19 ~ In his bedroom #3
Taking a slow breath, I gently nudged the brass kalash with my right foot. The grains of rice spilled softly across the marble floor, scattering inside the entrance as a symbol of prosperity entering the house.
"Ab alta mein pair rakkho."
(Now place your feet in the alta.)
I stepped into the silver plate.
The cool red alta coated the soles of my feet.
Then, following Seema Chachi's instructions, I slowly walked forward.
With every step, crimson footprints appeared upon the polished white marble floor.
One after another. A bride's first footsteps into her new home.
Everyone watched quietly.
My vision blurred for a moment.
I hadn't eaten anything since morning. Not a single proper meal.
The weight of the jewellery, the bridal attire, the emotional exhaustion, and the endless rituals had drained every ounce of strength from my body.
I tried taking another step.
The room suddenly spun.
My balance faltered.
A soft gasp escaped my lips as my body tilted sideways before I could fall a firm hand caught my arm.
Kartik.
His grip steadied me almost instantly.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
I didn't answer.
I merely nodded faintly, trying to pull myself upright again.
Dadi, who had been watching from a distance, immediately noticed the exhaustion written across my face.
"Bas bahut ho gaya." She looked toward Kartik.
(Enough now.)
"Kartik. Chahat ko upar kamre mein le jao."
(Kartik, take Chahat upstairs to the room.)
Her voice carried concern rather than authority.
"Subah se bechari ne kitna sab kuch seh liya hai."
(The poor girl has endured so much since morning.)
Kartik gave a small nod.
I instinctively tried to walk on my own.
"I'm fine," I murmured, more out of habit than truth.
"I can..."
The sentence never finished.
The heavy lehenga tangled around my feet and I stumbled again.
This time my knees almost gave way completely.
Before I could react, Kartik stepped closer.
In one smooth movement, he slipped one arm beneath my knees and the other around my back.
The ground disappeared beneath me.
A startled gasp escaped my lips.
"Aah...!"
Without thinking, my hands instinctively reached for the nearest support.
They settled around his neck.
My breath caught.
Our eyes met for the briefest second.
"If you keep trying to walk," he said evenly, "you'll fall again."
I immediately looked away, my cheeks warming despite everything that had happened.
"I can walk..."
My protest sounded weak even to my own ears.
He didn't argue.
He simply adjusted his hold slightly to make sure I was comfortable before turning toward the grand staircase.
The entire mansion watched in silence as he carried me upstairs.
Every step echoed through the vast hall.
My heartbeat grew louder with each passing second.
I hated how close we were.
I hated that I had no choice but to hold on to him to keep my balance.
Most of all...
I hated that he was carrying me in his bedroom.
The climb upstairs felt endless.
Every step he took echoed through the silent corridor, the sound of his polished shoes against the marble floor filling the uncomfortable silence between us.
I kept my gaze lowered, refusing to look at him or at the relatives watching us from downstairs.
A large wooden door stood slightly open.
His bedroom.
My heartbeat quickened.
He pushed the door open with his shoulder and walked inside.
The room was enormous.
Soft golden lights illuminated the elegant interiors, while fresh white lilies and roses decorated almost every corner.
Someone had clearly prepared it for the wedding night. Flower strings hung from the carved wooden bedposts, rose petals were scattered neatly across the white bedsheet, scented candles flickered near the windows, and a faint fragrance of jasmine filled the room.
I stared at the decorations.
Kartik quietly walked toward the bed before carefully lowering me onto the edge of the mattress.
The moment my feet touched the floor, I immediately withdrew my hands from around his neck as though his skin had burned me.
I shifted a little farther away. Creating whatever distance I could.