Previous title: Bounded By Faith, Forged In Love.
Her Heart Stirred First, But His Sank Deeper
They say nothing is as beautiful as falling in love. But what if love is found where it was never meant to exist?
**Samira Chakraborty** is a dreamer trap...
Lunch was laid out with a spread of desi dishes, tempting aromas filling the dining room. Dal makhani, stuffed parathas, and a tangy paneer tikka took center stage. Alongside alu posto all paired with steaming hot rice and mishti doi (sweet yogurt) for dessert.
Rudra entered Ahan's study, a smile on his face, nudging his cousin to join them.
"Im not hungry Rudra!" Ahan looked hesitant. "Please bhai, family that eats together stays together remember!? " after a moment, he nodded and followed Rudra back to the table.
Rudra took a spoonful of alu posto, savoring the flavor before grinning at Samira. "Bhabhi, I always knew Bengalis were serious about their fish, but this... this is on a whole new level! Do you guys survive with mustard and poppy seed on everything?"
Samira chuckled, taking pride in Rudra's amused reaction. "It's in our blood, Rudra! Bengali food isn't complete without shorshe or posto. It's like... breathing."
Rudra smirked and teased, "Bengalis and their food are like a romance in story! And here you are, with this stoic Punjabi," he winked at Ahan, who was quietly listening. "It's like Salim and Anarkali all over again-a love that crosses borders, food preferences, cultures and spices."
Samira laughed softly, and even Ahan, despite his usually guarded expression, seemed to relax.
As they began their meal, Rudra's eyes glinted with a thought, and he leaned forward toward Samira with a mischievous smile. "Bhabhi, you know, when I was in Manchester, I met this woman named Nur Jahan." As soon as he said that Ahan movement of hands on food stopped maybe he had akready guessed whats coming. "The name struck me-Salim's queen, right? He fell for her after Anarkali's death?" Rudra laughed, glancing between them. "Makes you wonder... if a king like Salim who was so madly in love with Someone could fall twice in love, why can't we? And here we are, in the 21st century!"
"You know, 'Nur Jahan' isn't just a name," he said, glancing at Ahan with a hint of something deeper in his gaze. "It means 'Light of the World.' When she married Salim, she wasn't just any woman in his life. She became his light after the darkness he went through after Anarkali."
Ahan, silent but attentive, his expression unreadable. Samira, drawn to the thought, tilted her head slightly, her gaze softening as Rudra continued.
"After Anarkali's death, Salim was devastated. He loved her madly, but eventually, he met Nur Jahan. She wasn't a replacement, though. She was someone who brought him peace, another chance at love." Rudra's eyes sparkled as he looked at Samira. "So, you see, Bhabhi, maybe love doesn't end with loss; it changes, finds new shapes."
Samira sat quietly, absorbing his words. Ahan looked away briefly, but Rudra caught the tension that flared in his cousin's eyes as he took in the meaning behind "light" and "darkness."
Samira, still adjusting to the easygoing familiarity Rudra brought to the table, remained silent, her face thoughtful. But Ahan leaned back in his chair, replying with a firmness Samira recognized all too well.
"It shows how Salim is!," Ahan said quietly. "It showed his loyalty towards the women he loved once. Salim truly, deeply loved Anarkali first. But when he..he.. lo-lost her, he fell for Nur Jaha. How can that be..be a great love story.."
Samira's eyes, normally guarded, softened as she finally spoke up, her voice carrying a hint of challenge. "Yes he loved twice, but Salim didn't replace Anarkali. She was always his first love, and even after he fell in love with Nur Jahan, Anarkali's place was untouchable. Time doesn't stop for anyone. Love doesn't have to mean replacing what was already sacred; it's about making space for new one."
Ahan's brow creased. "Samira, there's no proof Anarkali even existed. Historians have argued over whether she was a real person or just a story-a symbol people cling to in justifying the pain of lost love. And then falling in love twice, maybe that's a way of justifying falling in love twice, Maybe Anarkali was simply a myth."
Samira's voice sharpened, her passion igniting. "Real just a myth, A character? That passion, that intensity? You can't make that up. Maybe... just maybe, Anarkali was real. Or at the very least, her story reminds us that life goes on, and sometimes, so does love. There nothing wrong in falling in love twice,or falling out of love. But tormenting yourself for your lover death is definitely wro-" Ahan stood up abruptly, his expression unreadable, his eyes avoiding both Samira and Rudra's gazes as he turned and left the house, the door shutting firmly behind him. Silence hung in the air, but it wasn't the easy comfort of shared companionship. The air was heavy with unspoken meanings, laced with hurt and frustration. The tension built with each passing second.
In the wake of his departure, Rudra's gaze lingered on the door, understanding dawning on him as he took in the quiet ache in Samira's eyes and the unfinished sentiments still lingering in the room. He glanced back at her, the pieces clicking into place in his mind.
Rudra's POV:
As the door clicked shut behind Ahan bhai, I leaned back, a sighing Watching Samira bhabhi sit there, her shoulders tense yet still graceful, I felt a wave of sympathy, admiration, and respect.
"So, bhabhi," i started, "It's you, him, and... her. All three of you, bound by the same strings, each trapped in this silent triangle. Ahan bhai's silence is drowning him, but maybe... maybe you're the light he doesn't know he needs yet."
I knew everything about her and Ahan but seeing them argue like this today speaks this clear that there is a whole lot of things that are needed to be put up before Ahan bhai inorder to make him face them so that they can be solved and i have to resolved them silently to bring some ease to lighten the shadows hovering over this house, even if only a little. After all, if anyone deserved a shot at peace in this tangled love, it was the woman who loved in silence, waiting patiently in the hope that one day, Ahan might see beyond the past. And I won't let Ahan bhai destroy his and Samira's life.
.................
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