VOTE!

Ruhani POV

Sitting on the bed, I was waiting for my husband to arrive. It was our wedding night.

Yesternight, I got married to Sultan Aashiq Ibrahim Khan. He was the King of Kainat Sultanate and my childhood love. But, the only moment when I saw him first and last time was almost fifteen years ago.

I was four when I first saw him and my Badi Ammi jokingly called him to be my husband. I laughed that time. But, that one relationship that was built in just a few moments then, was enough to make me believe that the rest of the rituals were just a procedure for me, now. The process of a sacred wedding that we followed yesternight was just a formality for me as my heart had always considered him to be my husband and my love.

There was not even a single day when I did not blush thinking of him, not a single night when I did not remember him. I always knew that one day we were going to be together. Our families wanted this ever since we were born.

I smiled and rolled my toes at the visual of him slowly feathering my cheeks, making love to me, blurring my vision again and again.

Finally, it was the time when I would see him again. When I would know how he looks now, he had been often away from the Kingdom for thirteen years for politics and training. And, when he came back, our parents decided to tie us into a knot.

I was blushing hard as I had been waiting for him for so long. His voice must be sweet, he would call me his Begum just like my father says to my mother. I had always imagined my father's nature in him as I did not know much about him.

I giggled a little under the veil of my maroon and green bridal attire. I was decorated with heavy gold and diamond jewellery from tip to toe for him. Each part of my body was yelling that I belonged to him. The way I was decorated with his chosen attire and jewellery was claiming his possession over me. Already.

I was trying to compress my frequent blush that was turning my cheeks warm like candles. My lips unknowingly turned into a slight smile. And, the decoration of the chamber and the fragrance of the surroundings were helping nothing to calm down my racing heartbeats.

The whole chamber was flooded with the fresh petals of roses, and the warm and soothing yellow brightness of candles was turning the haunting silence of night into a peaceful bright occasion. The strong fragrance of wild jasmine and fragmented oils was something beautiful and lovely.

I placed my hand on my chest as I could feel my heart pounding inside it. I did not know, but this wait was something unbearable now. It's been almost fifteen years of waiting for mine, and today I was waiting for the fruit of my every prayer—the fruit of my patience and love.

My lips curved into a smile as I believed that God has chosen best for me, chosen the love for me.

Unke Intzaar me hum palke bichae bethe hai,

Apne har sajde ka hisaab lagae bethe hai,

bahut ho gayi ab ye ruswayi mere sajan,

Ab to tere deedar ki aas hum lagae bethe hai,

Yu humpe is qadar ruswayi ka sitam na karo,

Hamare sabar ka imtihan ab to khatam karo,

Jaan hi le loge kya ab apne is ishq se,

Kam se kam ab to is na cheej pe rehm karo,

Is na Cheej pe rehm karo...

उनके इंतज़ार में हम पलके बिछाए बैठे है,

अपने हर सजदे का हिसाब लगाए बैठे है,

बहुत हो गयी अब ये रुस्वाई मेरे साजन,

अब तो तेरे दीदार की हम आस लगाए बैठे है।

यु हम पर इस क़दर रुस्वाई का सितम न करो,

हमारे सबर का इम्तहान अब तो ख़तम करो,

जान ही ले लोगे क्या अब अपने इस इश्क़ से,

कम से कम अब तो इस नाचीज़ पर रहम करो,

इस नाचीज़ पर रहम करो...

Was Sitting, waiting on my eyes for him,

Was Sitting on the account of my every prayer,

Enough was enough now, my love.

Now I am waiting for, even a bit for your glance.

Don't make me cry like this,

Now finish this test of my painful patience,

Will you take life now with this love of yours?

At least now have some mercy on this nothing,

Have mercy on this nothing...

Suddenly the door pushed open, and my racing heartbeats now turned insane. I straightened my back a little, and with this, my jewellery tickled a little against my skin with the slight noise.

I shivered when I was able to hear the slow and faded voice of slow and dominating footsteps. I closed my eyes to calm down. I did not know, but this made me feel nervous and excited together. I did not know how he would greet me. Would he talk to me or start making love to me? I had to slow down my racing thoughts.

I felt him sitting down on the bed slowly, a little far away from me. I already was feeling the warmness shimmering up in my cheeks. The throbbing of my heart in my skin and the fight between my desires and timidness. 

Altogether, I had already become a mess.

He shifted a little closer, and I fisted my fingers against the fabric in my lap. My palms were resting on my thighs.

Suddenly, I felt his hand touching mine. I closed my eyes at the first touch of my love. The contact I was craving since I knew I was alive on earth. My heartbeats slowed down.

Lifting my lashes inside of the veil and keeping my gaze low, I noticed his long fingers. They were tanned, slightly darker shades of wheat colour. He had three rings on his fingers.

Mine, My Sultan...

He slowly turned my hand and said.

"Aapki Mehndi behad Khoobsurat hai, Begum,"

"Your Henna is literally beautiful, Begum,"

My heart flattered, and I felt the eruption of thousand butterflies in my stomach. I could feel the goosebumps below my ear as his strong and heavy voice travelled down my ear. His accent and those few words sounded like heaven to me.

My lips automatically curved into a slight smile, and I slowly felt him taking my hand closer to his mouth.

A knot formed in my stomach as he slowly placed a kiss on the back of my hand.

"Hamari Sultanate me hum hamari Begum ka Istikbal karte hai,"

"You are welcome in my Kingdom, Begum,"

My lips curved in the longest smile.

But, suddenly, he asked.

"What's your name? Begum,"

His voice was dark and deep. But it made my smile vanish all of a sudden. My heart beat insanely, and I felt terrified instantly.

As much as I remember, my father, Sultan Rafiq Sulaiman, sent him a letter about my disability.

"Tell me," He asked again.

My eyes turned teary as I realized that he did not have any clue about my muteness. He did not know that I could not speak. I lost my voice when I was six in an accident. Since then, every good physician and practitioner has tried, but my voice never came back.

I had not spoken a single word in the last thirteen years. The accident had become my worst nightmare. Now, my throat had no voice, my cries could not be heard, and all my words were unspoken.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

He asked with concern. His hands gently pulled my veil up. Lowering my gaze, I let the tears fall from my eyes. I was scared of this moment. I thought he accepted me, knowing that I was a mute princess who could not speak or express what she had for him inside her heart.

His eyebrows turned into a thin line as he looked at me. I shivered. I could not see him going back.

But collecting all my strength just the way I always do. Just the way I had always done. Believing in me and gathering my leftover strength, I signalled to him that I could not speak.

There was shock on his face as he looked at me, and his expression turned my throat dry. I sucked on my lips, stopping my already sobbing cries.

No Rejection, Please!!! I could not bear it, not anymore.

"Your fa... family lied to me,"

He said with a slight stutter.

He stood up from the bed. His Godly carved face had turned angry, and his pitch turned higher.

I shook my head quickly as No. My father sent the letter to him in front of my eyes.

I held his hand tightly and cried.

Shaking my head, I signalled to him that it was not true. My family informed him, and only then did he say yes.

He ran his fingers in his hair as he took a few more steps back. I felt pain in my heart as he slowly walked towards the door.

"Your family has to answer and pay for it,"

I could see the hate and anger on his face for me and my family.

I did not want this, never in my worse dream. I felt like my world turned upside down in just a few moments.

Opening the door, he left and shut the door behind him. The loud noise of the wooden door shivered me insanely.

I wanted to run. I tried to call him. I wanted to clear everything, but once again, nothing came out of my throat. No words; I was not able to speak. The only thing I was expected to do and was doing till now was accepting what I have.

One more night in my collection that I was going to sleep with cries and disgust I had on my face.

I felt unbearable pain and sobbed in the cries.

Even the candles did not do anything to the darkness in my life. One disability and you were considered as good for nothing.

I lay back on the back, pulling my knees up to my chest. The empty bed on my wedding night was enough to describe my future. The only thing I had been craving since my childhood was now left me.

I laughed.

Dillagi to hum kar bethe the, vo bhi us aaftab se,

Jalne ko bhi taiyaar, mohobbat ke us khwab se,

Magar, Saalon ki vo ulfat ab bas ek pal me simat gayi,

Jab unke kadmo ki aahat hamari khamoshi se,

hum tak to aayi, magar fir humse palat gayi,

दिल्लगी तो हम कर बैठे थे, वो भी उस आफ़्ताब से,

जलने को भी तैयार, मोहोब्बत के उस ख्वाब से,

मगर, सालों की वो उल्फत एक पल में सिमट गयी,

जब उनके कदमो की आहाट हमारी ख़ामोशी से,

हम तक तो आयी, मगर फिर हमसे पलट गयी।

I were deep with love, that too with the Sun,

Even ready to burn, with that dream of love,

But, the patience of years, died in a single moment,

When his footsteps which, because of my silence,

Came to me, but then again turned back.

***

The very first chapter of Ruhani ~ The Language of Love

I hope you liked the first chapter. I am so freaking nervous. This is something that brings goosebumps to me. And I am thrilled to write it.

Do not forget to vote, comment and share.

Love you all ❤❤❤