Tashan

7.

"Tushar, where were you? I've been looking for you since yesterday." Bhavya said to the cheerful-looking man standing at the entrance.

"Maa, it's because of your son. I was doing his work. While he was enjoying himself with his wife." He whined coming towards Bhavya and taking her in a hug.

"Acha. I know what work you were doing." Vardhan scoffed, narrowing his eyes towards his best friend.

He knew he was not working, Bhavya knew too, but she kept quiet just to see their bickering. She enjoyed that. Their bickering made this royal household feel like a normal home.

"You are just jealous, Vari." He chided, poking out his tongue to his best friend when his gaze caught another set of eyes looking at him in amazement.

"And you must be Tashvi." He chirped, moving towards her.

"God, you are beautiful." He exclaimed taking her hand in his.

"Stay away," Vardhan ordered, peeling off her hand from his.

"She's your bhabhi." He continued.

"And Tashvi, he is Tushar, my best friend." He introduced him to her when he was interrupted.

"And your Devar. Always at your service, bhabhi." He bowed making Tashvi smile.

"And don't you worry just between us, your husband is scared of me so if he troubles you, you know who to come to." He mock whispered, rotating his fist dramatically.

"If I were you, I would now shut up and eat, before you know," Vardhan suggested repeating Tushar's action and making him obey his orders.

Vardhan's punch hurts like a bitch so It was better to sit and eat, thought Tushar.

Breakfast was a pretty quiet affair after the bickering session. Everyone moved to their room with their stomach and heart full.

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Tashvi opened the room door, just to see, Vardhan typing something on his phone, leaning on the sofa.

He moved his gaze away from his phone to look at her.

"What do you want to do, today?" He asked as he followed her nervous movements.

"I don't know." She replied hesitantly. She had no idea what she was allowed to do in this household.

If she had been at her house, she would be reading books alone in her room right now.

" How about a talk? You know get to know each other a little." He offered nervously.

"Have a seat." He shifted a little making space for her after she nodded in agreement.

"So, what do you want to know?" He questioned, only to see her looking at him in hesitation. She doesn't speak a lot, he noticed. 

"Ok..ay. Umm, look, I know our marriage happened in weird circumstances and I don't want to burden you. But can we start our relationship as friends?" He let out, to this time met by her widened eyes. She looked shocked.

"Tashvi" he called out again after not receiving any reply, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Okay. I..I'll like that." She speaks, making him smile.

"So, now ask away." He said.

"Umm...What do you do? I ..mean your profession?" She inquired.

He smiled at her innocent question.

"Do you know Tivrstaan?" He counter-questioned, making her nod her head.

She did, it was the first democratic nation in the world, and it was the most powerful too, she has read about it in her history books.

"I govern it." He disclosed.

"I am the president of Tivrstaan." He continued proudly, making Tashvi shocked.

She has been getting lots of shocks lately. It is insane, she can't believe she was married to the President of the most powerful country.

What does it make her? She thought.

"You are the first lady of Tivrstan. Once we announce our marriage to the world, they'll all know you." He uttered, understanding her unasked words.

"Tashvi, I care a lot about these people. They are my responsibility and I take that seriously. It may seem odd but they are like a family to me. They are my extended family." He stated, meeting her eyes.

"I won't rush you. In our relationship, for being my wife. I won't. I just have one expectation from you, to treat this country like your own, to treat its people like your own. Can you do that?" He asked, taking her hand in his.

Tashvi was overwhelmed, she didn't know how could she deny him. She can't say no, she has never said no to anyone. Then, why would she say that to him, when he was asking rather than imposing? And it wasn't a lot, he just wanted her to be kind to the people of his country she can do that.

She came out of her thoughts when she felt him squeezing her hands softly.

His eyes searched for the answers. In reply, she nodded making him smile.

His smile was pretty, she thought.

"Thank you."

"Okay. What about you? What is your profession?" He queried.

She didn't know what to say, she didn't know if she was allowed to have one. But if she could she would love to be a fashion designer. She has loved designing clothes, since childhood.

But she can't say that to him, could she? She doesn't know how to answer his question.

Seeing her uncomfortable, Vardhan got the hint and tried asking another question.

"Any hobbies?" He questioned again.

"I..um.I like to dance, draw, read..." she responded.

Time passed, and they conversed and got to know each other, a little. Tashvi now knew his favourite colour, food travel destination and a lot more.

Vardhan on the other hand now realised, how naive and meek his wife was. Not something that he wanted but he can't say that he has any complaints.

Their conversation gets cut short by a shrill ringing of his phone. He gave an apologetic look to Tashvi and left the room answering the phone.

As he left, Tashvi realised that even after a lot of conversation, she still couldn't gather the courage to ask him the question that's been eating her for so long.

"Why did he marry her?"

"Why did her father hate him?"

"What promise was he talking about after their marriage?"

She hoped that one day she would get the courage to ask him these things.

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