52. His past
The hawan went on for 3 and a half hours continuously with the chanting of holy hymns and sacred mantras by the priests from various corners of the state. I kept adding ghee to the holy fire with Isha holding my elbow. When it was time for giving Aahuthi I held my hand out and Isha kept her hand in mine. We both, together offered the sacrifice to the god of fire and took blessings from the priests. Then, Isha made sure that everyone from the family got the blessings and prashad in pairs including the officers who came here. Then she distributed Prashad and Aarthi to everyone present.
We went back to our room nearly at 11 as I had to make sure of the safety arrangements and she had to help Abir and Abhigya decide their outfits and help Dadi and other ladies in getting the things ready. It was supposed to be the duty of the mother of the future king to make preparations but that woman never cared about me nor she was interested in being my father's wife. Coming to my siblings, everyone is very much attached to her, her suggestions and opinions matter a lot to them. Abir being Bhabi's chamcha insisted that Isha choose his outfit for his special day and she, the over-pampering bhabi agreed to his demands. Abhigya was confused about what to wear and came to her favorite bhabi asking for help to choose one among the 5 pairs of lehengas she bought.
"Tired?" She asked me with a tired smile as soon as I entered the chamber. She was standing on the balcony gazing at the moon but turned around as soon as she noticed me.
"Hmm," I hummed in reply and back-hugged her resting my chin on her shoulder. She leaned back on my chest and we stood there under the blanket of stars indulging in the warmth of each other for some time.
"Do you want a massage?" she asked after a while turning around a little. I shook my head,
"You were working since morning, you must rest," I replied. Her massages are the best stress relievers but I couldn't bring myself to ask her to give me a massage after seeing her work so much today.
"I know you need it badly. Let me bring oil." She said and walked away not caring about my trying to make her believe that I was fine. She bought the oil and made me sit on the carpet placed on the ground on our balcony with cushions and pillows lying on all sides and in the middle. IT must be her arrangement.
She sat on the chair and sat on it. She poured the massage oil into her hand, rubbed her palms together, and pressed her fingers on my scalp making me close my eyes in relaxation.
"Nav, I will not mess it up tomorrow, right?" I heard her after a few minutes of peaceful silence. I turned around and kept my head on her lap wounding my hands around her waist.
"You will not, and even if you will I will clear it for my princess," I replied while she started running her fingers in my hair. I can sense the tension in her.
"What if Bua dadi sa says something?" She asked again. I wish I could just send that woman away but I can't and she has been traumatizing the women in my life, but not my wife.
"You are the Queen, love. Queen of this dynasty, My Queen. You hold the ultimate power over everything and everyone including the King. No one has any right to say something to you. If they do, then the King will give them a fitting reply." I declared, my voice filled with sincerity and anger.
"You know, I love the teasing side of you more than the angry one." She ruffled my hair making me smile. I know she is trying to change the topic and I let it pass snuggling into her stomach.
"Princess, do you want to know about my childhood? I want to share everything with you." I asked her and she nodded enthusiastically making me chuckle. I sat straight and patted the place beside me asking her to get down. She sat beside me. I freed her hair from the braid and started massaging her head as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"I was a kid when Mahima left my father to pursue her career in acting. I was bought up by Chachi while Papa was busy coping with himself. But then, Chachi too left us leaving me with the responsibility of taking care of 3 brothers as Dadi sa was having severe health issues back then and neither Papa nor Chachu were in the state to take care of anything. Daadu had to take care of the business along with Daadi. It was not all, Manjiri used to come to my school every time she fought with her then-boyfriend and vent out that frustration to me cursing how my birth spoiled her chances of becoming Mrs. India." I felt her hand wiping away the tear that rolled down my cheek. She laid back on the carpet and opened her arms for me. I took no time in resting my head on her chest hugging her tighter while she caressed my hair kissing it.
"She used to say things to me like no one loves me or cares if I live or die. It continued for years until one day she crossed her line and said things about my brothers. I couldn't take it and lashed out at her. Abir complained about it to Daadu and he filed a case against her and got restraining orders. But, the insecurities had already made a place in my heart by then. She finds peace in hurting me even after she has her own family with her husband daughter and son, she doesn't like me being happy," I let out my childhood bitter memories that I kept hidden from everyone.
"She can't hurt you anymore, Nav. I will kill her before she reaches you. She is not fit to be called a mother!" Isha's anger-filled voice reached my ears but her tears said how much she was hurting knowing the things her husband went through. She smiled at me and kissed my whole face making me smile at her. She is my life now. I don't want anything else as long as I can stay in her embrace like this. Honestly, I started forgetting every bad thing that happened to me after she entered my life. Those things stopped hurting me after she entered my life.
"And all the women who approached me before I met you were only interested in my money proving her theory of people caring only about my fame and money but not me as a person. But then you entered my life, as my light in darkness. You made me feel special with everything you did. At first, I was scared to express my feelings thinking you won't reciprocate them but you proved me wrong. And I am very happy to be proved wrong."
"I started living after you entered my life, princess. The Abhinav Singh Rathore whose world used to rotate around work, who always tried to hide his emotions started vanishing after his Isha entered his life. The Nav you made started loving himself, he started trusting his capabilities, he no longer strives to be a perfectionist to not disappoint anyone, because his Isha loved him for all his worst and best, she made him realize that he doesn't need to be a perfectionist to be loved by his family, his wife. You have actually healed my inner child who was wounded by his own mother. You make my life exciting, Princess. I started enjoying every moment with you. Every simple thing started being very special with you."
"I have said it many times and I want to make you feel it every second, I love you, Isha. Abhinav is incomplete without his Isha. Dadu said becoming a king is like a rebirth. So, can I have the privilege to be born again with you, my wife as my Queen tomorrow? Will you give your Nav the honor of having you on his side in every step he takes? Will you promise to be there to engulf me in your embrace when I fail or feel tired? Will you promise to come to me when you feel overwhelmed and want to have a shoulder to lean on?"
"You proposed to me on your birthday as you wanted me to enter your life on your birthday. And today, I am promising you a togetherness and loyalty till eternity on another very special day of our lives. I love you Queen Isha Abhinav Singh Rathore," I completed and the clock struck 12 indicating the new day, the day of coronation. But the day of coronation started at the time I started talking about my childhood according to the Indian mythological calendar that follows thithi.
"I will be with you till eternity King Abhinav Singh Rathore." She replied kissing my forehead and cheeks.
"It is King Abhinav Isha Singh Rathore, My Queen. Only you can't get the privilege to have my name with you. I want to have your name in mine too." I declared and the next moment I felt her lips on mine making me close my eyes in ecstasy.