The Silent Revival

The beginning

Adhrit

She is sitting next to me, gazing out of the window, maybe lost in her thoughts , and I couldn't help but notice her . The face of my newly wedded wife,adorned with the looks of a bride but devoid of any emotions.It has only been a few hours since our marriage and we were currently on our way towards my parent's house.

The only thing that shocked me was that she had this stoic face even when she was leaving her family.I mean isn't it normal for girls to cry while leaving their home ?And then there is her. she just stood there like a stone,without any emotions or expressions. Like she is tired of everything.

It might be because it isn't her real family.I tried to reason myself

It felt as if she was trying to look okay, submerging something deep within her.And that was when a thought intruded my mind.Was she forced to take this decision ?.

It was true we didn't know each other except for the only two times we've met, the second being, today as in our wedding.
That too within a span of two weeks.But I felt something strange the moment my eyes fell on her.A foreign feeling, something that i have never felt before.

I don't know if it's love at first sight or whatever it is called but I had this certain kind of attraction to her from the very first time we met. It felt as if she was the only one for whom I could ever feel any attraction to.

And this marriage thing, it was so sudden as if it happened in the blink of an eye. We haven't spoken to each other ever since the day our marriage was fixed. But I did ask her if she really wanted this or not, or if anyone compelled her that day.

But she said it was her decision to say 'yes' and she is happy with this,though her eyes said something different, something that I couldn't decipher.The only thing she said was to give her some time to process everything.

And for my selfishness I agreed.I agreed for this marriage for my selfish reasons to be with her. It was weird for me, thinking I was never like this.But my mind said not to lose her and I just didn't want to have the regret of not making her mine.

There were many times where I had failed to make my decisions correctly only to be engulfed in regret later, which I didn't want to repeat,not in something related to her.

She seemed like a withered leaf, drained of life, that would fly away with the lightest blow of wind.And for some reason my heart clenched at this thought, instilling me with an urge to protect and care for her.

A sense of responsibility birthed in me seeing her wedding chain, a symbol of our marriage.
And at this point, I know it is my duty to foster a new shine in her lifeless eyes.To preserve that delicate leaf even if it means inventing new methods of rejuvenation.

And this is the reason I agreed to this marriage. Not because' he' forced me or neither for anything else as ' he' believes.

The sudden image of tying it on her neck flashed across my mind.

"It is time to tie the mangalsutra .You can lift the bride's veil, " Pandit ji said, handing me the chain and someone slowly lifted the veil which covered her face allowing me to completely admire the ethereal beauty in front of me.

My hands brushed on her neck as I tied the chain and a feeling of spark emitted from my arms to my body like a jolt of electricity. I think she might've also felt the same as her head jolted up the very moment.

Her tear brimmed eyes met mine, displaying an array of emotions in them which I'm not able to decipher except for the pain in them . She kept on staring at me through her bloodshot eyes as if she was seeing right through my soul.