Ashlok FF- 'Out of the Darkness'Chapter 16 Updated pg 64

It had been 24 hours...24 hours had passed since she announced that she was leaving. The six months were up and nothing had improved between them, she wanted to see him happy, she didn't understand why, all she knew was that from the depths of her heart, she needed to see Shlok happy. Astha sat in a dark corner of their bedroom, lights off, only a single lit candle lent its glow to the darkness that surrounded her. She hated the dark, yet today, it seemed to be the only thing that gave her solace. She held her head in the palm on her hands, resting on her knees as the images of the previous day flashed before her eyes.

Flashback

Anjali had found her in tears and was about to venture into another lecture about how women should be brave and strong. Aatha braced herself for she knew it was coming but was shocked to say the least when the stone hearted Anjali Agnihotri instead, asked her why she was crying. "My journey with Shlok ends today" Astha whispered between tears, her heart felt like it was being pierced as the words left her mouth. "What rubbish are you spewing Astha, why don't you ever listen, Agnohotri Bahus are never allowed to leave their sasural. It is a woman's place to make the marriage work. Haven't you learnt that yet?" Anjali was basically shouting at her, yet her outburst seemed to be driven by something beneath the facade of anger. This made Astha's tears flow even more rapidly than before. "He doesn't love me sasubaii..." her breathing hitched, and her words came out as desperate whimpers, pleas to be heard, "He doesn't love me, he doesn't want me, he hates me, I make him miserable" she sobbed as she fell back into the chair behind her, her body riddled with grief as if she had lost a loved one...but hadn't she though? She looked down, tears dripping unto her sari as her heart continued its plea. "It's a wife's job to make the marriage work, I've come to understand and accept this, but I also know thats it's a wife's job to make her husband happy. How am I to do that when my very presence is the reason for his misery? Tell me Sasubaii, what am I supposed to do?" She looked up at Anjali, her kohl lined eyes now red and swollen, pleading. "You conform and become what is necessary to make him happy," Anjali spoke back, the anger in her voice now replaced with frustration. "That is what I'm doing sasubaii, becoming what is necessary for Shlok to be happy and that is gone, I'm leaving FOR him. I need to be gone from his life. I want him to find his joy again, how can he do that when he has to bare the reason for his misery on a daily basis?" She wiped her eyes and stood up. "If I leave, he is free to find love again; he is free to fill that void within himself with someone that can bring him out of this dark world that he's built around himself. Someone like..." she cautiously looked up at Anjali before she continued, knowing that she was about to strike a nerve... "someone like Aditi..." she was cut off as both her and Anjali jumped at the sound of a vase crashing to the floor behind them.

There it lay broken and in pieces at the feet of the man who seemed to have become her undoing...though she would never openly acknowledge it. Shlok looked on at them, rage and shock written all over his face. His gaze seemed to be fixed on Astha she looked back at him, tear riddled face, her beautiful round eyes now swollen, strands of her hair out of place and dishevelled due to her state, uneasy at realising he had been there, listening the whole time. She turned away as Shlok strode up to her, grabbing her shoulders in what had become his trademark hold on her, he spun her around to face him. "What rubbish is this Astha, what nonsense are you talking now. How could you think so low?" His eyes were burdened with rage and his voice was low, it gave away no emotion but disgust at what he had overheard. "How could you even suggest such a thing? Haven't I told you, you will never leave this house..." She snapped back at him before he could continue further, "Why Shlok? Why? Why should I stay? Why would you want me to stay when you hate me so much? You hate me right? That's what you've reminded me off every day since our marriage right? Why do you want to bind yourself to someone you hate so much? Don't you want to be happy? Don't I deserve to be happy? I do...we both do..." Astha's words were cut off as he jerked her and brought her closer to him, her breathing staggered at the proximity and the sheer strength with which he held her. "Stop this; you better stop this before baba gets home"

"Shlok is right Astha, Saheb better not come to know of what you are proposing, just stop this nonsense right now" Anjali interjected, clearly disturbed and unable to tolerate where Astha's thoughts were taking her.

"Mrs. Agnihotri, this is between my wife and I, please don't make yourself important by trying to get in the middle of it." Shlok hissed back.

"Shlok..." they were both brought back to reality by her soft plea, "Shlok, please let me go, you're hurting me" her plea was soft and resounding. She looked into his eyes as tears flowed from hers, "Please let me go. You can find your happiness again, with someone you accept. With someone that doesn't make you hate her every living minute. You and Aditi share a childhood friendship, you let her do things you never let me. There is something there from which a relationship can be built...what we have...who would want to hold on to that? You wanted revenge right? You got it. I am hurt and broken, my name will be brought into disrepute, and you get to walk away a free man., victorious in what you set out to accomplish...just let me go Shl..."

Shlok jerked her closer, his demeanour had drastically changed, no hint of patience was left within him, he had heard enough... "Enough Astha!" he shouted at her "Enough!" he looked at her, searching her eyes, his own hooded with rage...rage and something else. "I've heard enough of your rubbish; I've allowed enough of you dramatics. Stop this now. You are MY wife, Mrs. Astha Shlok Agnihotri" his grip grew tighter as his words pierced the air. "You will remain Mrs. Astha Shlok Agnihotri until the day you die. Do you hear me? Nobody is going to change that...do your hear me?"

Astha sobbed freely in his grip, an ocean of emotion was passing through her body, she didn't know what exactly she felt at what point. She suddenly felt limp and numb "Shlok"...she whispered

"Shlok" Anjali panicked "Saheb is home. Take her upstairs now" The usually calm Anjali was now overtaken with panick and what seemed to be fear. Shlok didn't have time to study Anjali's change in demeanour as he felt Astha go limp in his grip. "Shlok I feel weak..." her words faded as she fell into him. "Astha" he shook her, worry now taking over. Shlok quickly gathered her into his arms and carried her to their bedroom. He lay her on the bed, still holding her as he placed the glass of water that sat at the bedside, to her mouth. Astha took small sips and then motioned him to stop. Her body fell onto his of its volition as she seemed to have no more energy left...no more energy left to fight this battle with him today. Shlok looked at her, worried and confused. "What am I going to do with this girl" he mumbled as he laid her on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. He sat there next to her and pulled out his laptop to continue with the work he had left pending. He too was tired of the never ending battle. Astha held onto his hand as she lay there, he spared a sideways glance at her action and decided he would just let it be. In her half-conscious state, Astha let herself drift into sleep, holding onto her husband as he pounded his frustration into his work.

Present time.

Once again his actions had confused her. Why was he so adamant for her stay? Why did she hold onto him? Why did her let her and why did he stay with her? For the second time they had shared a bed, all be it not in the conventional sense of the word but still, they shared a bed...the thought brought an unexpected smile to her face when suddenly she heard him enter the room. She listened as his footsteps grew closer, but she didn't raise her head to meet his gaze that she knew was piercing at her. Shlok stood at the doorway, in the dark, looking on at his wife huddled in the corner, she seemed tired and forlorn, paying him no heed. He felt unsettled yet agitated, she would acknowledge his presence; he would have it no other way. Astha suddenly felt herself being lifted into the strong and familiar arms of her husband, she looked up at him as he looked straight ahead and took her to the bed where he lay her down. He pulled the blanket over her as he walked over to his side. He felt her looking at him, questioningly...he knew his wife well, their relationship may not have been that of a normal matrimony, but they had become attuned to the other in their time together. "The doctor said you are weak and need a few days' rest, you will not get that on the cold uncomfortable floor. Now sleep without arguing because I also had a rough day and I just want to rest, so save us both the energy." With that Shlok climbed into his side of the bed, and settled himself to sleep, he never turned to face her. "And don't you dare think about getting up because I will just drag you right back here, now sleep." That was the last thing Astha heard him say before the sound of snoring hit her ear. She smiled a faint smile and settled herself into sleep. She lay there contemplating her life, what was she to do next, how was she to continue, why the heck did her heart ache so much whenever it came to him? She riddled her brain with question after question until finally, sleep overtook her, her first somewhat peaceful sleep in months.