When she was done tying the anklets, I held her hands and kissed them in respect, and she chuckled softly.
“Bahut pyaari lag rahi ho, Suman.”“You look lovely, Suman.”
Princess Aishwarya pressed her lips lovingly onto my head.
“Let me tie this now,” she said, placing a hefty choker necklace around my neck, adjusting it carefully. She then added a long, three-layered kundan necklace that rested on my midriff.
“It’s heavy,” I complained gently.
“Get used to it,” she laughed.
Once they were done, I noticed an attendant walking in with an incense brazier and setting it down on the floor.
Meanwhile, Nandani placed the dupatta over my shoulders, tucking one end into my skirt while holding the rest to drape it over my head. Princess Aishwarya picked up the other dupatta, more like a matching shawl, and placed it over my shoulder. I held it in place with my hands.
Once my dupatta was arranged correctly, I walked toward the incense pot. Nandani and Princess Aishwarya helped lift my skirt slightly as I stood over the pot, placing my feet on either side. I parted my legs and bent down, feeling the smoke brush against my inner thighs. I waited for a few moments until the warmth slowly seeped in.
When it was done, I stepped aside, and they asked me to sit down for the final touches. She lined my eyes with kohl and loosened a few soft curls to frame my face. My nerves were stretched thin. I knew they could call me at any moment.
“Kunwar-sa mandap par pahunch gaye hain,”“Kunwar-sa has reached the mandap57.” an attendant announced.
My heartbeat escalated. Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I heard of his arrival.
“Suman is ready as well,” Nandani replied.“Inform us when Pandit ji calls for her.”
?????
40. Agastya
Icouldn’t sleep the entire night.
My eyes felt heavy, exhausted, but my heart was overflowing with love, anticipation, and an unfamiliar sense of responsibility. I wanted to witness this last night of my bachelorhood, knowing that by morning, everything would change.
Until now, I had been just a carefree, reckless boy, wandering like a free bird. But the next day, I would no longer be that boy. I would become a man. A man who was someone’s dream, someone’s long wait, and the husband of my wife.
“What happened, Agastya?” Rudra Bhai-sa’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I lifted my head from the couch’s headrest and looked toward him.
“Nothing,” I replied lightly.“Just staring at the stars.”
He smiled knowingly, lifting his brows before taking a sip of fruit juice and munching on peanuts.
“Married life is no joke, Agastya,” he said.
Ranvijay Bhai-sa hummed in agreement.“Hmm… Bhai-sa is right.”
King Abhinandan chuckled.“For once, that’s the only thing I agree with Rudra on.”
Rudra Bhai-sa shot him a look.
“Thank you very much,” he remarked.“And how long will it take for you to accept that I’m your brother-in-law now and that I didn’t force your sister into marrying me? It was completely consensual.”
King Abhinandan rolled his eyes.“Not this story again.”
I sighed deeply, glancing between them.
“It’s my wedding,” I reminded them.“And we’re all here to give me moral support.”
They looked at me, momentarily caught.
