Drabbles: 30. Episode XXXI- Return of the Jallad (Pg 95) [Note Pg 98] - Page 3

Originally posted by: samirao

Flawlessly written, beautiful piece of work

Originally posted by: aruni50218

Really nice! With the amount of stalking i do here, dunno how I missed the part one. Anyways, it was a really nice read!

Originally posted by: Kajol17

You're really good! Update soon!

Originally posted by: -happilyunknown

Im lovin ur style of ryting pls continue dear!

Originally posted by: IronButterfly

Good one.

Keep them coming!

Originally posted by: sariarshi97

Wow!! Beautifully written! Would love to read more:)

"Do you remember what I told you?"

Rudra was on the verge of saying that with the number of moral science lessons she hurled at him daily, she would have to be more specific-- but he managed to hold his tongue.
In some ways, he knew her far better than he knew any other woman around him. He knew that she found the mirror in his room hilarious-- he'd often caught her making funny faces into it. He knew that she asked for imli not because she liked flavouring the dal with it, but because she liked eating it raw. He knew that she used to subtly avoid all the red skirts and cholis in her tiny wardrobe as a silent concession to her widowed state. But at the same time, he was aware of how much he did not know. He did not know if she'd gone to a lot of fairs with funny mirrors as a child. He didn't know who had bought her imli back home. And he didn't know how she had felt about her husband of one day. She had become better at controlling both her emotional outbursts and her hysterical questions.

And that was why he was so uncertain about how he ought to proceed. Luckily, Paro didn't wait for him to respond.

"I told you that the evidence would have to be damning."

A frisson of annoyance sparked in his eyes. "You don't think it is?"

"How does it matter what I think? Have you ever cared? Did you think you've purchased my compliance with imli and soap? You know as well as I do that I am just a prisoner here. And I don't even know why you're telling me all this now."

As she spoke, her voice gained several octaves, quivering uncontrollably towards the end. Rudra could see the effort it cost her not to give into her tears.

Did she think this was any easier for him? And he hadn't even told her all of it!

"I am telling you because it means I've been right all along! And it means that you were right as well, and are now free to go!"

His voice was sharper than he'd intended.

"Well, congratulations, Major Saab."

She whirled around and ran into the bathroom adjoining the room.

.~.

The ornately carved, heavy rosewood doors were at least four or five inches thick. And they were firmly shut. And yet, he knew (as surely as he would have known had the doors been made of glass) that she was sitting on its other side, leaning against it, sobbing quietly into the crook of her elbows.

After a moment's hesitation, he crouched down against the door and sat with his back to it.

Rudra was exhausted. He had wanted the truth and the burden of it had turned out to be far heavier than anticipated. He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to take over. This wasn't what victory was supposed to feel like.