Hoga jahaan pe andhere ka savera

Hoga waheen pe hamara bhi basera

Manzil wahen hai jahaan hai tumhara nishaan ho..

Jeena hai mar jana hai, Kuchh aisa kar jana hai

Zinda rahe pyaar ki dastaan..

Teri zindagi meri zindagi hai

Tere bina na hum jee sakenge yahaan ek pal..

Hey readers, many of you were requesting me to translate the hindi phrases into English, so I'll be doing it from this chapter onwards, but translating previous chapters will take time, I hope you all will cooperate. Thank you for choosing to read this book, lots of love! -Suhana🦋

Author's POV.

He walked outside without speaking a word, because he himself didn't knew what to answer. Nupur sat alone in the dimly lit room, her heart heavy with the weight of Abhisar's silence. She replayed their conversation in her mind, the memory of his abrupt departure lingering like a bitter taste on her lips.

As the hours pass, Nupur's thoughts churned with a whirlwind of emotions. She felt a deep sense of confusion and hurt, unable to make sense of Abhisar's reaction to her question. Was it something she said? Did she overstep some unseen boundary?

But beneath the confusion laid a current of sadness, a gnawing ache in the pit of her stomach that refused to fade. She longed for Abhisar's presence, his warmth and reassurance, but he remained out of reach.

With each passing hour, Nupur's feelings of rejection intensified, a sharp pang of loneliness piercing through the facade of her composure. She wondered if she'll ever understand the depth of Abhisar's pain, the reasons behind his sudden withdrawal from her embrace.

She stayed in her room. The whole day.

Until she felt her room's door opening at early night. She thought it was him.

She stood up to move towards the door and She looks up to see Priya standing in the doorway, her expression gentle and compassionate.

She immediately draped her pallu over her head.

"Aap kyu aayi didi, Hume bula liya hota."

["Why did you come, didi? You should have called me."]

She came forward and held her hand. They walked inside. Nupur helped Priya to sit on the bed.

Priya breathed deeply and asked her to sit beside her.

Nupur did. Priya held her hands and spoke,

"Bula liya hota humne tumhe, magar Hume khud aane ka Mann tha."

["I should have called you, but I felt like coming on my own."]

Nupur nodded her head,

"Kahiye na didi, koi baat hai?".

["Tell me na didi, is there something on your mind?"]

Priya nodded, licking her lips, she spoke,

"Dekho Nupur, hum nahi jaante tumhare aur Abhisar ji ke bich me kya chal raha hai. Hume toh tumhari shadi ke baare me hi soch kar dhakka lag gaya."

["Look Nupur, I don't know what's going on between you and Abhisar ji. I was taken aback when I heard about your marriage."]

Nupur gulped silently.

Priya held her chin and spoke,

"Dono Bhai ek jaise hai. Gussa naak par rehta hai dono ke. Upar se Abhisar ji, woh toh inse bhi jyada gusse Wale hai. Hum samajhte hai tumhare Dil ki baat."

["Both brothers are alike. They both have a temper. Moreover, Abhisar ji, he's even more temperamental than my husband. I understand what's in your heart right now."]

Nupur's eyes welled up and she hugged Priya immediately.

All the flashbacks came back. How he left her alone this morning.

Priya caressed her back lightly and consoled her. After few minutes, she broke the hug and Priya wiped off her tears.

She spoke looking into her eyes,

"Hume itna bharosa hai toh unpe.. ki woh kabhi tum par haath nahi uthaenge, chahe kitne bhi gusse me ho. Tum bas thoda samay Dena unhe. Kuch Aisa mat karna jisse unka gussa tum par utar jaye."

["I trust him so much... that he'll never raise a hand on you, no matter how angry he gets. Just give him some time. Don't do anything that triggers his anger towards you."]

She nodded her head.

"Baaki.. koi bhi baat ho, hum hai. Hum humesha rahenge tumhari badi behen ke tarah."

["Other than that, whatever happens, I'm here. I'll always be like your elder sister."]

She hugged her again. More tightly. Nupur's eyes glistened with tears as she looked up at Priya, touched by her sister-in-law's gesture of kindness. In the warmth of Priya's embrace, Nupur felt a sense of solace wash over her, a gentle reminder that she is not alone in her pain. Priya's presence acts as a balm to her wounded soul, a beacon of hope in the darkness that threatened to consumed her.

Priya stroked her hairs and muttered,

"Jab humari shadi Hui thi, hum bhi dare hue the. Samay laga thoda. Par dekho, ab hum jaante hai, ki koi bhi pareshani ho hum dono saath rahenge humesha."

["When I got married, I was also scared. It took some time. But now, look, I know that no matter what trouble comes, we'll always be together."]

"Tum dono me bahut gum chupa hai Nupur. Apne gum ko unse baanton. Aur unhe bhi ehsaas dilao ki tum ho unke paas. Fir wo bhi apna Dil khol kar tumhare aage rakh denge."

["There's a lot of sorrow hidden within both of you, Nupur. Share your sorrows with him. And make him realize that you are there for him. Then he'll also open up his hearts to you."]

Nupur felt her words.

She knew that something very painful was hidden inside her husband. Priya seperated them and wiped her tears again.

Nupur stuttered and spoke,

"Didi.. hume pata nahi hum kaise.. kaise aapse.. Maafi maange.. akhir kaise.. jo humare dono Bhai ne-"

["Didi... I don't know how... how to... ask for your forgiveness... after what both my brothers did-"]

Priya cut her off,

"Itne bewakoof nahi hai hum ki tumhe tumhare Bhaiyon ke karmo ke liye maafi maangne denge. Bilkul nahi. Jab tumhari galti hogi, tab haq se maafi mangna humse, tumhari koi galti nahi hai, samjhi?".

["I'm not so foolish to let you ask for forgiveness for your brothers' actions. No way. When you make a mistake, then ask me for forgiveness rightfully. You're not at fault, understand?"]

She nodded.

"Chalo aao bahar, khana kha lo."

["Come on, let's go outside and have some food."]

Nupur hesitated as she spoke,

"Ye-- ye..nahi aaye..abhi tak."

["He...he hasn't come yet."]

Priya stood up and replied,

"Aagye hai-- bahar hai... Unhi ko bhejte hai hum."

["He has arrived... he is outside... Let me send him."]

She immediately shook her head and replied,

"Nahi didi.. aapke saath chalte hai hum.. aap akele kaise jaengi."

["No, didi... I'll go with you... How can you go alone?"]

Priya shook her head and palmed her cheek while smiling,

"Nayi dulhan ho tum, koi riti-riwaz bhi nahi kar pae hum tumhare shadi ki, baitho yahan, aaj Abhisar ji ke saath raat bitaao, shaadi ke baad pehli raat. Kal pehli rasoi ke baad se tumhari madad lenge hum."

["You're a new bride, we couldn't even follow any rituals for your wedding. Sit here, spend tonight with Abhisar ji, the first night after your marriage. From tomorrow, after the first rasoi ritual, I'll ask for your help."]

Nupur smiled shyly.

Priya walked away from her room while Nupur sat there, waiting for her husband.

***

As the door creaked open, Nupur's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat as she turned to see Abhisar standing in the doorway. His silhouette bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the window, casting a shadow over his features.

For a moment, time stood still as Nupur met Abhisar's gaze, her eyes searching his face for any sign of emotion. But Abhisar's expression remains inscrutable, his features a mask of stoicism as he crossed the room to stood before her.

With a plate of food in his hands. But unlike his hard features, his voice came out soft,

"Khana kha lo. Bhabhi ne bhejwaya hai."

["Have your meal. Bhabhi has sent it."]

The tension that had filled the air dissipates, replaced by a tentative sense of hope. She looked up at him and asked in a soft voice,

"Aapne khaya?".

["Have you eaten?"]

He stayed quite. She read his silence. He sat down beside her, the space between them suddenly feeling less vast and insurmountable.

He set the plate down on his lap before Nupur, his movements careful and deliberate. He met her gaze, his eyes softening with a hint of apology as he gestured towards the food.

She took the plate from his hands. Tearing a bite of chapati and mixing it with daal, she forwarded the bite towards his mouth.

But unlike her expectations, he held her wrist very lightly and shook his head.

She felt bad.

Disheartened.

But then, she saw him picking up another bite from the plate. And surprisingly, he forwarded it towards her mouth.

Her eyes shined as he spoke, "Pehle tum." She smiled, and took the bite happily.

Then, she forwarded the bite again to him, and this time, he ate it. Her heart smiled, along with her lips.

He asked in a low and soft voice,

"Acha bana hai?".

["Is it delicious?"]

She looked amusingly,

"Aapne banaya hai kya?".

["Did you make it?"]

He nodded his head. She smiled widely,

"Bahut swaad hai khane me."

["The food is very tasty."]

He smiled, just a little.

As they ate, Nupur stealed glances at Abhisar, studying the lines of his face, the way his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles. In that moment, she realized how much she longs to bridge the distance that is present between them.

He stood up and moved out, along with her, who was holding the dirty utensil in her hand.

They washed their hands. No one was around. She folded her pallu and sat down to wash the utensil but he stopped her immediately,

"Rehne do, hum dho lenge."

["Leave it, I'll wash them."]

She shook her head,

"Nahi, hum dho dete hai na."

["No, I'll wash them."]

He held her shoulder and moved her back, only to sit down and wash the utensil on his own while speaking,

"Bhabhi ne kaha hai, kal tumhari pehli rasoi hogi, tab tak tumhe rasoi ke kaam Naa karne de, unke khilaf nahi jaate hum, kal ke baad fir nahi rokenge hum tumhe."

["Bhabhi said that tomorrow will be your first rasoi ritual, until then, she doesn't want you to do any kitchen work. I won't go against her wishes, and after tomorrow, I won't stop you anymore."]

He kept the plate aside and wiped his hand and face with the pallu of her saree. She smiled inside.

They walked together inside the room.

He locked the door and she moved towards the dressing table, only to remove her neck jewellery.

He laid down on the bed. As Nupur gently blowed out the flickering flame of the diya, the room plunged into darkness.

In the sudden stillness, Abhisar's breath choked in his throat, his heart pounded with a sense of unease.

"Nupur," Abhisar's voice quavered, breaking the silence like a crack of thunder in the night. He reached out blindly, his hand searching for hers in the darkness, a desperate plea for comfort.

"Andhera nahi, Nupur, Andhera nahi".

["Not the darkness, Nupur, Not the darkness."]

Nupur's brow furrowed in concern as she sensed the tension in Abhisar's voice.

"Andhera nahi.. Hume andhera nahi pasand."

[ "I don't like darkness."]

But he was comfortable last night in the darkness, she thought.

Slowly, she moved towards him, she takes his hand in hers, feeling the tremble of his fingers against her own, a silent acknowledgment of his fear.

He spoke again,

"Diya jalao.. Hume andhere me acha nahi lagta."

["Light a lamp.. I don't feel good in darkness."]

She held his shoulder and caressed it lightly. She moved on the bed and laid beside him, only to wrap her arms around him.

He was panicking, trying to move away and light the diya somehow. But she held him tightly and caressed his back with her palm,

"Shh.. Shh Abhisar. Hum hai na aapke paas. Kuch nahi hoga."

["Shh.. Shh Abhisar. I'm here with you. Nothing will happen."]

Abhisar hesitated, the words catching in his throat as he struggled to articulate the depths of his fear.

"Nupur, Hume dar lagta hai..bachpan se... Jala do na," he finally admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper in the quiet of the room.

["Nupur, I'm scared.. since childhood... Light it up, please."]

Nupur's heart clenched with empathy as she realized the weight of Abhisar's confession. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, offering him a steady anchor amidst the storm of his emotions.

She caressed his head, his back, and whispered in his ear,

"Kuch nahi hoga jaan. Kuch nahi hoga. Hum par bharosa rakhiye na."

["Nothing will happen, jaan. Nothing will happen. Trust me."]

Jaan.

She didn't knew how her words effected him. She didn't knew how his heart was fluttering.

She ran her fingers up and down his spine, gently caressing his back as she whispered lovingly in his ear,

"Aap akele nahii hai, Abhisar, humne kaha na.. hum hai aapke sath. Humesha rahenge. Aapke paas. Aise hi, aapko baahon mein le kar."

["You are not alone, Abhisar, I told you.. I am with you. Always. By your side. Just like this, holding you in my arms."]

He trusted her. Her words were so gentle that he cannot stop himself from trusting her. Placing his head on her chest, he laid down along with her, her back against the bed.

She slowly covered themselves with the blanket. His hand was encircled around her bare waist. She kept on caressing him, until he became normal. In her arms.

She placed a kiss on on his head. And he asked her all of a sudden,

"Tum chor kar nahi jaogi na Hume?".

["You won't leave me alone, will you?"]

******