A Wedding And A Funeral

As the priest read out the chants, Shivani and Mrityunjay were unified in holy matrimony. On the priest's instructions, Mrityunjay put the Mangalsutra (nuptial necklace) around Shivani's neck while she sat completely stunned and oblivious to whatever was happening around her. He filled in the sindoor (vermilion) into her forehead and they went around the scared fire 7 times. They were now husband and wife as per Vedic rituals.

As soon as the marriage rituals were done and the priest was dispatched away, a doctor was called in. He gave her some sedatives to help her get over the trauma and instructed that she needed complete rest. Mrityunjay escorted the doctor out of his bedroom as she slept on the bed. He covered her with a blanket , even as she quietly slipped into deep slumber and stepped out of his room.

Nandita was standing outside, sobbing and worried. Mrityunjay walked over to her. "I know all this has happened in such a hurry that you probably don't know how to react. But under the circumstances, this is the only way to keep you and Shivani safe," he tried to justify.

"But why marry her? You could have helped us get away from here. Why did you want to marry her? What is the meaning of all this?" asked Nandita, completely confused and disoriented.

"I love her,” he stated without any prelude or context to what he was saying.

Nandita was shocked at his statement. "You knew Shivani before this!?" she was bewildered to have been unaware.

"Yes, but that is a tale for another day. Right now, I want to assure you, that both Shivani and you are safe here. No harm will come your way.”

Nandita's eye filled with tears. "And what about Baba?" she questioned.

Mrityunjay's face wore a worried look. "The police will need to carry out a post mortem, until then...." He let the words trail. Nandita understood and walked away to her room, shedding tears.

Madhu Bhau came over to Mrityunjay as soon as Nandita had left. "Make sure the papers don't pick up any information about the sisters," Mrityunjay commanded, looking at Madhu Bhau who nodded his head. Then, apprehensively he looked up at Mrityunjay, asking him, "if she comes to know we had employed her father for...” he left the sentence unfinished.

Mrityunjay looked at Madhu Bhau seriously. "I will tell her the whole truth," he proclaimed, walking off, not waiting to hear what Bhau said.

Back in his room, Mrityunjay came and sat by Shivani, as she slept under the effect of the sedatives. She looked pale and exhausted as she slept. He ran his hand gently over her forehead, feeling his heart thudding in his chest. What an eventful night it had been! He had never imagined that he would ever see her again. And here she was, in his bedroom, now his wife, lying unconscious on his bed. Mrityunjay sighed deeply. If this was not destiny, then what was? He rested next to Shivani, supporting his head with his hand and gazed at her sleeping form. He did not realise when he nodded off, watching her thus.

Shivani woke up with a throbbing head ache, the next morning. She felt dizzy and sick in her stomach. She tossed in the soft bed, moaning in pain as the head ache became unbearable. The room was bright and very different from their house. She sat up and looked all around. She had no idea where she was. And then, she remembered what had happened the previous night. "BABA," Shivani screamed and ran out of the bedroom. As she did, she saw men standing all around her.

Her heart sank. They all looked like goons and she was surrounded by them on all sides. She looked all around bewildered. As she stood there swallowing hard, the men gave way for someone coming from her right-hand side. He seemed to be some kind of a politician, going by the clothes he was wearing and the men seemed to fear or rather, respect him. And then she saw him walking towards her, in an all-white kurta and khadi waist coat. Shivani was breathing hard, totally confused and scared. Where was Nandita? That’s when she saw his face.

Mrityunjay could see Shivani, completely disheveled and shaken. He could tell she was thoroughly confused and scared. He came and stood in front of her and she instantly recognised him. "Mrityunjay!? What are you doing here?" she asked, utterly shocked. He caught her by her hand gently and turned around to look at all the men. Shivani observed how all the men went out without a word. They closed the door behind them. That’s when he turned back to look at her. She was searching his face for answers.

He took in a deep breath and gently lead her into the bedroom. Shivani followed him silently. He brought her to the bed and gently sat her down, sitting next to her. "How are you Shivani?" he asked, his gaze skimming over her countenance worriedly.

She looked at him abruptly, her tears at tipping point. "Why do you care? Where is my fath......." she stopped midway, realising that her father was no more. Panting hard as grief pushed at her chest, she turned to him. "Where am I? Where is my sister?" she asked choking, tears streaming down her eyes.

He looked at her with a steely, unreadable expression, trying to find the words to tell her what he had done the previous night.

"MRITYUNJAY!" shouted Shivani standing up "Where is my sister?" she demanded.

"She is fine," he said, in a soft voice. "She is here, in this hotel, in the next suite.”

She did not let him complete. "I want to see her now," she said walking towards the door.

Mrityunjay caught her hand before she could reach the door and dragged her to the dressing table next to the bed. He stood her in front of the mirror, standing behind her.

Shivani was enraged as Mrityunjay dragged her back into the bedroom. "Let me go... what are you doing?" she cried, trying to free her hand, until Mrityunjay gripped her shoulders hard and held her in front of the mirror. His grip on her relaxed, as she looked at their reflections in the mirror in front of her. Her eyes immediately went to the red powder that had been filled in her forehead. Stupefied, she touched the vermilion, checked her fingers and then she noticed the thin black beaded necklace hanging in her neck.

Tears streaming down her eyes, her breath erratic, she picked up the thin necklace and saw the two small pendants attached to it. Her eyes immediately went to the reflection of the man standing behind her. Shivani's eyes blazed with anger and rage.