DhruvTara: The Imperfectly Perfect Marriage

Chapter 7: The Secret Meet

"Oye Arjun sun...." Called Chandra
"Ha boliye Chandra didi..."
"Tu woh Haveli ke Birju ko janta hai na??"
"Ha janta hu na..."
"Yeh chitti le aur unhe de ke ay... aur bol ise Dhruv babu tak paucha dene ko..."
"Keu didi... Tara didi prem patra bhej rahi..." joked Arjun.
"Bohat pak geya hai tu.. jo bol rahi hu kar... aur sun... kisiko batana mat ha..."
"Ab nischint raho didi... mai kisiko nehi bolunga..."

Arjun ran towards the haveli and gave the letter to Birju with the message. Birju went to Dhruv's room dancing. Before entering he peeped into the room to ensure secrecy is maintained.
"Dhruv babuuuuuu...." Birju slipped in.
"Keya hua aise uchal keu raha hai?"
"Yeh dekho apke liye Tara jiji ka prem patra aya hai..." Birju gave Dhruv the letter.
"Keya?! Dikha...", Dhruv snatched it and opened it.
"Keya likha hai??"
"Jangal wale khandar mai milne ko boli..."
"Keya baat keya baat... to aap ja rahe?"
"Obviously ja raha hu"
"Par shadi ke pehle aap to mil nehi sakte apne hone wali patni se... niyam hai"
"Mai nehi manta..."
"Par gharwale to mante hai na......."

A few moments later,
"Birju sakt karke badhna ha.... kahi girke haddi na tut jaye meri..."
"Ap chinta na kare Dhruv babu.. hum iske maher hai..." Birju tied bedsheets and clothes together in form of a rope for Dhruv to flee via the balcony.
"Accha sun... isko set karke tu nikal jana... mai darwaja bandh kar dunga under se.... jaise aisa lage ki mai under hu... samjha?"
"Haa"

Dhruv successfully fleed via the balcony. It's the backside of the house still Birju took care no one goes there notice the cloth rope hanging.
---

Dhruv reached the khandar but couldn't see Tara. He sat on a rock looking at the Kanha ji's picture Tara made there.
"Dhruv ji...." Chandra called from behind.
Dhruv looked back and squeezed his eyes, this is Tara's sister!!
"Aah.... tum..." Dhruv stood up, "Tum Chandra ho na... Tara ki behen..."
"Ji... aap mujhe jante ho?"
"Hmm janta hu..." Dhruv put his hands on his pockets unintentionally giving a sophisticated look, "By the way Tara kidhar hai??"
"Ji... woh nehi ayi.... matlab woh chitthi... woh Tara ke naam maine bhijwai thi...."
"Keu??" Dhruv frowned
"Ji.... Tara ka daar hai... ki sayed aap usko... byas pareshan karne ko... shadi kar rahe... uska manna hai ki use koi payar nehi kar sakta... babuji ke maan ke liye raji hui ho shadi ke liye... dil se raji na hui... to mujhe janna hai... ki aap sachmai Tara se payar karte ho na? Woh jaise hai taise usko manenge na? Mai khud bhi usko tasalli na de pa rahi... jabtak mai khudko na tasalli de du...."
"Hmmmm... to Tara ne tumko bola hai ki mai use pareshan karta hu?"
"Ji..."
"Keu karta hu pata hai?"
"Ji nehi..."
"Keuki mujhe usse baat karna accha lagta hai... tum usko jakar bolo... ki mai usse payar karta hu... na mai use dhoka dene wala aur nahi mai use naukrani banane wala hu... I know yehsab batain in apki budhi dadi suna rahi hogi Tara ko... tum befikr raho, Tara ko Sethani ka hi maan milega haveli mai..."
"Aap itna jante kaise ho? Ki dadi kaise baat karti Tara se??"
"Tara ke barain mai sabkuch janta hu... janne ki kosis karta hu... keuki woh mujhe acchi lagti... tum janti ho keya... yeh jo tasvir hai Kanha ji ki... yeh Tara ne banaya hai...."
"Keya?! Woh idhar... idhar kab ati hai?"
"Ati hai... jab mandir mai sab use bura bhala bolte... tab ati hai... apne bhagwan ka mandir usne yaha khud sthapan ki hai..."
Chandra was astonished. Dhruv knows about Tara more than she does! Tara even didn't talk with Dhruv properly but Dhruv knows her everything.
"Aap... aap sachmai khus rakhenge na Tara ko?"
"Befikr raho... uski haq ki sab khusi dunga mai use... vada hai mera..." Dhruv took Chandra's hand and kept his hand on her's. Chandra moved back for a second, then, she felt, so comfortable. His soft smile, his touch felt like brotherly affection. Suddenly she felt this is the best guy for Tara.
---
Chandra was partially convinced. But she needs to ensure everything. And the most important thing, Tara's originality.

Tara was sitting in the room, tensed, while Dadi was continuing her rantings around her. Masterji's endurance crossed it's limits.
"Mai ap thoda shant ho jayiye... haath jorte hai apke samne... bacchi ka biha ho raha hai... kabhi socha hai apne agar apki bato se Sethji ko thes pauch geyi to humara keya haal hoga... bacchi ka to aap sochte nehi kamse kaam mera to soch lijiye... yeh biha ho geya to humari izzat baregi samaj mai... yeh soch lijiye...."
Dadi thought for a moment. He's right. If Tara is married to Sethji's son then Chandra too will get a better groom. She knows very well Tara will end up becomming a maid, and the way she have already threatened her, she'll never reveal her reality before marriage, and with that black colour she can never become Sethani. And if she doesn't get that place and Dhruv remarries later, there's no scope of Tara's original face comming out. Dadi's confidence went high above, without realising that Dhruv's love for Tara was true, and that he attempts to know every truth of her, and vows to give her everything she deserves.
---
The preparations for marriage starts. Chandra notices her father tensed, dadi didn't allow him to mortgage the house for Tara. The Seths also is not pressurising on anything. Perhaps Sethji is upset with his son's decesion and doesn't want grand wedding for a dull girl. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, it was Diwan ji,
"R a Diwan ji aap??"
"Ha Masterji woh Sethji ka ek sandesh dena tha.."
"Ha ayiye na..... under ayiye... boliye....."
"Masterji... Sethji chahate hai ki aap apni beti ki shadi apne hisab se kare... apni tarah se... unki taraf se koi jor nehi ki unke hasiyat ke hisab se ho shadi...."
"Yeh to bohat acchi baat hai... hum to chinta mai... Sethji ko meri taraf se dhannyabad kahiye ga..."
"Ji ha jarur...."
Diwan ji left.
---

"Sachmai bara dil hai sethji ka..." praised Masterji
"Dil bara nehi dimag bara hai..." taunted Dadi, "Jaat paat hin kali larki ke sath biha ho raha isliye jada dhum dham nehi kar rahe... apne samaj mai apna izzat bacha rahe... likh le yeh larka ferse shadi karega... tera Tara ko byas uski..."
"MAI.... yeh aap keya boli ja rahi ho... apne juban ko lagam dijiye jara..."

Tara heard the discussions from behind the door, and so did Chandra. Tears ran down Tara's eyes,  she dreamed so much about her future, now that seemed dark, just like her fake skin tone.
---

Chandra took a paper and pen and left the house by the back door. She called Arjun and sent a letter to Dhruv.

The letter went in the same way and reached Dhruv, it read,
"_Sammaniya Dhruv ji,
Apne humain bola ki aap Tara se sacchi mai prem karte, to humain bhi apko ek sach dikhana hai. Aj raat 10 baje, jab pura gao so jayega, tab aap jangal wali khandar pe ana, aur mashal jo rahenge use jalake kahi pe chup jana, jaha se Tara ke Kanha ji ke pas jo bhi ho use aap acche se dikh pao aur sun bhi pao. Sach se apko jhatka lagega, par, shadi se pehle yeh sach janna jaruri hai apke liye. Kaal dopeher ko hum fer milenge, wahi pe, waha aap mujhe apna nirnay batayiye ga. Aur humare liye bhi keya karna uchit hoga woh bhi boliye ga.
Apki behen,
Chandra_"

Dhruv was amused to see Chandra's childish way of writing and her calling herself his sister to create an undisputed bond, really girls are cutely smart creatures. But what might be the possible truth Chandra wants to tell him? In so much of suspense? So much that it can alter his decesion?!
---