Italics are for flashback
Fourteen years- An OS
Her eyes sought his reflection out in the mirror, their eyes met. In his eyes, she saw the flashes of all that had transpired. The 14 long years that had seemed longer than those. Each night had been long, each night trying. Without him, her life was incomplete.
"I have to my love, I have to. I cannot live what the others aren't," he said, a tremor in his voice. She longed to hold him to her, to comfort him, but he was not her Arya at that moment. In his eyes, she saw her Ram Bhaiyya's younger brother, she saw her Sita Jiji's brother-in-law. She saw her Lakshman Bhaiyya and Urmila's brother, who was making a sacrifice for them In spite of the circumstances, she smiled.
"You know, Arya?" she said, softly. His eyes shut, and he knew she understood. He had expected her to, then why was he surprised she did? His Mandavi always would.
"Tell me, Mandavi?"
"Swami, when I married you, before I married you, I was talking to Sita Jiji, Urmi and Kirti, we all agreed that whatever else about you four was different, one thing was the same."
"What is that, Mandavi?" Her name stuck in his throat. Did he still hold the right to call her that? Would she allow it?
The protest didn't come, as she went on. "That the four of you brothers love each other more than anyone in the Universe"
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words didn't come. He couldn't say anything. Her eyes shone with tears, yet he knew, they were not tears of mourning, they were tears of pride.
"Swami, don't. Don't feel guilty, don't think you let anyone down" she said, correctly reading his thoughts.
"How did y-"
"I am your wife, Swami"
He looked at her in surprise, shock even. A smile formed, larger than the previous had been.
"Swami, did you think that I would stop saying that? Forever, Swami. I love you and I am your wife. Fourteen years will pass."
Her eyes pooled with tears, and she blinked them back.
"Here," he said, turning away. "Right here, I promised you I would come back in fourteen years, my lo-Mandavi"
She shut her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. Wiping them, she rose, and went to stand in front of him. "Swami?" she said softly.
He looked slowly up at her, remorse, and sorrow welling up in him. "Mandavi?"
"Don't." she said, soothingly. "It wasn't your fault, and it isn't your fault."
"But, Mandavi.." he trailed off. Words failed him. He didn't know what to say, how to put in words what he was feeling.
"Swami," she led him to the couch.
Seating him there, she sat on the stool beside the couch, the one she always sat on, and took his hands in hers.
"Swami, answer a few questions for me?"
He nodded, surprised. He expected a torrent of accusations, even though his heart told him Mandavi, his Mandavi would never. But did he still have the right to call he his?
"Did you ever want Ayodhya?"
He shook his head vehemently. "Never. Mandavi, Ayodhya belongs to Bhaiyya, only to Him, how can I claim a right to what was never mine?"
"Did you ever want any harm to befall Bhaiyya, Jiji or Lakshman Bhaiyya?" she asked, her voice quivering.
"Never." Fat tears rolled down his cheeks, the anguish and the pain he had held in slowly finding an outlet. Before his shaking hands reached his cheeks, she had wiped the tears off. That one denial, one firm 'never' was all that it took.
"But Mandavi.."
"But what, my Lord?" she asked gently.
"I feel like it is," he said, softly, a vulnerable expression on his features.
"Swami, they all love you beyond words. They love you more than I can perhaps confine in words, or in pages."
"I don't deserve it."
"Swami, do you trust your Bhaiyya, and Jiji, and your brothers, and Urmi and Kirti?" He noticed that for a second time she had left herself out, but didn't comment.
"More than I can tell you."
"Then trust them. They all love you the same, perhaps more, after all this."
"And you my love?"
She smiled at him, an expression he had missed and he loved seeing on her face.
"My Lord, I love you more and more every day. Together or in separation."
She blushed a bright red, and quickly rose, turning away from him. He stood and gently turned her to him.
"My love?" She looked up quickly at him, almost not believing her ears. She had longed to hear him say that, for so long, so many years.
"Swami?" she said, blushing more.
"I am sorry," he said, softly, tearing.
"For what, my Lord?" she wiped the tears that poured down his face.
"I have been able to give you nothing since you came here. Nothing. You would have done much better without me, better than me."
"LORD!" she jerked herself out of his grip, finally giving way to the sobs she had held in for him and for the rest of her family.
"Mandavi?" he stood in front of her again, and held her to him, as she cried into him.
"Swami, never say that" she choked out through her sobs. "Never, ever. I love you and you are my husband. I am in love with you. I want none but you."
"You're kind of stuck with me anyway,' he said, a humorous note creeping into his voice. In spite of herself, Mandavi found herself giggling.
"Swami!" she snuggled into his arms, secure, content.
"Mandavi," he imitated, laughing.
"Rusht, Swami" She pouted up at him, a mischievous look in her eyes.
"I'm not falling for that pout, my love." He suddenly turned serious again.
"Swami?"
"I love you more than I can tell you, my Mandavi. Much much more. I am lucky to have you."
"It is I who is lucky, Lord. I have a husband who I am immensely proud of."
"You are, are you?" The mischievous look was back. She nodded, blushing. "I see, my Mandavi"
"My Mandavi?" She quirked an eyebrow at him
"You are." he said, in a tone she didn't recognise, but would come to.
"RAKSHASIII" came a teasing voice, as she exited her mother-in-law's chambers the next day. She shook her head and turned.
"Yes, Urmi?" she said, grinning.
"I have something to ask you," her sister said, in a singsong voice.
"So do I, Jijiii!" said Kirti, almost twirling to them.
"And me!" Sita Jiji said, waltzing to them
"Are all three of you in a mischievous mood?" asked Mandavi, sighing.
"Nope! All three of us, plus Ram Bhaiyya, Lakshman Bhaiyya and Arya too," came Kirti's cheeky reply.
Mandavi sighed again. There went her peace.
She could almost hear her Arya saying in her head: 'You wouldn't trade it for anything, my Mandavi.'
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