Garvi's POV

"Hukum,"

I heard that word and my heart thumped loudly as that mysterious man came running into my head.

I noticed every girl pulled their veils and bowed their head immediately.

I saw Dadi Sa walking near me and quickly pulled my veil hiding my face underneath it.

What was happening here? I didn't understand why everyone was behaving strangely out of nowhere.

"Don't you dare to look at Kuwarsa, Just nod your head in answer to whatever he asks you."

"Ye..ss," I replied in a shaky voice and nodded my head feeling heat rushing all over my body understanding that Hukum was here.

"I will be there in the corner Gudiya," Aarti told me and I nodded my head feeling a knot of fear in my stomach.

That henna artist also got up and went away leaving me all alone.

I bit my lower lip in nervousness and tried to clutch my veil but stopped remembering that my hands were cladded in henna.

It wouldn't be good if I ruined my henna before it painted my hand with deep colour.

I heard so many footsteps and my curious mind betrayed me making me lift my eyes to look through my thin veil.

I noticed so many Royal guards standing in two rows leading a vacant pathway and a beautiful girl clad in maroon Rajasthani Lehanga walking in my direction.

Dadi Sa said it would be Hukum but It was a beautiful girl walking towards me with Royal servants behind her, but relief washed over me with the thought that at least Hukum wasn't here.

I stared at the girl and was left mesmerized by her catchy beauty.

She looked Royal and graceful, adorned in heavy jewellery with suitable makeup.

She was truly a perfect beauty anybody would want, simply stunning.

She came near me and bent down to lift my veil making my heart thump in anxiety, I am still not used to stranger's attention.

Dadi Sa let me meet people in this one week but still, I feel anxious around new people.

She lifted my veil and stared at me without blinking her eyes, I don't know why but I have a habit of staring into people's eyes

"Khambaghani Rani Sa," I greeted her with great difficulty and she chuckled confusing me more.

"Tara Bai Sa keh sakti hai aap hume."

Her tone was soft giving me a friendly feeling and I immediately nodded my head with a huge smile, "Khambaghani Tara Bai Sa."

She nodded her head and caressed my cheek before saying with utter admiration, "Chaand bhi Sharma jata hoga aap ke Deedar se, Behad khubsurat hai aap."

My cheeks heated up and I shyly lowered my eyes, not wanting to meet her gaze any more.

I heard this compliment from each person who saw me, but never understood what was beautiful in me to get this praise, but it feels good and I always got shy.

It rarely happened in my life because Dadi Sa never let me get out of the house to meet people, and even go to school.

I barely had any friends and Aarti was one of them.

She says I am a curse, I shouldn't get close to anyone, because I will destroy my close ones' lives, my thoughts broke with Bai Sa's

Tara Bai Sa held my henna-cladded hand softly and teased, "Dekhe to kaha chhupaya hai Aapne apne hone wale Pati ka Naam."

I also didn't see where she wrote his name, and let Bai Sa search for it.

Suddenly Bai Sa's expression changed and my heart dropped, "Is there anything wrong Bai Sa?"

I hesitantly asked not knowing what was wrong with my henna, Dadi Sa too came near me and asked in a fearful voice.

"Is everything okay kuwrani Sa?"

Bai Sa didn't say anything and stared at my hands, suddenly she got up and handed a Thal of Shagun to Dadi Sa.

"Change your clothes for Haldi and wash your henna."

She coldly told me and signed me to get up, I was stunned but got up and Dadi dragged me towards my room.

She kept shouting at me for creating a mess when I didn't know what had occurred.

I didn't do anything to offend Bai Sa so why did she go cold out of a sudden?

I washed my hands and to my shock, the colour of the henna was so dark, I admired it with a smile remembering that henna artist's words.

'If your henna took a darker shade it means that your husband loves you so much.'

My henna wasn't red but a deep dark almost looking black to my eyes.

I sighed and stripped my Lehnga before wearing the Yellow Lehenga.

The blouse had a deep cut almost parting my breasts in two and giving a good view of the midline between my breasts, it was backless too just two threads to hold it in its place.

It wasn't decent but comfortable to wear in the Haldi ceremony, At the end they gonna bathe me in a Haldi.

I wondered if it would be a fun or uncomfortable experience, an unknown excitement bubbled up in my heart and I stared at my reflection.

I sighed and came out of the washroom to see Veer Bhai Sa and Dadi Sa standing inside my room.

I ran towards him and hugged him tightly, "Where were you Bhai Sa?"

"Gudiya let me check your hands."

I shook my head and kept hugging him tightly but Dadi Sa pulled me and angrily snapped.

"Show him your hands."

Tears gathered in my eyes but Bhai Sa pulled me closer and softly caressed my hair how he always does before asking in a soft voice.

"Let me See Gudiya."

I kept my hand in his letting him see what he wanted and his eyes abruptly widened.

"What is there?" Dadi Sa asked dragging Bhai Sa out of his shocked state.

He turned towards Dadi Sa and answered, "There isn't Araysh's name on her palm but-

"What is there then?" Dadi Sa angrily asked.

"Hukum."

Dadi Sa lost her balance and was going to collapse but Bhai Sa immediately caught her and made her sit on the bed.

I walked near her and tried to touch her with concern but she shouted making me flinch.

"Keep her away from my eyes, Veer."

"It isn't my fault Dadi Sa that the henna Artist mistakenly Did it, she too doesn't have any fault."

I tried to explain to her but she showed me her palm shutting me up and said to Veer Bhai Sa.

"Kuwara's Mangetar Saw his name on her hand, what would happen now?"

Veer Bhai Sa turned his concerned eyes towards me and answered her, "She wouldn't create any scene Dadi Sa, she is a good woman don't worry we will wash it out from Gudiya's palm."

I glanced at my henna-filled hand and bit my lips, I didn't expect this.

"No, It's not good, erasing a henna from the bride's palm isn't good."

Dadi Sa said and glared at me before getting up and walking towards me.

"Look Don't create any mess that me and your Father would have to bend our head down."

"I didn't Dadi-

She didn't let me complete it and walked out of my room.

I turned to look at Bhai Sa who was already looking at me, "Bhai Sa I didn't do anything."

He sighed and pulled me in a hug, before whispering to me, "I know, now get ready I will take you down."

I wiped the lone tear that dripped down the corner of my eye and went inside the bathroom.

I cleaned all the makeup. cleared my face and applied body oil on my arms and legs including my belly except for my face, I left it bare with nothing except a faint lip balm on my lips and a thin shade of kohl in my dull eyes.

I immediately came outside of the bathroom and saw Bhai Sa sitting on the bed.

"You are looking, Beautiful Gudiya."

He complimented and forwarded his palm to me, I returned the smile and held his palm.

"I love you Bhai Sa."

"I love you two three and infinite Gudiya," He reciprocated and pulled my see-through veil in front of my face.

We walked out of my room and cascaded down the stairs.

My mind was still stuck on the word, Hukum, Why this word is making its place in my life, mind, and gradually in my soul?

I shouldn't think about Hukum, It isn't good for a commoner like me.

I am going to get married to Araysh Ji, It's not right that my mind isn't occupied with my soon-to-be husband's thoughts but with the man who is forbidden for all commoners like me.

Hukum.

Bhai Sa made me sit on the rectangular ground stool and stood beside me, but I didn't see Baba Sa and Dadi Sa anywhere near me.

I lifted my eyes and stared at Tara Bai Sa who bent down and lifted my skirt to my knees and then lifted my veil.

I smiled at her but she didn't smile back and asked Bhai Sa.

"Veer, Can I get a rosewater?"

Bhai moved from there and went to get a rosewater.

Bai Sa bent down and whispered near my ear, "Jameen pe rahne walon ko Aasmano ke khwab nahi dekhne chahiye Garvi, kya pata kon aur kab dhakka deke Niche gira de, Galtiya to hoti Rahti hai hame unse sikhna chahiye, Waise unke Naam ki Mehandi aap ke hathon par kafi gahri rachi hai."

(People who live on the ground should not dream of the skies, Garvi, who knows when and who might push and make them fall? Mistakes do happen; we should learn from them. By the way, the henna of his name is deeply imprinted on your hands.)

My throat dried in unknown fear but her face was still neutral with merely a tiny smile on her lips.

She patted my cheek and dipped her hand in Haldi before forwarding her palm to apply it on me but halted hearing approaching footsteps.

Those footsteps were enough to send shivers down my whole body.

My mind travelled back to the incident when I first time saw him in Shiv Mandir with an ashen body and sweat beat formed on my forehead.

My palms turned cold and I fisted them tightly, trying to control my thudding heart which was ready to jump out of my body.

Unknowingly tears gathered in my eyes and my body went numb for a second.

I don't know what was happening with me but my mind wasn't in my control anymore.

I lifted my teary eyes and they met with coal-black orbs deeper and darker than the evilness.

Those eyes pulled me into them asking nothing but submission in return, like trying to search every dirty secret in my sight and trying to cage my naivety.

Those black orbs were cruel, telling the story of destruction that never occurred on this earth.

Those orbs were speaking with no words just repeating one phrase, submission of my soul, and body, asking me to give up.

"Hukum,"  I lowly uttered without averting my eyes away from his but sensed that Tara Bai Sa flinched when Hukum sat behind her and held both her palms in his large one without averting his eyes from me nor did I lower mine.

My heart pounded so loudly when he moved Bai Sa's stained palms and kept them on my cheek.

His half-hand touched my cheek and a lone tear rolled down my eye.

I didn't feel Bai Sa's palms only his fingers touched my skin which made me shudder in a different sensation I never felt.

He moved his fingers painting my neck, arms, and belly.

His fingers brushed against my flesh, sending jolts down my body but his dark orbs were drilling holes into my eyes.

He touched my legs, his fingers sensually moving on my legs going forward without any hint of removal, A voice was ready to escape my mouth but I surrendered.

I submitted with no fight from my side.