Page 45 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

The moments I spent with him crossed my mind, blurring my vision.“I want to talk to him,”

She inhaled a sharp breath and, looking at me, exclaimed,“No, Nandani. I’m asking if you want us to stop him or not.” I gulped, looking into her eyes.

“Maasa, I want to talk to him for once, please,”

She got up in frustration and said,“Nandani, it could be dangerous.”

“He is in pain,” I pleaded, sobbing brokenly. I couldn’t speak because I was too exhausted.

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted us.

Upon my mother opening the door, I heard faint screams from outside. Getting up from my chair, I watched Ruhani taking long strides toward me.

“Nandani, Rudra is here,” she stated in a frightened tone, dripping with shock.

“He is wounded… and bleeding… and, oh my god… he has a sword in his hand,” she huffed unevenly, and I dashed outside immediately, with my mother following suit.

“Nandani,” she ran after me, covering my head with the dupatta. I hurried toward the palace hall, descended the stairs and reached the royal garden, where the wedding altar stood.

Following the voices, I went near the mandap31and looked at him beside the priest. Blood covered him, soaking his clothes and spattering his sword.

My father stepped toward him, and he peered at me. Steppingdown from the mandap, he sauntered toward me. Looking at his condition, tears clouded my vision, and I whimpered,“Rudra.” He did not spare me a glance, looking anywhere but at me.

“Rudra,” my father intervened, holding a sword in his hand, and asked,“What are you doing here?”

Turning to my father, he grumbled menacingly,“Your daughter, the Princess of Mahabaleshgarh, is promised to the King of Suryagarh.” Taking a step forward, he proclaimed,“I am the King of Suryagarh.”

My father looked at me in a dilemma, probably waiting for my signal.“I want to talk to him alone,” I muttered in a low tone, and he turned back to look at me.

Slowly, he held my wrist with his bloodied palm and walked us towards the mandap.

“Dare anyone disrupt the wedding and I will slit the throats,” He said, and I looked at my mother holding my father back, and to take him aside.

“Rudra, listen to me,” I held his hand on my wrist as he climbed the stairs.

“Vivaah ke mantroan ka ucchaaran aarambh kijiye, panditji,”(Start reciting the wedding vows, panditji32) he ordered, and I stared at his face.

He didn't even look at me, ignoring the tears streaming down my face. As the priest recited the vows, he clasped his sword. Following the priest’s words, he offered the mixture of dried herbs and leaves to the sacred fire, which was about to bind us in a holy bond of matrimony.

I watched my father run toward Ruhani's father and noticed Haider collapsing to the floor, with everyone screaming at him. Ruhani's husband picked him up and took him away. My father looked at me, but I gestured for him to stay put.

He was right. I was, in fact, promised to the King of Suryagarh for everyone's sake.

The apparent anger on his face scared me, me!

He did not look at me, not even once throughout the wedding.

Panditji then asked both of us to stand up for the saptapadi33.I saw his soldiers scattered around, holding naked swords.

We stood up to walk around the sacred fire, bound in an indissoluble matrimonial bond. The priest continued chanting the mantras34and reciting the promises we were to make to each otherwith each round we took.

His first vow was to always take care of me, our family, and the children we would have. And my first promise to him was to take care of the household and provide him and his family with pure and nourishing food.

In our second one, we promised to stand by each other no matter the circumstances.

With the third round, he promised to work unflaggingly to earn wealth for the family, and in return, I promised to manage and preserve that wealth to ensure its prosperity.

In the fourth one, he promised to entrust my decisions and choices regarding the household, and I vowed to strive to make the best home for us.

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