Chapter 35 - Suman #3
My fingers tightened in the fabric of his white kurta, feeling my heartbeat growing faint. As his lips found my neck in a soft, lingering peck, my own parted to breathe.
When he drew back slowly, I swallowed shakily before opening my eyes.
“Hum kuch lekar aaye hain aapke liye,”
“I’ve brought you something.” he mumbled over my lips.
I blinked quietly, watching him as he drew out a soft red velvet pouch from his pocket. When he loosened its strings, a beautiful pair of anklets caught my eye, and an involuntary smile appeared on my lips.
He gently pushed me, making me sit on the edge of the bed.
My heart skipped a beat when he knelt before me, held my foot, and placed it on his knee.
“Kunwar-sa,” I murmured timidly. “You shouldn’t touch my feet.”
His jaw flexed visibly, and his grip tightened on my ankle. Suddenly, he dipped lower and pressed a kiss to my feet. And before I could pull my foot away, he bit my toe.
I winced at the abrupt pain, and he lifted his gaze to look at me.
“Ab tum humaari patni ho. Pehle to aadhi-pauni hi thi, ab to poori hone wali ho. Hum tumhaare deh ke kisi bhi ang ko chuein, choomein, kaatein, ya kha jaayein, tum humein rokogi nahi,” “You’re my wife now.
Earlier, you were only half mine, but soon you’ll be my complete wife.
So, if I touch any part of your body, kiss it, bite it, devour it even, you won’t stop me. ”
His words sent a thrill of shock through me.
“Aap humein apni patni bana rahe hain ya daasi?” “Are you planning to make me your wife or a slave?” I exclaimed, trying to move my foot.
His brows creased together in mild, almost childish frustration.
“Umm… Jo tum banna chaaho. Kabhi daasi ban jana, bilkul humaari patni lagogi. Purani smrutiyaan bhi jee li jaayengi. Patni ke roop mein to tum aabhushanoan se ladi rahogi. Krodh tumhaari naak par sawaar hoga. Aur prem… prem to snaanghar ki naali mein beh jaayega. Isiliye kabhi-kabhi keval Suman ban jaana. Saral si, saadharan si “Umm… Whatever you wish to be. If you choose to be a maid someday, you’ll seem every bit my wife; it’ll refresh old memories.
As my entitled wife, you’ll always be covered in jewels.
Your anger will flare easily. And love… love will flow down the bathroom drain.
So sometimes, just be the simple, ordinary Suman.
” he sneered, and my teeth pressed together, hard.
I yanked my foot back from his hold and stood up.
“Jaaiye, nahi karenge hum aapse vivaah,” “Huh, I don’t want to marry you now.”I spat out and turned around to walk away, but before I could, he gripped my arm and hauled me back to him.
My chest slammed into his, and he glared down at me.
“Aaj to keh diya, yadi punah kaha to sach mein chod kar chale jaayenge tumhe. Humaara mukh dekhne ke liye taras jaaogi,” “You’ve said it now, but if you say it the next time, I’ll really leave you. You’ll long even to have just a glance of me.”
I sighed softly and shook my head. “I was just joking,” I murmured, and the tension in his face eased as well.
“Then it’s fine,” he grinned. “I was kidding, too.”
I knew very well he wasn’t kidding. Just a few words from him were enough to tell me how serious he was about me. The possessiveness in his tone, the hunger in his eyes, the dangerous edge to his love—I could feel all of it. Every bit of it.
I smiled and sat back on the bed. “Come on, do it quickly. Everyone must be waiting for us.”
He knelt before me again and placed my foot back on his knee.
He glanced up at me once and smiled.
“Aaj atyant sundar lag rahi ho tum—chaand se bhi adhik. Humaare netra tumhaare mukh se hatt hi nahi rahe. Jee karta hai, abhi vivaah kar le jaayein tumhein,” “You look exceptionally beautiful today—more than the moon itself. My eyes refuse to be torn apart from your face. It makes me want to marry you this very moment and take you away with me.” he murmured, hooking the anklet in its place.
“Only seven days, Kunwar-sa,” I assured him softly. “Then we’ll be each other’s for this lifetime. There’ll not be anything between us anymore.”
He bent forward and kissed the bruise on my foot from where he’d bitten me.
My toes curled at the touch, yet I remained still—because I knew… I knew that the more I resisted, the more determined he’d be to do things his way.
And even if I tried to set that aside, I couldn’t deny how he made me feel—as if I were worthy of him, as if I deserved it.
I drew my foot back and carefully put the other one on his knee, and his lips stretched in a wide smile instantly.
“Haan, bilkul aise hi patni bankar rehna—jo humaari cchaati par apna paanv rakhe aur humaare sar par sawaar ho jaaye.” “Yes, be my wife exactly like this—one who’ll have me under her feet and breathe down my neck.”
I laughed at his sarcastic remark while he tugged another anklet.
“I didn’t know what to give you,” he said, caressing my toes. “So I thought, maybe the anklets could be a good start,”
I rose from the bed and walked around the chamber. Every jingle of the silver bells had me giggling.
He sat up on the bed and chuckled, watching me.
“Ah… they sound so nice!” I squealed. “They’re amazing.”
Suddenly, he stood, wrapped me in a hug, and kissed my forehead.
“I can’t wait to see you in bridal attire, Suman,”
I smiled at the admiration hidden beneath his words.
“Um… I can show you how I’ll look in bridal attire, but…” I deliberately dragged it out to see his reaction.
“But what?” he asked, pulling away.
I bit my lower lip. “… but you’ll have to try it first.”
His eyes widened. “What???”
I nodded.
“Yes, you’ve got such a liking for changing personalities. How about you become Suman for a day?” I asked.
He blinked at me for a moment.
“Um… what if I pass the test?” he asked, biting his lower lip. “What will I get?”
“Anything you want,” I blurted, without thinking.
He arched an eyebrow. “Anything?”
My brows knitted together, but I nodded.
“Yes, yes, anything,” I agreed.
He abruptly pulled me and kissed me hard.
“Don’t you dare back out of your word later, my love.”
I shook my head.
“I won’t,” I said with a smile. “But for that, be a man of your word and do as I asked.”
He kissed me again.
“Let’s see who backs out of their word.”
I clasped his wrist and tried to drag his gigantic figure.
“Now, before anyone comes in here, can we go back?”
He frowned and pouted slightly.
“No,” he shook his head dramatically. “All these relatives and this family stuff is giving me a headache; I just want to be here with you, or with Rudraja, or alone.”
I inhaled sharply.
“All these family members and relatives give you a headache because you have to marry me?” I hissed through gritted teeth. “You never got a headache slipping into my room late at night in the dark to meet me, huh?” My voice rose slightly by the end.
He rolled his eyes.
“Accha, theek hai. Tumne kya aaj thaan rakhi hai ki tumhe mujhse ladna hai aur ye vivaah shaanti se nahi hone dena hai?” “Alright, fine. Have you really decided today that you want to pick a fight with me and won’t let this marriage happen peacefully?”
My brows drew together in disbelief. “What? No,”
He held my hand.
“You know what? Let’s just drop this here,” he said. “We’ll pick this up later after the marriage. For now, let’s wait for the rituals to begin.”
As we both walked out of the chamber, I smiled, and with every step I took, my anklet bells rang louder.
“Don’t you think these are way too noisy?” I asked.
He looked at me. “You think it’s loud?”
I nodded and took a few deliberate steps to show him.
He only smirked, running a hand through his hair before speaking.
“Great,” he said, and I frowned. “The melody… would be great.”
I spent the entire walk back to the celebration hall confused about what he meant.
As we stepped into the hall, I saw everyone savouring the sweets. He then moved closer and whispered, “You’ll know soon.”
Ignoring his vague words, I turned my attention to the sweets. My mouth watered at the sight of them, and my stomach suddenly growled.
He turned to me, wide-eyed.
“You’re hungry?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
If I told him I was fasting for him, he’d have come down on me like a ton of bricks. So, I simply shook my head.
“No, why would I be hungry?” I asked and then noticed Nandani coming toward us.
“Devar-sa, would you mind if I take Suman with me for some time?” she asked, smiling.
He blinked at her for a few moments, then nodded.
“Yes, I do mind,” he muttered.
Nandani rolled her eyes, whispered through her teeth, “Shut up,” then grabbed my hand from his and led me to where all the ladies were.
My gaze fell upon two ladies in very plain attire, seemingly widows, and a four to five-year-old boy in each of their hands.
I sat next to Queen Trisha and Rani-maa on the couch, and across from them sat Daadi-sa with Princess Rudraja in her lap, Nandani, and Princess Aishwarya together. A few other distant relatives sat on the couches next to them.
Daadi-sa held my hand and made me sit beside her.
I smiled, looking at Princess, but she was busy playing with one of the young boys on the couch beside her. My brows creased together in remembrance, as the boy felt quite familiar. His curly hair and wheatish complexion reminded me of someone I already knew.
Just then, Princess snatched a small dagger from the boy’s hand, and before anyone could understand what was happening, the boy raised his hand and slapped Princess Rudraja.
She began crying right away, and Daadi-sa’s eyes widened with shock.
“Oh, my little radish, don’t cry, it’s okay,”
“Hridaan!” The boy’s mother raised her voice at him. “You shouldn’t do that, my boy.”
In this brief commotion, Nandani, however, remained completely unfazed, talking with the other ladies.
I gently patted the princess’s back, and after some time, she stopped crying.