ARANYAM

Chapter 26- Normal !

While Vikram was keeping the sealed samples carefully, he heard a noise on the balcony and made no delay to check on it.

His Eagle eyes soon found a half-nude Cleopatra painting in a plant pot. He looked once at his sleeping wife, her rhythmic movement of the chest confirmed his doubt, and locking the balcony door without noise, he burnt the Cleopatra painting.

After the whole paper, was burnt and only a small part was left, he used the hex viewer in his matches and read the message.

His clenched fist and fire in his eyes, were evidence of his emotions, as even in this high alert state, that bleeding bastards in Nilgris, have successfully traded 5 crores worth of elephant flesh and ivory. By this successfully they reached a golden number of 1000 crores of Asian elephant trade.

"Fucking bastard" 
Cursing, Vikram smashed his matches on the left piece of paper and lit it destroying the message.

"Sounds like a much bigger system has been established by him, to continue his trade even in these critical hours." Taking a puff, Vikram lays himself recklessly in the balcony chair, while trying to control his aggression for this decline and permanent loss in the rare Asian elephant population.

But his irritation, discomfort, and urge to calm down his adrenaline was advancing exponentially.

He turned his gaze, towards his wife through the window, whose face was evident of her exhaustion.

Before his aggression took over the compassion and the leaf wilts under his thumping, he received a call, which summarises as "NILA FAINTED"

Valli's PoV

Facing my palms, when I opened my eyes, I didn't find LAKSHMI, SARASWATHI, GOVINDA, but rather a note written by him on my palms, informing me about his departure on his work this early morning.

Ok... He's back to his previous self at least, without dragging his fury.

I came out of the pooja room, after Devara pooja, which actually should have been done by him, but was never done ever since his upanayana. Without wasting my brain, when I stepped ahead to the kitchen to pick a bowl, Ajji's call cracked the silent mansion, to enquire or to manipulate me more into behaving like an "ideal wife".

"Let the conventions go. We just need him not to go.

Don't ever let him ever approach some other woman, of any of his need.

OK ?"

"Even for non-veg?" I asked while going into the garden in search of henna plants.

"Devare... This girl.... 4 years since marriage... still doesn't know how to uphold her relationship at all.

Haa. Even for non-veg." She had to agree afraid of her son's deteriorating relationship.

"Hmmm" I continued to pluck henna leaves

"I sent you there, to fill your womb... 

But here the worst fate goes, filling tears and sins.

Behave accordingly and behave the way, he likes" Stressing all instructions again, she freed my hand from my earpiece.

While plucking the leaves, I had to pluck out the symptoms of second-wave feminism as well.

He takes care of me well.

He makes me feel well.

He accommodates everything well.

It's just his aggression, which overrides my feelings sometimes.... (truly only sometimes?)

And might be it's just me, who just over-emphasizing my discomfort and disinterest during our nights.

Shall I ask someone in this regard?

Ewww Chi...

Nothing can be more disgusting than, discussing the matter between 4 walls and 2 persons with some 3rd person.

Maybe every other woman would be feeling the same.

IT'S SHOULD BE NORMAL, AND IS NORMAL... I think...

Thinking and justifying the customs and surroundings in, which I was brought up, I went into the kitchen to grind the henna leaves, which I would apply this evening, so that they get dry by the night before he returns.

In the lost thoughts, I completely forgot about the experiment, I started on the chicken to delight him, using the recipe book of Pallavi.

So, obviously now to grind the henna leaves, I had no curd left.

Cursing myself, when I went out to ask the gardener to get the curd from the milkmaid, I found myself alone in the mansion, as Mama already called off all the security and I sent the remaining guard and gardener to get spices and oil for that non-veg curry.

I peeked, if any person I know is present, but my face wilted and the half-grind henna leaves washed off, I myself decided to go to that milkmaid, as she was just 2 streets away.

Little I knew then... 2 streets apart and 2 lives apart.

I was searching for her stall, and she invited me very warmly... with the warm fermented food, which was supposed to be fed to cows and buffalos, rather now bathed me completely.

"Sorry pulla... Sorry" 

Even what the hell, I can do if my fate is running this horrible?

I was hardly controlling myself, from puking for the horrible smell coming out of me.

She was looking at me apologetically, for her act of ignorance. To correct her mistake and to save my drenched modesty, from the lustful gazes on the road, she forwarded me one of her sarees, which I had to drape, after I cleaned off the mess, in her home.

By the time, I came out after dealing with the saree, whose cloth I haven't dealt till now, I found her waiting for me with the curd-filled vessel.

"Tomorrow, I'll send your saree, with someone. Thank you" I just placed money for the curd in her hand and took long strides on the road to reach the guest house quickly.

While my numb legs were returning from the milkmaid, the huge posters and flexes reached out of my sight.

"SONS OF BITCHES,

DID YOUR STATIONS AND HOUSES ARE OUT OF BITCHES, THAT YOU CAPTIVATED OUR PIOUS WOMEN, WHOM YOU THINK AS YOUR SLAVES?

DG, YOU ARE SUCH A PIMP, USING WOMEN IN THIS WAR OF US MEN ... OH SORRY, HOW THE HELL ARE YOU LEFT AS A MAN, AFTER YOU STOOPED THIS LOW ?"

I couldn't read the public abuse of my husband anymore. While my palms reached my cheeks to wipe off the tears, someone's palm reached out for my hair and the club reached out to my lower limbs, turning my world red and tearful.

Before I could realize what was happening, Tamil Nadu STF took charge to arrest the people of Dharampuri, along with other forest villagers for bad-mouthing the police department and causing public nuisance.

The last thing, I clearly saw was myself amid other villagers being arrested and sent to "THE WORKSHOP", which is actually a termination center of police.

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