Paro was in her wedding attire
shivering and frustrated.
a bride twice in 10 days.
"Am I doing the right thing"?
"Am I supposed to do this?"
"I haven't even shed tears for my husband.I am dressed up again."
"I am to marry a Jallad."
"for what?so he will not burn my village and villagers to ashes?"
"Is it worth it?"
"Please Bholenath Please give me some sign to show that I am doing the right thing.anything.let a wind blow,let a leaf move something.Please."She prayed with all her heart.
She waited and waited for some sign.nothing happened.
The auspicious time is getting near.Maithili and Sunehri came to get her.Mythili all serene and Sunehri all giggly telling Paro all cheesy lines from a romantic magazine.
Paro slowly walked with them to the big hallway where a Pandit was chanting the mantras.He pointed at the seat next to Rudra. Paro sat down with Rudra,remembering all the blackmails and threats he hurled her way.
Sign this,I will not marry you.
sign this,I will leave you alone
sign this,I will spare you.
If only he had said sign this I will spare the villagers,She would have signed it gladly.But he didn't
Paro looked around to see if there was some sign.but none was forthcoming.even the breeze seem to have left the haveli,leaving a dead weight on her shoulder.
The Pandit looked at Rudra and said the time has come to marry her,to put the mangalsutra on her.
Rudra got the mangal sutra from Chachi,looked around to see all beaming faces and looked at Paro.she looked scared and jittery.
he didn't have a choice,Rudra thought to himself.He gave her all the options,but she was hellbent on protecting those good for nothing villagers who was engaging in arms deal.
The Mangalsutra was coming near to Paro's neck.She looked at it .It seemed like a cobra ready to strike.kill her,put her out of this misery.
It got closer and closer to her neck.Paro could not take it any longer.She reached out and held Rudra's hand before he put it on her neck.
"Stop", she said in her mild voice.Finding strength from within.
"I cannot marry you".
Rudra looked pleased.His plan worked.he actually beamed.He looked relieved too.
She said again" I cannot marry you.You killed my husband.whether he was in arms deal or not, I don't know,But I know that you killed him."
"I am a widow.I am entitled to some pain."
"I am telling you again that i cannot marry you nor will I sign those papers.Come what may.You cannot force me to marry you or keep me quiet anymore.I will not do it."
"I feel sorry for your situation,about BSD firing you.But you cannot use me to get out of the situation.I told you many times that I am innocent,I don't know anything.You chose to ignore me.Even after everything I tried to help you,but you decided to blackmail me into marrying you.That I will never do."
Paro stood up and walked away from the mandap,head held high,not once turning around to see the dumbfounded faces of all the family members and also Rudra's.
And a heavy breeze came flowing into the building,rattling everything in its path.
Edited by DN2012 - 10 years ago
