You Are Most Welcome Alpha

ll੨੭ll Are You Loved...

The colour was as dark the hair on my head. I was absolutely delighted from the newly done artwork staining my hands from the tips of my finger to the start of my shoulders and my feet up to my thighs. Like every bride, I had too wished for the dye to run deep despite it being short lived. The sickly sweet scent of the henna leaves and the thought that Greysan's love for me was evident on my hands made my heart want to burst like a cell during lysis. I knew it was a saying, an expression of the husband's undying love if the henna were to stain dark, but, sometimes, I wanted to just believe the dumbest of things.

The henna, or mehandi, was specially created by Aria the night before the mehandi celebration. Muskan and Divyjot had made the cones and done the filling while Nureen did the hardest job of actually using the cones. It was tricky business, a 2 hour task of applying it all over the arms and legs, so the others had assisted me in getting ready. The mehandi was another ritual, mostly intended for the girls to get their hands stained and celebrate all night long, which meant the groom and his men weren't here. Nowadays, since people couldn't bare to afford another entire day of celebration for whatever reason, the maiya, another necessary custom, and mehandi could be held on the same day.

Greysan's family didn't care and to save time since I'm eager, we kept both rituals to be done on the same day. Savings, am I right?

...

My mehandi and maiya was done in the spacious backyard under the tents specially erected, while Greysan's was done inside. It was around 3 in the afternoon when I was readied and brought down, my lehanga of the softest pink, mint and gold. The armless blouse and chunni was of satin pink, the blouse cropped and revealing a lot of my torso. It took half a bottle of wine this time in order for me to not care, another half for me to be laughing again. The skirt was of mint with white and gold lace stretching over the length, glittering golden borders rimming the edges.

My ears were dazzling from the heavy golden set of earrings with a matching tikka upon my head and my newly colored hair parted down each side, straightened as a pin. The ends were of the same medium brown as my contacts, the same as my grandmother's and Greysan's eyes. It was no surprise I found Greysan's eyes so comforting when I first saw them. It took me no time in remembering her.

From under the tent the chairs and tables had been removed, only silken clothes and cushions lined the floor for sitting. At the center were a few decorative benches lined to be in a semi circle, for the bride and whoever wished to get their hands done. (Feet and legs were reserved for brides only.) I was seated at the head one, hands propped and smeared with castor oil before beginning.

Rosza, Tess and everyone who could make it enjoyed the food while the girls, Nureen with the help of her cousin, did my legs and hands. It was awkward when they got to my thighs, especially since the skirt was gathered at my crotch and almost visible to everyone.

Many would stop at their knees because it would become a hassle to keep overnight but I had other plans, so I had it done it all the way up. I had showered in the morning anyway, and all that was left was to avoid water. Luckily the laser treatments made my pores less visible to the naked eyes or else I wouldn't have been able to have this done, sober or not. My anxiety and fears were to the side of my mind but still evident by the shaking of my hands as Nureen would gesture to with her eyes warmed. After the lemon juice and sugar was sprinkled on the finished product and after awaiting for three hours with my skirt hitched, they began the smearing of haldi. More like war than a ritual of cleansing the bride to make her appear radiant.