Hukum sat on the bed and asked me to adjust my clothes and jewelry to make sure that I look normal instead of flushed when we go out to the dining hall to join everyone for dinner.
As soon as we entered the hall, I saw that Maa-sa was already there looking after the food arrangements. I went toward her and she smiled, looking at me,
“I am glad that you both are here now. By the way, Jai, where did you take Katha? Rana Abhay was asking for her.”
I remembered where we went, and I tried hard to hide the blush that was forming on my cheeks. Before either of us could reply, we heard the announcement that Bhai-sa was entering. He entered the hall and came to stand directly in front of me.
“I am so proud of you, bacche.”
“Now that everyone is here, let’s eat lunch.”,
Everyone nodded at Hukum, and all the royal families proceeded to take their seats at the dinner table.
All the men sat with their wives and children. But I sat opposite Hukum at the other end of the table. Beside me sat Bhai-sa and on the other side, Maa-sa.
Hukum showed his hand, and the attendees started serving the food. We all started eating as soon as the food was served. The room was filled with conversations of numerous types.
While taking a bite, I felt someone’s gaze on me, and unknowingly, I glanced over at Hukum, who was already looking at me. He winked at me, and I choked on the food I was going to swallow. He chuckled a bit, and Bhai-sa rubbed my back,
“What happened, bacche? Be careful.”, I nodded at him and drank some water from the glass Bhai-sa had passed me.
I glared at Hukum and replied to my Bhai-sa,
“Nothing, Bhai-sa, I saw a little mouse over there being the naughty version of himself.”
Everyone except Bhai-sa and Devarji-sa furrowed their eyebrows, as they were the only ones to understand who that ‘naughty little mouse’ was. They chuckled a little while shaking their heads at my way of molding the words, and a feeling of embarrassment rushed to my face. I again looked at Hukum, and this time, he dug his face into the food.
After we had all finished with the food and desserts, we sat talking about various things.
Our attention shifted when Maa-sa announced, particularly to the ladies present,
“I must do some remaining preparations for the coronation ceremony. All the ladies are requested to accompany me.”
All the ladies stood one by one to accompany Maa-sa to the ladies’ hall. As everyone sat there in a circle, Maa-sa clapped her hands twice, and the attendees brought several fruits and other things to go with.
For a lot of time, the conversations happened, Maa-sa talked to the older ladies while I talked with the younger ones. After some time, Maa-sa and the other older ladies left the hall, leaving me with the younger ones.
A smaller circle formed, and the ladies looked at me with curiosity, one of them, whom I recall to be Hukum’s sister-in-law, asked me,
“So, Jiji-sa, tell us something about your wedding night. How was it? Describe it for us.”
I was left shocked listening to her question. What am I supposed to tell her? Nothing happened yet.
The curious eyes never left me, and other ladies nudged me to speak. I sighed and said,
“The night was… overwhelming. I still remember the way his hands felt, rough from battles, yet so devastatingly careful against my skin. He didn’t speak much; he didn’t need to. Every glance, every brush of his fingers, set my whole body alight. He knew exactly how to unmake me, piece by trembling piece, until I couldn’t tell where I ended and he began. I tried to resist, for a moment, perhaps, but he was relentless, determined, claiming every part of me with an intensity I had never known could exist between two people. The hours blurred; I lost track of how many times he brought me back to him, how many times he made me shatter quietly under his touch. When dawn came, I could barely move, could barely even think… only feel him lingering in every breath I took.”
I finished, and the entire hall fell silent. The description I gave had their eyes coming out. The ladies gulped and were too shocked to say anything.
An attendee announced that we were asked to return to our respective chambers. Everyone nodded and stood up I smiled, seeing their reactions, which were still of shock.
I went to our chamber, where I met Hukum. He saw the smile on my face and asked me the reason. I smiled and told him everything I said. Hukum raised his eyebrows and asked,
“How did you give such a description? You read a book or something?”
I chuckled and said, “No, Hukum, I just twisted my words. See, when I spoke of your hands, I meant how you held my hand so softly when you kissed my knuckles. The brush of your fingers was when you cupped my cheek, and when you made me wear the anklets. When I said you claimed me, I meant how you claimed the promise. When I mentioned the intensity between two people, I meant the promise that not every man gives. About how I couldn’t move when the dawn came, I meant how the night’s tension and curiosity had weighed upon me.”
Hukum laughed out loud, listening to my words, and this time, even I chuckled. I heard him saying,
“You left the ladies traumatised.”
I chuckled again and then heard Maa-sa entering.
She said, “Now that you both are here, I wanted to tell you about a few things related to the coronation. Since Jai’s coronation had already happened years back, this time only Katha will be crowned, so, according to the customs, tonight Katha will be staying in a different chamber, and since I am alone now, Katha will stay with me tonight.”
Hukum asked, “But why does Katha have to stay in a separate chamber? Why can’t she stay here?”
“Because Jai, in the early morning, we have to do Katha’s ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) with milk, turmeric, and rose petals. It’s a tradition to stay away from the partner a night before the coronation. Plus, you can’t wake up early in the morning, you won’t even let her wake up on time, and we need everything perfectly done for the coronation. So, you will meet Katha directly in the courtroom.”
I nodded at Maa-sa and looked at Hukum, who had a sad face.
“Yeah, whatever.”
Maa-sa chuckled a little and said, “Come on, let’s go, Katha.”
I nodded at her and came to her chamber with her, leaving a sad Hukum behind, while the attendees carried my night clothes.
