Author's Note

This chapter has a lot of images attached because I wanted you guys to feel like this scene was playing out right infront of you.

Don't forget to drop a vote if you liked this chapter.

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Hayat

For some reason that I don't understand,  Rukhsat had sent a maid to my room to tell me that she will not be following through with our plan. Something is definitely wrong.

Before I could go upto her room to ask her what is wrong, another maid came in my room but she didn't say anything and just started cleaning my room.

As soon as the first maid left she came upto me and handed me a paper.

"Baji, Rajkumar Arjun found out about our plan to escape. Do not try to visit me or plan anything else. You have protected me more than enough. You should not worry about me so much. I will be fine. Do not get yourself in any kind of trouble because of me.Take care.

Your Choti"

Yaa Allah! Rajkumar Arjun found out? He must have gotten really angry at Rukh. I hope she is okay. Please protect her Allah!

It hadn't even been an hour since we planned it and he already found out. I realised in this moment that there is no escape from this neither for me nor for Rukhsat.

What wrong did we do to be stuck in this situation. I must have done something horribly wrong to be punished like this.

Before I could spiral down the slide of my misery, 2 young girls entered my room.

They were wearing beautiful clothes and jewelry which indicated that they were royals.

"Namaste Shehzadi Hayat! I am Rajkumari Supriya and this is my younger sister, Rajkumari Kesar. We are here for your Mehndi".

So they were his younger sisters. Both the girls were exceptionally beautiful and had that innocent vibe about them. The twinkle in Rajkumari  Kesar's eyes told me that she was notorious one.

How could Maharja Angad and these sweet girls have the same blood. They were extremely polite and soft.

They took my hand and made me sit on a stool kept in my room.

"You must be excited for your wedding tomorrow. Through you, we get a chance to irritate bhai now. We will hide his name so well in your Mehndi that it will take him the whole night just to find it", said Rajkumari Kesar with excitement and naughtiness dripping in her voice.

"If bhai gets mad at us then I will tell him that you were the one who did Bhabhi's mehandi and then you be the one to face his anger", said Rajkumari Supriya.

Both the girls took one of my hands each and started putting on the Henna.

"Bhabhi, you will save us from bhai na?" Rajkumari Kesar asked with hope.

I smiled at her question. I smiled in pity. Pity for myself. How do I tell these young girls that I can't save myself from his anger, how would I ever be able to save them from him.

Without answering her question, I asked her, "Does he get mad at you girls often?" It was a question out of pure curiosity.

"No, bhai has only scolded me once and that was also for my own safety. Otherwise bhai loves us too much", said Rajkumari Kesar in her girlish voice. She had a proud smile on her face. These girls really loved their brother. It was evident in their eyes.

I smiled at that and then nodded my head. She got back to work. Both of them were very good at this.

I was lost in thought when I realized that both of them were done with the Henna and were now standing infront of me. They had wide smiles plastered on their faces.

"Someone was lost in thought, thinking about their future husband. Huh?", she said in a teasing voice.

How do I tell them that I am indeed thinking about their brother but I am thinking about how he uprooted my whole life. I am thinking about the things he has done and said so far, the things he will do to me in the future.

I smiled a forced smile and thanked them for putting Henna on my legs and hands.

"You should really sleep now Bhabhi, you look really tired and tomorrow is going to be a really long day" said Supriya.

Kesar quickly added, "and night".

And then ran away giggling leaving me and Rajkumari Supriya alone.

She reminded me of one more thing I was scared of. My scared face was evidently visible to Rajkumari Supriya.

"Bhabhi, I don't know if you will believe me if I tell you that Bhai really loves you", she said and looked at my face to observe my expression but my face was blank.

"Bhai, umm has an issue with authority. He likes to be the one always in charge. I would suggest you to not make him angry in any way possible. If he is not angry then you will live a better life too", she was really nervous while saying all of that maybe because she wasn't sure if I understood her correctly or not.

"I have no other choice but to obey him. Your brother has made that very clear", I said meekly. My voice just above a whisper. I am not even sure she heard that.

"I will be here, Bhabhi", she said with a sympathetic smile.

○○○○○

After a sleepless night, I was woken up by maids rushing into my room to keep things to get me ready for the day.

The Nikkah was going to take place first and then the wedding was going to happen at night.

I was made to wear a dress which was heavier than me. I could barely stand up straight in it but I did not complain.

I was thankful that the heavy jewelry and the dupatta covered my midriff which was exposed. I was very uncomfortable in the entire outfit.

I stood in front of the mirror and I looked at a woman who looked defeated. Even though I know I looked beautiful because of the jewelry and the clothes, my eyes were swelled and puffy because of crying.

My henna's colour was very dark and I had been teased the entire morning by his sisters and the other ladies present in my room. I just tried to smile at them.

Then I was called to go the area where the nikkah was taking place.

I was thankful to all the ladies who accompanied me because if I was walking alone, my wobbly steps would have been noticed right away.

I was genuinely scared of what the future has in store for me.

The room was divided into two by a transparent white sheet which was decorated with flowers.

On the other side, sat my Future husband and other male members.

I zoned out during most part of the Nikkah and only remember, Rajkumari Supriya nudging me when I had to say, "I do".

I was sitting there but I felt like I was just physically there and not mentally.

As soon as the Nikkah ended, someone dropped the partition sheet and I saw my husband standing just where the partition should have been. I knew it was him who did that.

"Bhai, you couldn't wait at all to see Bhabhi?" She laughed and then continued, "You know Bhabhi, bhai got so angry when he got to know that there would be a partition and he wouldn't be able to see you at all till the Nikkah got done. You should have seen his face".

I looked up at him and saw him make a grunting noise. He was clearly annoyed at his sister.

Everyone started laughing and teasing me about it and in that moment I felt like maybe we could actually be a normal couple.

He signalled something to Rajkumari Supriya and in moments everyone was leaving the hall and I was left alone with my husband.

He put his palm forward for me to hold.
As soon as I put my hand in his, he yanked me to stand up. Due to the sudden movement I couldn't stand straight and in right time, I felt a hand snake around my waist and that hand held me straight.

His hand was on my bare waist! My eyes widened with surprise when I realized that and I squirmed a little, trying to get out of his hold.

Within seconds his blank face turned into an agitated one.

"You still can not accept my touch, can you?"

I stood still and said nothing for I didn't want to start my first conversation with my husband with a lie.

My silence gave him the answer and I knew that he was mad at me now.  His fingers were now digging into my waist to the point where I knew that there would be bruises from his touch.

"Maharaj, you are hurting me", I said while my eyes started to tear up. I don't know if it was the physical pain or emotional.

"Unfortunately for you, you can do absolutely nothing about it. You are mind to do with as I please".

With that he smashed his lips on mine roughly. I had somehow anticipated that he would do something like that so I shut my lips tight not allowing him to kiss me the way he wanted.

Before he could do anything about it, Rajkumari Supriya knocked at the door and yelled from outside," Now bhai don't get this impatient. She is your wife now and will be for the rest of your lives. I need to take her to get changed for the wedding again".

He sighed, and stepped back from me and went to open the door without saying a word to me.