Chapter 121

Chapter 196: Around the Urgency to Visit the Village

As their restrictions weakened and the struggle to see each other drove them to almost doing it, Kushi and Lord Arnav knew that any moment they would succumb to what they were fighting against.

The coveted day was almost very near when a most unfortunate truth came upon Kushi's knowledge.

It found her while she was in conversation with her dear sister.

Payal, after having given orders to the kitchen servants and cooks as to the lunch preparations, had come to the garden to knit under the gentle sun, in the company of her sister who sat beside her reading a book, while keeping a wary eye on the garden servants working away in the lawn.

Payal sighed as she knitted and Kushi looked up from her book, knowing by the tone of that sigh that her sister had a worrying thought or advice coming her way.

"What is it, Jiji?" asked Kushi, closing her book, but not eagerly for she knew the advice was probably meant for her. And she abhorred advices.

"I have tried to reason it many times over and over again but I simply cannot fathom how one can stay away from one's husband so coolly...I would have been distraught if I had to not see my lord's face for an entire day," Payal looked at Kushi, as though studying her, "It's amazing how you can do it after letting him wed you...and especially after the...Poieo-Eros."

"Poieo-Eros?" Kushi was taken aback, unfamiliar to its substance, though knowing it was a topic forbidden to be talked among young girls.

"Well yes..." Payal struggled to string the right words, "Erm...like the way he touched you on the night of your wedding."

Payal blushed at the memory of her wedding night at the Castle.

Kushi was staggered, "Night of the wedding?" She paled in the memory of her frightening first night, "Did Lord Akash also try to scare you?"

"Scare me?" Payal stared at Kushi, "Whatever are you talking about, Kushi?"

Kushi hastily corrected, "You said he touched you on your wedding night. Did he harm you?"

Payal was confused of Kushi's ignorance, and mumbled in a low voice, "I meant the consummation of our wedlock, Kushi. The Poieo-Eros. Whatever are YOU talking about!"

Clueless, Kushi stared at Payal.

Suddenly Payal blanched, "Goodness Goddess Mother! Kushi! You didn't consummate your marriage?! You've let your Poieo-Eros be deferred?"

Kushi, panicked by Payal's horrified expression, tried to defend herself, "I don't even know what that requires of me!"

Payal slapped her forehead, "Oh dear! Oh dear!" She dropped her knitting kit, stood up and began walking about in circles, "No wonder everyone kept telling me I looked radiant but no one mentioned your radiance. Because I was touched and you weren't."

Kushi was worried. Something was not right. "Jiji? Have I done anything wrong?"

"Yes, you idiot," Payal frowned at her, coming to stand before the bench where her perplexed sister was seated, "You entered into a marriage three weeks ago and you are still not his wife!"

"WHAT?" Kushi paled and stood up suddenly, the forgotten book slipping from her lap to the ground with a thump, "What do you mean?"

Payal shook her head, "There are rituals that need to be fulfilled, Kushi, and consummation is as important a ritual as being wedded by a hermit, without which you are still a bride."

"Still a bride...?" Kushi stared blankly at the air, her head swimming.

"Yes, Kushi," Payal bit her lower lip, "You are his wife only in name."

"Jiji," Kushi held her sister's hands pleadingly, "Tell me what I have to do. Tell me what this...Poieo-Eros asks of me to do!"

Payal withdrew her hands, shocked by the request, "I can't tell you that! Its Buaji and Amma who should tell you all about one's expected wifeliness on the night before your wedding."

A memory crossed Kushi's mind, "Oh, so that was what they were doing that night in our room while I was sentenced to sleep in the living room."

Payal groaned, "Oh dear! You were married without warning or preparations...No wonder Buaji kept repeating that worry in her letter that you were not prepared...Really, Kushi! What sort of marriage is this you have entered into, I simply cannot understand!"

Kushi was frantic, "Jiji, what am I to do?"

Payal sighed in thought and said, "There is only one thing you can do, Kushi. Because the preparation of the bride by the elderly women of her house is a ritual too, you will have to wait till our turn comes to go to the Village. Amma and Buaji will tell you what is needed...that is, as long as Lord Arnav keeps to himself."

"Keeps to himself?" Kushi blinked worriedly, "What does THAT mean?"

Payal was serious, "Well, it is not just the bride who should know what needs to be known. The groom should too. I am certain that by now Lord Arnav might know something about it...Unlike us girls, men already know about the Poieo-Eros somehow. It's something in their blood, I believe, to know everything and not have to be told. They just know...Lord Arnav would definitely know something...it's curious, though, why he hasn't taken the initiative where you are ignorant."

Payal frowned at Kushi, "You must have sorely angered him that he stays away from touching you."

It was Kushi's turn to bite her lower lip, helpless because she wasn't able to lay a comprehending finger on the maze of expectations her marriage was yet to fulfill.

Frustrated, Payal shook her head at Kushi, "You are the Goddess of Mischief indeed, Kushi, and he the Master Menace as Nani revealed. There has never occurred such an event in history where a wedded couple remained bride and groom for an entire month, never consummating into husband and wife."

Payal picked up her knitting kit and added determinedly, "This situation makes it even more urgent that we leave for the Village next week itself, on the first of the new month. I will prompt the reminder at dinner tonight."

And then Payal hastened to the kitchen, leaving Kushi to swarm in the worries of her prolonged bridal state.

When, in the evening, the Lords had arrived and everyone (excepting Kushi) was seated at the dining table for dinner, Payal put across the remainder that next week was the new month.

"Ah yes!" Lord Manohar smiled, "The newlyweds' stay at the bridal house. How long are you planning to stay there?"

"A week at the most, Father," suggested Payal, and she looked at her husband for endorsement where he sat at her side, at one end of the table.

"True, utmost a week is required if we men must get acquainted with the members of our new family," Lord Akash smiled and looked across the long table at his brother for confirmation.

Lord Arnav sat at his end of the table, spooning his dinner impassively.

An eager Kushi stood outside the dining hall, leaning against the wall, waiting to hear of what his answer was.

"Chotey?" Nani addressed his silence, "Have you nothing to add? I personally think you should stay there for more than a week. Maybe two."

"Two?" Lord Arnav looked up, his gaze unfeeling, "Why just two? Let's make it twenty. What say, Akash?"

The smile died on Kushi's face.

Within the dining hall, no one spoke anything. Not even Akash. For they knew the suggestion had angered Lord Arnav.

Lady Anjali sighed, "Chotey, meeting the bride's family and staying at their place in the second month is part of the rituals of wedlock-"

"I don't want to be part of it."

"What do you mean you don't want to be part of it'?" Nani fumed, "You are a wedded man!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" he looked at Nani.

"If you could partake in the rituals of getting wedded, why would it be hard to follow the rest?"

"Because I still find rituals odious."

Payal looked worriedly at Lord Akash but, with a nod, he assured her that they would talk it through.

Lady Anjali was angry, "Chotey, why did you drag Kushiji into a marriage if you won't let her partake in rituals?"

"I have my reasons," Lord Arnav hissed at the plate.

"Lame statements like always," Nani mumbled angrily, "You are hollow inside, Chotey, and the words that come out of your mouth are empty too."

Lord Arnav ignored his grandmother and scowled at the plate instead.

"So they are not going?" Lady Manorama asked around, "I was looking forward to a week's relief of seeing the two eyesores-"

"Manorama!" Lord Manohar whispered, "Must you make the air in this hall more torrid than it already is?"

Lady Manorama lifted her head proudly, "The topic had changed into an analysis of Arnavbitwa's faithlessness for rituals so I was only steering it back to the question of the village visit."

"Well, you have a mighty good choice of remarks to steer back topics."

"Hello, Hi! You overlook, husband dear: I speak what my heart feels is truth," said Lady Manorama haughtily, "I am not like some womenfolk who speak sweetly by their tongues but think bitterly in their hearts. My tongue expresses what my heart embraces."

"Brother," Lord Akash addressed the sullen man at the head of the table, "Are you not willing to go? You must know...Kushiji must be missing her home a lot. It would be good if she meets her family and, in a way, it would be a seemly occasion for us to better know the Guptas too."

"I prefer knowing them as much I already know," said Lord Arnav, "Some relationships are worthy kept at distances."

"Like the way you keep away from me, right, Chotey?" Nani eyed him.

Lord Arnav sneered at Nani, "A wise realization, Nani. But don't forget, you started this."

"And I am trying to mend it," Nani fumed.

Lady Anjali feared a fight might ensure between the two most hotheaded Raizadas, "Pray, let us stay focused on the matter at hand." She looked around, "Are the two couples visiting the Guptas next week?"

"Yes, we are," affirmed Lord Akash.

"No, we are not," Lord Arnav shot Lord Akash a look.

Lord Akash blinked, "But brother-"

"You can go if you want, Akash," said Lord Arnav, "But I am not going. And where I am not going, there Kushi will go neither."

Outside, Kushi leaned hopelessly against the wall, tears of treachery rising in her eyes.

"But why not, Chotey?" Lady Anjali was concerned.

"Because I detest even the idea of living in Villages, all close-knit and congested, poverty-stricken and unclean. There are no servants and there is no etiquette. Where there is order and discipline and wider privacy, there alone will Lord Arnav Singh Raizada remain. Akash may be able to condescend low enough to sleep on haystacks and eat without forks and knives, but I can't. And that is that."

With that Lord Arnav dropped his fork and spoon down, wiped his mouth on the napkin and stood up. Quick strides took him out of the hushed dining hall as he headed for the stairway when he paused, sensing her presence against the wall behind him.

They had not seen each other yet.

He did not turn.

He swallowed soundlessly. She had heard it all.

He knew she would be heartbroken because she had hoped to see her family.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the butler looking at them.

"Rahim Chacha."

The butler came to stand before his Master with a low bow, "Master?"

"Tell her that I meant her no personal harm but my decision must remain. I simply cannot stand the idea of staying even a single night at the village."

With that Lord Arnav proceeded towards his room upstairs, sensing Kushi's angry gaze on his back.

Rahim Chacha's sad gaze was on Kushi, knowing he didn't need to repeat the first Lord's final remark.

But Kushi was far from feeling sad.

Despondent anger roared in her daughterly heart for she had been bitterly dragged from her home on her marriage night with no warning, disabling her from preparing for a satisfying goodbye.

Selfish brute! Tears stung in her eyes, Villages are ten times cleaner than your blackened heart! You cannot always have things working your way! Its time you learn a lesson.