***

میں دن بدن تجھ میں رہوں
اف تک نہ یار کروں
تیرا ہوکے راہوں

Main din ba din tujh mein rahun
Uff tak na yara karun,
Tera hoke rahun.

***

Start of the function was calm and going very well, as good as it could be. Saman sat on a low rise platform, with a pink and orange backdrop contrasting against her yellow attire. Her eyes held the galaxies in them, bedazzled with stars, shining brighter every passing moment. A rosy tint decorated her cheeks as she smiled and giggled all evening.

She was a happy bride, and without any doubt the happiest.

"Don't!" She warned seeing Ahad approaching her with a smile she knew all too well. He smirked and winked at her. All the ladies had already applied the ubtan on her as per the tradition and she was to return back in a few minutes but it seemed like Ahad had a different plan.

"Ahad don't!" She shrieked finding him just in front of her, but alas, her futile attempt to stop him did nothing.

"Why not?" He grinned rubbing handfuls of ubtan on her face, rather ruthlessly. A few gasps and a few laughs echoed around them as he tortured Saman to his heart's content.

He grinned moving back. Saman could only glare at him, she looked around and found most of them laughing, but it didn't irritate her even if they were laughing at her expense. She was too happy to get angry.

"Just wait." She gritted her teeth, glaring at Ahad who shrugged in response.

Later when Armaan was brought out, rather reluctantly, Ahad did the same. But with more hostility, as when Armaan came back to his room and watched his reflection he could not help but gasp in shock. Not only his face was smothered with the ubtan, his hair, clothes even his galsses.

"Not my specs!" He cried to himself seeing his precious glasses peeking out of his kurta's pocket. Taking it out he carefully placed it on the dresser and went to get rid of the mess.

Once out he called Ahad first and foremost and after knowing about his whereabouts made his way to him. But what he didn't expect was to find Saman with him, both busy in a banter.

"Marungi tumhe main!" Saman yelled, getting up from her seat.

"Maar ke dikhao–" Ahad laid back on the couch with a smirk.

"Ek minute ruko yahan!" She said turning on her heels only to find an amused Armaan already looking at her.

"You?"

"Are Armaan bhai–"

"What was going on?" Armaan asked, looking between the two. Saman huffed and sat back again, making him do the same. He purposely sat beside Ahad, knowing that he was capable of pulling a stunt.

"He is an idiot!" Saman started.

"Agreed." He replied, giving a side eye to Ahad who was as unfazed as a guinea pig.

"He smothered ubtan on my face in the function and mind I tell you,pretty badly. Gosh I was so embarrassed!" Saman's exasperation was pretty visible and so was Ahad's mischief. He hadn't changed his stature, still laid back.

"He did the same to me." Armaan spoke. "And also ruined my glasses."

"What? When did I do that?" Ahad sat up straight.

"When you were blindly trying to kill me with haldi."

"Armaan do something!" Saman cried helplessly. "I am done with him."

"I will–" Armaan stealthily wrapped his arms around Ahad's neck, holding him tightly.

"Ab bete, kon bachayega?" He tightened his grip making Ahad cry out, rather dramatically.

"Nadia!"

"Naddo is with badi ammi." Saman folded her arms with a triumphant smile.

"Bhai sorry!" Ahad tapped his arms but Armaan did not budge.

"Say sorry to her first."

"Sorry Saman!" Armaan left him and slapped his head.

"Sudhar jao." He warned, forwarding his specs to Ahad.

"What do I do with this?" Ahad asked, taking the glasses.

"Get it fixed by tomorrow. I don't want to be blind at my wedding."

"Wear contacts then–" Armaan glared at him.

"Get lost before I make sure you have to wear neck support." Ahad surely did not doubt Armaan. It took him probably a second to literally disappear from there.

Saman shook her head with a smile and got up to leave, all the while watching him from her periphery. Secretly wishing he would stop her, but he was busy looking down.

"Saman–" Saman hardly stopped her squeal.

"Ji." She turned around.

"Can we talk?" He asked, looking at her with hopeful eyes. He looked so young and so innocent without his glasses, Saman concluded. She nodded and took a seat opposite to him.

"I...I don't know where to start-" he whispered hesitantly.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, absolutely fine." He replied with an assuring smile." I just wanted to know if you are still fine with this wedding or not?"

Saman couldn't respond for the next few seconds, too flabbergasted to speak anything. He kept watching her with nervous eyes while she could only give him a stare. Was he that stupid?

"Are you blind?" She asked.

"Well not completely but my vision is quite–" he clasped his hands together as he spoke, his tone so serious that Saman wanted to wail.

"You are quite an idiot Armaan." She interrupted making him frown. "I am sitting in front of you in this dress, stained with ubtan, ready to be a bride, your bride and you are asking me this question?"

"I had to–"

"Shut up before I lose my calm." She scolded making him look down.

"Look at me–" he did. "I am more than fine with marrying you, can't you see how happy I am?" She felt  her throat getting clogged as she watched his unsure gaze. He looked scared, as if she would disappear if he blinked. She wanted to assure him but she could only do so much at the moment.

"Armaan–" she whispered.

"I am sorry Saman, I am an idiot." He looked away.

"You are not an idiot, only I get to call you that." She warned making his head snap towards her. "You are my idiot. Do you understand what I am saying?" He nodded innocently.

"Good. Now go before someone catches us here." She said with a bright smile.

"Are you su–" he started again.

"Armaan!" Saman cried out in frustration and this time Armaan couldn't help but chuckle. She looked so done and so adorable.

"Get lost right now." She gritted her teeth, feigning anger yet her eyes held mirth. He nodded with a smile and walked away.

____________

***

اٹھ اٹھ کے راتوں کو تیری وفائیں مانگی پایا ہے مہینے پھر تجھے

Uth uth ke raton ko bhi
Teri wafaein mangi
Paya hai maine phir tujhe

***

Living room of Shah Gharana had been a witness of numerous  things, and once again it was to witness another beautiful event. Men of the family were around a nervous Armaan as he sat opposite to the Maulvi who was giving the Nikkah sermon.

Saman on the other hand was in her grandparents room along with the ladies of the house. She was surprisingly calm and composed in contrast to Armaan who was trembling like a leaf. She glanced around her and then at her reflection in the mirror infront of her. She was dressed in her mother's saree, her hair was made in a classic plain bun hidden under the red veil and her jewelry consisted of a gold necklace, earrings and a headpiece. She smiled softly, noticing the resemblance she had with her mother.

"How are you?" She heard Nadia's whisper from beside her.

"Absolutely fine." She replied with a grin, making Nadia chuckled lightly.

"May Allah always keep you happy Saman."

"Saman–" Munazza came towards her. "Maulvi sahab is here." She informed. The next few moments went in a blur. It was when she was asked to give her consent did she feel herself coming back to reality. Inhaling deeply she replied to the questions that would change the whole trajectory of her life.

She had been a nervous wreck in the morning but felt much calmer now, and when she signed the papers after Armaan had given his consent it felt like every sense of worry left her. She felt she was floating in the clouds.

People around her were mirroring her happiness as they hugged her, gave her blessings. A prayer left her heart that this moment always stays in her memory, as it is.

Rest of the day went by in a whizz, after lunch the family gathered around in the living room and spent the time in a fun yet relaxed manner. Saman and Armaan had not yet talked, sometimes their eyes would meet and the two would smile at each other, perhaps watching the other for a little longer.

When the night fell, Saman was taken to Armaan's room.If she was calm earlier she was a mess at the moment. She could literally feel her heartbeat in her throat, her stomach hurled each time she inhaled, and she did not know why she was sweating when the Air conditioner was blasting.

Glancing at the door she sighed. She decided not to let her brain play her anymore, so firstly she offered Isha. It did calm her alot, so she swiftly redid her makeup, and settled her saree and jewelry again.

Saman’s hands halted as she heard the door open. There was a momentary silence before Armaan greeted her with a salam making her reply and turn around, finding him standing at a step from her.One look at him and Saman knew he was nervous, too nervous for his own good. She suppressed her smile watching his wavering eyes.

He would glance at her from his periphery,then look away."Kuch nahi kahenge?" She spoke after a whole minute of waiting for him to utter something. His eyes widened like deer caught in a head light.

"Kya kahun?" He asked in a mere whisper, scratching his ears. Saman wanted to cry at the innocence and sincerity of his question.

"Kuch bhi." She replied, stepping forward, her anklet and bangles jingling with each step.

"Start from telling me how you feel?" She spoke with a soft smile.

"I feel lucky. " Armaan's words were barely a whisper.

"And?" She kept staring in his eyes.

"I think I have fallen in love." He reached her in a step, standing just infront of her, close to her.

"And I feel I have fallen too deep–" he raised his hands, cupping her face softly making her close her eyes for a fleeting second.

"Me too." She whispered back, her eyes mirroring glassy ocean, he was ready to get drowned in.

____________________

Next morning yet again brought chaos with it. Decorators had taken over the front lawn, preparing it for the walima tonight, while the backyard was getting a little touch up as a ladies' section.

Thankfully nobody had thought about waking up the newly weds yet, too busy to notice their absence. Ahad and Nadis were still in their dreamlands, probably snoring away the tiredness of all the functions.

Saman and Armaan were up from fajr talking about everything and anything.

"Okay tell me when did you realize that you wanted to marry me?" Saman asked, taking a sip of her coffee. Armaan turned his head away, coughing lightly as his ears turned red. She had been pestering him for a while now but he would just blush furiously and change the topic. She was having the time of her life teasing him.

"Are you hungry?" He asked,placing his cup on the side table. Saman laughed hearing his words. Keeping her coffee aside she moved closer to him, smiling widely as he turned even more red.

"Tell me please." She spoke, taking his head in between her hands.

"Ajeeb zabardasti hai."

"Ab hai to hai, bardasht karna hoga." Saman giggled, making him smile.

"When I thought I was going to lose you." He spoke staring in her eyes. Saman's smile dropped, hearing the fear still evident in his voice.

"Bht shiddat se manga hai tumhe khuda se–" he placed his hand on hers and brought it to his lips. Kissing the palm of her hand gently he entangled their fingers. "Abhi bhi yakeen nahi hota ke tum yaha ho, mere nazdeek."

Saman gave him a teary smile and pecked his hands, "Yakeen karlien–" she spoke, giving him a bright smile. "I am right here."

___________

"Saman how much more?" Nadia asked with her eyes closed as the makeup artist did her work.

"Naddo sabr, let her do her magic, trust me you will like it." Saman assured her. Nadia had been nervous about getting her makeup done from a makeup artist as she hadn't done anything like this before. Even at her functions, it was either Mansha or Saman that helped with her makeup.

"Saman, my dress is so heavy, how would I walk?" She spoke again after a while.

"You will be fine, what even we have to do but sit on the stage?" Saman replied calmly.

"Saman–"

"Nadia!"
"Madam!"
Both Saman and the person doing Nadia's makeup spoke together.

"Calm down, nothing will go wrong. So please don't speak now and let the poor lady do her work." Nadia refrained from saying anything from then.

Once done with getting ready they two were asked to wait as the guests were still arriving. The two were having a gala time talking to each other and gushing about their dresses. Nadia was in a navy blue heavily embroidered anarkali paired with a golden lehnga . Her eyes were decorated with smokey eyeshadow, her lips painted a deep shade of marron.

Saman's dress was an embroidered pink anarkali paired with a red lehnga. She had an ethereal glow on her face that Nadia concluded was more from her happiness than her makeup.

"Nadia aapi–" Umair entered the room along with Uzair, both looking rushed.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, Ahad bhai was looking for you." Uzair replied, making Nadia frown. He knew she was getting reedy.

"Can you come with us?" Umair asked. Nadia exchanged looks with Saman.

"Where to?"

"Chalein na!" The twins echoed together.

"Go, your lost puppy must be looking for you." Saman giggled.

"Don't call him puppy." Nadia gave her a fake glare but couldn't help but laugh at herself. He had been acting exactly like a clingy puppy from the moment they were married. Saman shook her head seeing Ahad's head peeking from the door as Nadia walked out with the twins.

She sighed finding herself alone but it only lasted for a few moments as her own husband entered the room. She frowned seeing him close the door behind quickly.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Armaan turned towards her and his jaw dropped. He might have forgotten to breathe for a moment or two.

“MashAllah." He murmured moving towards her slowly, his eyes trained on her all the while.

"Armaan?"

"Ahad sent me here–"

"Oh so you came because he sent you?" Saman asked with a frown. "You didn't want to see me after I got ready?"

"No it's not like that, I meant I did want to meet you before going out but I didn't know where you were so Ahad told me–" he was cut off by Saman's giggle.

"Why are you so scared?" She laughed through her words. "I was messing with you."

"So, how am I looking?" She asked .

"Breathtaking."

"You look good too." She spoke, brushing non-existent dust from his blazer. Armaan chuckled.

"Acha Suniye–"

"Bolo."

"Bhuk lagi hai." She spoke with a small pout making him laugh lightly.

"Wait here, I'll look for something in the kitchen."

"No, I'll come too."

Armaan wouldn't dare deny her, not now not ever. So the two made their way to the kitchen, luckily not meeting anyone on their way. Armaan made her sit while he browsed the fridge.

"Armaan–" She said, making him turn towards her.

"Hmm."

"We are again in the kitchen." Armaan seemed confused for a second but it didn't take him much time to understand what she was trying to say. He chuckled, shaking his head slowly.

"Sure we are."

___________

Assalamualaikum everyone.

How are you all?

How was the chapter?

So ArSam are married too. Our story is approaching its end slowly, and I am so glad you all read it.

Thank you so much.

Vote, comment and share.