Firstly a big big sorry for being away for so long. I will try to be more regular going forward. I hope you still want to read the story and want me to write it.

Ragini stared ahead unseeing. 

'Ragini?' Sanskaar nudged her. 

Ragini stared at him, lost. She could see his eyes getting more concerned. She blinked once then again, rousing herself out.

'Are you okay?' Sanskaar asked again.

She gave a small nod. She could see him looking at her uncertainly. She smiled back the best she could to reassure him and turned to look at his parents. She could see them exchange a look. 

'I am sorry,' Ragini blurted quickly trying to salvage the situation. 

Whatever she felt, she couldnt explain. She couldnt be sure of herself. It pass through her for a second, freezing her in its grip. But that was all she could say about it. 

Sanskaar's parents glanced at him and then gave her a tentative smile. 

'I have been asked to check if we are ready to start the ritual?' Uday walked up to them, patting Adarsh's back. He whispered, 'My wife is getting a bit impatient.'

'Uday!' came a quick yelp from behind. 

Adarsh let out a chuckle, 'You love to play with fire.'

And just like that the air around her had calmed down and she could smile back at her new family. A real smile this time. 

Adarsh and Parineeta followed behind her father. Ragini was ready to follow, when she felt Sanskaar snake his arm around her waist. Her head snapped to look back at him, before she turned to their parents, 'Sanskaar!'

'What happened there?' he asked softly.

Ragini shook her head. 'Nothing.'

Sanskaar cocked his eyebrow, 'You weren't scared of your in-laws, were you?' 

'Why would I be?' The real Ragini was back now. And she wasn't scared of anything. Except...

Sanskaar widened his eyes, smirking, 'You were!'

'No I wasn't!'

Sanskaar chuckled. 'I have to tell me parents this. No one gets scared of them. Ever!'

'Sanskaar! You wont!'

Sanskaar wagged his eyebrows, and rushed behind his parents.

'Sanskaar!' Ragini called out, only to get everyone chuckle at her.

***

'Sanskaar! Have some patience!' Parineeta warned slapping his arm lightly after Ragini saw him nudge his mother again. Parineeta turned to Ragini, 'You better give me your hand quickly. If I don't put this kangan soon, I am not going to be able to use my arm for anything soon.'

'Mom!' Sanskaar whined, quite contrary to his bright smile.

'This is my mother's kangan,' Parineeta told Ragini gently, as she eyed the bangle in Ragini's hand.

'I will take good care of it,' Ragini assured gently.

Parineeta looked at the kangan for a second more before looking back at Ragini, 'Any marriage in the family can only be finalised by Maa sahib when she adorns the bride with our traditional family kangan.'

Ragini scrunched her eyebrows. Maa sahib? What did that mean? Was her and Sanskaar's marriage not final yet?

Parineeta watched Ragini closely, 'Maa sahib is my mother in law. Rani Maa.'

Sanskaar wrapped his arm around Ragini's shoulder. 'Don't worry. That is just for ritual sake. We will go to the palace and get it done next week. It is old sad palace but we will finish the ritual and get back before you know it.

'Sanskaar,' Parineeta warned quietly.

'Mom doesn't like it much either,' Sanskaar added disregarding her warning.

Parineeta opened her mouth to speak but Adarsh cleared his throat and stopped the discussion from disintegration further. 

'I have already spoken to Maa sahib on this. They will be expecting us next week,' Adarsh clarified. 'There is supposed to be a festival back in the palace and we thought it would be good to have the roka done at the same time. That is if you are okay with it as well.'

'We would have no problems,' Nani said warmly, from behind Sanskaar.

'This is because of uttara's exams and that stupid festival. If it were up to me–' Sanskaar whispered, 'Oww~'

'Have some patience,' Nani warned with a smile, 'You are getting your father-in-law very antsy with your impatience. He might just cancel the wedding looking at you.'

'Nani,' Sanskaar whispered, calling her closer, 'If Sasurji tries to create barriers, I will elope with his daughter.'

Ragini hit his arm, 'I am not eloping with you against Papa's wishes.'

'I will carry you away from under his nose.'

'Is that a challenge?' Ragini asked, raising her eyebrow

Maya hit her, 'Don't challenge him. Remember what happened last time.'

Ragini blushed, throwing a warning look at Maya.

'I will inform Suraj. While we did this ritual without him here, he will need to be there for the roka,' Uday cut in to their chatter.

Ragini smirked. 'Remember what you did to my Bhai. On his honeymoon.'

Sanskaar scrunched his nose.

'When he see it was you ...you know he might even reject the proposal.' Ragini warned.

'Do you really want to marry me?' Sanskaar asked annoyed.

'What?'

'Then why are you trying to find opportunities to cancel it?'

Ragini frowned.

'Is your family full of villains that are sitting ready to cause issues in our love story?'

'Hey! don't say anything about my family!'

'You do want to marry me right? Else ...'

'Else what?' Ragini turned holding his hand.

'There is a line of girls waiting for me,' Sanskaar teased.

Ragini narrowed her eyes at him, 'If you so much as think about anyone else, I will strangle you to death.'

'Your father is going to kill me. Your brother is going to kill me and now you are joining them?' 

Ragini hit him, 'Sanskaar!'

'Owww! Now I know you are related to your Nani for sure. You hit as hard as her,' Sanskaar said rubbing his hand, even as his lips turned upward breaking into a smile. He leaned closer to her, 'You know you look ...'

'I look what?'

'...sexy....when you are angry.'

Ragini blushed. 

Maya nudged her sharply. 'If you are done with your romance, get back to the real world. Your parents are looking at you.'

Ragini's head snapped to find all eyes on them. She felt heat rising to her cheeks. She quickly lowered her eyes away from them but not before seeing her father glare at Sanskaar.

Several throats cleared.

'Where exactly is the palace?' Janaki cut it trying to divert the topic.

'It is about 2 hours drive from Jaisalmer,' Adarsh said politely. 'Bade bhai-sa has said that he will arranged for the cars to pick us up from the airport.'

'Maa sahib and hüküm are away from the palace this week. They should arrive back the previous  evening before we get there,' Parineeta added.

'They usually go to the Phool Haveli every year this time and return back for the festival. Actually  all of us go back to the palace for the festival,' Adarsh continued.

Something was off. Ragini could feel it. Feel it in her guts. That strange feeling that scared her and haunted her seemed almost lingering close-by. Too close for comfort.

She felt Sanskaar weave his fingers with hers and give her a reassuring smile. She shook herself and smiled back. 

May be it was nothing.

'It is a old palace. More than thousand years old and it still stands as strong as they day it was build. As as beautiful,' Adarsh said proudly.

'Janaki loves old palaces,' Uday chimed in.

'Then bhabhi-ji will love this one,' Adarsh announced brightly. 'No one comes back from the palace without falling in love with it.'

'Except me,' Sanskaar mumbled.

Ragini nudged him.

'What! You should see it, then you will understand what I am talking about.'

'Ragini loves palaces as much as Janaki aunty,' Maya shot in.

'There are so many beautiful stories associated with them. And the names...' Janaki said, the awe in her eyes evident.

'Nahargarh,' Adarsh said, 'Our palace.'

Ragini stilled, frozen in her place. Icy cold breeze enveloped her. She wrapped her arms around herself, shrinking into herself. 

That name. 

No.

Cold. 

Danger. 

No!

Everything in her screamed out:

Don't go! 

Thanks so much for reading. And thanks for all those who kept pushing me to come back and write this story. This is all for you and because of you.