THE ROYAL PACT

MEERA ABHIMANYU SINGH

MEERA'S POV...

He dropped that head and kicked it with his foot, which made it fall near me. I got scared and moved back.

He started coming towards me with big steps with the blood filled sword in one of his hand.

Some soldiers were about to go towards him but they stopped when he said in his harsh voice - "If someone does not love his life then only he should come in front of me, otherwise I swear in the name of Goddess Bhavani that I will cut him into so many pieces that even his family members will not be able to recognise him."

Then my father was seen behind him, his neck was down, perhaps he was not able to make eye contact with me.

My mother tried to stop Abhimanyu but father stopped her because right now only blood was visible in Abhimanyu's eyes and it is true that he does not think even once before killing anyone.

Now he was standing right in front of me and he bent a little and whispered in my ear - "I told you that I will make you mine, if not today then tomorrow."

Then he stood up straight and looking at Pandit ji said - Pandit ji, start the wedding rituals, I don't have much time."

The poor Pandit was so scared that he couldn't say anything and took his place. He held my hand tightly and almost dragged me to the mandap and made me sit there.

"Pandit ji start the chanting." The priest then starts chanting the mantras.

Slowly one by one all the rituals like varmala, 7 vows of 7 phera / rounds which neither he nor I are going to accept were completed and now it was the turn of applying sindoor. He took sindoor between his thumb and the finger next to it and moved his hand towards my forehead and while slowly applying sindoor said - "MEERA ABHIMANYU SINGH SHEKHAWAT"

I looked at him in confusion.

Then the Pandit ji diverted our attention and said, you have tied the knot of seven lives with each other with all the rituals considering this holy fire as witness. From today you both are husband and wife. Take the blessings of the elders and move forward towards your bright future.

Abhimanyu picked me up in one go and started going out.

My family members called out from behind on which he stopped and turned back and said - "I am taking my wife with me, for this I do not need anyone's permission today nor tomorrow."

My mother said softly - "We don't expect you to ask for permission. Just let us hug our little one once."

To which Abhimanyu said laughingly - " Over the years, the number of hugs that you guys have gotten is more than enough."

My father said - "You people take some rest for a while while we arrange for some gifts to send with our daughter."

"We will rest only after reaching Mewar and as far as the gifts are concerned, even the water of the house of the murderers of my parents is like poison for me, I am feeling suffocated even in the air here. I am taking my better half with me."

He turned back and when I looked at my parents, saw tears flowing from their eyes, words stuck in their throat, my soul trembled.

As our steps were moving outside, it seemed as if a part of me was left behind here. Every game played in childhood, fruits plucked from the garden, sitting on the bank of the pond and laughing, was floating in front of my eyes.

Oblivious to all this, King Abhimanyu was dragging me along as if a policeman was dragging a thief.

As I reached outside the main door of the palace, I saw a palanquin, many horses, elephants and soldiers. As soon as they saw me and Abhimanyu, they bowed their heads and saluted us.