8.

Ryan felt a sudden force on his shoulders before he was pushed aside on the ground. Then suddenly he heard the water splash.

He looked there and felt his breath stuck seeing Aaruhi in the water.

“Aaruhi!!" He whispered and before he could make a run to save her, a few men blocked his way before more men came there surrounding him.

“R..ya..n,” he snap his head, hear Aaruhi's cry for help as she don't know swimming.

Ryan tried to push those men aside but they held him in his place, looking at him with hard glare.

“Leave me, Damn it!! She will die, you morons!!” He roared loudly, feeling anger, helpless and dreadful.

He again turns towards the lake and unknowingly his eyes turn slightly glossy seeing Aaruhi struggling and gasping for air.

“It's better for us!!" Suddenly a Amma ji appeared from behind the men.

She smirked before turning her gaze towards the lake where Aaruhi is begging for them to save her.

“It's her punishment for hurting our feeling and going against my decision, and you will get it too, soon. Well, she should be happy that nature is taking her back," Ryan groaned loudly, struggling in their hold.

“She will die. GOD!! What did we do to you people? Just save her, please!! I will do anything you will say but just help her…" Ryan pleaded with her, then looked at Aaruhi who was slowly losing the fight as her struggle slowed down.

Ryan panicked and his heart dropped, seeing her drowning as she went still.

“NOO!! AARUHIII! PLEase…Amma ji!! I am ready to do anything just to save her. She will die…Kill me but ple-"

"Leave him, Bali…” Amma ji said, making her men leave Ryan as they back off.

Ryan didn't wait and without thinking anything, he jumped in the lake to save Aaruhi.

As he was inside the water, he swam near her and looked at her closed eyes which made his blood turn cold in fear. Ryan held her limp body and hugged her tightly to himself before coming on the surface of the water and gasping for air.

He swam near the shore as fast as he could while holding her cold body close to his.

Ryan took her delicate body in his lap and held her face with his shivering palm, he lightly caressed her cheek with his fingers.

“Aaruhi!! Please open your eyes. See you are okay. I got you. Please look at me,.." he softly said while from inside he was dying in worry.

He tap her cheek a few times but she stayed motionless in his arms.

He looked up with his concerned filled eyes but seeing everyone staring at them with a cold expression, he felt like killing them.

Amma ji watches him as he carefully makes Aaruhi lay down on the ground and press her chest applying pressure on her chest. He repeated it a few times. Soon Aaruhi jerk up throwing water from her mouth and started coughing badly.

A small tired smile appears on Ryan's face. Ryan quickly supports her body and caresses her back as she sits up.

“Thank God.…" He breathed out, causing Aaruhi to slowly turn to him.

Her chin started trembling, feeling overwhelmed with her emotions. And looking at Ryan and the way his eyes soften for her make her tear up.

“Rya..nn, I..i" she stammered badly as her voice was breaking, not letting her speak up.

“Shh…It's okay. Relax, you are fine. Calm down," seeing her breathing turning fast, he held her shivering hand and consoled her.

As she started feeling a little calm, when her gaze fell on Amma ji who was standing a little away from them. Anxiously, Aaruhi moves her gaze around to find themselves surrounded with men.

Ryan also looks around seeing her panic. He gives a soft squeeze in her palm, causing her to look at him, scared.

“Amma ji, just order once what we have to do with them,” Amma ji smiled, hearing the man.

“Calm down, son. Just look at them and see how much they love each other. I am impressed," she said with a chuckle.

Something changes in her. Her eyes turn a little soft, unlike her cold stare.

“I am giving them change, seeing their care and worry for each other. It's good to see someone so faithful towards their partner in this generation," Aaruhi gulped as she heard her words, feeling pain in her heart.

While Ryan just listens to her and unknown emotions arise inside him as he realizes the meaning of her words.

“Then let us go,..." Suddenly Ryan said, making Ammaji look at him and she smiled.

"I will but not before getting you both married,” she declared then turned to one of her men and signaled him something through her eyes.

The man nodded and suddenly lit the fire,

collecting a few sticks and dry leaves.

Aaruhi gets scared seeing the fire and tightly holds Ryan's arm in fear.

“Don't be scared, I am here," He whispered to her, assuring her.

"In the presence of holy fire, accept her as your lawful wife,” Amma ji said, looking at Ryan.

He was about to say something when he saw a few man directing arrows towards Aaruhi's direction.

He glares at them, clenching his jaw in anger before turning to the lady who is smirking.

“My men are not very patient when it comes to hunting. So better follow what you are told, before your fiance loses her life," A man said in a hard voice .

Suddenly, one of the men shot the arrow towards Aaruhi making her close her eyes tightly and scream in horror.

“AARUHII!!" Ryan shouts as his heart drops in fear.

The arrow stabbed the soil just before Aaruhi's leg. Her breath turned heavy and heart rate became fast in panic and soon she started sobbing covering her face with her palms.

“I can't…please..ee" she cry feeling tired and overwhelmed with their situation

Ryan stares at her and seeing her so weak and defeated hurts him unknowingly. He let out a sigh and turned to Amma ji.

Looking at her blankly, he finally said,

“What do I have to do?"

Now, after a while Aaruhi found herself staring at Ryan with her heart beating furiously against her ribs as he was taking rounds of the fire while carrying her in his arms.

Looking at his blank face, she doesn't know if she should be happy or feel guilty for him.

Of course she doesn't want him like this, where he was forced.

Suddenly Ryan looks down at her making her look into his eyes which seems troubled.

She felt him stop walking before he carefully made her stand on her feet. Aaruhi winces lightly as she accidentally puts pressure on her sprained leg making him hold her waist in reflex. He gave her a concerned look to which she just nodded assuring him she is fine.

Moving his gaze away from her face, he turned to the lady.

On Amma Ji's order, a man comes forward with a big leaf in his hand which has red powder in it. He placed the leaf in Ryan's hand.

Aaruhi fist her lehenga on the side feeling shivers run through her whole body at the sight of red powder.

Her eyes started burning as the cruel reality shrung into her mind making her want to run away from here right now.

She can't do this. This is wrong, so wrong.

Turning to Ryan, she shook her head with tears rolling down her face.

“R..Rya.an, Let's just admit the truth. Y..ou don't h..ave to do this," she whispered to him, not feeling not good about this arrangement.

He looks at her face which is glowing under moonlight and her eyes twinkling more due to tears in her innocent eyes. It hurts his heart.

Taking his hand near her face, he wipe her tears lightly with his thumb and said,

“You will get yourself sick like this, Aaruhi…" her lips tremble, seeing him so concerned for her which increases her guilt.

“Forgive me,…" he murmured to himself before taking a pinch of red color, sindoor.

Aaruhi glanced at his hand with slightly parted lips. She felt a tickling sensation in her stomach as his hand moved nearer to her face. Sudden rush of emotions started bursting inside.

Not knowing what to do and how to react as she went still and closed her eyes tightly as his fingers touched her forehead.

A tear slips from her closed eyes as he slowly fills her whole hairline and she can feel some powder falling on her nose. She feels good and complete at that moment.

While Ryan was staring at her face while filling her hairline. His heart started beating fast as he realized what he actually did just now. He gulped slightly looking at her now red coloured hair then down at her face.

Don't know why but his stupid heart is liking her like this, coloured in red…by him.

He doesn't know if it is right or wrong but he is not feeling any regret, strangely.

He comes out of his thoughts and Aaruhi flinches badly before opening her glossy eyes as the men start chanting some slogans and beating their sticks on the ground, creating a rhythmic sound together.

They look at them confused at their acts and frown.

Amma ji smile and come in front of them,

“In our tribe, wedding rituals are completed like this. We calls our ancestors and God this way to bless the newly wed,"

She informed them but shook her head seeing their cold behaviour. Smiling lightly, she place her hands on their heads and said softly,

"I pray to god to bless you both and fulfill all your wishes. It's in your destiny, kids whether you believe or not. And I am sorry for our cruel ways but our rules and traditions are something we never take lightly. We prefer death over breaking them. So it is what it is  I hope you understand. And lastly, as promised we will let you go. I hope you both have a happy married life ahead and bless you both with a healthy child” she said.

Aaruhi couldn't help but blush at her last sentence. While Ryan just keeps listening to her with a blank face surpassing his bursting emotions deep inside his heart.

“Bali, show them the way outside this forest," Amma ji said to one of the men after she backed off from them.

The man nodded before turning to Ryan who held Aaruhi's hand in his and with slow steps, they started walking away from there.

Aaruhi keeps walking, not letting him know how much her foot is in pain with each step she takes. It's killing her but she didn't have the heart to tell him this.

She doesn't want to trouble him anymore. It's more than enough for him after she became an unwanted part in his life.

After half an hour, they finally came out of the forest, reaching the road.

Aaruhi looked up at the sky to see a slight hue of red started appearing in the sky. They can hear melodious chirping of birds as the sun is about to rise.

“We will manage from here..you can go back," she heard Ryan saying this to the man who accompanied them.

She watches the man going back inside the forest before she nervously turns to Ryan as they are alone now.

Ryan glances at her but then looks away which hurts her innocent heart as he is ignoring her.

She controls her tears and slowly removes her hand from his hold. He snapped his head feeling her hand slipping away and saw her already staring at his face.

He breathes slowly as she is staring deep into his eyes with her beautiful honey brown orbs.

__________________________________

Thank you for reading guys.

How was today's update??

Hope you all enjoy.

And don't forget to VOTE n COMMENT.

Will see you soon.

Till then

Bye bye

Take care

Lots of love💜