The Best of Things
(RagLak, SwaSan) Fan Fiction Series
By Bubble
Chapter 6
It was about 2am. They stood like that on the balcony, face to face. Lakshya in his dressing gown, Ragini bare-shouldered, with a sheet wrapped around her, wearing nothing but her mangalsutra...
Lakshya raised their clasped hands to his face. His lips were on the back of her right hand. "What do you want, Ragini? What is the life you want? Don't think about me, or Swara, or our families. Just look inside your heart and tell me the plain truth. Nothing more, nothing less - I'll make it happen."
A shiver went through Ragini. This one was easy and the truth was so simple. Should she blurt it out? His eyes were steady, piercing. There was no way to evade this truth, really. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes... tears of her intensity rolled down her cheeks. "I still want you, Laksh! I want a life with you!"
He said nothing. She raised her eyes to his with some difficulty. He was still looking steadily, as if to gauge what she had said. "A lifetime with me? A life with warmth, respect and mutual affection?" he asked.
"Yes!" she gasped, "a life with all that."
He lowered their hands and let her go. "What would you be willing to do for that, Ragini?" he asked her, eyes narrowed, head tilted.
She broke out in a nervous, near-hysterical laugh. "What would I do?! What would I be willing to do?! How can you ask me that, Laksh? Don't you know what I HAVE done? What more would you like me to do?" Her smile was twisted.
He raised a hand to stop her. "I know that. But you did all that to get me. The question is a little different now. Now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me, Ragini?"
She looked confused.
"What are you willing to do to make that happen - a life with warmth, harmony, respect and mutual affection?" He was a little amused. Like a small girl playing shaadi-shaadi' with her doll set, she had grabbed him like a trophy, but had given no thought to the marriage itself.
"Anything!" she brought out forcefully, "I'm willing to do anything you want!"
Anything. He accepted that with a tilt of his head. She looked up at him with her heart in her eyes.
"Ok, here's the deal," he said.
"I will be your husband all my life - we stay married, till death do us part. No divorce!"
"I will always be loyal to you, treat you with respect, look after you, provide for you, be fair to you."
"But we live in a patriarchal society, and since you are a particularly special case, I'll expect you to mould yourself to my life, my tastes, my wishes. Tumhe mere rang mein dhalna hoga. I'll be setting the rules. Do you trust me to do that? Is that ok with you?"
She heard him out. Was that all!?
Her eyes were brimming. Hope warred with suspicion. He had treated her with hurtful loathing and contempt only the previous week - why was he speaking to her so temperately? Why was he offering her this? Such a fair, generous contract of marriage! What was the catch?
"Kyun, Laksh?"
"Those are the terms, Ragini. Yes, or No?" He seemed implacable.
She threw caution to the winds - what did it matter!? "YES! You know, I mean yes! But why, Laksh? Why have you changed your mind?"
He looked away into the distance. "I have my reasons, Ragini - maybe I'll tell you someday. Not now... you wouldn't understand."
"Laksh..." she said hesitantly. She was in no situation to negotiate but she had to ask. "You didn't mention love. You're still in love with Swara..."
He turned back sharply to look at her. "No, I didn't mention love." He raised his arm wearily through his hair. "You don't need to worry about Swara any more, Ragini - she is off-limits to me as much as I am off-limits to her. You don't have to spend any more time worrying over whether I'm yearning for her - she's not for me, I've accepted that and that is pretty final."
He looked at her, a slight frown on his face, "I will be a good, loyal husband, I promise you. But you asked about love - and since we are being honest with each other, I'll tell you as honestly as I can: I don't know."
She stared at him with wide eyes.
He went on, "I'll treat you with all the maryada that is due to you as my wife - I can't promise you anything more. I've promised to behave lovingly - I can't promise to love you. I've promised to treat you with respect - I can't promise to respect you."
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