Meerasim : Dastaan - E - Ishq

Jaane Jigar Jaaneman II

For those of you who have read the entire book, what was your favorite chapter or which chapters (Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort or Mature) did you enjoy the most? Do comment and let me know!

Meerab was stumped. That one line contained an ocean of hidden feelings that Murtasim had been suppressing and she sensed it. 

The ultimate test of their marriage and their relationship now faced them, were they willing to be vulnerable in front of each other? Were they ready to trust the other person with a piece of their heart, their troubles and their turmoil? 

Any relationship should be founded on trust and open communication, but was Meerab's reluctance and Murtasim's ego a possible hindrance to this?

Hesitatingly, Meerab said, "Could you freshen up and come on the bed? I think- 

She paused as if unsure and turned around, sudden tears making their way to her eyes. Murtasim's ignorance the entire week had hurt her more than she would have cared to admit. It was as if the routine, the one anchoring presence in her life had been snatched and a crippling fear, that of being abandoned once again had made it's way in her heart, bringing her profound despair. 

"You think-" Murtasim prompted her, standing quite close to her, hoping that on this one damned day she wouldn't hold back and trust him enough. No preaching as to what morals were expected from him, but as to what she actually felt. He had this desperate urge tearing him apart to know every thought she was feeling and to make every wrong right just so she would be happy. 

Please aaj chup mat rehna Meerab!

Encouraged, she spoke up. 

"I think we should talk. It's been a week, we can't continue living like this. Maryam or Maa Begum would notice and get suspicious. It will just cause more trouble."

His heart dropped. That is why she wanted to talk? So that they could maintain the illusion of being the great Khan and Khaani, all but in name. 

"That's the only reason you think we should talk? For the benefit of keeping up a presence?", his voice trembled, betraying the sense of composure he had hitherto managed to maintain. 

"That's what this marriage has been about since the starting, hasn't it Murtasim?" 

His name, spoken with such vitriol made him feel like he had messed up big time.

Undeterred, she continued. 

"We both know, that even if I didn't put forward the condition of the contract, even if you refused to sign the contract, I would have gone through it. I couldn't have put my parents through the humiliation." She ignored the pang in her heart when she thought of her parents, who had abandoned her so easily. 

"Even if I had somehow gathered the courage to say no, my so called birth father and your mother would have employed some other tactic to get me to agree to this marriage. You know what was the first proper interaction I had with your mother in your absence? It had been about how I should dress properly to suit the status of a Khaani. That is what she cared about Murtasim, not that I had any expectations from her but still. I am just saying that let's not cling on to the delusion that this marriage has been about anything other than maintaining a façade."

He couldn't deny that what Meerab was saying held weight. But surely, things had changed, hadn't they? At least for him and he knew that even though she was hesitant to admit it, things had changed for her too. And he was willing to do anything to get her to say it out loud. It would be a start to a change in their relationship.