FF: Unloved (Complete) - Page 49

The following day, Rudra and Parvati had their haldi ceremony. It was conducted at the Ranawat home. Rudra came out of his room that morning to find the house already filled with guests. He looked at all of them as they stared at him, observing the future groom with hawk eyes. As promised, it wasn't a grand affair. There weren't many people, just a few of his close relatives. He saw his maa-sa attending to the guests while instructing some workers to finish the last-minute decorations. Dressed in his white kurta, Rudra strode over to his father, who was busy conversing with some of the male guests. He greeted them casually.

Dilsher smiled seeing his son, "Rudra beta, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up."

"Of course I'd be here," he replied to his father cheekily. "It is for my wedding after all."

Dilsher chuckled.

"Bapu-sa, what is with the curtain?"

Rudra gestured towards the sheer blue curtain that split the main living area in half. On both sides there was a stool and small pots of fresh haldi. He had never seen such a spectacle before and wondered what it was about. Surely his father would know.

Dilsher looked at him and stated, "It's a custom. From this point, you're not allowed to see your bride until the wedding."

Rudra blurted, "What?!"

The guests who were standing by looked at him and chuckled. It was obvious that he was not informed about this little custom. The poor guy was now going to be desperate to see his bride on their wedding day. As he realized what he had said out loud, Rudra suddenly became flustered.

"Woh I-I...um..." he stuttered.

One of the guests patted his shoulder, "It's okay. We understand your plight. We all went through it at one point."

That really did not make Rudra feel any better. In fact, he now felt anxious. He wanted to see Paro now more than ever. He wondered if she knew about this custom. He looked around but found her nowhere in sight. As if reading his thoughts, Dilsher smirked.

"She's not here yet," he answered. "But she is on her way."

Before he could respond, Rudra felt a sudden shift in the air around him. He paused for a moment before turning to look at the open entryway door. Dilsher watched his son intently. He observed how Rudra's posture immediately softened as his gaze remained fixed on the door, almost as in anticipation of something. Before Dilsher could ask what he was looking for, Rudra spoke softly.

"She's here," he breathed.

As if on cue, Parvati walked in. She was dressed in a simple yellow lengha with a white choli. Her yellow dupatta was tucked into the side of her lengha and carefully draped over her waist. Her jewelry was solely made of flowers, threaded together to make earrings, bracelets, and a bindiya. Her hair was set on the side of her face, braided in a fishtail style braid. Rudra could feel his heart beating insanely as he watched her slowly walk in. She fiddled with her fingers as she stepped into the Ranawat home, a clear sign of her nervousness.

Seeing Parvati, Mala left the guests she was talking to and went to her. Parvati smiled at her as she came up to him. She was initially feeling nervous as she entered Rudra's home. The vast number of guests was slightly overwhelming. They stared at her, whispering to each other as they took in her appearance. Parvati felt a sense of relief wash over her as she saw Mala coming to her. Before she could say anything, Mala wiped some kajal from her eye and placed a dot behind her ear, a way to ward off the evil eye.

"You look beautiful," she said.

"Thank you," Parvati replied.

"Now that you're here we can start the haldi."

Mala walked Parvati over to the guests and began introducing her. Many greeted her warmly and praised her on her beauty, commenting that Rudra had impeccable taste. All this time, Rudra was listening from the opposite side of the room. He wanted to go Paro, but the blasted curtain and customs was separating him from her. He had no choice but to watch her through the sheer blue fabric. When Parvati was made to sit down on the stool Rudra finally went over to the stool on his side of the curtain. It was then that their eyes met.

They sat in their designated seats, but refused to look away from each other. It was as if they had forgotten about the guests around them and were silently conversing with each other through their eyes. He drank in her appearance, knowing that this would probably be the last time he would get to see her before the wedding. Even with the curtain as a barrier, Rudra could see her radiating beauty. She watched his dazed expression and tilted her head slightly. Parvati's eyes questioned him. In response, he simply nodded. They broke eye contact when they heard Mala's voice.

"I think we are ready to start," she said as she held a bowl of haldi in her hand.

"Wait," Rudra said. "There's one thing missing."

Everyone looked at Rudra confused. He looked at Parvati through the curtain, and found her looking back at him, unsure of why he had stopped his mother. She wondered what was missing. Before he could explain the laughter of children filled the home. Parvati shot a look towards the entryway and grinned as she saw the children from the orphanage walk in with the caretakers. Dressed in their best indian attire, the little ones sprinted over to Parvati, hugging her one by one. She was completely surprised by their arrival, but happy nonetheless.

"What are you all doing here?" she asked.

"Rudra Uncle invited us," Aman said.

Parvati looked at Rudra, "You invited them?"

"They're your family," Rudra stated. "How could they not be invited?"

They both smiled at each other. Parvati felt a warmth radiate in her heart. Even now, Rudra was concerned about her and her happiness. He went through the trouble of bringing the kids from the orphanage here because he knew how much they meant to her. This just proved the extent of his love and care towards her. The guests, who were watching the tender scene, whispered to one another about the affection between young couple. Rudra looked at his mother, who had a look of pride in her eyes as she stared at her son. He knew she was pleased by his actions, but didn't want her to make a big deal about it. So he had to change the topic.

"So we can start the haldi now if you'd like," Rudra said formally.

The guests laughed before beginning the ritual. They lined up as they all eagerly waited to lather the young couple in the yellow paste. Mala was the first to put haldi on Rudra and Parvati. She had a special place in both their hearts and was asked to be the first to begin the ceremony. After that, the guests came one by one and followed her lead. Even the children from the orphanage couldn't resist putting haldi on their Pari didi and soon-to-be Rudra jeejaji. The women teased Rudra as they made sure he had more than enough haldi on the visible parts of his skin. Parvati remained silent as strangers smeared haldi on her face, arms, and feet. The compliments on the dark pigment of her mehendi didn't reach her ears. She stared aimlessly in front of her, lost in thought as she recollected the memories of her first marriage.

She hadn't experienced the small pre-wedding rituals with Varun. He didn't believe in any of them and found that doing them would be a waste. That should've been her first indicator of the future difficulties she would deal with in her marriage. Parvati had wanted to be married with all the proper customs and rituals done properly. She wanted to be lathered in haldi and have her husband's name written on her hand in mehendi. But none of that happened. They had only conducted a wedding. The incompletion of those pre-wedding rituals should have been a red light that warned her of the doomed marriage she was about to enter. But Parvati had been blind to it all.

Now, as she sat completing the pre-wedding rituals in preparation for her second marriage, Parvati couldn't help but wonder if her first marriage was ever meant to be. She looked down her her hands, examining the deep red color of the mehendi. Parvati knew the meaning behind the color, and couldn't help but look back at Rudra, who laughed as Dilsher smacked a big glop of haldi on his face. He had done everything in power to make sure that every function, every custom, every ritual was fulfilled to perfection. He believed in the meaning of all of this, something Varun never thought twice about, let alone once. Unknown forces seemed to have pulled her away from Varun. But with Rudra? Those very forces did everything they could to bring them together, despite everything Parvati did to push him away. Now, he was all she had left. Why? Was it possible that Rudra was the one who was meant to complete her? She took a deep breath and returned her attention to those around her. Parvati didn't know the answers to these questions, but she knew that Bholenath would give them to her tomorrow...on her wedding day.

~

The following evening was the most memorable day of Rudra's life. It was the day of his wedding...the day he was going to marry Paro, the woman he loved. He sat in the Shiv mandir in front of the holy fire while the priest chanted the sacred mantras. His family sat around, watching as he performed the rituals with complete dedication. The praises of Rudra's attire did not reach him at all. Dressed in a cream-colored sherwani with gold embroidery, he looked nothing less than a prince. His maroon scarf was loosely wrapped around his neck. He had refused to wear the matching headpiece, allowing his hair to rest freely on his head. Lightly combed and without a single drop of gel, it was swept to the side with upmost perfection. Men commented on his princely attire, while women envied the bride that would soon possess the handsome groom sitting before them. But Rudra heard nothing other than the mantras he needed to hear. His attention only shifted when the priest uttered the words he had been dying to hear since his arrival.

"Call the bride," the priest said.

Mala disappeared from sight as everyone stood up. Their gazes went to where she had gone to. Everyone was eager to see the bride. Even Rudra was anxious. His eyes searched everywhere for Paro. He heard others whispering as they saw her appear with Mala, but he hadn't gotten a glimpse of her through the crowd of people. Rudra grumbled as he felt a tinge of jealousy seeing other guests see his bride before him. It wasn't until she turned the corner and walked up the steps that he saw Parvati. His breath not only hitched, but almost stopped altogether.

To say she looked beautiful would have been an understatement. She was wearing a deep red lengha with a thin gold border. Her choli looked as through it had been thoroughly dipped in red and gold glitter. Every square inch of it shimmered in the sunlight as she walked up the mandir steps. The matching red dupatta was gently draped over her head and around her waist to cover herself, but it was sheer enough for him to catch a glimpse of the multi-layered, gold waistband that sparkled around her waist. He heard her anklets as they chimed in tune with the dozens of gold, diamond, and pearl bangles on both her hands. Her bindiya and gold nose ring completed her bridal attire. It was simple, yet elegant. Seeing her dressed like this, Rudra felt like stealing her away from the rest of the world, so no one else would get to see this angel that had fallen from heaven just for him.

When she finally reached him, Parvati looked up and met his gaze. She had to admit he looked very handsome. The mere thought made her blush. She gave a small smile, which Rudra returned wholeheartedly. When they were handed the garlands, Parvati questioned him with her eyes once more, asking him if he was sure that this was what he wanted. They hadn't been married yet. He still had a chance to back down if he wanted to. But Rudra simply shook his head in denial, telling her to disregard her thoughts. He was not going anywhere. They were going to get married...right here...right now. To assure her of his decision, he placed the garland around her neck first. Parvati did the same to him and everyone applauded. Rudra extended his hand and she slowly placed her hand in his. They walked together and sat down before the holy fire to continue the rest of the wedding rituals.

As the wedding progressed, Parvati continuously glanced at Rudra from the corner of her eye. Her mind unwillingly went back to her first marriage. She remembered going through the same process with Varun. It was when she was filled with dreams and hopes about her marriage. Those dreams came crashing down in more ways than one. She had locked her heart up and promised herself that she would never let anyone in. And now? Here she was getting remarried.

The priest gestured Rudra towards the mangalsuthra and sindoor. Both he and Parvati inhaled deeply. She sat before Rudra, waiting for him to fill her maang with sindoor. He took a pinch of the red powder and swiped his hand up the parting of her hair. The tenderness and compassion with which he had done so overwhelmed Parvati. He was there...for her...forever. And she was his...forever. As Rudra slid the mangalsuthra around her neck, she took a deep breath. Her gaze met his. Without saying anything, he smiled and the priest instructed them to stand up as it was time for the final act of the wedding: the pheres.

As she stood up to begin taking the pheres, Parvati couldn't stop looking at Rudra. Her mind replayed memories of them together. Through everything, he was there for her. But she was still scared. Would he end up hurting her? Was it possible that he would end up being just like Varun? As if he could hear her thoughts, Rudra looked back at her. Without any hesitation, he held out his hand. She looked at it before looking into his eyes. In that moment, it was as if all her fears had melted away. For in that moment, Rudra's gaze emanated the assurances and promises he had given all along. They spoke volumes, radiating honesty, hope, care, concern, and, most of all, love. She was still scared, she admitted that to herself, but she was still willing to take the chance. Parvati slipped her hand in his, and he turned and began circling the fire. They held hands the entire time, even when it was Parvati's turn to lead in the pheres. The memories of her first marriage burned away with each round around the holy fire. When the final round was completed, the two of them looked at one another as their new status was announced for the very first time. Parvati was now Parvati Rudra Pratap Ranawat.

~

She felt a sense of deja vu as she sat on the bed. Her knees were brought up to her chest, and she wrapped her hands around them. The bed was decorated with flowers and rose petals. There were candles lit everywhere, illuminating the bedroom. It was their suhaagraat. Hers and Rudra's. As she sat on the bed, waiting for him, Parvati couldn't help but remember her night with Varun. Immediately she felt sick to her stomach. Her body started shaking uncontrollably as she recalled how he had verbally and physically abused her. Sitting there, on the decorated bed, only worsened the matter. She felt as though she was going to relive those dark moments. Parvati took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself. Everything is going to be okay, she told herself.

She heard the door open and close. Then she heard the click of the door being locked. Parvati looked up and saw Rudra standing at the door with his back towards her. When he turned around and looked up, he froze in his tracks. She quickly looked away as she felt her heart pound within her chest. His footsteps became louder and louder until he reached the bed. He didn't sit down on it. Instead, he looked at Parvati for a moment before speaking.

"You must be tired," he said casually. "Go ahead and go change."

Parvati looked at him with uncertainty.

"Your belongings are in the cupboard. The washroom is over there," he pointed to the door on the far right of the room. "Go ahead and change."

She didn't know what else to say, so she did what he had said. Parvati went to the cupboard, pulled out a cotton blue salwar, and went to change. She came out a few minutes later to find Rudra already dressed in a white kurta, rolling his sleeves up. He looked at her calmly, while she stared away at him, confused. She didn't understand what he was doing or what was going on. What further befuddled her was that the bed was now completely devoid of all decorations and the candles were blown out. It was as if none of it had existed in the first place.

Sensing the confusion, Rudra walked up to her. He took her hand and led her to the bed, where he sat her down. But instead of sitting beside her, he knelt down in front of her, holding her hands in his. Rudra took a long look at Paro, taking in her new form as a bride. His bride. The sindoor. The mangalsuthra. The deep red mehendi on her hands. It only enhanced her natural beauty. She was glowing, but she didn't realize it. However, he did and it made his heart swell with pride knowing that she was his.

He had known this night would come after he had asked Paro to marry him. Rudra had anticipated it. And, in all honesty, there was a primitive force in him that wanted this night to happen. Parvati was his wife, his beautiful wife, and he wanted her to be his both body and soul. However, he knew from the beginning that he would never do anything. Even though he loved Paro, he would never make her fully his until she wanted to. She had gone through so much with Varun, and he knew that she must have been thinking about those awful moments as she sat on the bed dressed as a bride once more. He didn't want her to recall those memories. He wanted her to make new memories, ones that were so good that they completely erased the torturous events in her life. Rudra wanted Parvati to know that nothing would happen unless she wanted it, and he would never make her do something she was not comfortable with. He would reign a hold on his primal male instincts as long as he had to in order to prove to her that he was nothing like Varun. He was Rudra. Her Rudra.

After a long silence, he spoke, "I know we're married now, and tonight is suppose to be our suhaagraat."

Parvati stiffened.

Rudra shook his head, "But this isn't something you're ready for yet, right?"

She didn't respond, but continued to look at him.

"I know you're not ready yet. I don't blame you, especially after everything you have gone through. I promise you Paro, I won't come near you, or touch you, until you want me to."

Her eyes widened in astonishment.

"I'm not going to force you into anything you're not ready for. If I did, that would make me no better than...that vile man. You don't have to worry. I am never going to hurt you."

Rudra stood up and reached over to grab his pillow from the bed. Parvati understood that he wasn't going to sleep near her, believing that she would feel uncomfortable. He wanted her to know for sure that he wasn't going to hurt her...to assure her that he was nothing like Varun. As Rudra was about to turn to go, Parvati held his hand and stopped him. He looked at her. She pulled him down to sit next to her on the bed. He did so, not once removing his gaze from her.

"I trust you," she said softly. "You don't have to sleep away from me."

"What do you mean?" he asked, unsure of what she was saying.

"Just sleep on one side of the bed and I'll sleep on the other."

"Are you sure? I don't want you-."

"We are married. It isn't wrong. I trust you won't do anything."

Rudra hesitated. He had planned to sleep on the couch because he didn't want Paro to feel uneasy, but if she was saying she was okay with sharing a bed with him, then who was he to refuse? He nodded in agreement and went to one side of the bed as Parvati crawled into the other. They shared one blanket, but laid on the very edges of the bed, leaving a large gap between them. After a few minutes, Rudra turned to face Parvati, only to find that she was facing him, fast asleep. He rested his head on his arm as he stared at her. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping, as if there were no worries or tension in her life. He sighed. Tomorrow was a new day...a new beginning...for both of them.

As his eyes slowly became heavy with sleep, Rudra softly whispered to a sleeping Parvati, "I will make you happy, Paro. I promise."

**********

They're married...finally! I swear I don't know how I made Rudra this adorable in my story, but every time I proofread my chapters...I squeal ahahaha. Let me know what you think by leaving your comments and feedback below.

Next update: The un-welcomed guest.

Thanks for reading!