Page 315 of A King's Oath

Their marriage havan was lit to fire and Samarth did his best not to look at her. He was sure she would make him laugh and he would make her blush and that wouldn’t be an ideal sight for the people of Nawanagar immediately.

Purohitji’s chants trailed to a pause. Then — “Kanyadan karwa vadhu naa mata-pita padhare.[105]”

Samarth’s eyes met Ava’s mother’s, then her father’s as they sat in front of him. As per Purohitji’s directions, they brought a silver platter to wash his feet. As her father’s hands reached his feet, he held them in one hand. Her father glanced up.

“I’ll do it right this time. Give me Ava and I’ll do everything right.”

Her father’s throat worked a swallow, then he let out a chuckle. His head bobbed and Samarth folded his hands to both of them as they washed his feet, blessed him, then sat for kanyadan.

Kresha came for gathbandhan and murmured in his ear — “No sweet talk for me?”

“I knew you’d initiate it,” he smirked as she tied his uparna with Ava’s odhani.

“Not sweet talk, Samarth. This is warning. Final warning.”

“I am sorry,” he said, turning his head over his shoulder and taking her by surprise. “For both those times.”

She smiled tightly, the seasoned princess with eyes and cameras on her.

“I’ll dance to whatever you choreograph.”

She held back a sputter. Ava had no such qualms. She burst out laughing.

————————————————————

“Badhai, Rawal!”

Samarth’s eyes whirled up, hands still folded to the King of Mysore. The imposing persona that was Giriraj Singh Mewad was walking down the area of royals cordoned from all. And even in this cordoned area with royal families lined up to meet him and Ava, the kings and queens and princes and princesses of India cleaved away to make way for him. He was such a charmer that he slowed and talked to them on his way, exchanged laughs and nods, holding everything up, but in the best way possible.

In an embellished pachranga leheriya sherwani, he looked as resplendent as ever.

“Sammy boy!” He came up to them, a pack of… stickers in his hand. Samarth narrowed his eyes at them — love and heart stickers. “Raje saheb,” he grinned at Ava who folded her hands and began to descend to touch his feet. Samarth followed suit and he tapped their heads.

“Priyatam maan gaye, Raje saheb,[106]” he nudged his chin at Ava. She chuckled, her eyes cutting to him — “Thode slow hai, par maan gaye.[107]”

“Where have you been, Hukum? All invitations were re-routed, no news. Your private number wasn’t reachable either…”

“Aah, Giri!” Papa joined them with Rajmata, Maan bhai and Samriddhi bhabhi — folding hands to Hukum and then embracing him. “All good now?”

“What’s all good?” Samarth caught that silent exchange. Maan bhai looked like he knew something too as his eyes cut to Hukum. But his eyes always cut sideways. Samarth frowned.

“Rawal saheb?” Samarth nudged Maan bhai. He was the easiest to break in this gang. But he did not open his mouth. It was Papa that spoke. In a low voice — “He had an angioplasty this week.”

“What? What happened to you, Hukum?”

“I’ve had my heart broken so many times,” he joked. “Had to fill the cracks sometime now, no?”

“How are you moving around? Let’s get you seated…”

“I’m fine.” He presented them with the bunch of kiddie heart stickers. “For a lifetime of full hearts. Keep sticking these onto each other whenever you need to seal the cracks!”

Ava accepted them and Samarth kept staring at the man, the legend, the enigma. Hukum didn’t look a smidge different from the last time he had seen him. Still muscular, face glowing with vitality and some unreal force of nature, smile in place, eyes shining. And yet… something was mellow about him. Samarth stepped up and folded his hands once again — “You should have let us know.”

“Your father knew. And you had more important things to take care of,” he nodded at Ava behind him. “Congratulations, to both of you.”

“Thank you, Hukum,” she stepped up beside him, aping his gesture. “When I met you recently, I didn’t think we would meet again so soon but with you, it’s always a surprise.”

“Recently?” Samarth frowned.

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