KGF Spin-Off (Garuda x Sonal)

Chapter 8

As Sonal runs out of the room and turns towards where the car is parked, she can't believe her uncle, whom she respects greatly and who always praised her for her intelligence, is arranging her marriage without even asking her. She knew she had to marry someone of her family's choice; love marriage was not an option for her. Her father had made it clear long ago that she would have an arranged marriage, but he also promised her that she would have a choice. Limited, but a choice nonetheless.

She had prepared herself for an arranged marriage and had hoped that she might find love like Reena did with her brother Kamal, or at least find companionship in her husband. She couldn't imagine Garuda, who always seemed so emotionless and vacant, being a companion for her. And she never thought that her choice could be taken away like this, least of all by her own uncle.

She remembers how her uncle always spoiled her with gifts and treated her differently from Kamal and Reena. She thought that was because she was the youngest of all and the daughter of her aunt's best friend. Her father told her stories about how her mother and her aunt were like sisters and grew up together.

When her mother passed away shortly after giving birth to her, Shivani, Garuda's mother, was devastated but still took care of her like her own daughter. She vaguely remembers her, as she was braiding her hair when she was six years old. But soon after, Shivani got into an accident and passed away when Sonal was around six or seven years old.

She never thought her uncle would ask, no no not ask but give her hand to Garuda for marriage as if it were a payment for showing her kindness and treating her differently. Now she wonders if this was the reason why Suryavardhan was so against her going to London for studies. She thought it was because he was worried about her and wanted to protect her. She guesses he wanted to protect her, but not for her benefit, but for his own selfish reasons.

As Sonal reaches the door to the car, her kind heart begins to contemplate different reasons behind the unsettling situation. It wouldn't be like her if she didn't attempt to find even a small speck of goodness in monsters. "Maybe Suryavardhan's illness is why he's worried about his son's life and wants to see him settled down. Perhaps that's why Garuda said yes, just to please his father, and he doesn't actually intend to marry her."

Such thoughts start to take shape in her mind, causing her to feel as though she may have overreacted. She questions whether she should have shown such disrespect to her uncle, especially during what could be his last days.