.

He looked at me. Slightly taken aback, but still calm.

"Raja ji, I had tried to stop her..", The guard who had asked me to not get in said immediately.

Aviram didn't look at the man. He looked at me.
"The music often draws my greatest enemies here, Santosh.", He said, as cool as a breeze.

He indicated the guards and servants to leave, with his hand.

"Your hand is bleeding.", I said, unable to look away from his bleeding hand. It looked painful, to say the least.
"Your hand is blistered.", He replied. He didn't even care to look down, he just knew it.

"It's because of you.", I said sharply, wiping my tears yet again.

Why am I even crying?! Oh God, music does things to me in the worst ways possible!

He raised his right hand, cut and bleeding.
"Well then, this is because of you.", He replied. His lips curved into a subtle peaceful smile.

"I can't see blood and all.. let me tie it..", I said unable to bear the sight.

Does this man feel no pain?!

Instead of the expected 'Go away' he simply placed his hand before me.
I glanced at his peaceful face.

Does he have split personality or something? Yesterday only he wrecked my whole life and now he is giving me his hand to tie?

"Exactly.", He said, edging slightly closer to my face, "I wrecked your life yesterday and you are asking my hand to prevent it from bleeding."

MIND READER!

I immediately stood up.

"Thank you for reminding me.", I said as I stood up.
He said nothing.

"Also, how much ever puja you do.. you will still go to hell. Huh!", I snapped.

He drew in a deep breath.

"You like to ruin my day, don't you?", He asked standing up. Still not caring to do anything about his hand.

"Yes! You forced me and married, now bear it!", I snapped.

He sighed and walked past me to leave.

"I hate hate hate you!", I shouted, "And I am never letting you touch me! Understood?!"

Another attempt so that he throws me out of his palace.

He stopped and turned towards me.

His eyes flared up, yet again.

You touched a nerve. Bad news.

"If this wasn't the Pooja room, and that wasn't my Mahadev, I would have thrown you out of here.", He said, in gritted teeth.
He clenched his hand into a fist.
I saw blood drip down from his hand.

Leela, you really must shut up sooner.

He strode back to me.
He was absolutely intimidating. He wasn't cold anymore, he was angry, extremely angry. What had triggered him so much?

I just said the truth! I hate him! Where's the lie?!

He glanced at my hairline.

He simply raised his right hand, lining my hairline with his blood.

"You are bound to me, for this life and every other.", He said, his voice was a whisper of rage.

I felt yesterday's rage return to me. The way he had forced me, yanked me by my arm. The way he had humiliated me.

How could I even ask to tie his bloodied hand? He had used the very same hand to force me this is unwanted alliance.

"Your name might have Ram, King.", I said, looking him in the eye, "But you are Raavan. A heartless man who forced a woman in his beautiful palace against her will."

He did not defend himself.
Neither did he reply.

He simply turned and stormed out of the room.

I drew in a deep breath and turned towards the Shivling beside me.
Teary eyed.

Neither had Devi Maa helped, neither was Lord Shiva going to.
I wondered why?

Was this my destiny?
To be bound for lives with a man I hated?

•••

Author's note

Yet again - the Ram, Raavan comparison implies nothing with the original mythological story. Since the characters are from backgrounds well versed with Hinduism, they keep using such comparisons.
This is me after the Adipurush fiasco
:)
That movie is actually pathetic, my book is relatively better I believe, but still.

Also the music that you can imagine is in the video below.
Ignore the graphics, just the music =)