Pranbir : Tales Of Unconditional Love

TIED BY THE SACRED BOND - 2

First of all, sanyogitaprc, you were my 100th vote on this book! I don't know if it's a big or a small one, but it really is an achievement for me and I sincerely want to thank all of you for giving my story so much of love and support.
If not for you people, I never would've decided to actually pen down my thoughts, and without your valuable support, I never could've proceeded with it. A big thank you to all of you from the core of my heart. Specially candy54789 NandiniGhosh thisuni21 KheyaliSarkar sanyogitaprc for always finding time for my small work and encouraging me with their precious and lovely comments, which really mean a lot to me.
Please keep reading, and ALL of your suggestions are always welcomed:) Thank you all.

____________________________________

"Rhea?!" Yelled Pallavi, astonishment and utter surprise glazing on her face, as much as it was shining in the eyes of every other soul present there.

Daljeet stood there, with a shocked expression laced on her features, while Pallavi's sudden announcement spread a wave of silence around the entire area. Rhea just stood there, holding her dupatta from one hand, and her skirt from the other, still a hint of smile on her face.

"Yes. It's me." She said, after a long moment of silence, turning to glance at the groom.

"What the hell is going on?!" Demanded Dushyant, whose hands were now tightly clutching his pistol, hands lifted in the air.

"What are you doing here, Maya?! Weren't you supposed to be sitting there with Daamadji?! Why the heck is that girl there...." He trailed off, seeing the bright red pigment decorating her niece's hairline, as his gaze automatically followed and landed on the sacred black thread adorned with yellow beads, hanging around her neck.

"Are you serious?! What the heck is all this, Maya?! Do you think it's a fancy dress competition going on here?! What kind of a vulgar joke is it?!" He yelled, clutching her nuptial chain tightly at the last line.

He began to pull it with all his force, in an attempt to break the object arousing anticipation and whispers in the air around them, only to feel a tender palm wrapped around his hand, trying to stop his efforts with all of her force as she yelled.

"Stop Bade Papa!" She shouted, hands still on his, the intensity of her voice caused his vibrating hands to stop, as she continued.

"This is not a joke! It's the evidence of my newly formed and most sacred bond. It's the evidence that I'm no more the same Maya on whom you can impose your wills. It's the evidence that I share my life with someone else now. " Declared she, turning her head to the side at the last phrase, while a tall man entered the hall behind her, a garland hanging around his neck, too.

"I'm his now, Bade Papa. We're each others'. We're married now, Bade Papa. Now no one can separate us." Asserted Maya, entwining her fingers with Rahul's, smiling at him.

"Stop this rubbish! You think this is a joke?! We're here trying our best to get you married to the person whom you love! And here you are! Standing with this loser!" Yelled Maya's mother, shaking her shoulders with both of her hands.

"He's not a loser, Maa!" She yelled back, jerking her hands from her shoulders. "He's my true love! And you had been trying to make me happy? Tell me how. All I can see from here is that all three of you were ready to trade me anytime like a useless object lying in one of the corners as a mark to declare your forceful victory to the rest of the world!" Said she, only to receive a slap from her mother.