Chapter 25
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[MEMBERSONLY]
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[NOCOPY]
MARRYING KHUSHI
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Part 26
As the Raizadas moved towards the arched door to leave after Sangeet, Nani said softly to Buaji and Garima, "Please don't mind Chotey behaving so... so familiarly with Khussi bitiyaa... He is not like that with others..."
"Hum jaanath he, Nandkisore!" Buaji set Nani's mind at peace. "Arnav Bitwaa speaks little, but he is very sanskari and loving."
"It is a miracle that he likes Khussi so much!" Garima finally voiced her astonishment at the turn of affairs. "I mean, Payaliyaa is a gem of a girl. Heera he! It is not surprising that Akass Bitwaa wants to marry her. But our Khussi! Pagal he!"
"Bilkul Sanka Devi he!" Buaji corroborated Garima's words. "I always used to say that only a pagal will come to marry her." she laughed.
"Lagta he apan Chotey is also thoda pagal!" laughed Nani. "I have never seen him like this before, not once in 28 years."
"Woh Titliyaa se bahute parem karat he, Nandkisore!" Buaji remarked, sighing in relief. "It is good that Arnav Bitwaa is so... so active in his love. If he were hesitant like Akass Bitwaa, then our Sanka Devi would still be playing gilli-danda with the children and fighting with them for kanche (marbles) with the wedding at her doorstep."
The ladies laughed.
Mami, who had been listening to this conversation said, "Don't worry, ladijj (ladies). If hamre Arnav Bitwaa goes ahead at this isspeed (speed), soon your Sanka Devi will have a small Titliyyaa in her arms. Then she can play with her own dollwaa..." she laughed.
Nani and the Gupta ladies could only guffaw.
Khushi rolled away, turning her face away from her Jiji, hoping that he sister would go to bed and sleep like a good girl without disturbing her.
She had much to think about. That Arnav Singh Raizada was eating in to her peace and putting her in the way of an imminent heart attack! What could she do with this man?
If this was the way he went on when he got a few minutes alone with her, then what would he do to her when he got her to his house after their shaadi? Khushi swallowed hard, feeling the pressure of his lips on hers...
"Khushi!" Payal was in the mood to confide in Khushi.
Khushi shut her eyes tight pretending to be asleep, hoping Jiji would desist from waking her up.
"Khushi, ud na!" Payal was persistent. She caught hold of Khushi by her shoulder and shook her.
Khushi opened her eyes. There was no escape now.
"Yes, Jiji?" she asked.
Payal hugged her.
"Khushi, today was beautiful, wasn't it?" Payal blushed.
Khushi looked away. It was better that she remained silent. If she started speaking, there was no guarantee that Jiji's wedding would take place!
"Akashji and Arnavji danced with us... Khushi, did you ever dream that we would get such husbands?" Payal's head was firmly in the clouds. Stars shone from her eyes.
"No." Khushi could honestly say that.
"And, Khushi, Akashji held my hand..." Payal mooned over her beau.
Khushi frowned. That was all Akash Jiju had done so far? Then why was this... this walking talking dil ki bimari giving her chumban left, right, and centre?
"Khushi, what did you feel when Arnavji gave you chumban on your cheek?" Payal asked in a whisper.
Khushi swallowed. How to put the fire and the dhak dhak and the acidity in words? And was it even legal to feel like this when his lips touched her cheek?
"And tomorrow it is our haldi... and then shaadi..." Payal murmured.
Butterflies attacked her innards with vengeance. Khushi clutched the pillow to her tummy and shut her eyes, tight.
Mittu yawned and settled on her beam to snore.
Payal too stifled a yawn. All the dancing and excitement had worn her out. Slowly, her lashes fell over her dream-filled eyes, and Payaliyaa slipped in to deep slumber, dreaming of her spectacled lover smiling shyly at her as she washed bucket after bucket of dupattas.
Khushi was not similarly blessed. She turned from left to right, and then back to lie on her left side. What was the magic the Dilliwala kapdewala had done on her? Why could she feel his eyes on her as though he were touching her? Why did her skin feel as though a thousand thorns were pricking her when he sat close to her? Why did she tremble when he touched her? Why did she feel hot, feel heat emanate from her skin pores when he touched her, even held her hand? And when he gave chumban on her lips... how could he make her forget where she was, what she was... What was happening to her?
Khushi sat up, agitated.
He must he doing some jaadu-tona to take over her mind! Otherwise how could he have such a hold on her?
She walked the length and breadth of her room, worrying, thinking furiously, wondering how she could resist his magic till she collapsed on her bed in exhaustion.
It was dark... eerie... the kind of night that beckons ghosts to abandon their graves and walk without. The vast expanse of sand as far as the eyes could see, the havan kund in the sand, a magician in black sitting before the fire and chanting...
Khushi felt her feet leading her towards him. His chants were too powerful to resist. She could feel his power even at this distance. Slowly, placing one foot after the other in the warm sand, she moved towards him, drawn by his power, his charisma, caught in the web of his magic...
The wizard was in black, loose-fitting clothes, with a black cloth tied over his head, leaving only his face exposed. Khushi's legs faltered as the strong lines of his stern face looked familiar to her.
The jaadugar threw some powder in to the fire and chanted some mantra.
The small fire in the havan kund became a conflagration, lighting up the face of the sorcerer. It was Arnav Singh Raizada!
Khushi's legs gave up. She fell on the sand on her knees, feeling the flowing skirt of her red lehenga billow around her.
The Rakshas lifted his eyes from the fire and looked at her, his eyes red and dangerous, determined and fiery, more fiery than the fire raging before him.
"You came..." His whisper sent shivers down her spine as his voice caressed her skin like a touch.
"I... I had to..." Khushi whispered. "What spell have you cast on me?"
The Shaitaan smiled victoriously. "A spell that can steal your mind, your dreams, your sleep, your heart...and your body..." his low voice claimed every inch of her as his.
"No!" Khushi pleaded.
"I own you, body and soul. Every breath of yours is mine. Every thought in your head, every moment you live on this earth, every beat of your heart... You are mine. My slave." His eyes blazed in triumph and intense possessiveness coloured his voice.
"No!" she protested.
"Give up the fight, Khushi." he smirked. "My presence unnerves you, my touch holds you in thrall, my eyes unclothe you, my fingers send trails of fire to burn your skin..." he drawled. His eyes seemed to devour her.
Khushi gasped. How did he know all these about her?
He stood up, the silky flowing folds of his gown trailing behind him. He circled the fire and walked towards her, his determined feet slowly but surely eating up the distance between them. Her eyes remained on his feet, watching the approach of her doom, helpless, unable to lift a finger to help herself...
His feet came to a stop near her.
Khushi ran her eyes from his masculine feet, up his long, muscled legs, his waist, his muscled chest barely contained by the black silk of his tunic, his strong neck, his chin, his sinful lips, his jutting nose, his eyes... his burning eyes...
As she watched, he bent down.
Khushi trembled, flinching away.
He gathered her in to his arms, the muscles bulging at the exercise.
He held her close to his heart, her own heart pounding against his. His eyes looked in to hers, reading her unwilling fascination for him. The heat of his skin scorched her, his hot breath fell against the cool skin of her face and charred her. Her dazed eyes looked at him, wondering, expecting his next movement towards her...
He lowered his head to capture her trembling pink lips with his resolute ones.
Khushi fell out of bed and lay there beating her arms and legs in air. "Nahiii..., nahiii...! Chodiye hamein!"
"Khushi! What are you doing on the floor?" Payal asked, her eyes bigger than saucers, her wet hair wrapped in a thin towel.
"Floor?" Khushi sat up, looking around for the sand and the night and the fire and the... and the jaadugar... "Where is he?"
"Kaun?" Payal asked, perplexed.
"The jaadugar?" Khushi asked.
"Jaadugar?" Payal asked. "Khushi, were you dreaming again? Tum bhi na!"
Khushi looked at the ruby ring on her finger, the 'Arnavji' written on her palm. Her lips trembled. She had imagined him... he had vanished like a mirage...
Mittu sang, preening,
Jadugar saiyan chhodo mori baiyaa,
Ho gayi aadhi raat, ab ghar jaane do...
Ho gayi aadhi raat, ab ghar jaane do...
"Mittu, chup!" Khushi ordered, getting up from the floor, rubbing her bruised back.
Payal shook her head in loving exasperation and left the room.
Chupke, chupke raat din
Aanso bahana yaad he...
Mittu danced on her beam.
Khushi took a paperweight and threw it at the laughing bird. She flew away and found another perch. The paperweight fell harmlessly on to the bed.
Hum ko ab tak aashiqii ka...
Woh zamaanaa yaad hai...
Mittu got her own back, sitting safe up near the roof.
Khushi glowered at her. This was all Arnav Singh Raizada's fault! How dare he invade her dreams? She lifted her clenched fists in air and growled in frustration, "Grrr..." If she could get hold of him now, she would beat him to pulp!
"Kaa hua, Titliyaa? Are your arms hurting, Nandkisore?" Buaji asked, seeing Khushi stand with her arms in air.
"No... no, Buaji. I am fine." Buaji's medicinal potions were slightly... only slightly better than bitter poison. She did not need her kadda after a sleepless night, the highlight of which was a nightmare about the evil magician!
Garima followed Buaji in to the room. "Where is Payaliyaa? Payaliyaa! Payaliyaa!" she hollered.
Payal came in. "Kya hua, Amma?"
"Sit down, both of you. We need to talk to you." Garima said.
Khushi looked at Payal sitting next to her. What did Buaji and Amma want to talk about? Everything had already been decided, the menu, the decorations, the band, the clothes... Now what was left?
"Payaliyaa, Titliyaa..."" Buaji began. "you are going to get married in two days, Nandkisore!"
"You will be far away from us, bitiyaa... We won't be able to help you if you get in to some trouble at your sasuraal." Garima lamented.
Payal looked at Khushi. Apparently this talk was for Khushi's benefit.
"You have got a very good family, Nandkisore! And good boys! You are both lucky." Buaji smiled in relief.
Khushi pursed her lips. Buaji didn't know what her Arnav Bitwaa got up to in the dark hours of the night! Good boy! He? Maybe when he was asleep and unconscious!
"Don't fight with your in-laws." Garima advised. "Think of them as your own family. Khoob seva karna."
"Khussi, don't fight with Arnav Bitwaa." Buaji warned her. "He is older than you, and is always busy. Let him live. Don't try your nautanki with him. Hum kahe det he, Nandkisore! If you fight with him, we will side only with him. Not with you. Samjhi tum?"
That evil jaadugar had taken over her Buaji too? Khushi gnashed her teeth in helpless anger.
Garima looked at Buaji and blushed.
Buaji looked away, uncomfortable.
"Suno, you will be going away to a new house. To a new life..."
"Amma, Buaji, hum jaayein? I need to brush my teeth." Khushi said.
"Baitte raho, Nandkisore! This girl! She makes everything twice as difficult!" Buaji bit out.
Khushi subsided, a scowl on her face. When would this paatt of Arnav Puran be over?
Garima tried again. "Suno, you will be starting a new life with your husbands..."
"To?" Khushi asked.
"Pyaar se rehna..." Garima said, blushing. "As days pass by, you will get to know each other closely." She looked at Buaji for help.
"Yes, yes, Nandkisore! You will be able to share... share many... many moments of intimacy... parem ke pal... with them..." Buaji wiped her forehead with her pallu.
"Yes, you will be able to share... everything... with them..." Garima said.
Share everything with that Rakshas? Not if she could help it! She was Khushi Kumari Gupta, the Jalebi Rani of Lucknow. She wouldn't share Mittu with him. She wouldn't share her Devi Maiyya with him. And she would kill him if he so much as touched her secret stash of channa!
"You don't have to be shy with them." Buaji explained.
Garima nodded. "They are your pati parmeshwar! All your beauty, your solah singaar is for them."
Payal understood, and blushed.
Khushi did not understand, and whined, "Buaji, I am hungry! What have you made for breakfast?"
"Hai Re Nandkisore!" Buaji hit her head with her hand. "Only Nandkisore can save Arnav Babua now!"
Haldi was over.
All the ladies of the neighbourhood had taken an inordinate delight in dunking the two girls in the yellow paste, Khushi thought with a grimace.
She looked down at herself. Her arms were caked in yellow. Her feet, her face... she was totally yellow.
Jiji had gone to the bathroom on the ground floor to clean herself.
"Amma, Buaji, I am going to take bath."
"Jao, jao, Nandkisore!" Buaji sent her on her way.
Khushi went to her bedroom, gathered a fresh set of clothes with careful fingers, and shut the door of the bathroom adjoining her room. It was no use taking the dupatta of the pink lehenga in to the bathroom. She could wear it after she got to the bedroom, Khushi thought as she discarded the dupatta on the bed before entering the bathroom.
She stood under the fall of water, washing away the yellow coating, scrubbing furiously to get rid of the paste. Rivulets of yellow flowed from her body across the floor and out through the shower drain.
Her Rakshas too must be taking bath now, she thought. His family must have applied coat after coat of haldi on his face and body.
The picture of a yellow Shaitaan spitting fire at everyone came to her mind, and she burst out laughing. The look on his face when the ladies must have taken the pots of haldi towards him... She could not control her chuckles.
She dried herself and got in to the fancy pink lehenga. Her house would be overflowing with guests today and she could not dress in casual clothes!
The choli was too short, she thought as she turned this way and that to pull it down to cover as much of her waist as she could. She would have to drape the dupatta in such a way that it hid the shortcomings of the choli, she thought.
She came out of the bathroom, dressed only in the skirt and choli, drying her hair with a towel.
The air in her room seemed still, as though waiting for something to happen.
"Khushi..." came the call from her nightmare.
Khushi jerked around to see her Laad Governaar in her room, standing cross legged near the shut door, her pink dupatta in his hand.
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