The Blessed Pratibimb

Chapter-5

They were standing in the most beautiful garden, as it is what it seemed to Isha. She was completely mesmerized by the beauty of it. The pink and blue flower, fountain, birds, the trees and what not.

She asked curiously, "Who made this garden?"

Arihant proudly replied, "I did, I love nature."

She just nodded and a murderous silence captured them. She was silent because she didn't know what she would say and Arihant, he wasn't quiet he was mesmerized. He was looking at her without blinking, he just couldn't control himself. He felt as if this whole world had stopped moving and this moment is all he wanted to live in. Isha on the other hand was confused and was trying to put words together, as she looked up, their eyes met. He was looking at her so lovingly that Isha could feel it. Even though there was some gap in them but she didn't feel any. She felt as if he is not looking at her but at her soul. Their breadth was calm and this peace and love was something Isha has never felt before in life and she just didn't know how to react.

Arihant smiled at her innocent reaction and broke the moment as it was being too much for Isha, by saying, "You wanted to talk you know."

She looked down embarrassed red and nodded. She has never behaved like this before. She felt as if she just crossed a boundary of society, but this time it wasn't any pain or fear. It was just pure love. The feeling she had was of another level. She knew she had to do this, so she took a deep breath and said in just one sentence, "King I want to marry you."

She looked up to get his reaction but there were no emotions there. No happiness, no sadness or pain or anything.

Arihant was shocked to one extent and the way she said it, it seemed so impossible to believe, but be finally released the breath he was holding and replied, "No, I don't want that."

It came as striking lightning to her and the water started to fill her eyes, her heart felt heavy, she looked at him and said, "B-but why? You were ready then why now?"

He looked away avoiding her gaze as well as the question but she asked again, "You were happily ready, why are saying no now? Is it because you are tensed about society and it's rules? Don't worry I-"

But he cut her off by, "I think you didn't hear it very well. It's not because of any society or something. I don't want to marry you that's the thing."

She felt as if she was put on fire, her tears started to flow freely and chokingly she said, "B-But why?"

He looked away, he knew if he becomes weak now, it could bring disaster to her. He would never want any harm to her, not even a single tear he wanted her to shed. But here he was making her cry like crazy. He gulped the lump of tears and said, "I don't want to marry someone I don't love."

He started to walk away but stopped and looked back her, he said, "Marriage is not a joke. One cannot play with other's feeling. I would advice you Devi, before making any decision at least know the meaning of the thing that you're trying to do."

With that, he walked away from a crying Isha. She fell on her knees and cried softly there. Her heart was shrinking with every beat. She was feeling ashamed. Never in her life, she was treated like this. She felt humiliated, she felt embarrassed but most importantly she felt pain, pain in the heart. For the first time in her life, she stepped out of her boundaries and she thought it would get her good results. But all she got was humiliation and rejection. She never asked for anything from anyone. For the first time she asked her lover to marry her and even he refused her. She felt too much dark around her. She felt as if she was set on fire and her hope to make things right just shattered.

She was crying her heart out when passing by Adhrit looked at her. Seeing her cry like this he felt bad. He went to her and tapped her shoulder but she refused to look at anyone and sitting on the ground she only cried. So he asked in a worried tone, "Bhabhishree why are you crying?"

She didn't reply and just cried more and he asked, "Did brother...?" He trailed off not knowing what to say more and she said, "Don't call me Bhabhishree, I am not your bhabhishree."

Adhrit asked in a more soothing way, "Why is that, bhabhishree?"

She stood up and looked at him with her red and puffy eyes, she said, "I am refused, rejected and betrayed lover. My love doesn't love me anymore."

Adhrit asked, "What are you saying?"

She wiped her tears as new ones made their fresh way and she replied, "He said he don't want to marry someone whom he doesn't love. He also told me that I don't know about anything that I am doing."

A sob left her dry throat at the thought of him and more tears fell on the ground and she didn't bother even to clean them.

Adhrit said, "Bhabhishree, I know it's not the right time, but you know, the time you refused brother because of the society he felt the same humiliation and same pain. He do love you, that much I know, but I don't know about you."

She frowned at his wired remark and asked, "What do mean you don't know if I love him or not? How can you say I don't love him?"

Adhrit looked down and said, "So you think you love him?" She nodded and he asked, "How? I mean how did you fall in love with him."

She said, "I came here to purpose him to marry me. That's how much I love him. I fell in love with him when I understood how much our marriage is important for everyone's wellbeing."

He chuckled and said, "That's not what you call love."

She frowned and asked, "What do mean? What else do I have to offer him to tell him how much I love him?"

He shook his head in disappointment and said, "You don't offer anything in love. Love is beyond boundaries. When you're in love with someone you do everything for them."

She was listening carefully as he continued, "Just like my brother never bothered you or even intentionally or unintentionally cross your life, he sacrificed for his love. He loves you so much that for your well-being and for your happiness he left you instead of making you fall for him. That's love."

She was letting everything settle in her head when he said, "I am sure bhabhishree if you truly love him then you will surely gonna get him."

She smiled slightly and said, "Thanks for telling me. I gonna get him for sure and for good."

He smiled at her and said, "I am really grateful that you are my bhabhishree."

She blushed slightly and replied, "And I am also grateful that you are my devar."

He smiled at her and she said, "Today you have helped a lover to get the way to reach her love, I bless you, you will find a love which would help you in every problem of your life. As long as love would stay in your heart, your love will guide you to her."

He blushed slightly at the mention of his wife. He touched her feet and said, "You have given me the gift of my life. Thank you so much bhabhishree."

She smiled at him and said, "You deserved it anyway. Now I will take my leave." He nodded and she left the palace to her temple.

---------------------------------------------------

She was sitting quietly in her room when she heard Mina and Hina coming to her. They came to her room and Mina said, "Where were you, we have been searching for you in the whole city."

She smiled and said, "I was actually doing my work." Hina inquired, "Exactly what kind of work you were doing?"

She smiled and said, "Some divine work that is f*******n to talk with anyone. Guru Durwasa himself told me about this."

They nodded and Mina said, "So, are you free now?"

She nodded and Mina said, "Then join us, we are participating in the city's food contest." 

She asked, "What kind of contest is this? I never heard of this before."

Mina replied, "King arranged this for the whole kingdom and the selected ones will serve the king himself."

Isha smiled and said, "I am coming."

Hina replied in a defeated tone, "As I have told you, she would say no- wait, what? You will participate?"

Isha smiled and said, "Yes I will, because everyone in the kingdom should know that brahmin girls are no less than any."

Mina smiled and hugged her. She said, "Oh thank you so much, Isha. I love you!"

Isha replied with a 'me too', but Hina, on the other hand, was quite confused about sudden behavioral change in Isha. She knew Isha from their childhood. She knew Isha never liked to participate in any competition or something. She never liked going in front of everyone as she believed a girl should always stay hidden. And Brahmin girls are not for showing themselves.

But she shrugged it and they all started towards the ground. As they reached there, they saw many girls from whole over the town. They get their names registered and soon the competition started.

The judge was the royal chef and he was known to be very brutal with his selections. There could only be one girl who would be selected here for the second round. Winners of the first round will have another contest in the palace as the first round would be held on different places of the country.

This was the first round of the competition and Isha knew completing the first challenge could be easy but second was something she should be aware of. As per her prediction, she won the first round that day. As she went home her father already knew this, he patted her head and blessed her saying, "I am so very proud of you my daughter. I wish every father to get a daughter like you."

She smiled hardly and went to her room. She knew what she was doing could bring disaster to her family and she was also aware of society and other peer pressures on her father. She felt as if she was betraying her father.

She went straight to her balcony and saw the moon high in the sky. She said, "Oh mother, how much I miss you. If you would have been here, I would have told you everything. You know, I am feeling like I am betraying my own family. But I know how much important it is for everyone's well being. I have to marry him."

"Marry whom?" 

She heard from behind and when she looked behind, she saw a confused Mina and an angry Hina standing there wanting to be answered. Isha felt like the ground beneath her was pulled away. Her throat felt dry to utter any words and her breadth hunched. A million of excuses started to rain in her head but nothing seemed pleasing enough to convince them.

Hina asked again, "What are you hiding from us?"

Isha only looked down, she knew she couldn't tell anyone because on one can understand her anyway. Hina came to her and pulled her by the shoulder, she said, "Listen carefully, we are supposed to be friends. There should be no secrets between us."

Isha just backed away from her and looked at the glittery sky, she said, "Even if I tell you, you won't understand."

Hina confidently said, "We will." Mina also joined saying, "Isha we are aware you sometimes feel lonely because you miss your mother. And unlike us, you don't even have any sibling either. But trust us, we never have taken you less than our real sister. You can trust us, we will understand. If not the thing, we will understand you."

Isha looked at them and saw there only love and care was floating in their eyes. She said, "I am defeated."

Hina and Mina both gasped loudly. Hina asked, "By whom?"

She replied in a very low voice trying not to let them hear but they heard anyway, "...by the King."

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Devar: Brother-in-law