Seasonal Scrawl | Collection

01C| Adilie OS: Khayal ✓

This was written long ago. Basically just Adi and Imlie's povs when they were heading back to Delhi after their forced marriage. It might not be upto the mark but ya...hope u like it.

Aditya's pov:

Life is really unpredictable. My fate just affirmed this fact today. Coming here to interview Satyakam would mark yet another risk taken which would be successful and would be an added golden star to my career and that's precisely why I had come here. But leaving Pagdandiya would be such, I hadn't ever imagined. Never have I felt so helpless as I'm feeling right now.

I so wish that I open my eyes and somebody just shouts in my ear, it's all a bad dream. A horrid joke. But unfortunately it's not! It's a reality I just cannot accept. Not now. Not ever!

I look at her from the corner of my eyes. Her eyes have a faraway look, her lips pressed together as if to stop herself from crying out loud. The dark red in her parting and the black beads around her neck gleam in the sunlight. Her hair is left open, flying in abandon, oblivious to everything. Her hands are firmly clutching each other, her entire being curled together as much as possible.

I know she's as much affected by what happened. Her silence is speaking volumes. For a girl who chattered away as if her life depended on it, this silence was unnatural and disturbing, indicating to what extent she was troubled.

But I don't find it within myself to comfort her. Isn't it her fault that we are in this situation today? Had she not interfered and agreed to marry infront of her villagers, we wouldn't have been in this situation. Dying at the hands of the villagers would have been much better.

What do I tell my family who's awaiting my return for my marriage? What do I tell Mun?

No!

The truth cannot be out at any cost!

But what do I do?

Aditya's pov ends

Imlie's pov:

Why is the only question playing in my mind since the time all of it happened.

But then, it shouldn't have been an astonishing thing that my own villagers accused me of spending a night with Babusaheb because after all, for them, I'm the illegitimate daughter of a woman who had sinned by spending the night with a man from the city without marriage!

Yet it hurt! It hurt that despite screaming my throat out that we are innocent, that nothing has transpired between us, we were accused! They even came to a conclusion of marriage between me and Babusaheb without examining what happened, without letting us keep our front! I was amazed at the audacity of the villagers who were supporting my Nakli Nani blindly, getting moved by her provoking words. At that moment I knew crystal clear that Nakli Nani did not want me to study and get ahead. When tearing my scholarship certificate did not work out, getting me married forcibly seemed a lucrative option for her.

I did not understand what to feel at that moment. Hurt, dread, pain, disgust and what not!

And then I heard him say - he'll die but not marry! Somehow, I couldn't take it! The sight of people moving towards him with the axe made me feel as if my heart had stilled completely! And then, without a single thought, I reached right infront of him, my hands instinctively rushing to grab the axe directed towards him!

It cut sharp right into my hand but that pain was nothing compared to what I felt within my heart! The mere thought of an innocent person dying because of me was too much to take! I knew he loved someone in the city, that he was engaged to be married. I knew he had people back in the city awaiting his return. That's when I decided, I'd rather have myself cut into pieces but wouldn't let a single thing touch him or harm him, even in the slightest!

But was that the only reason? That's something I don't know or maybe, I don't want to know!

And so I did what was right at that moment, what could protect him in that moment. I agreed to marry him to spare his life. The villagers halted and Sarpanch agreed. My eyes were on them but I knew, he was looking at me in shock and anger. I could feel his gaze on my back but I had no courage to turn towards him. I hoped he wouldn't misunderstand me and would understand, it was just done to stall these people for the moment.

Imlie's pov ends

Aditya's pov:

I was prepared to die there, at the hands of the villagers. That was better than getting forcefully married and betraying Mun like that! I saw two men approaching me with their axes in their hands. I closed my eyes and remembered Mun, praying internally that she would be able to handle herself after I'm gone, praying to keep her in good health.

My eyes were tightly shut, anticipating the pain at any moment. But when I did not feel anything for long, I opened my eyes. What I saw infront of me, left me completely shocked!

There she was infront of me, her hands holding the axe directed towards me. Her blood was dripping down in drops, but her grip hadn't at all faltered.

Why was she doing this? Why did she come to save me?

Before I could think further, I heard her say that she'll marry me and to spare my life. Shocked would be an understatement at what I felt.

I felt angry, hurt and betrayed! She knew I had my Mun waiting for me in Delhi. She knew I'm engaged and would be marrying soon. She knew everything! Why then did she agree to do this?

That's when I remembered about her dream of going to the city for studies. So she had turned out to be selfish and cunning after all! She was using this situation to her advantage, using me to fulfill her dream! That made me more angry but I contained it within me!

Aditya's pov ends

Love,
Pratyusha