Life of Shrutika

15. Are you happy?

It was pouring heavily outside. Shrutika sat on the space attached to the window. She was staring at the peaceful moon, surrounded by an ethereal glow. The twinkling stars were spread across the sky.

She couldn't figure out what was going on in her life. Her sudden marriage with Maharaj Kamal and then the persona whom she loved so much trying to harm her and let her down.

She didn't realised when Maharaj came and sat opposite to her.

"Aap iss vivah se khush toh hai na? Kahi humne aapke sath jabardasti toh nahi ki na? (Are you happy with this marriage? Did we forced this marriage on you.)" Maharaj sudden questions startled her.

She has no answers to this questions. She wondered if she could ever tell the truth to her husband. The one deepak was supposed to be. She chose to stay silent.

"Aap apni man ki baat humse keh sakti hai. (You can share your feelings with me.)" Maharaj assured her.

"Mai khush hun maharaj. (I am happy maharaj.)" Shrutika replied with a small smile.

"Yaha se lautne ke baad hume aapke ghar jana hoga riwaaj nibhane ke liye. (After returning back, we both have to go to your house for completion of ritual.)" Maharaj told her and she nodded.

"Hume ab so jana chahiye. (We should sleep now.)" Shrutika suggested.

She stood up but stopped abruptly when she realised there's only one bed. She turned to face maharaj.

"Maharaj aap bistar par so jaiye, hum neeche so jayenge. (Maharaj you can sleep on the bed and I'll sleep on the floor.)" Shrutika said simply.

"Nahi nahi hum neeche so jayenge, aap upar bistar par so jaiye. (No no you can sleep on the bed, I'll sleep on the floor.)" Maharaj said in a stern voice.

"Par aap maharaj hai- (but you are king-)" Shrutika got cut off by maharaj "Maharaj hai toh kya hua Shrutika hai toh insaan hi. Hune nahi pasand ki maharaj hone ki wajah se koi humse alag vyawhar kare. (What if I'm king shrutika, I'm also a human being. I don't like when someone treats me different because of my position.)" Maharaj said with a tint of uneasiness in his voice.

"Humare hote huye aapko jameen par sona pade, ye kaise hone de sakte hai hum. (how can I let you sleep on the floor while I am here?)" These words by Maharaj touched Shrutika's heart.

Shrutika made her way on the bed and maharaj slept on the floor not before spreading a bedsheet on the floor.

The sun showed up and rays of natural light fell on maharaj's facing being a distraction to his slumber. He opened his eyes to meet a thin beautiful figure sleeping on the bed.

Shrutika's black locks were spread all along her face and her arms holding a cushion close to her petite figure.

"Maine kabhi vivah karne ke baare me nahi socha par aapko dekh kar na jaane hume kya ho gaya. Aapki ek hi jhalak se hume pyaar ho gaya. Aur aapse ye vada karte hai jindagi bhar aapse aur sirf aapse hi pyaar karte rahenge. (I never thought about my marriage but after seeing you I don't know what happened to me. I loved you just by your one sight. And I promise I'll love you and only you till my lifetime.)" Maharaj said to himself looking at his wife.

He let her sleep and came outside. He went to the washroom to get fresh. Maharaj decided to go on a tour nearby to see if everything's okay.

One solider was guarding the house where Shrutika was sleeping. He was standing on the door. Taking advantage of the situation, a man sneaked into the house from the window which opened in the backyard of the house. He sat beside Shrutika on the bed. His face was covered with a black fabric, only his dark brown eyes were visible.

He traced his index finger on Shrutika's face and pushed back the strands of her hairs which were hurdling her slumber. His finger moved down to her neck and kept going downwards.

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~Anu