CHAPTER 2: Vaada Raha… Bachpan Se

~●Chapter Two●~

__________________________________

Taare hain baraati, chandni hai ye baraat

Saath chand sitare, banayein ye jodi apna

Dil ke rishton ka bandhan hai, janmon ka saath hai

Tu hai dulhan, main hoon dulha

Jab saath ho tera, lagta hai apna jahan

Bandhan hai yeh pyara, janmon ka pyaara

Sathiya... saath nibhaana hai jeevan bhar

Dil ka hai yeh vaada, pyaar ka hai iraada

○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

I was playing with Rudra, Shivu and Aryan. We were playing with toys since morning.
So, the toys were scattered here and there.

Anya (Aaranya) was talking with Baba sa, and I wasn't able to pull away my gaze from her.

After greeting all the elders, she spotted us in a corner playing and ran towards us.

A bat was placed in her way. Her foot hit it, and she stumbled; her balance flickered.

As she was about to fall, my instincts kicked in, and I ran towards her and held her in my arms, not letting her fall.

The elders looked at us and the bond we shared with admiration.

I have always been protective of her, being near her gives me some tingly sensations I couldn't quite well name, hehheheheheh!.

[A/n: Beta aap bhul rahe ki aap abhi bacche hai.]

[Yuvraj: Arey didi pyaar ki koi umar thodi hoti hai.]

We looked into each other's eyes for a minute or so. And she, being the dramatic one, got out of my hold and hugged me tightly. I froze at her action for a tiny - winy second but then responded with similar eagerness.

We both talked for some time and then decided to play in the garden. Aaryan, Rudra and Shivika also tagged along.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

In the garden

"Bhai saa shadi-shadi khelte hai" Rudra chirped as we were decided what to play and after thinking about it, they all nodded.

(Bhai saa let's play marraige.)

So the characters were decided that:

Aaranya would play as the bride

Yuvraj would play as the groom

Rudra would play as the priest

Shivika and Aaryan as the guests

Shivika brought two long duppatas of her mother and gave one to Aaranya and took one. They tied and tucked it as if wearing sarees.

After their little dress up they went back to the garden where little Rudra was sitting beside a pile of grass as if it were holy pyre and chanting some understandable gibberish.

Little Yuvraj was also seated near the grass looking quite serious as if it were a real marraige. Little Aaranya walked towards her groom in the play and sat beside him.

"Val... ab sindool aur mangalsutla pehnaiye" Rudra instructed in his cute five year old voice stuttering upon the words.

[Var... ab sindoor aur mangalsutra pehnaiye]

(Now the groom make the bride wear the vermillion and the nuptial chain.

Yuvraj nodded and mocked putting vermillion on Aaranya's hair partition and took out his gold chain with small diamonds studded on it and made her wear it as if it were the mangalsutra.

"Ab aap log Pati-patni hueee" Rudra said coming out his serious expression and the rest two hooted while Aaranya and Yuvraj were just lost in each other.

(You are husband and wife from today onwards.)

With the hooting Aaranya and Yuvraj cane out of their trance and smiled.

"Bade hokar aap mere se asli wali shadi karengi, Anya?" He asked while looking at Aaranya with hope in his eyes.

(When we will grow up, will you marry me Anya for real?)

"Haan Ham karenge" She replied and pecked his cheeks playfully, their chat ended with undeniable devotion and Innocence.

(Yes, I will)

They with walked hand in hand towards where all the elders were sitting and talking in the hall.
By then, Aaranya's brothers, elder sister, mother had also came as they all were planning a night out together.

"Baba saa" Both of them called out to their fathers walking towards them together.

"Boliye Yuvi / Kahiye hamari Rajkumari" They both replied in unison and as they realised it they let out a small chuckle before turning back to their kids, waiting for them to speak, patiently.

(Say Yuvi / Speak my Princess)

They both looked at each other for a minute and then turned towards their fathers, breaking the silence.

"Baba sa hamne shadi Kar li." They both said together with a childly Innocence.

The elders looked shocked for a second and a flicker of jealousy was noticeable on Priyal's face and discomfort in her mother's face.

(Baba sa we got married.)

Their was a silence for a second and then Rudra came forward with a proud grin.

"Maine kalwai inki shadi. Mai pandit bana tha. Heheheh!" He said and giggled at the end as if his own words seemed funny to him.

(I did their marriage. I was the priest. Hehehe.!")

The elders soon realised what the kids meant was that they were playing some game of marriage and let out an amused chuckle.

Soon the kids went away and started playing something else. But the topic they started was still there.

"Waise Rajendra mujhe Aaranya pasand hai. Mai usse apni bahu banaunga" Ranvijay said in mock seriousness and the conversation flew towards their marriage in reality.

(Well, Rajendra I like Aaranya. I will make her my daughter in law.)

After a chat of about fifteen minutes Aaranya's mother failed to hold it together anymore and snapped.

"Kya Aaranya aur Yuvraj laga rakha hai. Hamare Ghar ki badi beti Priyal hai karwani hai shadi toh usse karwaiye."

(What Aaranya and Yuvraj? The elder daughter of house is Priyal if you want to put an alliance have it for Yuvraj and Priyal.)

She said and stood up to leave, Rajendra who was confused by the sudden change in the behaviour of his wife also stood up and walked behind her. The young men of the Rajputs went to bring their younger sister from the garden.

"Raj aapki chain" Aaranya said while trying to untie the chain which Yuvraj gave her.

(Raj your chain)

"Aap use Rakh lo Anya", He said, and she nodded, but not before tying a bracelet she had on her wrist in his.

(You keep it Anya)

"Theek hai ab se kabhi bhi Ham inhe nahi utarenge. Promise!?" She said while looking at Yuvraj, and he nodded.

(Ok then, we'll never remove it ever. Promise!?)

"Promise"

And then she left with her brothers after greeting all the elders and waving goodbye to the younger clan.

●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○

Spoilers and updates for this chapter and the next chapter have been uploaded on my Instagram handle 'khushiiwrts'.

THIS CHAPTER HAS ALSO BEEN UPLOADED ON INKITT AND WATTPAD.