Chapter 140

They have always been there for me, making my special days special-er, and the love they have extended is one I cherish for years to come.

Dear Bablio,

This beautiful day is a very special day for you, my very special friend, and I would like to take this moment to wish you a very special birthday wish! I have always been thankful for your presence and for your encouragement when times were hard. The joy we share of being one in Christ makes it even more special and I love thinking of you in my Christmases and Easters. Thank you for everything, dear Bablio.

Dear Achu,

Some of you may remember Achu as the creator of amazing picture posts. Her edits speak of one word proven over and over again in its magnitude: MAGIC! Entirely and exclusively MAGIC! That's her creations and that's, I believe, who she is too. A magical and special girl indeed!

Achu is also, may I tell you, a very hardworking and dedicated young student and she sets her dreams real high. Assured, too, that once she eyes her stars in the right places, she sees to it that she jumps high enough to grab them before they fall. No wonder she is such a brilliant young lady! In fact, let me tell you Achu dear, you have been so much an inspiration that sometimes when I am reminded of your perseverance, I become guilty of loitering too much time in IF and step away to focus on life a little...thank you for being my guide by your mere existence, dear Achu.

To Achu and Bablio, on their blessed day, I raise a toast!!

Sutapasarbabhom: Hello there, new reader! Welcome aboard! Let me first remind you, there is absolutely no feelings hurt if you keep yourself silent and don't comment. I have millions of SILENT readers who either like' and leave or just read and leave. But that doesn't mean they don't like the story. Why would they come here every time a chapter is updated if they didn't love the story? So no hurt feelings at all as long as you keeping loving the story. That is what matters. Please do not feel obliged to comment. Comment only if you want and if you have the time to. But its so nice of you to appreciate my striving and my creation is so sweet a manner. Thank you very much, dear sutapasarbabhom. Looking forward to seeing you in the Inn...

Chapter 218: The Talk

Lord Arnav's first lunch at the Village was overly disturbing.

No, don't get me wrong, nothing was the issue with the meals. They were immensely delicious dishes indeed. Only there was too much of them.

Then again, there was plenty served at the Castle dining table too.

So what was so disturbing about the Guptas' lunch, you ask?

It was only this: that Lord Arnav was expected to not take a little' of his choices' but was forced to be fed enough' of all' that was made and served on that table.

If he politely tried to dissuade or make an excuse to not wanting any more of a particular dish, Mistress Garima or Madhumati would tease him and before he knew it, there was another helping added to the already mountainous load on his plate. Kushi couldn't really conceal her grin at the sight of her family lauding her husband who was clearly not pleased with it.

However, Lord Arnav kept his annoyance bottled and spoke nothing.

When, after lunch, he prostrated himself on the tiny bed in the room upstairs, Kushi could feel his anger filling the room, almost suffocating her happiness with his utter displeasure of the circumstances.

It was no doubt hence why, at the turn of the late afternoon, when her husband insisted on having tea brought to the room, Kushi readily chose to kowtow to his demand than to argue.

In the meantime, Mistress Madhumati and Garima were in serious talk downstairs as they prepared tea in the kitchen.

"I think I should ask him about this," mused Madhumati as she watched the vapour rise from the pot of boiling tea.

"Nonsense!" Garima looked at her sister-in-law, "Whatever would you want to do that for? It would be impolite to ask him if he wants it and she is denying it."

They were silent for a moment, struck by the assumption, and then Madhumati wondered aloud, "Do you suppose that is the way it is?"

"What is?" Garima whispered anxiously.

"He wants it but she is denying it. She is the kind who would, you know."

Garima was distraught when this was said. For a moment, she frowned at the tea-tray on the wooden kitchen counter and then mumbled something under her breath.

"I tell you, Jiji," said Garima, pouring the warm tea into her best kettle that was placed on the tray, "Next time we get her alone, I am going to tell her-"

She paused and both the ladies heard the upstairs door open and close.

"Oh dear," Madhumati exclaimed in caution, tuned to the sound of footsteps descending down the stairs.

Garima looked up in the direction of the open hallway that led to the kitchen and Madhumati patted her wig nervously, as she eyed the determined Garima.

Just then Kushi appeared at the foot of the steps and, as she headed for the kitchen, her face lit with a smile on seeing her mother and aunt there.

Garima shook her head and mumbled, "Prompt and punctual when it comes to mealtimes, this girl of ours!"

"Buaji! Amma!" Kushi grinned as she walked up to them, "How good it feels to be back home!"

"Where is Arnavbabua?" asked Madhumati warmly, "Didn't you tell him to come down for tea?"

"He said he wanted to repose and asked his tea to be brought to the room," said Kushi, frowning slightly as she wasn't particularly keen about following the order of her husband.

"Well, anything he wishes will be granted," Garima asserted as she neatly set the kettle, the sugar jar, a silver spoon, two cups and saucers on the tray.

"Oh Amma!" Kushi interrupted, "I'd prefer having my tea here with you two!"

"Nonsense!" her Buaji rebuked, "Who has ever heard of a wife mealing without her husband?"

Kushi opened her mouth to justify herself but Garima interrupted with a surprising avowal, "Let alone the fact that it need not be followed by our Kushibitiya."

Kushi blinked at her mother in disbelief and Madhumati frowned suspiciously, "Whatever do you mean, Garima?"

Garima had an astute look on her face as she eyed Kushi pointedly, "All I meant was such rules of wifeliness do not apply to our Kushibitiya since she is not a wife but a bride."

Kushi paled and Madhumati groaned inwardly, Here we go...

"Amma, how did you-?" Kushi was too taken aback by the shock of her mother knowing.

"Any one would know that, bitiya," counseled her mother, "One look at your face and they would see that you are a virgin for you have not the radiance of the touched'."

Kushi's cheeks turned red. She was not quite sure she knew where this was going but she was not entirely comfortable with the last word her mother had uttered. Touched?

"Touched?" she had uttered it aloud before she could stop herself.

"Yes," Buaji added, suddenly feeling it responsible that she be part of the conversation too, "Doesn't Arnavbabua ever... touch you?"

Kushi went redder than she had been a second before, "Touch... me?" Kushi felt her breaths come out long and slow, strained and struggling.

"Now, now, let's not scare the child all in a hurry," Madhumati intervened, "Pour her some tea and let her settle down first, Garima."

As Madhumati led the immobilized Kushi to the dining table and seated her on the nearest chair, Garima brought a cup of tea and placed it on the table before Kushi.

Slowly, Kushi found the resolve to surface from her embarrassment and pick up the cup.

Letting the warmth of the cup seep through her palm to calm her racing nerves, she tilted the cup and took a sip.

As she swallowed the measure of tea down her throat, the sound of the gulp sounded too loud in her ears. So loud that everyone in the house must have heard it.

The thought funnily made Kushi look up and to her dismay she found her mother and aunt watching her with keen interest, which reminded her more consciously of the embarrassing talk they were having.

There was a long silence in the protraction of which Kushi realized her aunt and mother were still waiting for her to answer the last question posed to her.

To gather her courage, she gulped down a mouthful of tea and grinned widely, "Oh you mean the way he always touches me?"

Her sudden grin worried Madhumati and the aunt frowned at the girl suspiciously, "What is the way he always touches you?"

"He pulls and pushes me about..." began Kushi casually.

Buaji was appalled, "Pulls and pushes you about? What are you: his wife or his child?"

Kushi floundered for words, the cup turning less warm in her hold which was not assuring enough, "I am supposed to be his wife..."

Garima sighed frustratedly and Buaji slapped her palm to her forehead, "Hai Re Nandakishore! When will you grow up, Oh Mistress of Mischief?" Madhumati stole a look at Garima as the latter slid into the chair beside her at the table, "I fear, Garima, that this butterfly of ours will dance over flowers till the end of her life, never mothering a cocoon."

Lord Arnav sat up in the bed and frowned at the door.

She had been gone for more than hour and still hadn't returned with the tea.

Where is that girl?! He was beginning to be really annoyed.

Finally, giving in to his frustrated impatience, he shot up and strode towards the door.

Opening it, he slipped outside and descended down the stairs, thinking of all sorts of angry remarks he should greet the tardy girl with.

He was just stepping down from the last stair and had barely walked into the living room when he heard the crash of a fallen cup from the kitchen.

His head instantly turned in the direction of the sound and his strides changed their course to head for the kitchen where he presumed was the womanfolk.

Knowing well that broken cups had probably to do with the careless fingers of his wife, he had only just stepped through the open entrance of the kitchen when his wife collided with his chest in her hurry to escape the room.

"What the-!" he frowned down at her, the anger of her hour's delay added with this careless collision. "Why don't you watch where-"

He stilled when he saw her look up at him, her cheeks pale and her eyes petrified by what she was seeing before her.

Kushi felt her breath wringed out of her.

Her head was still reeling from the appalling things she had heard from her mother and her aunt and, like cherry on the top, here was their inadvertent address materialized before her in all his manly glory.

She stepped back hastily as though she had been stung from having touched him.

Lord Arnav was taken aback by her reaction. Had he hurt her? Why was she looking so scared?

"Kushi-" his voice was etched with concern as his hands reached towards her.

Kushi eyed his nearing hands as though they were little snakes wanting to sink their fangs into her skin.

Her glazed eyes shot up to his face and he read the fear and suspicion in her eyes.

Before he could advance, however, she turned and rushed towards the backdoor of the kitchen and ran out into the backyard.

Silence prevailed in the room for a whole minute as the inhabitants stared at the open backdoor through which Kushi had escaped.

Then Lord Arnav looked over at the table where the two women were standing.

Garima was shaking her head despondently at the door as though Kushi had done something foolish.

Madhumati was straightening the alignment of her wig, not knowing how to straighten out the senses of the scene that had just occurred.

Garima was the first to recover and she smiled at Lord Arnav in all courtesy and proceeded to pour him his tea.

"Would you like sugar with your tea, babua?" she asked warmly and Lord Arnav nodded, as he stepped towards the table.

"What happened to Kushi?" Lord Arnav with genuine curiosity.

Garima looked at Madhumati who was down on the floor, picking up the broken pieces of Kushi's cup. Madhumati gave no impression that she had heard his question and proceeded to wipe off the spilt tea on the floor with a ragcloth.

Garima handed Lord Arnav his teacup on a saucer and smiled, "We were just conversing with her."

"About what?" Lord Arnav sipped her tea.

"About this and that," said Garima, her eyes watching Madhumati walk to the wash basin and wring out the tea from the rag cloth.

"Why did she look scared?" he asked, "She seemed to have not liked something you conversed about."

"Well..." Garima began uncertainly, "We tried to put some sense in her..."

Dropping the ragcloth into the basin, Madhumati suddenly turned around, "That girl there is still a child and it's just been proven again! She's been married for more than a month now and look how she reacted!"

Shocked, Garima looked at Madhumati , warning her with her eyes to not reveal any more before their esteemed guest.

But Madhumati was looking at Lord Arnav and saw not what was on Garima's face.

"We are really sorry, babua," the aunt continued, "We know you must have really struggled the past month to keep her your bride. If only we could have prepared her for what was to come."

Lord Arnav was coolly sipping his tea, a slight amusement lightning in his eyes for he had comprehended what the whole thing was about.

"Jiji-" Garima whispered in warning, wanting Madhumati to stop talking but the latter went on, "It must frustrate you to not have a wife that would give in... if you will give us time, we could talk her to understand-"

All of a sudden, stunning Madhumati and Garima speechless, Lord Arnav began laughing.

Of course, there was the fact that no one in Arhasia had heard or seen Lord Arnav laugh. But there was also the atrocious fact that he was laughing for something so seriously being considered in the room.

Still laughing, Lord Arnav turned about with his teacup in hand and headed for the stairs to the room.

Standing frozen to their spots, Madhumati and Garima were certain they could still hear him snigger in his room upstairs.

"Hai Re Nandakishore," Madhumati blinked at the empty space in the kitchen where Lord Arnav had previously stood and erupted to laughter.

"What do you suppose we should make of all this, Jiji?" Garima whispered worriedly, her eyes gazing first at the open back door through which Kushi had escaped and then at the kitchen entrance through which Lord Arnav had sauntered to his room.

Poor Madhumati could only sigh, "To tell the truth, Garima, I'm not sure who needs the real talking to: the bride or the groom?"

Chapter 219: Vulnerable

Kushi had stayed away from her husband, never coming to the room or wandering in his vision's territory until dinnertime.

When the sun had set and the table was set with yet another torturous amount of delicious dishes, the whole family seated themselves around the table.

To the relief of Garima and Madhumati, Kushi was back in her chirpy, senseless self, chattering away and eating like a starved castaway.

But her head and her words seemed to be exclusively for those seated before her and never was offered to the one seated at her side.

Lord Arnav, surprisingly, was not disturbed by this realization. In fact, he seemed to be in a really good mood all of a sudden, and was pleased that Kushi sat in denial of his very existence.

After dinner and a cup of coffee each, everyone retired to their bedrooms, Kushi being excited and afraid at the same time. Excited because after a long time she could once again kiss her Amma, Babuji and Buaji goodnight, and afraid because the next few hours meant she was to be alone in the room with him who made her feel like she was trapped prey.

Dressed in his night pants, Lord Arnav was in the room upstairs, sitting in bed and reading a book he'd brought from home under the light of the bedside candle, when Kushi walked into the room.

He had been waiting for her to come back so they could pick on their last paused conversation about the sleeping system for the issue of the bed space was yet to be sorted out.

Kushi had closed the door to the bedroom and Lord Arnav had closed the book and was keeping it aside on the bedside table when, to his surprise, instead of making for the bed, she walked towards the chest in the corner and from within it withdrew a fresh blanket and her night robe.

Lord Arnav frowned suspiciously, "What do you need the blanket for? We have-"

Without a word, she strode to the single window at the other end of the room and spread wide the blanket on the floor.

"What the!" Lord Arnav sat up, sensing what she was up to, "What are you doing?"

"Preparing to sleep," said Kushi impassively.

"On the floor?"

She looked at him, "Didn't you insist that I sleep on the floor a few hours ago? I am only fulfilling your wish."

"Is that so?" he frowned, "Why, may I ask? You have always only gloried in defying me my wishes, never fulfilling them."

Kushi straightened the ruffles on the blanket, "Presume that by fulfilling your wishes, it is my way of thanking you for letting me see my family."

"It is not pleasing enough," he said, "You wanted the bed badly that you were practically begging for it."

"I am not now," she said simply and lay herself down on it, her back turned to him and her face turned to watch the moon through the window.

He sighed, "Kushi, get here this minute."

"I can't sleep on the bed, it's too small."

"That's not what you said before."

"That's what I am saying now."

"Kushi!"

"What?" she sat up and glared at him.

He gritted his teeth, "Don't anger me or when morning comes we'll be going back to the Castle."

"I don't care what you do."

"Do you not?" an eyebrow lifted.

Kushi looked away. If only they could stop making conversation...

"Come here, Kushi."

"I won't."

"Why not?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Leave me alone."

"I won't."

"Why not?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because you are my wife."

Kushi stared at him, her cheeks paling again.

They stared at each other, knowing well what this was all about.

Finally, with a heavy sigh, he offered reluctantly, "Alright. But just for tonight."

Gratitude swam in her eyes but fear raged at her heart. So she bit her lip and turning over to her side, tried to grasp at sleep.

Blowing out the candle at his side, Lord Arnav plunged the room in darkness before lying back down in the tiny bed. He stared at the celling for a long time, listening to the sound of her breathing and, after an hour, deduced that she had fallen asleep.

He was contemplating the prospect of joining her on the floor but knowing he had promised her distance for this night, he turned to his side and tried to sleep.

He didn't know why but strangely, he didn't feel deprived. He could have gotten angry at his wife's disposal but he didn't. Instead, he was willing and wanting to understand her plight and what she was going through. He wanted more than ever to protect and grant her what she was asking for, pleading for...despite it being a hard bargain on his side.

Before long he was slipping into sleep as well but, unlike Kushi's, his was not calm.

Tormented by strange dreams, Lord Arnav kept tossing and turning in the bed and then the distorted images in the blackness of his mind erupted to fire, blinding him with its power.

The pent up verve that was trapped inside him for so long broke surface and he sat up, gasping for breath and for sanity.

His head was dizzying but with the little lucidity that was left in him, he crawled out of the bed and grappled for the suitcases that had come from the Castle.

He was thoroughly wet, sweating and salivating, and tears ran down his cheeks.

The suitcases were empty and it took up all his strength to recollect where the articles in the suitcases had been transferred to.

On his knees, he made for the wooden chest and as the blackness enveloped his mind, he forced himself to focus on the one word before the other made him forget. Belt. Belt. Belt...

His hands opened the chest lid and fumbled through the contents within it, disturbing Kushi's neat arrangement.

His pale fingers gripped at the edges of the chest as blinding pain shot up his spine, disabling him entirely.

He slid to the floor, a tired mess staring into the darkness.

Senses acute, he made out the breathing presence beside him where she lay on the spread blanket, oblivious to what was happening behind her.

Sliding closer to her, he dug his face into the pillow that was roofed by her long hair.

Kushi opened her eyes and stared at the dark wall.

Sleep induced, she tried to remember where she was for it didn't smell like the Castle.

Of course, she realized cheerfully, I am home...

And then she stilled. She had been woken in her sleep by something.

And that something was shifting behind her.

She could feel his face drowning in her hair.

Fearfully, she lay on her back, turning her head to look at him.

The moonlight shone on his pale face that glistened with sweat on the forehead and above his upper lip.

His eyes swirled darkly as he stared at her.

And then his voice trembled, "Kushi..."

Relieved, she responded, "My lord... I thought you-"

Her eyes fell on his hands: they were shivering.

Her hands reached up and held his. "Are you cold, my lord?"

Tired as he was, he managed a grin, "I have been told I am not the warm sort."

Kushi smiled at his pun.

For a moment they looked at each other.

Finally, he admitted, "I was afraid this would happen."

"I am here, my lord," Kushi whispered, "I promised I would never leave."

"Only because I won't let you."

Kushi inched closer to him and he wrapped his weary arms around her, pulling her to him.

She pressed her cheek against his sweating chest and he kissed her on the top of her head.

A slight breeze blew, rustling the leaves of the nearest tree and an owl hooted somewhere in the distance.

Kushi closed her eyes, "Goodnight, my lord."

"Goodnight, kitten," whispered Lord Arnav and in each other's arms, they found sleep.