Marriage(2): Chapter 10

The moment Virendra's eyes met with Lavanya's, he froze for a moment while the latter immediately looked away, avoiding the Prince's gaze. Seeing Lavanya looking away, he took averted his gaze while his eyes blinked a few times.

She is beautiful! A slight smile formed on the Prince's lips as he glanced at Lavanya while the latter was focussed on the rituals. After the priest chanted a few mantras, Virendra was handed with the strings of mangalsutra. Glancing at Lavanya, Virendra tied two strings of Mangalsutra around the bride’s neck. The physical, spiritual, and mental unions were signified by tying three knots.

According to the next rituals, Virendra and Lavanya had to exchange garlands. Both of them stood up and Saanvi handed the garland made of lotus to Virendra while Akshara did the same to Lavanya. Holding the garlands, the bride and the groom turned towards each other. Lavanya lifted her gaze to glance at Virendra while the latter was already looking at her. She immediately averted her gaze and a shy smile formed on her face, witnessing how handsome the groom was. Virendra put the garland around her neck.

"Brother, stand on your toes otherwise the sister-in-law will easily put the garland around your neck," Saanvi uttered while her eyes were twinkling with excitement.

Smiling, Virendra looked at her sister and nodded before looking at his wife. When Lavanya was about to put the garland around his neck, he slightly lifted his toes, making it hard for Lavanya. A slight frown formed on Lavanya's face when she realized what Virendra did. She looked at Virendra with a questioning eye while the latter playfully wiggled his brows, teasing her. Narrowing her eyes, she too stood on her toes, trying to reach Virendra's height as she was a few centimeters shorter than him.

"Sister, try harder." Akshara chuckled as she already sensed the rage in Lavanya. "Brother-in-law is trying to play with you."

Before Lavanya could lose her cool, Virendra bent a little so that he could reach her level. She put the garland around his neck and turned towards the holy fire.

Spoiled Prince! Cannot he stop teasing me at the wedding!? Lavanya huffed and rolled her eyes before focussing on the rituals.

After that the groom and the bride walked seven rounds together around the holy fire while taking their oaths of caring, protecting, understanding, loving, and guiding each other.

After the royal priest declared them as husband and wife, they proceeded to take blessings from their elders. The King and the Queen blessed the newly married couple while Bhargav became so emotional that small droplets of tears escaped from his eyes. After taking blessings from Bhargav, Lavanya smiled at him.

"Father, why are you crying?" Lavanya blinked at her father. "Aren't you happy that I got married?"

"Silly girl. I am not crying because you got married but I will miss my little Lavanya." Bhargav smiled gently and put his palm on her head, caressing her. "Prince Virendra, please take care of my daughter. She is very sensitive and fragile. She lost her mother when she was young and she never got the love and care she deserved." He said, looking at his son-in-law.

"I will," Virendra said in an assuring tone, making Bhargav smile even more.

"Father, you are saying as if we won't ever meet again in this life. If I miss you too much, I will come to see you." Lavanya said innocently.

"You cannot leave your husband's house whenever you want, dear," Bhargav explained.

Lavanya nodded and walked towards Akshara who was smiling goofily at the couple.

"Finally you became the princess, sister." Akshara giggled. "Brother-in-law, take care of my sister. She isn't an easy one to deal with." She glanced at her sister with a mischievous smirk while speaking to Virendra.

"Akshara! Are you scaring him!?" Lavanya glared at her sister while the latter grinned even more.

"I will take care of her." Virendra smiled. "Don't worry. I know how stubborn your sister is."

Listening to his words, Lavanya immediately averted her gaze to her husband. So you already know how stubborn I am, huh!? Speaking as if you are the saint and I am the devil itself! She internally huffed before looking at her sister.

"Bhabi Ji looks so beautiful beside my brother." Saanvi complimented as she stood beside Akshara. "They are looking like an ideal couple, aren't they Akshara?" Saanvi glanced at Akshara.

"Yes." Akshara giggled. "They look perfect."

"It's already late. We have to do the Griha-Pravesh ritual." Queen Gayatri Devi said in an authoritative voice.

Virendra nodded and both the bride and the groom walked towards the royal palace. Akshara was walking beside Lavanya while Saanvi beside her brother. Lavanya quickly studied her surroundings and when she felt that no one was looking at her, she pulled Akshara a little closer.

"Where is Surya?" Lavanya asked when she saw her best friend being absent from the ceremony.

"He went to look after Devi Sena," Akshara whispered.

Lavanya nodded but deep inside her heart, she wanted her best friend to be present on her special day. After her mother left the mortal world, Surya was the one who always stood beside her whenever she needed support. They shared an unbreakable bond more than friendship and it was more or less like a relationship between siblings. As Surya wasn't present at her wedding, she felt a bit disappointed.

Saanvi and Gayatri Devi reached the palace first to make the arrangements for the Griha Pravesh ritual. As Virendra and Lavanya entered the royal place, Saanvi stood at the entrance with aarti plate. A big smile appeared on Saanvi's face as she did the ritual of welcoming the newly wedded couple.

"Bhabi Ji, gently kick the Kalash gently and enter," Saanvi said excitedly while looking at the Kalash kept before Lavanya.

Smiling, Lavanya slowly lifted her right leg and gently pushed the Kalash with the thumb toe of her right leg.

"Now enter." Queen Gayatri Devi said in a gentle voice and the bride and groom entered the palace.

"Mother, I am hungry. I didn't eat anything because of this wedding." Saanvi clung to her mother while walking ahead of the newly wedded couple.

"We still have a few rituals to carry out. After that, we will have our food together." Gayatri Devi smiled and walked into a big room decorated with a lot of flowers and other decorative materials.

Lavanya and Virendra were accompanied by royal ladies as they entered the room. According to the rituals, after marriage, the bride and the groom had to play a few games so that their bond would grow stronger. Virendra and Lavanya sat in the middle on the royal couch while Akshara and Saanvi sat beside their siblings, followed by other royal ladies.

"Here." Gayatri Devi brought a huge container with a narrow mouth such that only two hands could enter the container at once. It was filled with haldi water and she added three rings into it. "Both of you have to dip your hands into the water and the one who will pick out the rings first is the winner." She explained as she mixed the water well.

Virendra put his left hand while Lavanya put her right hand into the container and started to search for the ring. Lavanya swiftly moved her fingers so that her fingers could feel the cold metal of the ring.

I got one." Lavanya's eyes gleamed and she quickly held it before searching for the other rings.

"Me too," Virendra uttered as his fingers touched another ring.

"So one more ring left." Akshara smiled while looking at the couple.

"Brother, you should win the game," Saanvi yelled in excitement while the royal ladies were looking at the couple whose full focus was on finding the ring.

Suddenly Virendra glanced at Lavanya whose lips were pressed together as she was determined to win the game. Lavanya glanced at Virendra while the latter looked at her as if he was challenging her. She arched her brow, showing that she accepted his challenge. A smile formed on his face and he started to search for the ring while Lavanya's hand moved swiftly. A mischievous smirk appeared on his face as a playful idea popped up in his mind. He moved his hand in the water and held Lavanya's wrist as she was busy searching for the ring. Lavanya at once glared at Virendra while the latter calmly looked at her as if he knew nothing. She tried to free her hand from his grip but his grip was far stronger than she expected.

"Leave my hand," Lavanya whispered, unable to free herself.

"I am not holding your hand. Look." Virendra said casually while lifting his right hand.

"I am not saying about the right hand but the left one," Lavanya uttered in a low voice.

"Uh-huh...what is the bride whispering to the groom?" One of the royal ladies chuckled.

"Sister is brother-in-law holding your hand?" Akshara looked at her sister expectedly as the latter's brows already got knitted together, showing twinge on her face.

"I didn't hold your sister's hand," Virendra said innocently while lifting his other hand, showing that he was innocent.

"Come on, brother, you are not that innocent." Saanvi chuckled. "No cheating brother. You should play your game fairly."

Virendra nodded but he didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he applied a little pressure on her hand, stopping her from searching the ring. Lavanya lost her composure when he held her hand tightly. She glared at Virendra for one more time and then she decided to win the game no matter what. She swiftly rotated her wrist as a result, it got slipped from the prince's grip. No sooner had she freed her hand than her fingers touched a small metallic material.

With a victorious smile, she pulled out her hand and showed the two rings which she fished out.

"Bhabi Ji won." Saanvi chuckled while clapping her hands.

"It's okay brother-in-law." Akshara giggled while faking a sad face. "It's okay to lose sometimes."

"Now the groom will feed the bride and the bride will do the same." Gayatri Devi said as she took a bowl of sweets kept on the table beside her, covered with red cloth.

Virendra took a sweet and took it near Lavanya's lips. She gently lifted his nosepin and took a small bite from it. She took the sweet and feed him.

"I think all the rituals are over now. Can we have some food please?" Saanvi looked at her mother desperately while holding Akshara's hand as if they were long lost siblings who met the wedding ceremony.

"Having food with bride and groom is also a ritual." The royal ladies said as the servants started to serve the food.

"Tomorrow both of you have to go to Ma Bhawani temple and seek blessings from the goddess." Queen Gayatri Devi said while having her food. "It's a ritual and you have to take blessings from kuldevta( family deity) as well."

"After that, you can have a romantic wedding night." The royal ladies chuckled while Lavanya's ears turned pink at their words.

After their dinner, Gayatri Devi showed Lavanya her room. "You have to leave for the temple at morning 7 am otherwise you won't be able to return by tomorrow night." She said. "This is your personal maid."

"I will get ready before 7 am," Lavanya replied softly while her gaze landed on a girl standing beside Gayatri Devi, wearing a sleeveless blouse and the saree ended just below her knees.

"Mn." Gayatri Devi nodded. "Take care of your princess." She said to the maid and left the room.

"What's your name?" Lavanya asked the maid who looked quite young.

"Jyotimani." She replied in a low voice while her eyes widened a bit as it was the first time a royal lady asked for her name.

"You have such a nice name." Lavanya smiled. "My name is Lavanya. I am thinking of calling you Jyoti, is that okay?" She looked at the maid's face whose gaze was fixed on the floor. "Are you afraid of me!?"

"No princess." Jyotimani immediately looked at Lavanya. "You can call me whatever you want me." She smiled.

"Keep smiling. It will help you to remain happy." Lavanya smiled as she walked towards the mirror while taking off the heavy jewelry.

"Please sit on the chair, princess. Let me help you." Jyotimani walked over to Lavanya and made her sit on the chair. "It's the first time that a royal lady asked my name." She smiled a little while taking off the hair jewelry and the flowers.

"Really?" Lavanya chuckled. "But don't address me as princess a number of times. It sounds weird."

"But you are a princess now," Jyotimani said in a gentle voice. "You should get used to it since everyone will address you now like that."

"That's the spoiled prince is really something." Lavanya let out a deep breath while gently removing her earrings.

"Spoiled prince?" Jyotimani mumbled in confusion. "Who is the spoiled prince?"

"Who else? Prince Virendra." Lavanya shook her head and removing the rings from her fingers.

"Princess, you shouldn't call your husband like that." Jyotimani pressed her lips together, trying to control her urge to burst out into laughter.

"Whatever." Lavanya looked at her maid tiredly. "Can you please wake me up tomorrow at around 5 am?"

"Sure, princess." Jyotimani smiled. "You can sleep peacefully."

"Where will you sleep?" Lavanya asked while pulling out the hairpin and letting her long hair fall freely around her waist.

"Since I am your personal maid, I will sleep on the floor in this room." The maid said casually while putting the ornaments in their place.

"Why will you sleep on the floor? There is a big couch. Sleep there." Lavanya said pointing the couch.

"No no princess. It's for the royal people." Jyoti shook her head.

"It's okay Jyoti. You can sleep there." Lavanya smiled. "You have my permission."

After Jyotimani agreed to sleep on the royal couch, Lavanya retired to her bed and stared at the ceiling. So many things happened today. He became much more handsome than before. I thought that the spoiled prince changed into a good prince. But no! He is still the same. I really hate him! She let out a deep breath. I still need to impress mother-in-law and prove myself as a perfect daughter-in-law.

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1. Sorry for writing such an informative and shitty chapter. I really don't understand what should I write in the marriage chapter. So it became an informative one.

2. The next update will be after a week. I haven't updated my other books for a week and the readers are now angry with me.

3. In Andhra Pradesh, Magalsutra is most important. Nowadays people use sindoor while wedding but at those times, Magalsutra held the same importance as Sindoor. And the sindoor wasn't used at the wedding during those times.

4. Magalsutra - nuptial chain

5. Aarti plate:

6. Bhabiji: sister-in-law