2 ~ Wedding Night

Gulaab POV

I was standing still and frozen when he entered the Tent. He tied curtains once the attendees left the place. My eyes were darted on his every move. He walked towards the bed removing his overcoat of maroon colour and throwing it on the couch he lied on the bed.

His hand was resting under his head as he asked aloud making me shiver in fear.

"To... Kya naam hai aapka?"

"So... What's your name hnn?" He said in an evil tone.

He knew my name and all he was doing was making me uncomfortable.

I kept calm and didn't answer anything.

"Lagta hai... Behri beti hai Raja Saheb ki"

"Seems like... King's daughter is deaf" He said and I couldn't stop myself.

"Gulaab... My name is Gulaab." I said in the angry tone.

He looked at me which the wide-open and eyes then lowered his gaze.

"Yuck... what a disgusting name," He said in a low tone still audible to me.

I was trying to hide my fear as much I could. There was no one whom I could trust. I didn't know what would happen to me. What if he tried to force himself on me? What if he was not a good person? I knew he wasn't a good one because he had the idea of killing my brother and become the king of our continent and I had to keep him away from my continent.

I had never done anything good in my life and there I had a new chance to fight for my brother's well being. It wasn't like I didn't trust my brother's fighting skills and power but there was something of which I was afraid. I was afraid of a prediction that was made by our head priest.

"So," I shivered to hear his voice.

He stood up from the bed and started walking towards me.

"So, my newlywed begum... why did you say 'yes' for this wedding." He asked standing against me. He was close to me and I lowered my gaze. I was horrified. It wouldn't take time for him to pierce my throat. I was nothing to him.

When he moved a little more forward and I couldn't stop myself from taking a step back. I didn't know what to answer. 

"Hum Kuch pooch rahe aapse... begum"

"I am asking something... Begum" Whenever he utters the word 'begum' my breaths stops.

He moved a little more closer and cleared my throat a little.

"Chaliye chodiye... Ye sawaal galat hai. Aap ye bataiye ki aap sirf hume pasand karti hai ya beintehaa Mohabbat karti hai?"

"Leave it... This question is wrong. You tell me, do you like me or you are madly in love with him"  He said standing against me and I couldn't stop myself from looking directly into his eyes.

"Pasand vasand nahi hai aap hume" 

"I don't like you," I said as I couldn't stop myself from answering. His words flooded the anger in me.

"To fir nikah ki itni jaldi... jaroor jismani jarurat rahi hogi"

"Then, this much desperation for the wedding. There must be a physical need." He said and this only raised my anger.

"Jaban sambhal ke baat kare"

"Mind your language" I roared back.

"Or na kare to?" 

"And what if I don't," He asked coming more closer but this time I didn't move back. 

He leaned in closer and I leaned back a little. Inside I was afraid as hell. I didn't know what would happen. 

"Aapke na tukde karke kauo ko khila denge or kisi ko bhanak bhi nahi lagegi"

"I can feed you to crows after chopping you in pieces and no will get to know about it" His breath fanned my cheek and I felt really uncomfortable. Unknowingly I forced him away and Little did I know was I shouldn't have done it.

I could see his ego getting hurt and In no time he held both of my hands and forced me on the bed.

I shouted.

"Leave me"

He pinned both of my hands over my head and I scared to death. He was lying over me and I felt a little exposed. He leaned in closer and said something that scared me to hell.

"You saved your empire only this time but you can't take my dream away from me. I will kill you one day and become the biggest king of all time."

I closed my eyes, I didn't know how on earth I would be living with him.

He held both of my hands with his hands and then I felt his other hand over my necklace. I felt terrified.

"Nooo"

"Leave me... Please!"

I begged and tears collected in the corner of my ears. I tried to protest but he was heavy to move. 

"Please..." I begged again. "Leave me" 

He opened my necklace turning my head a little and took it away.

Tears flew from my eyes and I shivered.

His fingers touched my neck.

"Leave me, Please!" I requested.

"What's this mark?" He asked looking at my neck. 

I looked at him with a terrifying expression.

"Did someone attack you?" He asked with the surprising look.

His grip loosened on my hand and I forced him away and stood up from the bed.

I was feeling slightly unconscious and the moment I tried to stand, I fell on the ground.

"Don't worry! I don't like shit." He said while lying comfortably on the bed. 

I cried a little as I felt horrified and tried to collect myself. A manly touch was something I horrify a lot.

"Did your family torture you?" He asked casually.

I didn't answer him anything and tried to stand up. 

I looked from here and there trying to understand what should I do. 

"You overheard our conversation. Right?" He asked.

I looked at him sitting at the edge of the bed. He took a piece of meat in his hand and had a bite of it.

I instantly lowered my gaze as it knotted something in my stomach. I couldn't believe he was so close to me. He was a man and that too of a different religion. I had never thought that in the worst dream of mine.

"You know, I don't like silence" "Aap Janti hai hume khamoshi behad napasand hai"

I sat on the edge on the edge of the bed opposite him as I felt tired. My stomach was creating weird noises out of hunger. I was feeling afraid in the night in the middle of a huge silent ground with an unknown man and that too in a tent.

"I want to sleep somewhere else," I said in a slow voice.

"Really," He said taking another bite of meat. His hand got orange with the oil and spices and I could see a beast in him.

"Who said you are allowed to sleep," He said while chewing his food.

I shivered a little.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Tonight is your wedding night and I think there is a concept of keeping a husband happy." He said without looking at me.

"Don't you dare to come close to me again?" I warned him in an angry tone. 

He turned and look at me.

"Really!" 

I waited for his reply but he kept eating. I stood up, walked and then sat back again. His focus was on finishing the whole basket of food. 

I kept waiting, feeling tired, hungry, exhausted and what not. He was knowingly irritating me and testing my patience. 

"Listen!" I tried to say but it was inaudible to me too.

"Suniye..."

I said in a slow voice. I was feeling tired, I moved a little and rested my back against the pillow. My lashes were feeling heavy to keep open. I try to blink but I couldn't as sleepiness took over me.

I didn't know when I fell asleep sitting like that. 

I opened my eyes when I felt unbearable pain in my neck and I was feeling cold. I forced my eyes open and look from here and there. The tent turned dark as most of the lamps were off. There was just a slight light in the tent and then my sight fell on the other edge of the bed. 

He was sleeping facing the other direction calmly. I hitched a little and stood up from bed instantly. His body was covered with the comforter and I didn't know what to do. 

I couldn't run as it was my choice to get married. I couldn't go back as I was on a mission somehow and neither I know the directions to go back. I didn't know what to do. I walked towards outside keeping the veil on my head. The moment I took a step out of the tent, a chilly breeze hit my body and I shivered.

Tears collected in my eyes as I was feeling alone.

I stepped back inside the tent again. I was feeling helpless. I didn't know where to sleep. The weather was cold and I was feeling helpless and exhausted.

I walked towards the bed again. He was soundly sleeping and I sat on the edge of the bed without making any noise. I lied at the corner of the bed and covered myself with the leftover part of the comforter.

I was looking at his direction feeling scared. When nothing happens, I felt slightly comfortable and didn't know when my eyes closed and I fell asleep again. 

I woke up with a jerk when I felt someone touching my hand. I looked beside and saw him holding my hand. I pulled my hand in a jerk and he looked at me.

"Begum... You woke up. Hahaha" He laughed and I sat up adjusting my dupatta.

"Did your family hurt you?" He asked and I stood up from the bed. I didn't know why was he interested in my marks. I didn't want to talk to him. He was an evil beast who was planning to kill my brother.

"Stay away from me," I said and walked a little away. 

He stood up from the bed and I was looking at him. He was tall with a broad shoulder. He was wearing a black coloured kurta. His hairs were medium and he had a slight beard. If he weren't my enemy, I would have loved his features. 

He walked outside the tent and then I inhaled a breath of relief. It was early morning and the sun hasn't risen yet. I didn't know what to do and whom to ask I wanted to freshen up. 

I walked from here and there and then an attendee showed up.

"Choti Begum... You awake" She said and caught my attention.

I walked to her and asked.

"I want to freshen up."

"Yes, Sure... come with me. I will take you to Hammam. we have created a small hammam here but Sultan has a huge hammam in the Palace. We are walking with the river so that we can collect and use the water whenever we can. Also, the river is very long and this is the way to remember the path."

She was very talkative as she was talking and I was quietly following her. I had placed my veil and asked her softly.

"What's your name?" 

She turned and stopped.

"My name?... My name is Nagma" She said excitedly.

"Nagma... Beautiful name." I appraised.

"Thank you, Choti begum... This way please!" She said signaling me towards a direction. The path was rocky, and the huge forests were surrounding the place. The place was very unfamiliar. There were a lot of tents they settled for the night.

She stopped walking in front of a tent of white color and said.

"Choti Begum... You go inside and freshen up." 

I nodded and then she left me alone.

My heartbeat was beating fast as I was in between unfamiliar people and I didn't know anyone.

I looked at a few attendees standing outside the tent. They were looking at me while I was walking towards the entrance.

I didn't know why they were looking at me awkwardly. I ignored them and parted the curtains to go inside.

I entered inside and walked a little. There were oil lamps and a smell of bathing oil and flowers. And then my sight fell on a half-naked man who was facing the opposite direction to me. He was doing something and the thing he was only wearing was a cloth wrapped around and tucked on his waist.

I horrified and hurried to get outside but before I could, I hear.

"Begum..."