Lekha (Completed)

Lekha 22

"We need to find you a husband who is close to our family, so that we can monitor your well being and can place our trust in him to take good care of you. Secondly who would not spread rumors about your disappearance if per chance you go back to you time. Also be supportive in making you understand the lifestyle here instead of questioning you " said maasa.

I nodded my head subtly at that.

"Then will you tell that person about me." I questioned looking up into her eyes with slight fear.

"No dear that won't be required as the person I have in mind already knows about you." She said with a smile on her face as if contemplating my future happiness.

My heart dropped down into an abyss void of any silver line. I wished mother earth to swallow me and asked the Gods whom I had thanked right this morning as to why they are playing such games with me. I knew that the person she was talking about was Rudra, since he was the only person who knew about me apart from her. It was wrong to say I was shocked, in fact I was horrified.

Maasa looked at my face and thought that I was worried that apart from her somebody else knew about me too.

"Don't worry dear it's no one outside the family. It's our own Rudra. I can trust him with my life, so who better I can give you to then him." She confirmed my worst nightmare, smiling at me with reassurance. I couldn't tell her that the man she had chosen for me hated me.

"Does he know that you have chosen him for me?" I asked with my head down as I didn't want her to see my thoughts reflected on my face.

"Don't you worry dear I have already talked to him and he had accepted readily. Moreover your taisa is also quite happy with the association. We just needed your confirmation to go ahead."

I found no escape route through this dreadful situation, I was literally cornered. I wondered why Rudra had accepted to marry me. Maybe he would help me escape this as I was dead sure that he hated me.

"Can I talk to him before you declare my acceptance to all ... maasa?" I said hesitating that I might be acting too forward to question their decision.

"Sure dear. I will send him in directly" she said as she got up and went out of the room to call him. Her joyous tone already raised red flags in my brain. It would be hard to convince her otherwise as she I knew could not even imagine that any girl would reject her beloved nephew.

Left alone I couldn't sit still, so got up to roam the length of the room thinking of what I would say to him. I didn't want to marry him but I couldn't think of an alternate solution. I could understand that what maasa said was in fact true. If something happened to her I would be all alone caught up in the situation, unable to explain my circumstance to anyone. What if someone did meet me from the village of maasa then all my secrets would be out and I would be considered a fraud. Rudra was a solution and I could survive being with him for some time. I could stay with maasa after my marriage while he stayed with his family. Young brides I had heard stayed with their parents even after marriage and went to their in law's  home only after reaching adulthood. I could always avail that tradition. The problem would start only if I was unable to return back.

"You wanted to talk to me "came the dreaded voice. I knew he would come but hearing his voice jolted my heart and I stood still as a statue. My face was towards the wall but I didn't turn around.

"What is the problem?" he asked in a cold low voice.

I closed my eyes suddenly feeling mentally tired and asked "Why did you agree to marry me?"