This is Marybarton, veteran IPK and Geet member and IF member since 2003 (another screen name). I write mostly OS and SSs with a feminist twist and sometimes point out glaring errors in plot. How do you do?
I see some old IPK members here. Hola! It has been years! Took me a long time to come back. Hope we can touch base again. Last time I wrote was for Aahil in Qubool Hai and the serial disappointer, Gul, has rid of that storyline too.
I left Qubool last year after a short visit. Now I am here. Let's see how long this lasts. IPK2, by Sphere did not hold be past a few months, but I have high hopes as of right now. Dishy hero and all that. Hope we can all be in it together and enjoy a couple of viewer stories along the way.
Part 1: Please be sure to comment.
Every inch of the palace hallways were decorated with those irritating flowers resembling his first wedding's decorations. As Ranaji walked down the hall of his and Solakshna's bedroom, he thought again about the intruder in their sanctuary.
As he expected, Gayatri was sitting on his bed, her head down and surrounded by every luxury her father's money could afford. She was decked in jewels and ornate fabrics - no less the princess than any other. From the ceiling, flowers came down like a fragrant, sheer, shower around the edges of the bed.
As nonchalant as he wanted to be before setting her straight about the marriage, the sign of a beautiful woman on his bed made his heartbeat a little out of rhythm. He had never had a woman this near his bedroom other than his Solakshna. It made him feel disloyal that this felt so strangely thrilling.
The girl noticed that he had come in. He could tell because she tucked her little red-painted feet back in. The simple movement was so innocent, so vulnerable, that it made hims feel guilty about what he was about to do.
Ranaji steeled himself with the thought that she very well knew that her father was using the enormous debt to force his hand in marriage. She had what she wished for. She was the Rani of Amerkoot now. She could not hope for more when he had nothing more to give.
He cleared his throat, bidding his time. She looked up, rounding those big brown eyes at him.
Ranaji: Now that we are...married, I think it best if we set some boundaries.
She looked immediately worried. It gave him pause.
Ranaji: You have everything you wanted from this marriage, I hope you know not to expect more of...me.
Gayatri looked confused and alarmed, but stayed silent.
Ranaji: I am forever loyal to Solakshna and cannot imagine letting anyone take her place.
He waited. She finally spoke up.
Gayatri: I would never dream of taking her place. I just hope we can work on...our present and future.
Gayatri was mortified by her own blunt admission.
Gayatri: Forgive my abruptness.
Ranaji, frustrated, shook his head and turned away. Finally, he looked back.
Ranaji: You don't understand. I mean, aap humse, iss shaadi se, koi umeed na rakkhe. We are married for the public only, but in private, we must be complete strangers. I do not love anyone but my wife, the only one I consider my wife that is...Solakshna. Other than that, you have free reign over the palace. Like you wanted.
He stopped lamely. He had hoped to avoid the immature blame-game.
She looked on in stunned silence.
Gayatri slowly stood up, ruining the beautiful Suhaag Raat setup around her. He felt a tinge of diappointment as his bride got up from the bed, scattering all the decorated flowers around her ornate lehenga. That was his to ruin, he thought guiltily.
Gayatri: Humse koi galti ho gayi hai kya, Ranaji? Humne kaha na, him akele us zheel ke paas gayethe, iss liye dubne par dar gaye the. Otherwise, I would never lie to you about my father. It is just that I could get in big trouble at home if they found out how much trouble I had gotten into in the first place.
Ranaji: It not about the damn lie!
He lowered his voice when she startled like a frightened kitten.
Ranaji: I could not care less about that. All I am saying is that aap humse koi umeed na rakkhe iss marriage se kyun ki hum abhitak sirf or sirf hamare pehle biwi ki hai. (He added for good measure) Aur hamesha rahenge.
Gayatri: Lekin...if it is not the lie, what are you angry with me about? Why would you want to wed and not have a marriage? I thought you liked me (she ended in a whisper).
Ranaji: Woh aapki galat faimi thi. Aisa kuch nehi hai.
Now it sank in. The realization that Gayatri was denying sank in.
Gayatri cried: But you agreed to the marriage. You gave me signs!
Ranaji: I gave you no signs!
Gayatri's heart stopped, she said with deliberate words: Then, why would you agree to marry me?
Ranaji was stumped for a moment, but answered honestly: I was made to.
Gayatri dropped back down on the bed pulling some of the strings of flowers down from the ceiling. Ranaji started for her, wanting to break her fall, before he saw she had safely plopped down on the bed.
Gayatri: That means, I have been misunderstanding your intentions, but...why would you agree? Who could force you against your will?
Her heart was breaking, but she willing those tears back as her hopes shattered before her eyes. Gayatri would not humiliate herself further.
Ranaji: Do not pretend you do not know.
Gayatri equally: I don't.
Ranaji turned away, he was noticing the tears bubbling to her confused and pained brown orbs: Fine, if you must know. The decision had to be made for the good of my subjects.
Gayatri charged: We did not care if you were married or single.
Ranaji rounded on her: The palace is in your father's debt and he used it to buy you the title of my queen. Indulgent father, I must say. I am sure, even if you did not know all the business details, you knew about the lengths your father could go to get you what you wanted. (He said with relief) Now the loan is paid off.
That did ring true for her, Gayatri's heart sank as she realized what he was trying to say.
Gayatri: Right on all counts, Ranaji, save one. I never wanted to be queen. The only reason I wanted it is because it came with being your wife. Nothing more! And you accuse my father of conniving to get this marriage when you took all those loans? Why don't you just admit that you chose this method to pay off your loans by using me as a mohra because you cannot afford to pay in any monetary way!
Ranaji stepped back in shock. He did not think the little chit had it in her to challenge him with business reasoning.
Gayatri's eyes cooled as she stepped ahead, rounding on him: Oh yes, that was sound business accumen. Jaise aapko aapke yeh riyasath virasaat meh mile hai, hume mile he woh dimaag jisse humare babuji unke business khara kiya hai. The same success that now apparently allowed him to buy me a king (he flinched). You come cheap, Ranaji (her deliberate fridigity cut through him like a cold knife). I have lost all respect for you, say nothing of love. As a praja, I did not think you could stoop low enough to be a gold-digger, but here you are! I don't blame you for not loving me or being loyal to your wife, maybe I misunderstood in my naivete... I can take the blame for that and forgive you for not giving me a marriage. But by god, I will not sit here and take character accusations against me or my father for a sentence you took upon yourself! YOU agreed to this marriage knowing full-well that my father was only doing his duty of induling my childish dreams - because it was convenient for you. You wanted your loan forgiven and knowing that I was his weakness, you AND your mother took advantage. You traded me for the money and now you want to sit on your high horse!?
Ranaji was shaking now, looking at things from her point of view. He looked down, feeling nothing but shame. No one had ever spoken to him in this way. He did not know what to do.
Gayatri: Not from where I stand, Ranaji. Aur iss SACRIFICE ko aap prajake liye aapka pyaar ka naam na de toh hi behtar hai. Your subjects would have been fine with a poorer king, it is YOU who did not want to lose your luxuries. As a praja, I would have respected a king without a palace more than what stands before me now...a king without character.
Ranaji shouted: Gayatri! Hold your tongue.
Gayatri raised her hand: Hold yours. You call yourself loyal to your wife, yet you sold yourself for money.
Ranaji gritted out: I will not have you talk to me like this!!! How dare you? I AM YOUR KING!!!
Gayatri laughed to shied her heart: As far as I am concerned, you are just a shiny new toy my father has bought me. But I was mistaken, you are not as enthralling as I once thought, I am bored of you now.
She turned away and proceeded to undo her bridal jewelry with vicious hands.
He stood in silent rage as she ignored him and went about her business.
Ranaji: You do not know what you have done.
Gayatri said insolently: I insulted the King of Amerkoot, a crime punishable by years in prison - if proven. You have to admit your new gold digger status if you want to prove I insulted you. If however, you are not willing to lose face that way, I suggest we play along in this farce.
She glared at him through unshed tears on the mirror.
Gayatri: Maybe not wife, but I plan to be a good bahu and prove to your family that we lowly trader-stock have the same values as your grandma thinks only lofty royals do. The other day she came to my house and called me a piece of glass or rotten diamond among her royal treasures. Does she know about your sauda?
Ranaji shamefacedly: She knows nothing and you will not tell her.
Gayatri forced nonchalance in her voice: I thought not, otherwise she could not go insult me in front of my father. I am his paras mani, as you know to your cost. Too bad Badi Rani Maa's kohinoor turned out to be a fake. What ironn-yyy (he had grabbed her by the hand in anger).
Gayatri slipped her hand out just as quickly, leaving behind her engagement ring.
Gayatri: Keep it. It is your wife's amanat. Now I know why you were so angry on our engagement day. This was never meant for me now, was it?
Part 2: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/126666577
Part 3: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/126762873
Past 4: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/126790229
Part 5: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/126990179
Part 6: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/127206463
Part 7: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/127428082
Part 8: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/127672269
Part 9: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/128085973
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