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Abhinandan POV

The condition tore me apart. It was a reminder that she had no feelings for me. But mine was more vital for her. But, I could not weigh if it was hate or...

Yet, there I stood before her father, my hands joined in a desperate plea for understanding, forgiveness, and a chance to make things right.

"We will keep your daughter as ours, Guruji," my mother said, and my chest ached with pain seeing him cry.

I saw him as a father figure, and doing this to him made me feel like a sinner. I was a sinner. I made her cry.

I hated her, but I did not want to make her cry. But it was too late to back off. For a moment, I thought to back off seeing her in pain, but not after the act I had pulled.

"Ji, Guruji, we will take care of her as ours," My grandmother said, and I closed my eyes when Rudra spoke.

"It's good for everyone. Trisha seeks your blessing on this big day of her life. She must have been given those at least," he said, and suddenly, Guruji lifted his gaze to him.

"This is happening because of you. My daughter is being targeted because of you. You must leave right away," he said, and I felt good. I wanted this.

"But, Gur-"

"I said, leave," he growled.

He clasped his hands and nodded before walking away. He then walked towards Nandani and told her something before going alone. She looked at me and then looked away.

"Please do not before me, my Queen. You shall do whatever you deem fit. She is dead for me," he said, and I inhaled deeply. My hands lowered, and I heard my Maasa say.

"I can understand your pain. But what are we before the desires of our Children? We are their enemies if we stand up against them, and we are their enemies. We do not stand up against them," she said, and I looked away.

There was an easy way to do it. Just get married.

But I noticed Guruji looking up at Trisha first and raking his eyes around everyone watching us.

He nodded, finally.

"Thank you so much for embracing our home with a bright daughter of yours," my grandmother said, and I bent down to touch his feet.

I did not know what was wrong or right, but I could trust my mother and grandmother.

"Vivah ka sbubh mahurat nikla jaa raha hai,"

"The auspicious time of the wedding is leaving," The priest's voice caught our attention, and I turned around to look at Trisha. She looked stunned.

And I walked towards her.

Taking her hand in mine, I walked towards the Mandap. She did not even flinch and stayed silent. As the priest asked, we both sat in our respective places. A part of me knew that it was wrong, but the other knew that I had no option left. I tried to make it right as much as I could.

I thought to back out the moment she placed a condition before me. I realised that the feelings were not mutual. She did not feel what I felt for her. But it was too late. The blade had been kept to Shantanu's neck; the head commander, Ashwin, did it.

"Kanyadan ka prarambh kare,"

"Please begin the Kanyadan," the priest said, and I looked at her father standing up. He looked upset and disoriented. Still, he stepped forward and placed her hand in mine. Trisha sat frozen, her gaze low, unmoved, and I could not care less.

The priest chanted some mantras, and after her father's Kanyadan, Ranvijay stepped forward. He did the same as my brother, and somewhere, I knew Trisha was missing Rudra.

But he deserved it. I was not present at my sister's wedding, nor was he at hers.

After the ritual ended, the priest chanted a few mantras and stories to tell us about marital life.

As the moments passed, I realised that I was getting married to her. I looked at her as she sat absolutely silent. Her hand was in mine, and to earn a bit of her reaction, I gently twisted the ring on her finger with my thumb and index finger.

She did not even notice.

And my heart sank deeper.

"Now, the groom's sister should do the Gadhbandhan," the priest said, and I turned around to look at Nandani. I signalled her to step closer, and she stood up.

"The knot must be tight enough that it must not break until the wedding ends," the priest added, and she tied a turmeric bone and a coin in the dupatta.

"Now, you two must stand up to take the holy rounds around the fire," the priest said, and I stood up. Trisha stayed still. Nandani held her shoulders, but she still did not move. I closed my eyes for a moment. This was getting difficult. I wanted to run away all of a sudden.

I could not see her like this.

But suddenly, her father stepped forward. Nandani moved back, and he held her shoulder to raise her.

"Phere poore karo, Trisha,"

"Complete the ritual, Trisha," he said in a breaking voice, and she lifted her gaze to look at him. She nodded a little.

"Ji, Pitaji," her voice came out shaky.

As we began to take the holy rounds around the fire, the priest began to read the sacred promises aloud. I was leading them.

I made the first promise to her to provide for her needs, welfare and happiness, as well as for our child. In return, she promised me.

"I promise I will never escape running the home and family. I will share your responsibilities as well," her voice was low and breaking.

"Now, you make the second promise," the priest said, and I gulped silently before beginning.

"I assure you that I will always be loyal, obedient, and true to you. I will always be there for you in good and bad times. I assure you that I will give you and your family financial, physical, and mental security," I said, and in return, she replied to you, repeating after the priest.

"I will support you in everything and gladly shoulder all the duties. I will carry out all the responsibilities with determination and courage," she said, and I inhaled deeply.

Starting the third round, I promised never to stop working hard and providing for the family. I would take care of the children's responsibilities. In return, she promised to show me affection.

I needed it.

The holy rounds and promises continued for the fourth time. I promised to respect her choices, honour both families equally, fulfil all of her requests, and involve her in significant life decisions. In return, she promised me the same.

In the fifth vow, we promised to be with one another in happiness and sorrow with affection and compassion. Additionally, we sought the almighty's blessings for us and our children to come.

In the sixth vow, we promised each other to love each other and stick by each other through thick and thin.

In the last vow, we promised each other to be tied together for an eternity. And follow all the vows we had taken.

"Now, you both shall sit down, taking each other's places," the priest said, and we both shifted our places.

"The groom shall fill the holy vermillion in the bride's hair," he added, and I looked at the priest handing me a small box of the red vermillion. It hit me differently. I would be married, and she would be my wife. I could not believe that we came here in a matter of a few days.

"You take the ring off from your ring finger and use it to fill the vermillion in her head," he said, and I looked at my hands. I was never a fan of rings and had none on my fingers at that moment. I stayed silently, and suddenly, Trisha took the ring off her thumb and forwarded it to me.

It was an old, silver, washed-out ring she used to wear.

I took it silently and collected the vermillion in it. I noticed her father turning around, and Ranvijay did, too, as they did the Kanyadaan.

She lowered her gaze, and I shifted a little closer to her. Pushing her Maang teeka aside, I finally claimed her mind.

I filled the partition of her hair once, twice and thrice. Nandani strode off some of it as it fell on her nose.

I silently slid that ring into my pinky finger.

"It's a good omen," I heard Nandani whisper to her. She did not say anything in return; rather, tears rolled down her cheeks.

"The wedding is over, and now you must seek the blessings of your elders," the priest said, and I held Trisha's hand to stand her up. She was my responsibility now.

We both moved towards the Guruji first and bent down to touch his feet. He stepped away, and Trisha refused to stand up. She kept her hands touched to the ground, and I gently rubbed her shoulders to straighten them. She was my wife now, and she must not now lower herself to everyone who refused to respect her.

We both went towards our Daadisa, and she sat down to touch her feet. But, instead of touching her feet, she began to press her calves. My Daadisa's lips widened with a huge smile. She blessed her with all she had, and I could not help but smile a little.

She did not stop until my Daadisa held her shoulders and pulled her into the hug.

"You are such a jewel, my child," she said, and Trisha sobbed.

"Do not cry. It will change," Daadisa said and kissed her forehead.

My mother did not let her touch her feet and welcomed her by hugging her tightly.

"I will love you as I loved my daughter. I promise. I took you from my father and gave you the whole of my family," she promised, and Trisha did not even lift her eyes.

"Guruji," my mother addressed her father.

"Hum apni bahu ko apne gehno or vastra me lekar jaenge,"

"We shall take our bride in our jewellery and clothes," she said, and Guruji adjoined his hands.

"As you deem fit, Maharani," he said, and I looked at Nandani, my mother, and my grandmother taking her inside. She had come here with a troop of soldiers and a few wooden boxes.

I stayed outside, and Agastya came to me.

"Congratulations," he said, but I could not stop him from hugging me.

"She looks angry with you. What did you say?" he asked, and I inhaled deeply.

"Nothing special," I replied, and we both sat down on the cot, waiting for the ladies to finish their things.

"Are you not nervous?" he asked, sipping a glass of water, and I looked at him.

"For what?" I asked, and he looked deeply into my eyes and spoke slowly.

"For the wedding night. Would it not be awkward?"

I immediately widened my eyes at him. "Shut up and lower your voice, idiot," I said, and he nodded.

"Well, I do not know, but all the best to you. She is burning with anger," he said, and I nodded. "I know,"

"Abhinandan," I immediately stood up, hearing Guruji's voice.

"Ji, Guruji," I asked, and he offered. "Let's take a walk together," his voice seemed worried, and I nodded.

We both walked towards the well alone while he said.

"For every father, the daughter is a symbol of pride even if she leaves her home and goes to the in-laws," he began. "Trishalini has always been my pride ever since I found her. She was nothing but the best daughter one could ask for. But, she has a heart of gold, and she does not deny anything anyone asks her for," he said, and I nodded, agreeing to the most of it.

"I do not know what you know about her exactly, but I must tell you that my daughter deserves the best. She should be loved, cared for, and respected even if she does not ask for it," he added, and I nodded.

"I will surely take care of that," I said, and he turned to look at me.

"And, there is one thing I do not know if you know about or not," he said, and I thinned my brows with confusion.

"What is it?" I asked.

"She did not agree to help your father because he was a King. She agreed to help him because your father took off his Pagdi before her and begged," he said, and I immediately stepped back.

"This cannot be true. My father is filled with immense pride, and he would never take his Pagdi off for anyone," I said, not believing it. He was lying.

"Then you can ask your father. I bet you do not listen to Trisha," he said, walking away. My heart ached suddenly, and I immediately placed my hand on my chest. This could not be true.

My father would have never done that.

How could he?

How could he take off his turban before anyone? He was a King, for God's sake.

I fell to my knees, and whatever I said to Trisha replayed in my mind. No, no, no, no. I fucked up. I messed up every fucking thing.

I thought she was working for the King. I thought he asked her to bring the Prince back.

How could she hide it from me? And many things she had kept hidden from me. How much more would she break me?

And, how low would my father steep to fulfil his desires?

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