Shubhaarambh

"What happened, Maa?" Sayantani asked her mother in confusion. "I was just going to hug Chandni. I am so happy for her!"

" Sayantani, you are a widow now. You can't... I mean, Chandni just got married. Even your good wish can turn into bad wish for her." Her mother said calmly as Sayantani 's eyes filled with tears. She can't even give her wishes to somebody because she is supposed to be mourning for her so called husband whom she never loved.

She put down her head and looked towards Akash through her eyelashes. Since the past few days their friendship had grown beautifully to such an extent that she couldn't help but fall for him. But will he also reject her because she is a widow? Was it her fault that her husband died as a punishment for his evil deeds? Karma acted on him fairly, but why does she have to suffer for that? Why was she suffering due to his deeds?

Tarinii and Arnav both were enraged looking at where the situation was going. Both of them held great love and respect for the solemn silent girl who was no less than a sister to them.
Anjali who was very rightful and just, couldn't to bear the insult stinging her best friend. She got up from her seat to protest.

But before these three could do or say anything, Akash came forward and filled Sayantani ' s empty parting with vermillion.

Yeh laal ishq

Everyone gaped in shock at Akash 's action. Sayantani touched her parting and looked at Akash with eyes filled with hope.

Yeh malaal ishq

This man who just filled her eyes with new hope, couldn't bear her being insulted even for a millisecond. On the other hand was her late husband with whom she had spent uncountable seconds, who insulted her every third if not second second of her life. No! Shyaam was not my husband. I never accepted him but Akash surely is!

Yeh aib ishq

"What did you do!" said Sayantani's father.

Ignoring him, Akash turned to Sayantani "Who said she is a widow! She is my wife, she can do anything- it's her wish. Being a human, it 's her right also to do whatever she wishes to. Do you accept this relation between us, Rajkumari?"

Sayantani looked upto him with a huge smile and nodded a yes, surrounded by many happy tears.

Yeh bair ishq

Arnav came forward.
"If you are happy with this then I am very happy for you or I am going to behead Akash right now."he smiled.

"No! No! Don't kill him please. He is my husband." Sayantani smiled.

Ishq-ishq, Ishq-ishq..

"Aaha! You care so much about Akash? Great, I got a new topic to tease you! I am so happy Sayantani!" Anjali said in her ever bubbly spirit.

" Please stop teasing her. Look how she is blushing." Tarini giggled.

" You! You have tainted my daughter's pure soul! Widows can't be remarried. Sayantani belonged to Yuvraj Shyam even if he might have been an evil prince. Immediately wipe off that sindoor( vermillion), Sayantani , don't insult it in such a way. We don't allow this. Our dharma doesn't allow this!" Sayantani 's mother and father retorted.

All fired up, Anjali said " My brother had insulted the sindoor by not respecting Sayantani. Speaking of dharma, our Dharma allows women and men to remarry if their spouses are unworthy and unfit ...and I am ashamed to say so but my brother surely was unfit. Even Tulsi Mata was remarried to Lord Vishnu after the death of her evil husband."

" You people weren't there to share didi's sorrow when she was all alone and unhappy in her marriage. We can't even expect you to share her happiness, can we? "scoffed Tarini.

"The court of Aaranya confers Akash and Sayantani as being into marital bliss. They are ready to take their nuptial rounds. Anyone who opposes may please leave the premises."Arnav said curtly.

Sayantani's mother and father scoffed and returned home. Everyone wished both the newly married couples good luck and a happy life.

****************

Arnav and Tarini were in their majestic room reminiscing their life and their turmoil to be together truly.

Tujh sang bair lagaya aisa
Tujh sang bair lagaya aisa
Raha na main phir apne jaisa
Ho raha na main phir apne jaisa

Arnav held Tarinii's hand delicately and kissed it looking at her who was blushing bright red like her red saree. This was so similar to the first time when they had made an acquaintance with each other.

Mera naam ishq
Tera naam ishq (x3)

Mera naam, Tera naam
Mera naam ISHQ!

Tarinii looked up to him and remembered how he had claimed her existence while she was in chains. How she was his from the very first day!

Ye laal ishq, ye malaal ishq
Ye aib ishq, ye bair ishq (x2)

Ishq-ishq, Ishq-ishq

Tarinii stood up and moved towards the window where she was bathed by the silver moonlight.

Looking at her like that Arnav remembered the first time he had seen her in that forest with the deer. Her face was half hidden by her thick black hair and the golden sunlight back then. Today it was the same black hair but under the beautiful silver moon light.

Apna naam badal dun
Ya tera naam chhupa lun
Ya chhod ke saari raag
Main bairaag utha lun

Arnav remembered the first time he had heard Tarini 's name. It was like she was predestined to meet him. The name had immediately brought a smile on his face and he had expressed his joy in the language he had newly learnt. Khushi - his eternal happiness. The happiness which everyone wanted to achieve in their life.

Tarini remembered how majestic and mighty his name sounded. Like if he was the ocean himself. Calm and soothing in good days but stormy and turbulent when angry and disturbed.

Bas ek rahe mera kaam ishq
Mera kaam ishq
Mera kaam ishq

Mera naam ishq
Tera naam ishq
Mera naam, Tera naam
Mera naam ISHQ!

Arnav got up from his bed and proceeded towards the window where Tarinii stood still gazing at the moon.

Ye laal ishq, ye malaal ishq
Ye aib ishq, ye bair ishq (x2)

Ye kaali raat jakad lun
Ye thanda chand pakad lun (x2)

He held her face tenderly and turned her face to face him. She was blushing so much that she was not ready to face him. Her eyes were lowered.

Din-raat ke bairi bhed ka
Rukh mod ke main rakh dun

He kissed her eyes slowly, one by one. She slightly smiled at this move of his.

Tujh sang bair lagaya aisa
Raha na main phir apne jaisa
Raha na main phir apne jaisa

Mera naam ishq
Tera naam ishq (x3)

Mera naam, Tera naam
Mera naam ISHQ!

He cupped her face caringly to which she opened her eyes beheld the person she loves the most.

Ye laal ishq
Ye malaal ishq
Ye aib ishq
Ye bair ishq (x2)

He lifted her petite self in his huge masculine arms and led her towards their new journey of togetherness.

*********
Two months later;

Arnav stumbled and fell on his back as Tarini attacked him swiftly, much to his surprise.

" You really are a fast learner! I was going slow on you thinking this is one of your first few attempts, but I was tremendously wrong, Khushi." He got up and turned her around swiftly, his sword against her neck. She hadn't expected him to get up so fast. She heaved in fear and excitement of their closeness.

Tarini had been recieving miltary training since the day she was coronated. Now that Arnav was in his senses, he had taken complete responsibility to supervise her training after tiring sessions at the court.

She was about to say something when she felt her head spinning. It had been an exhaustive day for her as she had gone to the construction site for looking over the progress of the medical chambers they were building in the name of her late father in law.

"Khushi!" Arnav exclaimed as he saw her fall unconscious to the floor as soon as he noticed her unresponsiveness. He lifted her in his arms and took her to his room.

The mendicants were summoned. Arnav waited impatiently, the fear of something bad happening to her was consuming him by the second.

" I bring good news, your majesty." The mendicant gleamed as she came out of Tarini's bedroom.

" Is my wife fine? What had happened to her? What do you want to tell me?" Arnav asked with concern.

" Sir, please excuse my excitement, but this news is worth all the happy feelings in the world. Our country shall have its next Emperor soon. Empress Tarini is pregnant." The mendicant struggled to hide her excitement. Everyone present broke into smiles on hearing this extremely auspicious news.

Arnav couldn't contain his excitement as he ran into Tarini's chamber. He was going to become a father soon. He bit his tongue when he caused a vase to fall as he tried to not wake Tarini up.

Tarini had stirred lightly on hearing his footsteps.

" What... What happened to me? Why am I here, Samraat?" Tarini asked holding her head as she noticed Arnav's presence.

" Khushi..."He sat beside her and cupped her cheek. "How are you feeling now?"

" Famished. Probably that is why I fell unconscious. I had skipped a meal..." Tarini made a silly expression realising that she shall now recieve a scolding on her food habits.

" Hmm... From now onwards, I don't care wherever you are, you shall have food with me. That way I can ensure that you don't fall unconscious or keep our child hungry." Arnav said thoughtfully.

" No, I can't eat with... what?" Tarini stopped her whine midsentence. " Child?" She widened her eyes.

" Yes, Khushi! We are going to have a little child in our arms very soon! You are pregnant!" Arnav exclaimed as he embraced her.
" You have no idea how happy you have made me today."

Tarini's world revolved around her. She knew this day would come, but she wasn't ready to face it so soon. She had wanted to keep her 'exchange' with the Tantrini woman a secret from Arnav. She didn't know how to face him now.

She had made sure that they didn't indulge in any intimate acts around her 'fertile' days but looks like this is what fate had planned for her.

His excitement made her feel guilty.

" I need to tell you something..." She spoke, her voice coarse and tense.

" What happened, Khushi? Are you not happy?" He asked her with concern.

" I am at the top of the world, my king." She smiled and cupped his cheek.

"But...but, there has been a barter that you are unaware of." Tarini sighed, finally finding the courage to tell him the truth.

"There isn't anything about you that I am unaware of, Khushi." Arnav spoke, his jaw clenched.
" You had contacted a Tantrini to save my life, hadn't you?"

" How...How did you know?" Tarini was shocked.

" You exchanged our future daughter for my life," Arnav spoke, his voice breaking.

" I am sorry, I couldn't think anything... If we have a daughter we shall have to give her to..."

" This barter has been evoked." Arnav stopped her midsentence.

"What?" Tarini looked at him in confusion.

" A few weeks ago, I had gone to a nearby village to look over the construction of a few wells. A child playing nearby had fallen into one of those wells. I had saved him, making his mother feel indebted to me. While I insisted that I needed only her blessings, she told me that she wanted to give me something more. It was the same Tantrini woman whome you had contacted. She told me what you had done and explained me your emotions, making sure I didn't misjudge you. She returned us our daughter, Khushi. You don't need to give away our child to her." He narrated her the whole occurence calmly.

" What about your life? Will she invoke her spell too?" Tarini spoke, fear apparent in her eyes.

" She has blessed our family with a long life, Khushi. You don't need to worry about anything." Arnav spoke softly and held her hand.
Tarini sighed in relief and rested her head aginst his shoulder.

Arnav looked at his bandaged bicep and sighed. She doesn't need to know that I used the flesh from my bicep to as an exchange instead of our daughter. Let her think this happened during a combat with a man-eater. She is better off like this.

" This truly is the happiest day of my life." Tarini smiled contently and buried her head into his neck.
Arnav smiked back seeing her happy and looked forward to a happier life with her.

Both had made sacrifices for each others happiness, after all, what else does love need except unlimited care and respect.

This isn't the happy ending of their story, this is the beginning of their blissful life. A shubhaarambh- a holy beginning.