The Forced Bride

Chapter 3 - Fears and Tears

I DEVAKI I

Devaki tried to keep her eyes open as they passed through bare fields and pastures, yet the fatigue forced her tired body to give up on her and she fell asleep in the car, sitting next to her new 'husband'.

She woke up hours later to someone tapping her on the shoulder. Her whole body ached and she slowly opened her eyes, expecting to find her husband staring at her. But it was a woman that woke her up. She could only see the woman's dark eyes as she hid the rest of her face with her dupatta.

"Wake up, Sahiba", the woman said with a very heavy accent. "You've reached home".

Devaki wanted to laugh. Home? There was no home. She wasn't even sure if she could return home, if she had one to return to, that is. She wasn't sure if her family was safe. If the riots and violence got worse, her father would leave their home with her mother and brother. If that happened, then it would be very difficult to find them when she returned. She hoped that didn't happen.

"Come inside", the woman says.

"Where is he?", Devaki asks her, "where is my husband?", she said the last word reluctantly and with barely suppressed bitterness and hatred. She didn't really want to see him, but she was surprised at his absence.

"Young master had some important work. He asked me to wake you and take you inside", she says. Devaki was glad that her husband had ignored her. She hoped he kept the distance and ignored her for the rest of her life here until she escaped.

"Alright. Show me the way", she said as she was left with no choice.

She stepped out of the car and stood in front of the large mansion. It was the grandest haveli she had ever seen. It was atleast three floors, with countless windows on each floor. The building was painted in green, cream and white colors. Large pillars held the whole building up and the column works done on the walls and the designs on the pillars made her wonder in awe of the craftsmanship. The whole haveli was lit with lights from the inside. Her husband was definitely wealthy, no doubt.

The open archway leading towards the inner courtyard was also huge. As they passed under them, she saw large ornate crystal chandeliers hung above her on the corridors around the inner yard. The inner courtyard was spacious, surrounded by rooms and a hall on all four sides. She could see the shadows of people moving in the dark. They were peeping at her from the threshold of their rooms.

She knew the man she married was rich but she didn't know just how rich and powerful he was. He must be a landlord to have such a big haveli. And she had seen the land around the haveli when she exited the car. It was endless.

The woman led her through the inner courtyard and the hall to the stairs leading upstairs. The marble staircase was even more wonderous - pristine and luxurious. She tried not to trip in the weight of her dress as they climbed the stairs. The gharara, which was too tight, made it hard for her to climb the stairs and breathe at the same time.

"The young master's room is upstairs. On the second floor. I'm sure you would like it, Sahiba", the woman says as they walk into the hall on the second floor. Devaki's feet ached from climbing two flights of stairs with the added weight of the heavy garment. She could still feel the eyes of the people below, hidden in the shadows, follow her as she walked through the corridor. She refused to look back at them.

In all the time since that evening, she had been worried about the night. Now that she was to stay in her husband's room, she felt her whole body tremble at the thought of what he might do to her. She couldn't refuse to stay in the same room as him, she was powerless here.