House of Ashes [Complete]

63. Wedding | نکاح [Last]

This is the last chapter so y'all better not act like miser and drop loads of comments and feedback. And don't forget to Vote as well <3
Also, I know, I've used this song before as well but I've always associated it with Safa and Azlan so I just had to add it in the last chap as well.

The nikkah was a small intimate affair with very few people close to them. It was arranged in the back lawn of Shehryar's residence. Safa was dressed in an offwhite Garara delicately embroidered with intricate work. Her hair came flowing over her shoulder and her face was slapped with light makeup, just enough to enhance her beauty and not hide her actual features. Azlan had donned a Sherwani of matching color which complemented her dress perfectly. It was a daylight white themed wedding.

White floral curtain was drawn between them as they sat on opposite sides. The afternoon sun was warm and the greenery surrounding them freshened the atmosphere.

Everything was going smoothly but then the Imaam finally asked for her consent to the marriage and that was the hit moment for her. She was getting married. Again. But this time to the love of her life? The feeling itself was hard to believe, but then it was fleeting as well because now it had been replaced by fear. The fear of getting married.

The fear of trusting yet another man.

And then, the fear of falling in love.

Loving someone makes you weak and she couldn't fall weak again. She couldn't put her trust in someone again only to have it broken yet again. What had she done? She should've never said yes. Oh, I was so foolish. She wanted to run away. She clenched her dupatta in her hands as they went clammy. Her throat felt dry and silence fell over. The bride wasn't saying yes and no one knew what to do.

Waliya put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Api."

Asmara also looked at her and gave a slight nod. Raina exchanged glance with Arham and Sameena held onto Mr. Shehryar.

Meanwhile a lone tear gathered on the brim of Azlan's eye. This wasn't something he hadn't anticipated. He'd be lying if he said he didn't. He had even iterated the whole scenario in his mind a thousand times and had readied himself a gazillion times to walk away from her life quietly if something like this happened. If she wasn't comfortable, he wouldn't urge her. He'd just simply let her go.

To love is to let go. They say. But not always. Sometimes you don't let your love go. Sometimes you fight for it. Because you know your love is safe with you and you with them. Love is complicated but it doesn't always have to be. Letting someone go before even trying to clarify their doubts and their reservations? What kind of love is that? Mighty or just simply not real and true enough? You claim you love someone? You make sure to reassure them and do everything in your power to keep them in your life if it's not harming them. It's easy to let someone go. It's not to work on reassuring them to keep them. She was a pack full of anxiety, doubts, and fears. Letting her go was easy and convenient. Inviting her in his life with all her fears where he'd have to work on them every day with her wasn't. But he loved her with every challenge that came along so he wouldn't lose her to them either. He'd fight for her.

He'd fight for his love.

So he stood up and drawing the curtain away, kneeled right before her. Her face was cast downward as she tried not to look at him out of guilt.