
Chapter 1:
''I can't do this marriage.'' Priyom muttered as his father asked him about backing away from his marriage suddenly. ''But why Priyom? Don't you love her?" His father, Phulan Thaakur asked his younger son. Priyom turned towards him & breathed heavily. ''Its not about love papa. I do like her but marriage is not possible, please.'' He was about to leave the room when he stopped by his elder cousin brother, Laakhan.
''Time ho gaya hai. Niche sab wait kar rahe hai, chalo.''
He said while grabbing his brother's wrist. ''Hum kahi nahi jaa rahe.'' Priyom muttered. Laakhan stood there emotionless while his bade papa made his way through them. ''Itne saalo se jo yaha ke logo ke dilo mein humne apni jo izzat banayi hai woh ek pal mein khatam ho jayegi priyom aur iske zimmedar hoge tum, sirf tum.''
''Baat kya hai bade papa?" Laakhan asked, with concern in his voice.
Phulan thakur sighed heavily. ''Priyom don't want to marry Poonam. Now u tell me what should be done at this stage. I can't cancel this marriage because it will greatly affect us on our reputation in Begu Sarai & the innocent girl's life will be completely destroyed because of my son's damn immaturity.'' Saying this, he glared at Priyom who just ignored his dad's furious gaze.
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He sat beside her with his gaze lowering to the floor. The people around them was whispering about their weeding. He lifted his sehra a bit to catch a glimpse of her but her long veil became the obstacle. He could hear a soft sob but ignored as the priest told to do the rituals. The rituals were almost done when the priest told him to fill the vermilion. Her veil was lifted up & he was just left mesmerized. The vulnerability was clearly visible from her tear-stricken eyes but she was just sat numb there. He felt the urge to wipe her tears of from her eyes & cheeks. His heart ached seeing her like this.
The rituals were done. She bided her parents adieu & left with him. His mother told her to do the graha-pravesh & she did all the rituals silently. His mother was left shocked as well as surprised when her son performed all the rituals so obediently.
She was taken to his room by Rekha Devi, his mother who was constantly blabbering about the marriage & taunting her for not getting enough dowry.
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After almost an hour later, he arrived. She adjusted herself & wiped off the remaining tears from her eyes & face. He stood there for a while thinking how to approach towards her. He never came close to any of girls & she is the first girl who entered in his life & he will make sure she is the last one as well.
He sat before her & looked into her eyes. Those were red due to crying her simultaneously. Her eyes lowered as it met with his. He smiled with a deadly grief clung to his heart which never reached to his eyes. He touch her fingers of her hand & she trembled in unknown fear. This was natural, he thought.
''Poonam.'' He called, almost breathed for a second.
She never lifted her eyes up. He hold one of her hand & tangled with his. ''I can't understand what you are feeling but I know what pain you are going through.'' He said while holding her chin up to met with his gaze.
''This marriage was so suddenly happened that I didn't got a mere second to share my words with you.'' She looked up & finally the dark brown moist orbs met with deep blue ones. The intensity, the way he was staring at her made her senses numb.
''I can't promise you a fairytale life & with me is never possible.'' He chuckled at his own words while her eyes lit up a bit. Meanwhile, he noticed the change & his heart smiled. ''But I promise you- I give you my words that with me your every happiness will be attached to. It will be now my responsibility to make you happy.''
He held her hands in both of his palms & closed into an fist. Poonam winced in sudden ache but didn't made her facial expression changed for a bit. She observed him for the first time, willingly.
''This Poonam-'' he caressed her cheek & smiled a little. Poonam was dumbfounded seeing his smile. This is all so new to her. She had never seen him, Laakhan Thakur smile. It left her mystified. ''Belongs to only me. I will be the sole reason of her smile & tears. I will be the one who will spoil her as well as give her punishments because she is mine.'' He clutched her palms tighter into him.''You. Are. Mine Now. Only Mine.'' He emphasized each word like a statement of her life.
She could only nodded at his words. Laakhan's words surely shook her to much extent of unknown fear but it also gave her a right. A right of belonging. That she is also belongs to someone. She will be also someone's life priority. She too will be held importance in someone's life. Whether there will be love or not but there always be support for each other, trust for each other which her best friend cum fiance Priyom Phulan Thakur broke & shattered her dreams into infinite pieces.
Laakhan watched as Poonam fall asleep later on his arms only after he told about various things of his childhood to divert her mind from the marriage incident. He knew Poonam was left shattered when she came to know that Priyom doesn't want to marry her just because he will loose his free life & he can't be tied to any relationship for rest of his life.
Laakhan consciously shifted away from Poonam just to make her sleep comfortably on the bed. He took out most of the heavy ornaments from her & kept it in the table attached to the bed as those were quite heavy & very much unpleasant to sleep with. He shut off all lights & opened the window near to the bed to moonlight enlighten his dark room. He never got a second of sleep & even forget to blink as his eyes were busy staring at his beautiful young bride who has child-like innocence & from now on this innocent doll belongs to him, only him.
:::Index:::
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Thank You All :D Loads Of Love❤️
---$hreya---