100. The marriage

"Do you have the guts to marry her?" That question from Jiva was out of the blue. The level of shock had even stirred the roofs. The thrill it brought numbed him. His lips slipped languages. All he could do was to nod and that he did.

The following events were unpredicted. Jiva pushed him and they grabbed Apu out of the hall. It was so hard that when he got up, he heard horses neighing. They took her... He rushed to follow but was blocked by Alok and Shankar.

"Where are you rushing, groom?"

"gr...oom!?"

"Bruddah, tonight is your wedding. They took di to return her as your legal wife."

Few soldiers, their masks still on their face, barged in with many accessories. A big wedding mandap was accouching in the ground behind the hall. The erection was swift. Shankar entered the hall with his groom's attire. Everything seemed surreal for him.

"Jiva... What are you doing?"

The horse stopped before an abandoned temple.

"Jiva, why are you reopening this. I am putting a halt to this chapter. Why?"

" Because; My daughter has grown up." She turned at that familiar sound which she missed for the past six months.

"Father.." She rushed into the temple and hugged her father who was standing beside the broken statue. She couldn't hold her tears back. She cuddled him like a baby.

"Pa.. I .. Yuvan..." She spoke through her tears."

"My daughter has chosen her love. How can I deny it?" He patted her.

"But pa.."

"Do you know this deity?" He caressed the broken statue.

Amanya wiped her tears, "I understood father."

"Then we wish to see you in the wedding dress" Jiva walked towards her with a red gown on his hand.

The mandap is set, decorated with golden pillars and red roses. Abhik and Charan in Hirangan attire joined him on his big day. The excitement was at its peak. In the bustling joy, he heard her steps. He waited for her at the boundaries of mandap. She walked in; in a veil wearing a sizzling red gown. The wedding fire was lit. The blazing fire and the cold moon witnessed their wedding vows.

They restarted their journey. The carts rode back to Amai. She leaned over his shoulder and cuddled his hand. He caressed the cupid ring on her fingers and hot tears rolled over his smile. The night witnessed an oath made hundreds of years ago.