“I REFUSE!”, I shouted.

He stood, looking at me with a deadly calm expression. I took a step or two back, realising there was no one to take a stand for me. My father looked at me with nothing but sadness.

"I-I refuse to marry you!", I stammered, taking another step back. I felt my back against the cold marble pillar. He drew in a deep breath, his hand still extended as he walked down to me, placing it right before me, yet again.

"Don't you understand?! Stay back!", I screamed. My voice still giving away the obvious tremble. The fear, the anxiety of the unknown.
He smiled softly.

And then with a move as swift as that of an eagle eyeing his prey, he caught hold of my wrist and pulled me towards himself. The soft smile intact.
I bumped onto his muscular frame, helpless.

He twisted my hand behind me. I winced, yet again, in vain.

"It was not a choice.", His voice was laced with raw rage, carefully wrapped in a cold foil.
His tone sent cold chills down my back. I was barely breathing anymore.

"I-I.. cannot..", I mumbled as tears escaped my eyes. He released my wrist. I heaved a breath of relief.
"Purohit!", He shouted, his voice echoed throughout the temple,
"Is it an auspicious time for marriage?", He asked.

"It is the hour of soulmates.", Babuji replied. His voice gave away his fear. I should have listened to him. I should have kept my mouth shut.

Aviram smiled.
Had I not known of his cruelty, I would have found his smile enchanting. Rare and enchanting.

"Then bring forth the havan kund, the fire pit. Light it up and start the rituals. Today shall be the day of my marriage with Devika.", He announced.

"I will not marry you!", I shouted, picking the last of my courage. My father looked down in disapproval.
The man before me, looked at me, amused.
"Your courage is remarkable.", He said as a fire pit was made immediately in the centre of the temple, right before Devi Maa's idol.

I took a step towards him, looking him in the eyes. His brown eyes twinkled menacingly.
"Oh yes, it is! It is remarkable! Who the hell do you think you are?! A king?! Just because I pointed out your faults, now you are marrying me to prove your masculinity!", I shouted.

It was probably my only defence. He might realise marrying me would give him no joy and he'd let me go.

But he didn't seem to think so.
He seemed to enjoy my acts of bravery. None of my words seemed to hurt his self pride.

"It is ready, Your Highness.", My father said, sitting before the pit. The fire was lit, burning with a raging flame.
Aviram said nothing.
He simply held my hand and yanked me by it.

"Leave me!", I shouted but I was forced to sit before the fire on the temple floor.
Devi Maa's idol, right opposite to us.

Devi Maa, what is this justice?! I took a stand for right and now I am being punished! Save me!

I yearned and called, but she smiled back with the same subtle knowing smile. As if it was she who had written this cursed fate of mine.

I glanced at Aviram who was simply looking at the fire. He did not even blink. A wild determination in his eyes.

And the rituals started.
The mantras of which I repeated none. The promises that was said when we took the seven revolutions around the fire. He had simply held my wrist and pulled me behind him.
And the final, mangalsutra and sindoor.

His guard gave him the holy thread that signified the wedding. Realising there was no way out, I had given up. I sat lifelessly, with dried tears, when he tied it around my neck.

And then he applied the red vermillion in my hairline.

"The marriage is completed.", My father said.
Saying so he stood up instantly. His unhappiness showed on his face.
Aviram looked at me, probably satisfying his male ego with my pathetically helpless situation.

All the people were still standing. That woman for who I had taken a stand stood in silence.
And here, the foolish me, had become the sacrificial lamb.

Aviram stood up.
He gave me his hand to take, yet again. I simply ignored it and stood up, on my own.

"The last ritual.. is left.", Babuji said, trying to keep his voice emotionless. I glanced at him. His eyes had welled up with tears of tragedy now.

"Indeed.", Aviram said. He walked past me, down to Devi Maa's idol. There was the ancestral sword of the Raghuvanshi bloodline. The case of gold and red, shone brightly.

He picked it up and handed it to a guard.

The guard walked down to me.

"Lady, come behind me.", He whispered. I nodded as I followed him.

The humiliation of marrying a man forcefully, the silence that the whole crowd, including my own father held and the satisfied smile on the lips of the cruel beast who had married me.
Everything seemed to overpower my belief in goodness and peace.

We stood only two feet from Devi Maa's idol.

The guard handed me the sword. It was heavy, made of pure iron and gold. The hilt of the sword was studded with diamond and rubies.

"Pull the sword out and present it to the King.", The guard said. Aviram went down on one knee before me, head bowed.
I held the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of its case.
The blade was extremely sharp. The way it shone in the glow of yellow, it was understandable.

Before anyone could react,

I placed the sword at Aviram's neck.

"How many of your bloodline where beheaded publically by their forced wives?"

I asked.

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