Chapter 16

Marybarton

@Marybarton

Part 15:

Imlie sighed as Aryan sank back and kept nuzzling her neck.

Imlie: So that's what all the fuss is about...

Aryan froze and said gruffly: You don't sound very impressed.

Imlie smirked and turned toward him, her eyes glittering with mischief: I was very impressed with youuu...

His hand came up and cupped her face to turn her further for a kiss.

Aryan: I had you right at the start.

Imlie: Hmmm?

Aryan: You are wild. A total jungli.

Imlie: Is that what you meant by it? I thought you were calling me a savage.

Aryan, concerned: You thought I was looking down on you this whole time!? With a fond nickname!?

Imlie, guiltily: I am from a village and don't know the ways of society. And you are always so polished and posh. It wasn't a far-fetched guess.

Aryan: You must have thought of me as very heartless then, to call you names like that!

Imlie shrugged: I thought you were being matter-of-factly.

Aryan: It was an endearment!

Imlie: I know now. Don't look at me with those wild eyes.

Aryan sat up: I would never call you savage. "Fierce," yes, but never "a savage." Did I ever look down on you or make you feel that way?

Imlie: When you started calling me that, I was washing my clothes at the office. You did say it was not the village pond...what was I supposed to think?

Aryan sank over her, covering her with kisses: I would never...never call you something insulting. I can't believe you thought that all these years.

Imlie tugged at his hair: Well then, next time you give me a nickname, tell me what you mean by it.

Aryan kissed her full on the cheek: How about Mrs. Rathore?

Imlie smiled: That sounds nice.

Aryan: How about kitten?

Imlie giggled, relishing the weight of him on her.

Aryan: You know the insinuation behind kitten?

Imlie: No...

Aryan smirked: That will be your task. Find out what a wild kitten means.

Imlie blushed: Even I know that! When you put it that way!

Aryan laughed and got off her. Imlie yawned, looking out the ancient door to the balcony. It was nearly dawn.

Aryan: You are not planning to go to sleep, are you?

Imlie: What else?

Aryan: Oh, I can think of something...

Imlie looked at him forbiddingly: I have to get up in the morning. Ganjam Singh is taking me on a tour of the palace.

Aryan: Ganjam Singh can take you in the afternoon. Now, I saw something in your luggage earlier...

Imlie, horrified: You looked at my luggage!?

Aryan: It was open.

Imlie: So what? You can't look at a girl's luggage! There can be anything in there.

Aryan sighed, got up, and came back with a lace bodysuit: Like what? Like this?

Imlie snatched the lace back: I didn't buy this. It was Arpi Di... She snuck it in.

Aryan smiled: Will you put it on for me?

Imlie: NO WAY!

Aryan, annoyed: What does it matter? I have seen you now.

Imlie blushed: It's going to be light soon, I can't...it's different at night.

Aryan: You were perfectly visible in the moonlight also.

Imlie play-punched him.

Aryan: Please?

Imlie sighed and looked at the contraption: I don't know how to get this on even...

Aryan grinned: I can help you.

Imlie: No! I will manage.

She left for the bathroom.

Mid-day...

Aryan got up with images still swimming in his head. Did he just dream all that!? He shot up and looked around. Imlie wasn't there next to him, but her side was slept-on. Aryan brushed a frustrated hand through his hair. He looked down on his side, there was a lace bodysuit by his end of the bed. He sighed and lay back down.

She loved him.

They had been together.

She wore a lace bodysuit for him. And only ever for him.

Imlie ran back inside their suite while Aryan was still musing.

Imlie: I went with Mr. Singh all through the palace, Aryan. It's so beautiful. I learned so much! Aryan? Aryan! Are you listening!?

Aryan, smiling out in the distance: Hmmm?

Imlie: Why are you still in bed? It's 4 pm.

Aryan pulled Imlie to himself and hugged her like a side-pillow: Where have you been?

Imlie: I just told you. Stop it...AH! (She giggled) You are crazy. (She pushed him off) Go shower. I am starving.

Aryan: How are you so energetic?

Imlie looked up at the vaulted ceiling: I don't know. I feel like a starburst of energy. I got up at 11 am and went to find Mr. Singh.

Aryan yawned: I feel lazy as hell. You wore me out.

Imlie went red: Stop it! Get up now.

Aryan sat up and kissed her again: I love you.

Imlie smiled: I love you too.

That's the first time she had said so in response. A hope flourished in him. He finally knew what she meant by that starburst feeling. Aryan got up now and went to get ready.

Imlie stood on the balcony overlooking Mewar. Ganjam Singh had taken her on a detailed tour of the palace, its facilities, its history, then the family's history, and finally...their responsibilities to the people on Rajasa's land. He hinted why representation still mattered here.

She understood now, it was not all glitz and glamour. Rajasa had real duties towards his tenants and the people of Mewar. He was the only one who still could advocate for them constantly - no matter which government was in power. It was like being a politician for life, one that made promises and actually kept them though. He wanted to teach Aryan this. This was the training Aryan needed. The connection to his roots that Aryan didn't feel as yet. Imlie sighed, Aryan didn't even want to go on the tour. When she tried to wake him in the morning, he had mumbled he didn't want to see the place and rolled over to sleep.

Aryan came and hugged her from behind: Penny for your thoughts.

Imlie: I was just taking in the city. It has this afternoon buzz. Do you hear it?

Aryan cranked his ear: I think it's just the hawkers in the market by the clocktower.

Imlie playfully slapped his arm: Yes, but...it's more than that. You hear them hawking? Their language? The lilt of it just floats up in the air and then the birds pick it up and take their own tune, far off, elsewhere...(she made a sign with her hand of a sway). It's music.

Aryan looked at her and made a face: You hear all that?

Imlie beamed: Yes. It's marvelous. To think, this historic city...it was like this hundreds of years ago...and some girl, like me, would stand here and see the same sights, hear the same sounds...

Aryan: There are cars honking. I don't think any girl in the past could hear that.

Imlie, irately: Uffoo! Go with the flow of what I am saying.

Aryan: Fine...go on.

Imlie: It's magical. So much of it is preserved. You know the surfaces of this palace, they are so intricate. There's the love of hundreds of years of craftsmanship, in every stone. It's a place generations of Mewari people made with love...

Aryan let go and stood back: You sound like my uncle.

Imlie: Sorry. I am just inspired by the tour. That's all. I have found a place for lunch and Ganjam Singh said he will take care of the rest. Let's go.

Aryan glared at the boat.

Aryan: Do we have to?

Imlie: Yes, we have to. Unless you want to swim to the middle of the lake.

Aryan got on the boat and held his hand out for Imlie. Imlie got on the boat, trying to look as graceful as possible. She stumbled and nearly fell, but Aryan caught her.

Aryan: Seems like a lot of fuss, just for lunch.

Imlie rolled her eyes: I thought it would be romantic.

Aryan: Oh, in that case.

He sat down patiently. Imlie smiled to herself. Well, at least he was interested in all things to do with her.

They were dropped off at the white marble leisure palace in the middle of the lake. There were no tourists there at this restaurant. It was reserved, only for the two of them this evening thanks to Ganjam Singh. Only the wait staff were around to serve their kunwarsa and his new bride.

Imlie: Have you been here before?

Aryan: I guess so, I don't remember.

Imlie: We will sit by the water and have lunch here. And watch the birds fly by and the bees pollinate the flowers. I came here earlier during the tour. I just love this spot!

Aryan, quizzically: You are being all poetic all of a sudden.

Imlie: Turns out I am a bit poetic when I am happy.

Aryan, cynically: What are you doing, Imlie?

Imlie: Nothing, I just want to have lunch with my husband. Is that such a crime?

Aryan melted at the mention of "husband": Fine, come on.

They sat by the table that was arranged for them by the garden, near the water. Imlie looked as bright as a newly bloomed rose, taking it all in under the settling sun. She said the air smelled nice. The flowers smelled nice. Then, she found the bird pooing on the banister between them and the lake, "charming." Aryan watched silently, happy at her happiness, but also wary...

Aryan, softly: Imlie...(he took her hand), I know you like it here, but...

Imlie looked at him directly: You don't have to move here. But give it a chance, won't you? May we just enjoy our honeymoon here, for now?

Aryan sighed: Yes, of course. I am sorry. I didn't mean that. I just don't want to live here as the custodian of this place.

Imlie: You are that whether you like it or not.

Aryan looked down at his food: I...

Imlie: If you think I am suddenly into this for the princess thing or the glitz...

Aryan: I know you are not, but this is what I was afraid of...you are trying to do the right thing again.

Imlie: I am not! I just think it's a very beautiful, historic place. If your family heritage is here, it is you who decides if this is your home. Not me.

Aryan: It's our decision. Yours and mine.

Imlie: I don't want you to do anything you are not happy with...I promise. I will go with you wherever you want to be.

Aryan: Filhal toh (right now) right here, with my wife, enjoying lunch. Then, in a few days, back home to Bihar.

At sunset...

They were enjoying coffee as Imlie dipped her feet in the lake water. The wait staff added some newspapers and magazines for the day along with coffee treats on the service.

Aryan: Sit back. It's deep.

Imlie: I know how to swim.

Aryan warned: Imlie...

Imlie ignored him and picked up the magazine poking out from under GQ: Oh my God! That's us!
Aryan, interested: Oh, how nice you look there.

Imlie smiled and quickly flipped the page for the article. She read enthusiastically.

Imlie: Look how positive that is...and you said I tried to bomb the interview.

Aryan: You did try to bomb the interview.

Imlie: They found us charming.

Aryan smiled and took a look. He lost his smile very soon and put it down.

Aryan: They brought up Jijagi. Di will read that.

Imlie, sadly: Yes, I am sorry about that...

Aryan: I have tried to put it behind me, like you always told me to, but Di can never manage. She doesn't have that privilege.