Author Pov
Everyone was up early next day. Both families and palaces were in chaos. It was the day when all the wedding guests would be arriving in Jaipur.
After their puja and breakfast, elders and young men left for the hotels to welcome guests themselves.
The hotels were bustling with people and traditional folk music was being played around making the atmosphere divine and peaceful. People were being welcomed with warm hugs and greetings. They were given the invite presents like glares, mini perfume sets, handbags, etc. Of course, all branded and selected by Niharika, Aditi and Aishu.
While the family members were busy with the guests almost whole day, the young ladies were having their beautiful time in their spa day! Yup, Ruhanika, Aishi-Adu, Sakshi, Arohi their cousins were having their peaceful time with getting themselves pampered with the parlour appointment at palace.
"It feels so relaxing! My skin literally feels like cotton right now. You see the glow!" Adu said looking at herself in the mirror dreamily making the girls laugh.
"Ha ha! Ho sake toh aapke liye bhi koi dhund le, Adu?" Arohi teased playfully. Aditi's eyes widen at her comment making girls again burst into fits of laughter.
(Haha! Want us to find groom for yourself too Adu?)
"What are you talking about bhabhisa? We...um....we should focus on bhabhima's marriage first right?" Adu said with a little red ears, nudging her shoulder with Siya, indicating her to divert others' attention from her.
Siya just laughed at her red face.
"The one who is glowing the most is bhabhima! I'm sorry to say Mrs. Nisha, I might have to say that this glow is because of my bhaisa's love!" Aishu said blowing on her painted nails, making Ruhanika blush. (Mrs.Nisha is the MUA.)
"What are you even talking about? Nothing is like that." Ruhanika said with a nervous smile making the girls giggle.
"Well, well. We might or might not have seen a couple doing lovey-dovey things at night in garden, right Arohi?" Sakshi said with a small smirk on the face. Ruhanika looked at her with horrified face making them burst into laughter.
"Wh..what?! W..who? Me!? No. What would I be doing in garden at night? You must've seen someone else." Ruhanika stuttered trying to reason something.
"I never said it was you Ruhi." Ruhanika closed her eyes in embarrassment of getting caught making them chuckle. She looked at them and laughed nervously.
"Woh...woh..." she tried to say something but nothing was coming out of her mouth.
Arohi smiled at her nervous face and said shrugging,
"It's okay. These are the days you would cherish when you will get old with Abheer sa. Enjoy them to the fullest." Ruhanika smiled hearing that.
"But, really?!" Aishu began grabbing their attention.
"It must be fun na, sneaking around to meet your partner during night!" She teased making Ruhanika whine.
"I wasn't sneaking. I was really strolling and didn't even have a single idea Abheer ji would come there...." Just like that they teased her for some more time and later having the girly talks.
This way 2 days passed with them being busy with the guests and wedding preparations and decorations.
It is 8th November! Mehendi Function!! The palace garden was decorated with Mandaps and flowers. People were bustling around. Some women were doing traditionally Rajasthani ghoomar, entertaining people with their flawless dancing skills. Rathores and Rajputs were busy doing preparations before the groom and bride come.
Now everyone's attention turned as palace doors opened and music started playing. Smiles spreaded on each one's faces as they saw the groom and bride entering with baby Abhaya.
The dancers and their siblings showered lots of flower-petals on them as they came in the center of the crowd, making Ruhanika excited. Abheer smiled as he heard her sweet giggles in between the music and cheers. He looked down at Abhaya in his arms feeling her squirm only to see she is trying to get rid of the petals that kept falling on her face. He chuckled seeing her grumpy face and kept his hand on her face to block anything falling on her face. Baby Abhaya looked up at her baba and gave a gummy smile to her saviour clapping happily. Abheer chuckled at his cute princess and kissed her crown making her squeal. Ruhanika smiled at her excited baby. They moved forward and sat on the stage. Ladies of the family came over to them.
"Mere bacche kitne pyare lag rahe hai. Kisi ki nazar na lage." Nitya said warding off evil eyes of the 3 making all of them smile.
(My kids are looking so beautiful! May god keep all evil away from you!)
"True! You both are looking very gorgeous. Just like Bhagwan Shiv and Mata Parvati. This little cute baby is Maa Ashoksundari, right gudiya? Huh, come to badi dadi mera baccha." Saraswati Devi cooed the last sentence taking Abhaya from Abheer who giggled at her childish voice.
"Let's start the rituals." Sushma Devi said. Some of the ladies started singing the traditional music as the rituals began. Gayatri Devi put tilak on both of their forheads blessing them both followed by everyone in the family, men too. Then it was a custom that first both mothers of groom and bride will apply mehendi on both of their hands and then everyone can start applying on themselves. After Nitya and Meera draw small swastik on both of their palms, mehendi artist took over their work. 4 different artists sat for each of Ruhanika's limbs working perfectly on intricate designs, while Abheer just asked to draw some small designs on his palms.
After being assured of everything done perfectly and nothing as important remained, ladies of the family sat for their own mehendi. Abheer was already done with his mehendi and was just sitting Ruhanika waiting for it to dry a little. Having nothing else to do, he kept looking on the work getting done on Ruhanika's palms.
"Jijasa, will you please go somewhere else now?" Sakshi came over with Aishu and Aditi. Abheer looked amused at Sakshi's demand and with the name she addressed him. Ruhanika frowned at het question and others around them also stopped doing their work to see what is going on.
"As you know we have to hide your name in Ruhi's mehendi. But it can't be done with you sitting here and looking over every detail in her mehendi." Sakshi's words earned laughter from others while Abheer shook his head chuckling. Ruhanika smiled shyly.
"Is it that important that I have to go away from my Ranisa?" Abheer asked looking up at her who nodded dramatically.
"Of course, hukum. It is the first thing you have to do on your wedding night!" Sakshi stated making the ladies around them laugh again while Ruhanika looked at her with wide eyes, at her so blunt comment. Abheer looked at her with amused eyes before moving his gaze towards Ruhanika. She looked down shyly to which he internally chuckle.
"Well, then Saali sahiba. I guess I should get going." Abheer said standing up making the trio let out a small laugh as Abheer left nodding at them.
Sakshi sat on his place beside Ruhanika who glared at her best friend.
"Why don't you have filter on your mouth? Did you have to say that aloud for everyone to hear. That's embarrassing." She whisper-yelled at her making Sakshi giggle.
Sakshi leaned forward and whispered teasingly in her ears,
"So what? It's not like you are not going to do that on your wedding night!" Ruhanika gasp and glared at her which only made Sakshi laugh as she was blushing furiously.
Men were partying in different garden during the function. There were snacks, starters, food, drinks while their ladies were getting mehendi done.
In the late afternoon ladies were almost done with their mehendi function and were headed to dining hall for lunch. The men were feeding their ladies as their hands were covered in heena. Ayaan and Abhiraj were feeding Aditi and Aishu.
Reyan was in the hallway attending a call. He turned to go in the dining hall but halted hearing a metal vase falling. He turned to the voice and frowned seeing a lady sitting on the ground beside a fallen vase.
He went over to her only to see it was Sakshi. However what caught his attention was she was struggling to breath. He squatted beside her only to see her tear stricken face.
"Hey! What happened? Are you alright? Calm do..wn, try to breath." He said calmly. She looked at him with teary vulnerable eyes making something inside him clench which he couldn't name.
"In...inhal....inhaler. Th...that bag." She said pointing towards her bag lying on floor with her heena smudged hands.
He immediately grabbed the bag and took out her inhaler. He helped her with pumping it in her mouth. It took almost 5-6 pumps for her to regain her normal breathing as she was panicked so much.
He let her sometime to calm down.
Once calm she took out her handkerchief from the purse wiping her wet heena muttering a small thank you while still some tears flowed from her eyes embarrassed of letting him see her worst asthmatic attack!
"It's okay. Are you really alright?" He asked gently making her nod. He helped her getting up while she was still unable to look into his eyes.
Reyan observed her, her puffy eyes, silent tears still falling, her hands having smudged red stain from the wiped heena, her figure still trembling with whatever happened earlier! He doesn't understand why he physically felt his heart aching at seeing the sassy, blunt Sakshi so vulnerable and weak!
"Do you need any help? Should I call Ruhi?" He asked her making her shake her head.
"Don't bother her. I'm anyways going to my room. Thank you for earlier." She said meekly and turned around leaving towards Ranisa Palace before Reyan could say anything. He watched her retreating figure, her steps slow and her form still trembling. He stood there lost in his own thoughts,
She has Asthma!? What could have happened to trigger her Asthma? And moreover, why I'm feeling so concerned for her??
His thoughts broke when he heard Abhiraj calling him for lunch. He looked back to see her gone. He sighed before going towards dining hall thinking,
Has she eaten anything?
In Night
Abheer was on vedio call with Ruhanika who was trying to make Abhaya sleep.
"What an irony! We are so close, yet I cannot be near you and my princess." Abheer chuckled making her smile.
"Just a few days. Din mein toh aise bhi hum saath mein hai. Kuch raat gujar lijiye akele mein." She teased him patting Abhaya's back to lull her to sleep. While Abhaya was cooing as if talking with them. Ruhanika sighed and sat on the bed in front of the ipad.
"Why are you troubling your maa today baby? You were so good girl whole day, why being a bad baby now?" She complained in baby voice holding Abhaya face-to-face, which made the baby giggle.
"My princess is not a bad girl, jaan. She just wants her maasa's attention. She was being a good girl during the day not crying, coz she wanted maasa to enjoy her special day. And now that she has her maasa all to herself, she wants to spend sometime with her, right princess?" She heard Abheer's voice through the call. While Abhaya let out an excited squeal hearing Abheer's voice which made Ruhanika amuse, while Abheer smiled at his cute daughter.
"Is it so, gudiya? Aww my baby! Maasa is sorry for not attending her gudiya." Ruhanika said in sweet voice cuddling Abhaya close to her chest which made the baby giggle and clutch her pallu.
How I wish to be there right now with both my lifelines! It's just matter of few days, then no one can separate me from you both!
Abheer thought looking at the screen where Ruhanika was talking with baby animatedly, kissing Abhaya's fists, chubby cheeks, forehead and cuddling with her. Her attention turned to screen where she saw Abheer was looking at them both with a small smile playing on his lips.
"Is babasa feeling left out? We should also talk with him right gudiya." She said turning Abhaya towards screen who giggled and clapped her hands when Abheer came in her view.
Abheer shook his heads at both of their antics, warmth spreading in his heart at their smiles.
"Babasa likes his girls happy and smiling. That is enough for me to survive." Ruhanika's heart fluttered at his words as she promised herself to cherish this person till the end of her life.
"Babasa is our life too! We are lucky to have you." She said softly and started to pat Abhaya's back as she yawned, her eyes drooping coz of sleep.
The next morning and afternoon went in some rituals where maternal families of both grrom and bride bring them gifts, clothes and jewellery. The night however was going to bashing! Yep, it's Sangeet night!
Abheer and Ruhanika sat on the sofa on the mini stage. While the dances would be performed in front of them on the dance floor.
Arjun, Aishu and Ayaan were the host of the party.
"Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Sangeet Night of my most handsome bhaisa and the prettiest bhabhima! Give a big round of applause to the this beautiful couple!" Ayaan excitedly exclaimed making the garden erupt with cheers.
"Though both family's principle is of family above everything and unity, this is the only ritual where we compete with one another." Aishu said.
"So yes! There is going to be competition between ladkewale and ladkiwale!...." Arjun was cut off by Aishu.
"And of course! We ladkewale are gonna rock on stage!" Aishu said sassily making the groom side hoot.
"Don't be overconfident Miss Aishwarya. You don't know about our talent. What say laado, can they even stand a chance?" Arjun asked Ruhanika to which the bride side was hooting now.
"Guys, I guess we will know that after performances only." Ayaan interrupted their banter.
"So without any delay, please welcome on stage my coconut like - hard on outside soft on inside like dadasa and my sweetest dadisa!" All hooted as light went down. Like this way everyone was dancing with enthusiasm and joy.
While ever so sunshine Ruhanika was so delighted and overwhelmed seeing her all loved ones happy and enjoying. Abheer was enjoying too seeing his parents and grandparents dancing to the fullest on sweet 70s-80s songs, and his siblings ever so energetic.
"Woah! Groom squad seemed to be winning, what say people?" Aishu cheered making people hail and tease the bride squad.
"Why so hurry dear? We still have our Ace card in our hand!" Arjun said smugly.
"Ace card?" Aishu and Ayaan questioned at the same time.
"Yep! So without any wait please give a big round of applause for the next performance." Arjun announced as lights went down not knowing who is going to perform next.
As lights focused on dance floor everyone was surprised seeing Ruhanika!
Abheer was mesmerized seeing Ruhanika dance so effortlessly. He never knew she is so good dancer. But like always his chubby cheeks never fails to amuse him!
As she was done, the garden erupted in loud cheers. She sat beside him breathing a little heavy and gave him her beautiful smile.
"You were so beautiful! Like always!" He whispered in her ears leaning over while she blushed at his comment giggling shyly and mouthed him a thank you.
"Now it seems like a tie!" Arjun said making Aishu and Ayaan agree.
"Well it was really fun night. I know by now everyone must be too hungry with all their energy drained. But still there is someone who has to do something special for his love!" Ayaan said.
"And who is that?" Arjun and Aishu questioned in sync.
"Doston, give a big round of applause for none other than hukum sa of Rajasthan!" Everyone was surprised thinking that Abheer was going to perform.
Ruhanika looked at him surprised as he walked over to the dance floor. However, as the spotlight fell on him, she found him sitting on a chair with a mic in his hands. A soft music started playing in the background as he started singing.
Tere dar pe aake tham gaye
Naina namaazi bann gaye
Ek dooje mein yun dhal ke
Aashiqana aayat ban gaye Main aur Tum
Ruhanika was starstruck as so amazingly he was singing. His ever so deep voice giving a different vibe to the song. Their excited siblings were capturing this moment on their phones.
Kaisi dil lagaai kar gaye
Rooh ki rubaai bann gaye
Khaali khaali dono thhe jo
Thoda sa dono bhar gaye Main aur Tum
Chalo ji aaj saaf saaf kehta hoon
Itni si baat hai mujhe tumse pyar hai
Everyone was enjoying the song so much but Rathores were so happy no one can describe, especially Meera whose own eyes were wet. As she can see the walls around her son cracking ever so slightly with Ruhanika's love. They all just wished in their mind for both their children's happiness and togetherness!
Yunhi nahi main tumpe jaan deta hoon
Itni si baat hai mujhe tumse pyar hai
Chalo ji aaj saaf saaf kehta hoon
Itni si baat hai mujhe tumse pyar hai
Mujhe tumse pyaar hai..
As Abheer hit the highnote so perfectly, Ruhanika was in tears of happiness, understanding his emotions through song. She was feeling blessed to have him.
Lage na yeh dhoop zaroori
Lage na yeh chaanv zaroori
Milte hain ishq zameen par
Ab do hi naam zaroori Main aur Tum
Apna khuda bhi hoga
Apna hi Rab le lenge
Khud ki bana ke duniya
Ye zindagi jee lenge Main aur Tum
Chalo ji aaj saaf saaf kehta hoon
Itni si baat hai mujhe tumse pyar hai
Yunhi nahi main tumpe jaan deta hoon
Itni si baat hai mujhe tumse pyar hai
Mujhe tumse pyaar hai..
As he completed, Ruhanika got up and ran to him, throwing herself in his arms. He smiled reciprocating the hug and gently caressed her hair as he felt her sobbing.
"I didn't sing to make you cry jaan." He whispered in her ears making her chuckle. The garden erupted in loud claps seeing the love birds.
"Don't cry. You know I don't like you crying." He said pulling out of hug and wiping her eyes. She smiled sniffing.
"You were amazing. And I love you too." She told him making him smile. He kissed her forehead cupping her cheeks as all hooted.
Sorry for the late update and thank you for waiting patiently. Comment how was the chp! I'll try to update frequently but no commitments as I have still not started writing further chps. Please be patient and swarm me with your love through votes and comments! Comment which part you like the most, or moreover if you like or dislike the chp!!
Bye bye till next chp!!
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