The Battle Of Hearts A Choice Between Power And Love

Chapter 11 New Realisations

Annika's POV

I tried not to look like papa just dropped a huge stone on my head. That could possibly kill me. To say I was surprised would serve as a huge understatement. I knew this day would come. But I didn't know that it would be here so soon! This was bound to happen, but that doesn't make it any less surprising. We both, me and Aryan, knew that we would be married off to each other a long time ago. I had come to accept that fact. But that alone did not stop my eyes from searching for something, anything in this crowd to ground me to reality. In the sea of excited brown and black eyes, I found his wild blue ones, steel hand and unwavering from mine, grounded me to my reality.

Reality slammed into me as I looked into his eyes. Then like a breeze he was gone, storming off to who knows where, with William hot on his heels. My eyes looked in the direction he left.

What was I doing?

Why was it that his eyes held the power to ground me?

Why him?

Him that I didn't trust.

Him that I didn't believe.

A person I didn't know anything about.

Why him?

Dadi maa held my hand, which snapped my train of thoughts. I turned my attention back to the dinner and my family.

"What happened dadi maa?" I asked concerned.

"You tell me what happened to you Annika. Why are you not eating beta?"

"Nothing dadi maa, I am just not hungry"

"Oh Annika, don't say that! You need to eat to stay healthy dear. Here, let your dadi maa feed you"

"But dadi maa!" I tried to stop her.

"Annika, what is it? Have you grown so old that you will not eat from my hands now? Achha, your trying to win me with your tactics!"

"Oh god! I don't know what tactics you are talking about!" I exclaimed. She sighed as I chuckled and ate while she fed me.

"Dadi maa, you still think I am a kid, don't you?"

"Well, what can I do? I didn't have a chance to do all this with you when you were a child, so I am just being selfish and taking my chances!" she said with a small smile.

"Dadi maa" I held her hands, "do tell that you know why papa did it"

"Yeah, I do. He is my boy after all! He had to be stubborn, just like his father. You know what? Your father - he is just like his papa ji"

"oh you mean dada?" I asked. I didn't know much about dada, but maa told us he died in a war long ago. I didn't want to ask about this to dadi maa, so i kept quiet and ate for a while.

"But dadi maa, why did papa just announce it all of a sudden? Why now, here in Punjab?"

"I don't know meri pia. I hope he has a good explanation for that" she replied. Aditya got up from his place in the table and walked over to me.

"Dadi maa, I have to steal your precious beti from you for a moment" he winked at her. Dadi maa scolded him playfully as he held his ear, a symbol that he is sorry - a playful one - and dragged me away from the table.

"What is it Adhi?"

"Did papa talk to you about this before announcing it?" he asked, his voice harsh and fast. I shook my head saying "No"

"Why is he doing this now?"

"I don't know Adhi. I am just as clueless as you are! What do I do now?" my hand fisted at my lehenga skirt. Frustration poured out of me in waves. He hugged me in consolation. Adhi's protective arms came around me. That familiar warmth of his is all I needed. My emotions flowed out of me like a river.