"It was against all scientific reason for two people who hardly knew each other,
with no ties at all between them, with different characters, different upbringings,
and even different genders,
to suddenly find themselves committed to living together,
to sleeping in the same bed,
to sharing two destinies that perhaps were fated to go in opposite directions.
~~~ Gabriel Garca Mrquez,
Love in the Time of Cholera
It was well past the first hour of midnight when they eventually completed the ceremonies and celebrations. Things were not done yet. The Lord and the Lady were being led back to the haweli as a procession seated on a grandly decorated Veer again. They waved at the people who waited all night to see a glimpse of them. Of all the people, Veer was the first who had come to peace with the fact that his Maalik would now be riding with this new woman, His Lady apparently and Veer seemed happy about it as he paraded with them.
Once they reached the haweli Geet and Maan had many a different ritual to fulfill. Most of them, Geet had heard about and was familiar with too. The kicking of the rice pot, the handprint by aalta on the wall and being gifted the chooda by the mother-in-law were all not so out of place from what she had seen growing up. She did most of these for Anika being the only woman in the family.
Geet even enjoyed some of the games that they played. The jasmine ball catch with Maan was fun for her. The crowd of women were surprised to see this light side of Maalik Maan who seemed to be stern most of the times. Then there was the game where they blindfolded Maan and made many other women dressed up and covered in the same yellow-coloured veils stand along with Geet. From the sound of their choodas, Maan had to guess which one was Geet. He stood and listened patiently to seven out of ten women, and then when the eight women jingled her bangles, his lips curved into a beautiful new-moon like smile. He moved closer to her, lifted her hands and kissed on her palms making the crowd gasp. When, the veil was moved and the blindfold undone, it was none other than his wife!
He could see her surprised eyes widen behind that transparent wedding veil.
Eventually it was time for bedding ceremony. Well, Geet had expected that the suhaag raat might be a grand custom back in these days but she didn't have an inkling about the traditions of the Khuranas.
Unlike anything Geet had known or heard of, these people had the weirdest customs. The groom had to carry the bride from the courtyard to his bedchamber in his arms as the other ladies marched with them teasing both to the edge.
Not only that, they followed him till he rested her comfortably on his bed and kissed her good night on cheek. Geet even heard someone say that the older women stood outside listening and commenting at their action until they were at it. With horror she hoped it wont come to that. As the crowd cheered a blushing Maan carried her in his arms asking her with his eyes whether she was comfortable. All she could do was blink a yes. That was all the permission he needed.
For some reason, Maan seemed to understand that his bride wasn't familiar with these customs. The women did follow them including his mother, dadisa, Amba, Malti, Champa and others.
They waited till he kissed her on the cheek and left with their blessings. Geet rested her head comfortably on the king-sized royal bed of his and watched as he made the crowd of elderly women walk away to the exit and managed to shut the door with an embarrased smile.
When the door closed with a thud, Geet realised that this was it. She was married to him! They were alone now and he was entitled to do whatever he wanted with her. That didn't shock her, the way her mind had started yearning for him made the fight harder. Him! Maan Singh Khurana! He was majestic than any other man she had ever seen in his life. He was handsome, well-toned with a sharp face and those expressive coal black eyes which could drown her. And to top it all, he was a gentleman. Well, only a woman would know if her man was a true gentleman by the way he behaved behind these closed doors. Was Maan one? She was about to find out.
As he walked towards her hesitantly and ever so slowly, her toes curled in anticipation. She shut her eyes tight to calm her heart. There was quiet all around. Just quiet, except for the sound of the crickets and the moth flies getting too close to the fire lamps in their room. Geet wondered if she was similar to them getting attracted to the fire called Maan that would burn her.
Maan realised she was lost and cleared his throat. She saw him standing by the bed-post.
"Did you kids sleep already?", some old lady whispered outside and that was followed by quite a few muffled giggles.
Maan sighed, "My folks can be like that..at times."
Geet smiled shaking her head.
"They will go away when they get tired.", he assured her admiring his beautifully decorated bedchamber.
She frowned as if asking was he sure?
Maan got that and joked, "may be we could creak the bed and get rid of them!"
Geet blushed and looked away shrinking into herself.
Maan realised how he would have sounded and quickly corrected himself, "I mean...just shake the bed so they would go away. I mean..ummm...wooo.."
He was flushing red. Geet's heart went out for him. If only she could just pull him closer and kiss those hesitant lips. Focus Geet! focus!
"I think that is a good idea!!", she changed her train of thoughts quickly.
Their eyes met and they both had that naughty gleam. Maan jumped on the bed and they both started jumping on their own bed. The teakwood bed was strong but ancient. With two adults jumping on it, it was making creaking noises which might sound very erotic to anyone who had their ears to the door. They held hands and jumped harder. Her veil was slipping down and his turban fell to the ground. Both of them tried hard to muffle their laughter. They bit their teeth with wide grins as they continued the prank until they heard footsteps moving away from the door. Both of them fell on the bed with their backs down together catching up their breaths.
Geet giggled. "That was fun!"
"I know", he grinned and winked at her.
It was silence again with the exception of their heartbeats. They turned their heads slightly to face each other. The euphoria was fading away and they realsied that they were still holding hands. Maan caressed her fingers gently. She couldn't help the smile and her cheeks gave away by blushing. Traitor mind! Geet peeled her hand away and sat upright.
"I should change. All this is making me so uncomfortable..", she excused herself. Maan smiled realising her hesitation.
"umm...do you need any help?", he asked politely.
Geet went wide-eyed and quickly replied, "No no..I can manage..."
Geet moved away towards the mirror that was placed in front of the dresser table. In her haste she struggled with the endless number of pins and tucks that Champa and other girls had carefully placed. Only then did she realise that she never dressed up herself. It was always Champa who dressed and undressed her whenever she was decorated in their traditional jewellery.
As if that were not enough, of all the nights , tonight her attire was so grand and criss-crossed Geet struggled to open the pins. She managed to undo whatever that her hand caught up with and then it all started falling apart unevenly one by one. The heavy ear rings without the supporting chains suddenly made her yelp as the tender skin of ear stretched up. "Ouchh..."
Maan shook his head and went near her. "Do you want me to call for Champa?"
Geet frowned, "nooo, we just got rid of everybody...We can't..." she let it hang there.
It was not just custom, these rituals were meant to make sure that the Lord and Lady got right on to the task of making an heir. Geet was smart enough to know that even if from a different era.
Maan helped her with ear rings with a gentle smile, "Here...easy now.."
Standing there in that room filled with the orange glow of the fire lamp, watching her bare back against the contrast of her choli was tempting him.
However, come what may, even if she was his wife now, Maan Singh Khurana would never touch a woman who didn't want that. The fear and hesitation was written all over her face and body language even if her eyes told a different story.
When she was done, Maan could see that she was even more beautiful without any of those decorations. As beautiful as the moon light outside, his mind commented on its own.
Maan walked away before his mind could become a traitor. He took off his sherwani and hung it on the cloak stand. The cool air felt good on his bare chest against the pulsing heat of his body.
Geet gulped as she saw his perfectly sculpted body up close. The situation that she was in, where she could do anything with him, made it even harder. Her heart was beating loud and fast against every calculation that her brain had. Her viscious brain racked for some trick to keep her in track.
Think about the most unattractive thing about him! She tried.
"So..Who is Sameera?"
Maan who was searching for a change of clothes in his cupboard was pleasantly surprised. He shut the door of the teakwood cupboard, "You get right on to the point, don't you?"
Geet made a cutely defiant face, "I just wanted to know...It's alright if you don't wish to tell me.."
Maan took her hand in his and walked her to the bed. They sat together next to each other still holding hands.
"Sameera Krishnavanshi is my dear friend, my brother Jai's sister."
"I heard that.", acknowledged Geet.
"uhuh..what else did you hear My Lady?", his eyes were curious now, wanting to know what else his new wife had been enquiring about him.
"Well, Champa told me that they were your father's wards. But then I heard someone saying the Krishnavanshis banished them. If they gave them away to your father why would they banish them?", she voiced her queries to him.
Maan looked at her his eyes filled with affection, "Curious one, you are!"
Geet flushed at the comment, "I wanted to clarify. I hate being in the dark.."
"Yet you keep me in the dark, about yourself?", his eyes shone bright at the teasing remark.
Geet realised he enjoyed teasing her. She twitched her lips, "We are not talking about me now, are we?"
"Of course not My lady!", Maan made a funny gesture of bowing his head to her.
"What happened?", she moved closer to him. Now wasn't he right about her being a curious one?
Maan sighed, "We were quite close. Jai and I. Sameera would tag along. People assumed that father would marry her off to one of us, Dev or me, when we come of age. Dev being younger eveyone thought it was me. But Sameera was always a sister to me. Jai..he was my brother even though we don't have the same blood. He came here when Dev was a baby. So, he assumed the post of my immediate brother before Dev. We learned together, studied together, played together and even hunted together. "
"And then?", Geet was lying on her stomach curiosuly listening to the story like a little kid.
Maan smiled, his eyes looking a bit sad and distant, "A few years back Jai and Sameera went to Ajmer. They had family there. the Lord of that haweli was getting married. I couldn't go with them. Father wouldn't approve, you see."
Geet nodded understanding his predicament.
"Jai told me he met her on a hunting adventure. Mira! the princess. Eldest daughter of the King of Mewar. They say she is as beautiful as the goddess Saraswathy herself. She sang well, played veena and was good at it. Most importantly. she was a humble and kind woman with the heart of a gold. And she lost her heart out to Jai! In two weeks they were so in love with each other.
When he came back, all he could talk about was her! I couldn't belive something like that could happen to a man until.."
Geet looked away when their eyes met not sure how to react.
Maan cleared his throat. "They sent letters to each other using secret messengers!"
"You have secret messengers?", questioned Geet.
"Well, we are traders. Don't you think passing a simple letter should come easier to us?", he frowned.
Geet smiled. "Of course" she replied in a mocking tone.
"Anyway two months after he returned, the King called for a Swayamvar for Mira. Princes came from far away kingdoms, noblemen even. When Jai told father about Mira, he too was allowed to go. So we went. Jai and I to get him his girl. They had several tasks. Jai cleared them all and only three men were now left. "
"One was my brother Jai, then the crown prince of Marathas Ujwwal Singh and last but never the least Rana Handa!"
"Dhad..I mean Rana Handa?", if Geet lacked any amount of curiosity until now she was fully onboard now. Her brother? Or at least the possible look-alike of her dhadho! She wanted to meet Rana Handa more than ever now!
"The final task was a race. It was no ordinary race. They release a wild horse into the forest over the course of the night. When the Sun rises the next day, all three men would go looking for it at the same time. The first one who tames the horse and brings it back gets the princess. That was the task. Jai was good with horses in general. He tracked the horse and even managed to bring it back.
But Rana was cunning. He had already blocked Ujjwal in the forest. He waited at the gates and injured Jai and the horse."
"But that does not make him the winner, right?", Geet inquired as if she was listening to a fairy tale.
"No! He tied the horse so that it wont run and dragged it back to the court. The king declared him winner!"
"I had never seen Jai so devastated in his life before that day. He contested the result. But little did he know that these tasks are mostly predecided. Handas are powerful than Krishnavanshis. Besides, Rana was a Lord and Jai was only a ward. The king naturally favored Rana. "
Geet watched as her husband stood near the window with his back facing her. His muscles tensed. He was remembering something, she realised. Her eyes stayed on his perfect form. The act of distraction was slowly turning in to vain. She didn't realise when she got up from the bed and stood near him. Her hands gently touched his firm lower back and moved upward along the line of his spine.
Maan stiffened at her touch. Her soft fingers were wrecking havoc inside him. His breathing became erratic. He turned his head sideways to look at her. Their eyes locked for a moment. It was desire written all over in the air.
Maan held the hand that was touching him and gently kissed on it. Geet sighed. His eyes stayed at her lips that were slightly parted. He didn't know for sure but his head was leaning slightly forward and so was hers.
Suddenly out of nowhere came her question, "So? Did the king banish them?"
Maan closed his eyes tight. If she was trying to tease him,it was working.
"What?", he even forgot where they were.
"Jai and Sameera?", she probed.
He held both her hands and their fingers laced together. "No. Not the king.."
"Then who?", she asked while she caressed his fingers. Together they were moving towards the bed.
"Jai didn't give up that easy. He planned to abduct Mira. I tried to talk him out of it but he wont listen. It wasn't the law. And there was no way he could kidnap a bethrothed princess! But he said he was in love with her."
Geet saw his eyes getting welled up all of a sudden. She cupped his cheek. It pained her to see him like that. He didn't even need to voice what he was feeling. She could see.
"Ofcourse You didn't know! You had never been in love!", she gently whispered in his ears.
It was years of emotions buried inside him that surfaced today. He was astonished by the power that she had on him. He was spilling his heart out to her.
"I couldn't understand what that meant then! I said I can't be a part of it! I told him to take as much men who volunteered. But none of that was enough. I should have gone with him. I could have saved him!"
"Shhh... enough..Maan. There was nothing that you could have done!", she consoled him caressing his cheeks lovingly. She was petting him and he let her. Her fingers played with his stubbled chin. She moved her thumb over his lips as they quivered. It was as if she had awoken some uncontrollable force. Suddenly he lifted her weight in a single sweep and made her lie on her back beneath him. Geet lied their breathing hard as his eyes intently roamed upon her tender form.
He took her chunni off. Geet averted her eyes but her hands encircled his shoulders.
"Look at me Geet..", he pleaded in his coarse voice.
Once again she committed that mistake of looking him in the eye. Such pure honest eyes! Geet could see the ocean of love for her. And here she was, going to betray him at the first chance she got! She had lied to him about where she came from and where she would go soon. But here he was telling her his deepest secrets!! How could she do this to him? She had to stop this going ahead no matter how much she wanted him.
jumping on the bed🤣
Bigg Boss 19
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