Na Jaane Kyon...

Suno na sangemarmar ki yeh deewaren... kuch bhi nahi hain aage tumhare

Title is the song 'Suno na sangemarmar' from movie 'Youngistan'

The courtyard was marble, pristine and white. Light breeze swayed her hair. Sameer could not take his eyes away from her. The long, flowing dress was white, sprinkled with silver stars... glittering better than the stars above. Her dupatta, again white, with a dull gold border flew in the breeze, falling over his face as he followed her... more luminescent than the Taj under full moon. Sound of anklets resonated in the silence of night. She lifted her hand, and swirled, letting her dupatta float around her like a wave. Her smile... it dazzled him. She looked at him, and her eyes sparkled. He took a step ahead, she moved back. He took another, she giggled, and turned to runaway. But he held her wrist, and she came twirling against him. Their eyes met... he could see the moon in them, he could see himself... and he could see immense love. She was indeed a queen... his queen. She glowed more than this moonlit night. He lifted her wrist to his face. Silver bangles slithered with the sound that was the best music for him. He played with them, jingling them with his fingers repeatedly. She twisted her arm, but he didn't let go, rather pulled her close, circling her waist with one arm. With the symbol of an Emperor's passion standing proud in the background, he felt the same passion flowing in him... in this palace of marble, with soft music of her anklets and bangles, he was the emperor and she, the one for whom his love would not be bound by time. He traced a finger along her face, making her shiver. Her lips parted, and he waited for her to say how much she loved him.

"Sameer, utho na please." Naina's words were not what he expected to hear.

He groggily opened one eye, "Abhi soye hi kahan hai hum. Abhi toh yeh mahal, yeh raat..."

"Kya bol rahe ho? Aaankhen kholo." Naina shook him, cutting his mumbling short.

"Huh!" He somehow opened both eyes just a crack, to check the surroundings.

It was still dark. But there was no courtyard of marble, there was no palace, there was no music. His eyes drifted to her. The elaborate white robes were replaced by her suit. He raised himself on one elbow, taking her hand, and peered at it in confusion, "Choodiyaan kahan gayi?"

Naina looked at him strangely, "Choodiyaan? Woh toh maine dinner ke baad nikaal di thi, yahan aane se pehle."

"Aur dupatta, white wala... hum yahan kaise aaye? Hum toh mahal mein the." He asked, still dazed.

A smile erupted on Naina's face at the realisation, "Sapna dekh rahe the? Shahjahan ban gaye kya sapne mein? Mere liye Taj Mahal banwa rahe the?"

Slowly, his mind registered everything. He fell back on the pillow, pulling her wrist with a jerk to make her fall on his chest.

"Sameer, isse pehle koi humein room mein dhoondne jaaye, humein neeche jaana hai." She resisted.

"Tum meri queen thi... ho." His gruff, sleep laden voice made her resolve weaker.

She stared into his eyes.

"Lekin main koi Taj Mahal nahi banwaunga. Yeh toh Shahjahan ne yaad mein banawaya tha. Mujhe tum hamesha apne saath chahiye ho, apne paas, bilkul aise." He tightened his arms.

She smiled, "Mujhe bhi Taj Mahal nahi chahiye. Sirf tum chahiye ho, apne paas, hamesha."

With a wide smile on his face, he rolled over, pressing her onto cool white sheets, "At you service, madam."

He dipped his head to the crook of her neck, she hunched her shoulder though, not letting him reach the warmth of her neck, "Lekin abhi uthna padega. Humein neeche jaake ready hona hai. Time pe nahi nikle toh Delhi mein traffic mein phans jayenge."