Shadow and Light

18

The Shadow

I had married him.

The man I hated the most, I had married him.

Not because I wanted to but because I was forced to, because I knew there was an underlying cause to this decision of his, he didn't marry me to torture me, but for an entirely different reason.

But I was flabbergasted when I saw Amma in front of me, he had brought her here, for me? I couldn't believe it.

My heart felt joy, after all of these days I was truly happy that it made me tear. I knew her, she was like my mother, she was somebody I knew who cared about me, who looked at me like I was her daughter. I smiled thinking of her.

I was back in my chamber looking in the mirror.

My nose had a little vermillion on it, but what looked the most beautiful was the partition of my hair. I looked beautiful. My mother would have been happy, so happy. I cried a few silent tears in her memory.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. He had done something so touching that my brain wasn't able to understand the reason, he was just being nice? I had thought.

But nice wasn't a word I found synonymous with him; he was anything but nice.

But he was the one who had brought her here. Amma.

I asked for a servant and ordered her to bring me a fresh set of clothes. She did as I asked and I changed my clothes from the heavy set of lehenga to a light one.

While changing I saw all the burn marks on my body, covering most of it, the most horrible ones were on my back, cigarette burns, belt marks, it was all there, a reminder of my past.

I hid them all under my blouse which I had asked to be made as to cover most of my upper body.

I asked another attendee for a henna cone and they brought it to me, "Do you need help, Maharani?" she asked, her head hanging low, I am no maharani, I thought, "No, you may go" I ordered and she left.

I looked at the cone in my hand and thought about the decision I had taken, if it was a mistake, if it will make me regret it, but I went anyway.

I opened his door and entered, not letting any thoughts in anymore.

The Light

She entered my room and leaped towards me.

She was tall enough to meet my eyes, without having to look up.

There was an unfamiliar softness to her eyes.

"Haath dijiye apna" she asked, holding out her own hand, (Give me your hand).

I raised my eyebrows, clearly confused from her request, "Why?" I asked, "Give me your hand" she repeated, I gave her my hand.

"The other one" she indicated to my right hand; I gave her my right hand.

"Close your eyes" she ordered, while holding my hand in hers, I did as she asked, not looking for a fight this late at night.

I felt a cold feeling on my hand as if she was putting something on it, "Open your eyes" I did and tried to look at my hand but she put her hand on top of it, hovering as if trying not to touch it.

"I am giving you this, because you have done something I had thought you were not able to do. I am putting faith in you Ranvijay Singh. Don't break my trust and my faith" she said, her eyes filled with emotions.

She took away her hand and put it by her side, I looked at what she had done.

It was a name.

"Ada" I whispered.

"Ada. Ada naam hai humaara" she murmured (Ada, Ada is my name), "Izzat karne lage hai hum aapki Ranvijay, lekin yeh mat sochiyega ki ghrina nahi karte hum aapse. Woh to hum ab bhi karte hai" she explained and walked out of the room; no, she ran away.

(I have started respecting you Ranvijay, but don't think I don't hate you; I still do)

I stood there in bewilderment.

"Ada" I whispered.

"Ada Ranvijay Singh" I smiled.

Very tiny chapter, I know!

But this is because Part 1 is done🥳

Part 2 is going to start from now on! 

And I am so excited 

I have got so much planned for my beloved Ada and Ranvijay!

And how did you like the name reveal????

Well Until the next chapter!

Babye!