The Cinderella Of Rewa

18. Nakul

People's ears were being assaulted by the din created by the musicians blowing their trumpets. Drummers dressed in colourful kurtas danced around, beating their drums like there was no tomorrow. Colour and sparks raced each other in the sky in the form of expensive fireworks.

An ocean of India's most exquisite silk and jewellery stretched out as far as one could see, the shimmer from all of them, almost having a blinding effect. Chariots made of ivory, silver and gold stood lined one behind the other with painted horses tethered to them - these were all the hallmarks of Indian aristocracy at it's best.

And yet, standing right in the centre of all the buzz, wearing his own exquisite white silk outfit (chosen by his mother) and choked by all the necklaces and rings (which his father had forced him to wear) that adorned him, Nakul stood uncomfortably, along with two attendants infront of a rosewood stand which held sachets of vermillion, holy ash, strings of Jasmine flowers, bottles of scented water and gold coins - all for the guests.

The last thing Nakul had wanted was to play the welcome mascot at his brother's bethrotal. Not even half the guests had arrived yet and his face muscles were already aching with too much smiling.

Inside, his parents were busy attending to the guests. The aroma of the badam milk they were being offered was driving Nakul crazy.

Though he had never been one to derogate the servants, Nakul couldn't see why they were not enough to welcome the guests.

But his parents thought differently.

The younger brother of the prospective groom, they said, could not afford to skulk in the background.

•••

Finally, when the time was due, Akshat came.

Looking proud as a peacock and dressed in multicolour silk that almost made Nakul dizzy. The previous day, he had pointed out to Akshat that perhaps, fewer colours would be more elegant on him but it was not like his brother ever listened to him.

As soon as Akshat reached the entrance of the mansion, hs jumped off the black beast he was riding. Nakul had to admit, even with all that drama, Akshat managed to look charismatic. A plethora of attendants ran forward to escort the groom who had arrived in style.

•••

Next, came the bride with her family.

Nakul had never seen a princess in his life. He had only seen daughters of other noblemen and all of then, he had found to be syrupy, sugary and overbearing.

He had never been able to imagine even a potential friendship with any of them.

Well, except one of them.

And it was not exactly a friendship he was expecting from her.

•••

Nakul watched the bride's party with increased curiosity to see what a royal family looked like. But to his surprise, they seemed hardly any different from his own family - all pompous and regal, gold and diamonds, extravagant and unnecessarily colourful. 

Nakul spotted his brother's parents in-law. For people who were conducting a desperate marriage for their daughter, they looked remarkably haughty and daunting.

His future sister-in-law, Nakul finally saw, was an undeniable beauty (though she was dressed in a most unimaginative way in a blue silk with lots of diamonds and lots of jasmine flowers woven through her long hair). 

Nakul noticed that, though the princess of Bhopal was wholesome and buxom (a fit enough match for his brother who loved voluptuous women) there was little colour to her face which looked wilted like a plucked lotus.

Better not to analyse her looks anymore, Nakul decided quickly when he found that his gaze had strayed down till her neck.

She was going to be his sister-in-law after all and he couldn't possibly gawk at her like that. Nakul decided, instead, to try and analyse her emotionally. If he did, maybe they could even become good friends after her marriage to Akshat.

She would certainly need friends, Nakul thought. She was sure to be a lonely woman for Akshat would never love her. 

Nakul had to sympathise with her. Who would be happy in a position like hers? She was after all getting into a marriage of convenience with no hope of love or warmth. And before that, her previous fiance had abandoned her at the wedding mandap. And as much as he didn't believe in the theory, Nakul knew what people said about a girl whose wedding had been called off at the alter - she would never get married.

Nakul crossed his fingers hoping in the depths of his mind, that his parents hadn't hastened to make a foolish decision simply for money.

As the entourage led by both sets of parents made their way into the mansion, both mothers holding one hand each of the bride, the princess of Bhopal turned around and for a moment, Nakul caught her soft yet penetrating gaze.

They looked at each other for a second longer than appropriate for brother-in-law and sister-in-law, before pulling their respective gazes away. Heat rose to Nakul's face. What would she think of him?

Determined not to spare another glance at her, Nakul turned to the crowd. It truly looked like the whole of Rewa had gathered there to celebrate what would be a monumental day in the history of the Madhya Pradesh.

That, it would indeed be.

But not for him.

Not unless, the one person he was waiting for, arrived.

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