Ch.13 2. THE VILLAGE BRIDE - Indian short stories

Hey guys before reading this story I am here to tell you that, this short story is converted into a book too so check that. That books has some minor changes.

Book name: "Her Replaced groom".

Tara pov

I slowly opened my eyes, the soft morning light streaming through the window. It felt comforting, but I knew I couldn't lie in bed for too long. If I did, my brother would definitely scold me. I quickly pulled myself out of bed. I had to get ready fast.

I grabbed a cream-colored suit from my wardrobe, deciding to keep it simple. And my favourite jhumkas, which I cherished, were the perfect finishing touch. After getting dressed, I took a moment to check my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a bit messy, so I quickly fixed it, making sure everything was in place. I didn't want to give my brother a reason to complain about my appearance.

Once I was ready, I walked cautiously to the living room, hoping my brother wasn't there yet. He was always up early, and I wasn't sure if I could avoid him. I peeked around the corner and saw that, thankfully, he wasn't in the living room. I let out a sigh of relief and quickly grabbed my things, stepping out of the house as quietly as possible. My steps were slow, deliberate, so as not to draw attention. I was trying to escape any chance of my brother catching me.

But just as I thought to step out from back door, I heard a knock on the door. Startled, I turned back around and headed back inside. I opened the door, and to my surprise, I was greeted by half the village standing on our doorstep. There were so many people, and it felt like everyone in the village had come. I was shocked, not knowing exactly what to make of it. I started counting the people, trying to figure out how many had come, but I quickly lost track when someone asked, "Sarpanch ji, kaha hain?"

(Where is sarpanch?]

I blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question, but I quickly recovered and answered, "Ji, main abhi bulaati hoon," before turning and rushing inside.

(I will call him)

"Bhaiya, gaon wale aaye hain aapse milne," I said, calling out to my brother from the hallway. I was nervous, unsure of what had brought the villagers here, but I knew I had to inform him right away.

(Brother, the villagers have come to meet you)

My brother, Devendra Singh, is the Sarpanch of our village, a position of great respect. Even though he is young, everyone listened to him. The elders, who had once looked to my father, now respected my brother for his leadership. I had always admired how everyone looked up to him. He was firm, wise, and kind, yet demanding. As he grew older, the title of Sarpanch had passed from my father to him, and now, everyone knew him as the leader of our village.

A few moments later, my brother emerged from his room, his face calm but serious. The first thing he did when he saw me was hit me lightly on the head. "Maine tumse kaha tha na, aaram se baat karna, tum toh zyada chillate ho," he scolded me, his voice firm. He didn't raise his voice, but his words were enough to make me wince.

(I told you to speak calmly, but you always shout too much)

I rubbed my head, trying to brush off the sting, and quickly explained, "Pure gaon ke log humare ghar ke saamne hain, isliye aapko bulaaya." I hoped my explanation would make sense to him.

(The entire village is in front of our house, that's why I called you.)

He shook his head, a small sigh escaping his lips. Despite the scolding, I could see a hint of concern in his eyes. "Thik hai, ab andar jao," he said, gesturing for me to go back inside. I knew my brother would always take care of things, no matter how much he scolded me.

(Ok you go inside)

As I walked back inside, I couldn't help but smile. Even though he had a tough exterior and was sometimes harsh with me, I knew my brother had my best interests at heart.

I suddenly realized that I had promised Madhav I would go to the temple today. I glanced at my brother, who was still talking to the villagers in the courtyard. My parents were busy with him too. This was my chance to slip away. Without wasting any more time, I quietly escaped through the back door and ran toward the temple. I knew my brother wouldn't let me go alone, and I didn't want him to follow me.

Besides, the guys in our village especially Gulshan and his gang could be quite trouble. They like to tease girls, and I wasn't in the mood to deal with that today.

As I ran, I kept my head down, hoping no one would see me. The temple was not far, and soon I was inside, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. I took a deep breath, silently praying, "Dekho, Madhav Bhaiya ke liye ek achi ladki bhejo, taki vo usse sambhal sake. Woh jyada dramebaz ban rahe hain. And yeah, ab meri zindagi bhi thoda change karo. Don't get me caught by my brother" I prayed.

(Look, send a good girl for Bhaiya, someone who can handle him. He's becoming too dramatic. And yeah, change my life a little too now.)

After a moment I finished my prayer and quickly left the temple, careful not to let my family find out I had been there. I started running again, but just as I turned the corner, I saw Gulshan and his gang up ahead. My heart sank.

He smirked and blocked my way, "Kaha ja rahe ho, mere dil ka tara?" he teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

(Where are you going, my heart's star)

I stepped back, trying to remain calm. "Gulshan, hat jao," I said firmly, hoping he would take the hint and leave me alone.

(Gulshan move away)

But instead of stepping aside, he started walking closer, a mischievous grin on his face. "Gulshan, ek kadam bhi aage aaye toh main bhaiya ko bol dungi. Vo tujhe bahut maarega," I warned, my voice growing sharper. I knew my brother wouldn't hesitate to deal with him if it came to that.

(Gulshan, if you take even one step forward, I'll tell my brother. He'll beat you up badly)

Gulshan stopped for a moment, but then his grin widened, and he replied, "Tike, ye sab chhodo. Hum kab shaadi karenge?"

(Ok leave all this, when will we get married?)

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Shaadi tere se?" I scoffed, my disgust clear in my voice. "Main kutte se bhi shaadi kar lete, par tere se nahi! Ab hat jao, mujhe jaana hai!" I snapped, not caring how loud my voice was anymore.

(Marriage with you? I would rather marry a dog than marry you! Now move aside, I need to go)

With that, I turned on my heel and started walking away, not bothering to look back. Gulshan muttered something under his breath, but I didn't pay attention. I had to get away from him, and nothing was going to stop me today.

I quickly slipped back inside through the back door, my heart still racing from the encounter with Gulshan. Thankfully, my family was still talking to the villagers in the courtyard, so I had a little more time. I made my way directly to the kitchen, pretending to do some work to avoid drawing attention. I wasn't sure how long I could keep up this charade, but I had to act normal until everything settled down.

I busied myself with preparing some tea. My thoughts were still on the temple visit and the prayer I had made for Madhav, but I didn't want anyone to know what I had been up to. My brother and parents couldn't find out about my escape, or they'd make a huge deal out of it.

After a while, I heard footsteps approaching from the courtyard. I quickly placed the tea cups on the table, making sure everything looked as if I had been occupied for a while. The door creaked open, and my brother, followed by my parents, entered the kitchen. They had finally finished talking to the villagers.

"Are you still here?" my brother asked, eyeing me suspiciously. "What were you doing?"

I quickly smiled and replied, "Just making tea, bhaiya." I kept my voice casual, hoping he wouldn't notice how nervous I felt.

My parents, didn't seem to notice anything. My mom smiled and patted me on the shoulder. "Good girl," she said. "Always helping around."

I nodded and poured the tea, handing them each a cup.

I could feel my brother's gaze linger on me for a moment longer than usual, but he didn't say anything else. Instead, he took a cup of tea, and soon the conversation turned to something else. I let out a quiet breath of relief. For now, I had escaped their notice, but I knew I had to be more careful from now on.

Daksh pov

I was walking down the stairs, lost in the call through my earpods. My PA was following me, showing me some files as I listened to him, but I was too distracted to really pay attention. Suddenly, I felt a hand pull the earpods from my ears.

"Mom, that was an important call," I said, looking up to see her standing there, arms crossed.

She glanced at my PA, who was still talking about the files, and gave him an angry look. Immediately, he walked away, sensing the tension.

"Jaldi aaja, bahut time mat karna. Jab kaam ho jaayega, tab aajana," my mom said.

(Come quickly, don't take too much time. Once the work is done, then you can come back.)

I nodded. Today, I am heading to a village where we were planning to set up some work regarding our company. I needed to focus on that, not on what my mom was about to say next.

As I turned to head out, my mom added, "Tu jab aaogi, tab tak ek achi ladki dhoond ke rakhunga."

(By the time you come, I'll have found a good girl.)

"Mom, please stop talking about my marriage. Marriage is for fools, and I don't want to get married," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop myself.

She didn't let up. "Chup. You're 30 now, Daksh. You should get married. You're getting good matches."

I sighed, hoping she'd drop the subject. But of course, she didn't. Just as I was about to walk away, my dad called out, "Kaam achhe se karo, tere marzi se nahi."

(Do the work properly, not according to your own wishes.)

I turned to him, barely holding back my frustration, and replied, "Meri company, mere marzi," before walking out the door.

(My company, my wish)

I could feel the weight of their expectations, but I wasn't going to let it stop me. I climbed into the car, ready to focus on the work ahead, blocking out the conversation from my mind.

My car sped past our home but came to a sudden halt. I frowned and turned to my PA, who was in the passenger seat.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

He glanced outside and muttered under his breath, "Chudail ayi."

(Witch is here)

I sighed, already knowing what or rather, who he meant.

Stepping out of the car, I found her standing right in front of it. Priya. My sister's best friend.

"Move away from the car, Priya. I'm on my way to something important," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.

She tilted her head and smiled coyly. "I'm standing here to wish you good luck."

I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath, "When did black cats start bringing good luck?"

Without waiting for a response, I slid back into the car and leaned against the window frame. Rolling it down, I locked eyes with her as she smirked.

"Daksh, how many times will you keep rejecting me?" she asked.

"Until you finally learn some shame," I shot back, my tone sharp but playful enough to sting.

Turning to my driver, I gave the command. "Driver start the car."

The engine roared, and we sped off, leaving Priya standing there, her grin unwavering in the rearview mirror.

It was evening when I first arrived at the village. The serene beauty of the place immediately caught my attention it looked like something straight out of a movie. I instructed my PA to see the initial arrangements, deciding to take a stroll and absorb the surroundings.

Just as I was admiring the charm of the place, my PA approached me. "Sir, the village Sarpanch is here to meet you," he said.

I turned to see a man walking toward me. Expecting an older figure, I was surprised to see someone my age.

He extended his hand with a polite smile. "I'm Devendra Singh," he introduced himself.

I shook his hand firmly. "Daksh. Daksh Rajvanshi," I replied.

We began discussing the company's plans for the village. He struck me as a genuine, well-spoken person, and our conversation flowed easily. As we talked, the evening slowly gave way to night. The air grew heavier, signaling an rainstorm.

"Mr. Rajvanshi," he said finally, "we've arranged a house for you to stay in tonight. I'll have food sent over shortly." Turning to one of the villagers nearby, Devendra added, "Show him the house."

With a nod and a handshake, we bid each other goodbye.

The villager guided me to the house a seemingly abandoned place with an aesthetic charm that felt almost poetic. The worn out structure, adorned with rustic yet elegant decorations, instantly appealed to me.

I stood in the doorway, taking it all in. "I like it," I murmured to myself, stepping inside to settle in for the night.

It was midnight when I woke up to the sound of thunder roaring outside. The storm was fierce, shaking the windows and filling the air with tension.

Just as I tried to go back to sleep, I heard a knock at the door. Groggily, I got up and opened it. My breath hitched.

Standing there was a girl in a cream colored suit, her hair tangled and damp from the rain. Droplets glistened on her face, and her eyes carried an unspoken urgency. She was saying something, but I couldn't hear a word. I was too captivated by her beauty.

"Are you dumb" she shouted, snapping me out of my trance.

I blinked, embarrassed, and stepped aside to let her in. She walked inside, visibly shivering. She must have been out in the rain for a long time. Without thinking, I grabbed a towel and handed it to her. She took it wordlessly and began drying her hair.

I sat down next to her, unable to take my eyes off her. She suddenly turned to me, her gaze sharp and full of anger.

"What?" I asked, confused.

She didn't say a word, just glared at me until I awkwardly stood up and moved away.

I awkwardly moved to a chair across the room, watching her as she dried her hair. The rain outside intensified.

"Why were you out so late in this storm?" I finally asked, breaking the quiet.

She glanced at me, her sharp eyes softening slightly. "Main... main kuch kaam se wapas aa rahi thi," she said hesitantly. "Phir baarish shuru ho gayi."

(I... I was coming back from some work. Then it started raining)

I smirked at her response but quickly hid it, instead, I walked to the small kitchen area and poured a glass of water. "Here," I said, offering it to her.

She took the glass and murmured a soft "Shukriya," her voice barely audible over the thunder.

(Thank you)

As she sipped the water, I couldn't help but notice how her hands trembled from the cold.

"You should stay here tonight," I said, my tone more serious now. "It's too dangerous to go out in this weather."

She looked at me, startled, as if the thought hadn't even crossed her mind.

"The house is big enough for two people."

She hesitated but eventually nodded, clutching the towel tighter around herself. "Theek hai," she said quietly, her voice losing its earlier edge.

(Ok)

I gestured toward one of the spare rooms. "You can rest there for the night. Let me know if you need anything."

As she stood to leave, she paused for a moment, looking at me with an unreadable expression. "Aapka naam kya hai?"

(What's your name?)

"Daksh. Daksh Rajvanshi," I replied.

She gave a small smile. "Main tara."

(I am tara)

With that, she disappeared into the room, leaving me standing there, wondering why a stranger in the middle of the night had managed to leave such a lasting impression.

An hour later, the storm raged on, thunder roaring as if determined to shake the earth. I had just drifted off to sleep when I heard her scream, "Ah!"

I shot up, my heart racing. "Kya hua?" I asked, rushing toward her room.

(What happened?)

She sat huddled in the corner of the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her face was pale, her eyes darting around the dark room. "Mujhe... andhere mein dar lagta hai," she stammered.

(I get scared by the dark)

I sighed, trying to mask my concern. "Kisko nahi lagta?" I muttered, turning to search the house for candles.

(Who wouldn't)

After rummaging around, I found a few candles tucked away in a cabinet. Lighting them, I carried them back to her room, their flickering glow casting shadows across the walls.

As I stepped inside, holding the candles close to my face to see better, she screamed again. "Ah!"

I frowned, startled. "Ab kya hua?" I asked, setting the candles down on the table.

(Now what happened?)

"You scared me" she said, her voice accusing.

I sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Main candle lene gaya tha, bhoot banne ka koi shauk nahi hai mujhe," I replied.

(I went to get a candle, I have no interest in becoming a ghost.)

She gave me a sheepish look, clearly embarrassed by her reaction. I shook my head and placed a few candles around the room. "Ab theek hai? Light toh aa gayi," I said, gesturing to the warm, glowing ambiance.

(Now ok? Light is here)

She nodded hesitantly, still clutching the blanket around her shoulders. "Shukriya," she whispered softly.

(Thank you)

I glanced at her one last time, debating whether to leave her alone. "Dar lag raha ho toh bata dena. Main yahin hoon," I said before walking toward the door.

(If you get scared just let me know, I am here only)

"Wait," she called, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned, raising an eyebrow. "Kya hua ab?"

(What happened now?)

"Kya aap... yahin baithenge thodi der ke liye?" she asked, avoiding my gaze.

(Will you please sit here for some time)

I sighed again, but this time with a small smile. "Theek hai. Bas chillana mat dobara."

(Ok but don't shout again)

She chuckled faintly, and for the first time that night, the tension in the room seemed to ease.

After all the screaming and chaos, she finally fell asleep, leaving me wide awake and utterly annoyed. She had successfully disturbed my night. I sighed, deciding to check on her once more, just to be sure she was okay.

I walked into her room quietly, the soft glow of the candles still flickering around. She was shivering in her sleep, her hands clutching the blanket tightly.

"Yeh ladki," I muttered under my breath, shrugging off my jacket. I gently placed it over her trembling body, hoping it would help. But as I turned to leave, she stirred, gripping the jacket and accidentally tugging me along with it.

(This girl)

Before I could react, I lost my balance and fell onto the bed beside her.

"Tara" I whispered, trying to wake her up. But before I could move, she shifted closer and wrapped her arms around me like I was a giant teddy bear.

I froze, unsure what to do. "Yeh toh gaya mera raat ka chain," I muttered under my breath.

(This has ruined my night's peace)

I tried to wriggle free, but she held on tighter, her peaceful face making it clear she was fast asleep. If I woke her now, she'd probably scream again, and I wasn't ready for round two of her midnight drama.

"Thik hai, Daksh," I whispered to myself. "So ja, warna subah uthke kuch aur sunna padega."

(Ok daksh, go to sleep, otherwise, you'll have to hear something else in the morning)

I lay still, staring at the ceiling while she clung to me. The storm outside continued to rage, but her soft breathing somehow made the night feel calmer.

It was morning when I slowly opened my eyes. Tara was still clinging to me, her head resting on my chest. Despite my best efforts to maintain my composure, I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked, completely unaware of the situation. But... why? I had never slept like this before, especially not with someone I barely knew.

Just as I was trying to make sense of everything, I heard loud knocks on the door. I quickly got up, trying not to disturb tara, and walked over to open it. To my surprise, the entire village was standing outside, and I spotted Devendra Singh at the front.

"Kya hua, Sarpanch ji? Sab theek hai?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

(What happened sarpanch ji? All okay?)

Devendra didn't respond immediately. He nodded towards someone standing behind him, signaling for him to enter. "Go and check inside."

A guy came inside, and my eyes immediately narrowed.

"What are you checking?" I asked him, confused.

"She's here," the man said, his eyes scanning the room.

My confusion deepened. "Kya kiya tu mere behen ke saath?" he demanded, looking like he was about to explode in anger.

(What did you do to my sister?)

I blinked, now even more perplexed. "Wait, behen? Kya?"

(Sister? What?)

"Tara," he said, a sense of urgency in his tone.

I froze. "Tara? Aapki behen?" I repeated, now trying to piece everything together. "Oh bhai, kya chillayi thi raat bhar?"

(Tara? Your sister? Oh brother, she kept screaming the whole night)

At my words, all the villagers gasped, their eyes wide with shock. I turned, trying to gather myself, and saw Tara coming from the other room, holding my jacket in her hand.

"Daksh ji, yeh aapka jacket," she said, her eyes finally meeting mine. But when she saw the expression on my face, her shock mirrored mine.

(Daksh ji here is your jacket?)

She looked at all the villagers standing there, their eyes full of judgment. Turning to Devendra, she asked hesitantly, "Dev Bhaiya, kya hua?"

(Brother dev what happened?)

Devendra's eyes narrowed as he shot back, "Tu iddhar kyu aayi? Mein jan sakta hoon tara?"

(Why did you come here? May I know tara?)

"Bhiayya, vo" she stammered, unable to finish her sentence.

(Brother that)

"Talk properly," he snapped, his voice cold, and Tara flinched under his harsh words. I immediately stepped between them, raising my voice, "Sarpanch ji santh ho jayie, bechari dar gayi hai."

(Sarpanch ji please calm down, poor girl got scared)

Devendra, his face flushed with anger, looked at me and said, "Vo meri behen hai, aap side ho jaye," as he tried to pull me away. But I stood my ground.

(She is my sister, you move aside)

Then, from the crowd, I heard murmurs. "Yeh ladki, yeh ladka ke saath raat bhar kamre mein thi."

(This girl and this guy were in room all night)

Tara's eyes filled with tears at their words, and I could see the anger burning in Devendra's eyes.

"Iss ladki ko sharam nahi, yeh anjaan ladke ke saath raat bhar so gayi," the crowd whispered.

(This girl doesn't have shame, she slept with an unknown guy all night)

A few seconds later, the meaning of their words hit me, and I quickly realized, "Aunty ji, aap kya baat kar rahe ho? Hum kuch nahi, raat bhar bas saath mein soye."

(Aunty ji what are you talking? We didn't do anything, we just slept together)

There was gasps from the crowd. I hit my forehead in frustration, "Saath mein matlab ek bed pe, not what you all are thinking with your eighteen-plus thoughts!"

(Together means on one bed)

One of the men from the crowd sneered, "Tumhari behen ne galat kiya hai, Devendra ji. Ab kya karenge?"

(Your sister did a mistake. What will you do now?)

The murmurs from the crowd grew louder, and the atmosphere seemed to grow heavier by the second. Tara's face had drained of color, and I could see her hands shaking. The villagers were exchanging glances, whispering amongst themselves as I stood protectively between her and Devendra.

Then, from the crowd, I heard a voice that cut through the tension like a blade.

"Ek hi option hai."

(There is only one option)

Everyone paused, their heads turning towards the source of the voice.

"Kya?" someone asked, their curiosity almost palpable in the still air.

(What?)

"In dono ko shaadi karna," came the reply, as if the solution was that simple, that obvious. The words echoed in the space, amplifying the awkwardness, the judgment, and the discomfort in the air.

(We should get them married)

I felt Tara freeze beside me. Her face paled, her breath quickening as the implications of those words settled in. I could feel the blood drain from my own face as I turned to look at her. Shaadi? Was this the only way they saw to resolve the situation? A forced marriage to avoid the gossip, to silence the crowd?

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