A Cursed Up Love T1 - Page 36

Chapter 9: The Cursed Wedding

Maan sat there looking rather distressed, he idly followed the priest's instruction but on several occasion was prompted by Dadi. Seeing this Rano got even more worried, what was wrong with him? He seemed like a totally different guy, but in reality he was just the same person but back then they had patch woven around their eyes seeing only positivity and right now that patch seemed to have dissolved.

'You may call the bride' The priest requested breaking into her thoughts, Mohinder could clearly see into his wife's fear and frankly speaking even somewhere down the line he was regretting the decision. Maan maybe wasn't the right choice but it's too late to do anything now. Saminder and Balwinder threw knowing looks at one and another, Maan was clearly not the man they wanted for Geet.

'Geet you look like a fairy' Pammi complimented placing a khala tika to the ear, soon the room was filled with silent weeping.

'I'll miss you so much, it's not fair I don't even know you probably' Trisha complained hugging Geet feeling left out since she was only married into the family a year ago hence knew Geet for the shortage length of time.

The atmosphere changed within a second hearing chachi shout 'Bring Geet out'.

Every head turned towards Geet, smiles; tears and whispering followed seeing their princess look nothing less than an angel. Dressed in a beige and maroon lehenga, the velvet and heavy stone work made her look regal. Simple costly jewellery added dimensions to the already beautiful display. Her outfit was in sync with Maan's who wore a beige sherwani with maroon designs. If people went by looks and clothes then Geet and Maan were indeed the perfect couple. Geet's bhabis' stood back letting her brothers take centre stage, who all dressed same in the same brown sherwani's complimenting both Geets and Maan's outfit. The four senior brothers held a dupatta above Geet's head; a sign of tender and care, while Tito escorted Geet holding her by the hand. Dadima and Vicky stood rooted watching her take slow steady steps towards the stage, with her veil down no one actually could see her face but nevertheless the aura she carried was that of a pure love. While everyone was busy looking at the beauty ahead, Maan looked away in anger counting numbers to eliminate his heated temper. The burning fire was equivalent to his wavering wrath. Throwing a dirty look at the priest, who immediately turned away feeling scared. This marriage was between an angry beast and docile beauty, so in reality perfection was only a figment of imagination.

Once Geet reached the stage, she half expected Maan to hold out his hands to gently pull her up but nothing as such happened; instead it was Vicky to kindly guided her to her future partner. While Brij seemed pissed, it was Teji and Lucky who simmered his anger. All five brothers were equally annoyed seeing Maan's uncaring attitude, was he forced or what?

Geet diligently followed Maan around the fire, promising to abide by and fulfil each oath. When it was her turn to lead, she stumbled almost falling over; had it not been for Maan who secured her in the nick of time, she would have been a scathed bride. The forceful movement caused the veil to uplift showing the bottom half of her face, mesmerising Maan to a certain extent.

'You've got all your life to stare at my princess, son' Darji joked causing a bubble of laughter amongst the audience and bringing Maan back to his usual self. He immediately let go but ensured she was stable. This act had reversed every Handa's thoughts, they relaxed thinking that maybe they were expecting too much. After all they loved Geet way too much, Maan can maybe not overcome that love but they would be very happy if he could equal that. 'His just nervous' Rano thought with a small smile seeing her daughter walk around the fire in anxiousness with a somewhat calm looking Maan following. Family members and guest threw red petals, showering their love and blessing to the soon to be couple. On a few occasions Geet trampled of her Lehenga, clearing showing that Geet can't lead so well but still she tried her level best, leading wasn't her cup of tea. Well how can one expect a girl hidden in a fortress for 20 years to lead?

'Now you may tie the mangal shutra' the priest said passing the sacred gold and black necklace. Without much ado, Maan almost snatched the necklace and roughly placed the beaded chain around her neck with the help of Taiji. Everyone clapped while Geet reeled in shock, his rushed movement caused slight discomfort within her and a little scare erupted in her being. The painful sting on her neck caused by his rashness only fuelled her anxiousness. Next he filled her parting with sindoor, this time Maan did it ever so carefully making her worry disappear within a second. He guided his hand under the veil with the help of Chachi, since it was customary in Hosyarpur for the Groom not to see their bride. When a little pinch of sindoor fell onto her nose, Geet's happiness knew no bounds. He loved her, little signs like that made her day. Unknown to her, she who was the Princess of light was marrying the Prince of darkness who was already painted in red.

It was Trishna, Suman and Pammi that helped Geet get up, readying her for the Bidaai. A moment no daughter looks forward to, seeing tears in Darji's eyes brought forth a barricade of tears in everyone else. Even Vicky was affected knowing that the girl his brother married today was trapped in a loveless marriage. But Maan cared less, without making it obvious he stood by the door quietly listening to Brij and Teji who were making small talk about Geet's likes and dislikes which Maan was obviously uninterested in but listened half-heartedly for the sake of it.

'Darji I don't want to go' Geet hiccupped squeezing him into a tight hug

'I want to stay here' she continued crying hugging both her uncles and aunties

'Mamma please' now she was getting breathless with all the crying, her red flushed face still hidden under the veil but a mother needed no face to understand her daughter's emotion. It was Lakhan who finally managed to separate her from Mohinder who was unwilling to let go, clutching onto Brij and Lucky she made her way to the car feeling too weak to even walk.

'I'll miss you Teji veerji and feed Bella on time Tito' she ordered holding out her hand to her youngest brother still crying. I love you' he heard her whisper as the car began moving biting the dust.

The atmosphere in the car was that of mourning, the journey from Hosyarpur to Delhi tired both the bride and the groom. While Geet was still busy crying, it was an agitated Maan who pulled her out to stand on her feet outside Khurrana Mansion. Momentarily the crying seized feeling his painful grip on her arm

'SHUT UP' he seethed looking squarely at her face, had the veil not been there Maan would have witnessed a totally scared Geet.

'Beta come here' Dadima intervened throwing an angry look at Maan who moved behind both the woman. Vicky by now was angry, annoyed and depressed. Once at the front door, Dadima did the puja and followed every ritual which the newly wedded couple abided by. Guests took turn in pulling each of their legs, making Geet forget about the incident that took place a few minutes ago.

All the fun and games seemed to have disappeared, soon she found herself sitting in the middle of a very large decorated bed. The room was as spacious as her bedroom but there was a feel of cold wafting through the air. For some reason the fear settled back in her being, the wedding she was looking forward to wasn't exactly what she expected, Maan wasn't what she expected. Even though she tried but she couldn't let that feeling of something wrong happening leave her? An unknown terror seeped into her heart. Call it intuition or natural instinct but her heart and body kept on warning her all day of the outcome of this long awaited marriage. It was the sudden banging noise of the door that managed to jump her up grabbing all her attention.

He stared at the change in his room, Dadi promised him nothing would change yet there sat a girl decorated as his bride which was the rightful place of his Sameera. Flowers hung over his bed looking lavish, scented candle fanned his inner monster which was fighting to erupt seeing the charade in his otherwise common room. Then finally he laid his eyes on the shivering bride, her knees tucked to her chest and her arms carefully wrapped over. The veil still clung covering that face, which he cared less about. Every second spent in the room reminded of the injustice Sameera faced because of him, because of his dadi and because of this girl; his so called wedded wife. Well not for long.

'Sign this' the bitterness in his voice could clearly be heard, without wasting a second Geet stretched her hands to take the papers but in a hurry gripped his hands. The next, both sights were glued to one another. Geet could clearly see the anguish and the turmoil within him; while he felt the tenderness of her hands fighting with his fresh. The spell was broken when Maan abruptly moved his hands ripping the skin of her palm with his watch, resulting in a little scream from her.

'SHHH' he breathed pulling her out with a forceful hand throwing her off balance and removing the veil off her face. Geet who was immune to pain, well physical pain was going to face much more it seemed. It was then he was gifted with the sight of her beautiful face. The eyes that tormented his being for the past couple of days belonged to her, the pain; the anxiety could clearly be seen in those hazel soft eyes. For a minute he forgot everything, he forgot what was right and what was wrong, he forget who he was and what he was doing. The urge to calm her was utmost important, to know her was crucial.

'erm ye kha hai' she questioned wanting to put a distance between the two. Something about him made her uncomfortable, he was unpredictable and heavy handed unlike her family members making her all the more scared. The next second he pushed her away with a light push, nothing to harm her balance but hard enough to faze her dreams and alarm her love.

'Divorce papers' she heard herself say with a broken voice, what lay in her hands was the future to their present. Their relationship was for a day, even if that. Just this afternoon she got married and by night she's ready to be divorced, why was fate so cruel?

'ha divorce, this marriage wasn't my choice' his gruff voice cut through her tears

'I love someone else so it's better to end this crap now' he said before walking out on her and their relationship.

'I curse you and your family on this fateful day that the next daughter in the Handa family will never be loved'

'Your daughter too shall die a death no different than mine'

'May she also experience rejection in love'