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In tonight's delicious episode the CVs gave Rudra and Parvati much to think about. Reflections that awoke different emotions in them and roused them to different responses.
Paro's reflections about not accompanying Rudra to Jaipur, as she struggled to pull the bangles off her sensitive wrist, brought her no cheer. So she tried to mitigate her disappointment - she'd always known he wouldn't take her with him to the ball. And it would have been strange to accompany him to Jaipur. But her brisk talking-to gave her no relief. So she bent over the hard-hearted glass bangles encircling her burning wrist for one last tug.
Moments later it was Rudra who was bending over her hand staring at her angry burn with appalled eyes, barely comforted by her assurance that he was not responsible for the wound. His reflection as he gently stroked a salve on her reddened skin gave him no ease - it must have hurt her to wear the bangles earlier. Why had she not said anything?
A few more questions about the injury gave Rudra all the clues he needed. It was Kakisa who'd insisted that Paro should roll up her sleeves and expose her wrist, and Kakisa who'd organised the bangle ritual, Rudra reflected out loud as he tended to Paro's burn. Paro had not told Kakisa about the burn. Therefore it was Kakisa who must have inflicted the burn in the first place. And roused to action by his conclusion, Rudra strode off to deal with Kakisa.
Shortly thereafter, a chagrined and fuming Kakisa was left reflecting on Rudra's brains, that wretched girl's cunning in stymying her plans, and her own run of bad luck that had all combined to spoil the weather for her.
She'd have been cheered if she'd seen the clouds descending on Rudra's brows moments later. Seen the sombre reflections that stopped him in his tracks and made him lean against the wall for support as he realised the real reason for Paro's over-bright smiles and tantalising touches while he'd squeezed her injured wrist into bangles. And reflected on his own over-reaction.
A reflection that whipped him into inviting her to accompany him to Jaipur later in his room. Of course, he had to couch the invitation in concerns for her security if she was left to Kakisa's mercies without him to protect her. But it did the trick. Paro was smiling as she stuffed her dresses into their suitcase.
Much later it was Paro's turn to reflect on the strangeness of it all. The bell-boy to take their suitcase to their room, the lift, the sumptuous room, the key which could not be hung beside the door but which was a card that turned the power on...and off. And necessitated grabbing on to Rudra's solid arm and drawing close to his body for protection against the darkness. Such a welcome defence that it took her a while after the lights had been restored to let go of him.
But the most rousing reflection of all was to come just a little later when Paro unwrapped the myriad delights the room had to offer: the red roses, the card on the bouquet bearing both their names, the rose petals on the bed, the romantic swans, the TV, the air-conditioning, the chocolates and the champagne. It was the champagne that bubbled out when she popped the cork that had Paro dashing to the bathroom to moisten a towel in preparation to cleaning up.
And it was her accidental gaze in the mirror above the wash-basin as she directed the jet of water onto the towel that gave Paro a steamy reflection of the very male, very nude Rudra in the shower with his back to her. So steamy a reflection that Paro was roused into clapping her hands over her eyes in reflex, and forgetting all about the towel, into running out of the bathroom.
When finally she mustered up the control to close the bathroom door with her eyes shut, it was inevitable that she would fall into the arms of Rudra, who'd chosen that very moment to pull it open. A freshly-washed, still-wet-about-the-hair, deliciously fragrant Rudra clad in a muscle-defining tee-shirt and a towel about his hips. A Rudra so dangerous to her self-control that Paro preferred the questionable attractions of the bathroom to the unquestionable attractions of the bedroom.
There was no time for reflection when Rudra, in response to his CO's summons, rushed to join him downstairs, absently taking the card key with him and engulfing the room in darkness. That time would come later when the CO's wife noticed the key in his hand, and Rudra realised that he'd left Paro all alone in a strange, dark room.
Tonight the CVs gave us what we wished for - PaRud on their extended honeymoon in Jaipur. There was oodles of romance as we saw Rudra caring for Paro in just about every way there is - physically easing the pain of her burn, and giving her as much happiness as he could emotionally. Giving her the trip to Jaipur that she'd looked forward to, reading out their names on the card, a tour of the suite and the chance to experience its new delights, the reassuring warmth of his presence in the dark and the rousing warmth of his reflection in the mirror. And there's more romance to come tomorrow. Those eight vows really might never have been. At this rate we'll be heading for an almost consumashun before PaRud return.
Rudra's realisation of Paro's burnt wrist today rather than on Friday was eminently satisfying. The deferred delight more than made sense coupled as it was to Kakisa's comeuppance and the Jaipur trip. Screenplay remained spot on throughout the episode. Acting honours are shared by Sanaya and Ashish for turning in heart-warming performances. 👏👏👏 to the cast and crew for brightening up our Monday with an episode that calls for repeated viewing.
After the precap, tomorrow can't come soon enough!! 😆
