Chapter 12

Marybarton

@Marybarton

Part 11:

Still in conversation at the bar...

Aryan: You are still too young. You don't have to decide now.

Imlie suddenly had a brainwave: What if I decide against it? Your line would die off!

Aryan: So be it.

Imlie: Could you live with that or would you leave me?

Aryan shrugged: It's your body, you get to decide. And no, I wouldn't leave you.

Imlie pushed a little harder: Should have talked about this last night cause you clearly didn't think this through (she smirked).

Aryan's eyes narrowed: I know what you are trying to do, Imlie, and it's not going to work.

Imlie's face fell as he took the fun out of it: But you want babies.

Aryan raised his eyebrows: When did I say that?

Imlie gestured toward where his uncle probably was: It was expected of you forever. You knew it!

Aryan: I don't care about the lineage and all that stuff. You don't have to have children, if you don't want to. No one will pressure you, especially not I.

Imlie, seriously taken aback: So you don't want babies!?

Aryan pressed at his temples: Imlie, I am only saying you can do whatever you want. It doesn't affect my decision to be with you. Stop assigning choices to me. It's not my decision.

Imlie: But it is! We are married now. It's our decision! How can you be so blase about it!?

Aryan sighed: What do you want me to say? There are only two ways about it, either you will or you won't. Neither changes my mind about being with you. That's just how my priorities are set. I am sorry you don't like it, but it's you first, not some hypothetical baby.

Imlie, grumpily: I have never met a man who didn't want children!

Aryan smiled: Make up your mind in your own time and I will agree to whatever it is.

Imlie, stormily: But what do you want!?

Aryan: Now you know how it feels when someone confuses you for no reason. This is what you did to me on our Haldi Night.

Imlie: Don't play mind games with me! It won't work.

He finished his drink with a grin and left Imlie stewing. The Raja of Mewar approached her at the bar as Imlie was about to go after Aryan.

Raja, concerned: I hope I didn't alarm you earlier, dear.

Imlie blushed: Ah, no Rajasa. It's not like that.

Raja: It's just that I am getting up in age and Aryan is not really into the whole royalty business. He would much rather have nothing to do with it. But it's not a choice, it's a calling, my dear. There is a lot of responsibility behind this calling.

Imlie nodded, unable to understand what he meant.

Raja: His father and I were not on the best of terms, I regret it to this day, but that's how it was when he was alive. He left the family and moved here to Bihar to be with Aryan's mother whom the family disapproved of and Aryan grew up just as the son of a businessman. He doesn't understand or care for the responsibility he's about to inherit. I need your help in convincing him, my dear.

Imlie, surprised: Rajasa, I barely know anything about this world. How can I possibly influence him?

Raja: His brother-in-law was going to help me, but after he passed, Aryan has been going through a lot. You settle him, my dear. He values you a lot. You can talk sense into him. Convince him to move to Rajasthan where he belongs.

Imlie: Move there!?

The old Raja smiled: My time is limited, my dear, I need to train him if he's to take over from me. There's no one else. I will be grateful, if you try at least to help me.

Imlie: Oh...I see.

Raja: I have a gift for you. For your wedding.

Later...

Tahmeez and Tehzeeb took it upon themselves to MC the entertainment for the night and called to Aryan and Imlie to start the dancing.

Tehzeeb, over the microphone: Where are youuu...Imlie Didi? Aryan Bhaiyya is waiting.

Imlie was too distracted in the conversation with her alarmed parents to hear. If being a royal was not enough, now there was a potential move to Rajasthan to consider. It was all a lot in one night for her and her parents.

Daddah: They are calling you. Go, go, we will talk about this later.

Amma: Everyone's staring, Imliya, ja na (go)!

Imlie made her way to the dance floor and joined Aryan to widespread applause.

The dance began...song

Imlie: I have news.

Aryan: Yes?

Imlie: Your uncle gave us a honeymoon trip. We have to go tonight.

Aryan closed his eyes in irritation: I had something planned for later. Just tell him no.

Imlie: I said yes already.

Aryan, confused: Why!?

Imlie: Because he's an elder and you don't say no.

Aryan: Let me guess, it's an all expenses paid trip to Mewar.

Imlie: Yes.

Aryan: He didn't even like my dad, now suddenly he wants to be all chummy because he has no heir. He has been trying to bribe me back there forever.

Imlie: People make mistakes, we have to forgive them, Aryan. Your mother and he seems to have made amends. What's one trip?

Aryan: Fine, we will go, but I am not moving to Rajasthan. No matter what he says. And don't you feel compelled to agree with him.

Imlie brushed the back of his head softly to relax him: I won't. It's against my own interests, my parents live here.

Aryan looked at her closely: I don't believe you for some reason. That's the thing about you, you always bend to tradition.

Imlie: I don't!

Aryan: Yes, you do.

Imlie: I am a trailblazer!

Aryan: A trailblazer always doing the right thing. But I won't agree this time.

Imlie: No, I am not!

Aryan, indulgently: Okay, don't fight in front of everyone. I was trying to pay you a compliment.

Imlie: I am not fighting, you are!

Aryan hugged her at the end of their dance: Jungli.

Tahmeez: The bride and groom are hugging, folks. Will hugging lead to something more? Check it out!

Imlie and Aryan jumped away as the wedding guests burst out laughing.

Imlie glared at the tittering twins at the far end of the dance floor who high fived and then asked everyone else to join the dance before dinner.

Bidaai...

Imlie and Aryan were going to Mewar; they both changed into travel-friendly attires and came downstairs after all the guests had left. Rajasa blessed them and excused himself saying that he needed a day's rest at Aryan's place, but that everything was set for them at the airport.

Aryan: That's just like him.

Imlie: He's old, Aryan. He can't fly after a big day like this.

Aryan: So we can all stay here, na? Why does anyone need to go to Mewar?

Imlie: It's his gift, stop whining.

Aryan: I am not whining!

They took their aashirwads from the immediate family members.

Ma hugged Imlie: I so happy, Imlie, so happy! Bless you both.

Didi was next and she was beside herself with joy: Ahhh I still can't believe it! You two are married at last!!!

Imlie took Arpita's hands in hers: Remember your promise, Didi. I did this for you.

Didi: Haan haan, saab pata hai mujhe (Yes, yes, I know it all). Not that you had any interest in each other.

Aryan: Didi!

Imlie: I am serious, Didi. I chose happiness and now it's your turn.

Didi, a bit more serious: You two have a great trip. And call me when you get there safe and sound. We will do an official ghar prevesh when you get back. For today, we are Imlie's bidaai party.

Aryan and Imlie took blessings from Amma and Daddah.

Amma wiped a tear: I hope your friendship lasts longer than mine and Sattyakam's. That's what nurtures true love. Bless you both.

Daddah: Accha hai Babu (it's good sir), that your identity came out after you decided to marry my bittiya (baby girl).

Aryan, warily: Otherwise, you wouldn't have approved?

Daddah: Establishment and I don't go together, but far be it for me to hold anything against my daughter's choice. Now, you get away with just about anything. Just take good care of my Imaliya. Nothing more do I ask. Disappoint her and...

Imlie: He won't, Daddah.

Aryan: You are defending me?

Imlie: Nothing of the sort!

Daddah: Okay, okay, you two go and have a safe trip. We are setting off tomorrow for Pakdandiya.

Aryan: My driver will drive you.

Amma: Call me when you get there!

Imlie: We will call and talk to all of you.

Imlie hugged Tahmeez and Tehzeeb: You two I will deal with when I get back. Don't think I will forget.

Tahmeez: Oh please, Didi! We made it fun.

Imlie hugged her hard: That you did.

Imlie got on the car after Aryan, ready to be dropped off at the airport. How surreal it all was. And what a world away from her last unwanted bidaai. Amma was beaming with happiness as Imlie looked out the car window and waved.

Aryan wiped her tear: We will be back in no time and you will see them again.

Imlie: I know...it's just emotional still.

Aryan thought she wanted to say something more, maybe something about her last wedding, but she stopped and he did not ask. If she wanted to say something, it should be from her. His bringing it up may not hit the right chord.

Imlie was deep in thoughts for a long time.

Aryan: Are you tired?

Imlie: No, I was just thinking...it's nothing.

Aryan: What is it?

Imlie: I don't want to soil our memories with the past.

Aryan: What's bothering you?

Imlie: It's just so different from...you know.

Aryan: In a good way or a bad way?

Imlie teared up: In a good way, of course. I am...happy.

Aryan blinked back tears and hugged her as she cried.

They sat at the VIP lounge sipping coffee...

Imlie: Why are you so nice to me?