Page 66 of The Unwanted Husband
The three sisters wore their family’s traditional jewelry. The pieces that had been passed down through generations of the chieftain’s daughters. Heavy silver necklaces with pendants that told stories of the sea, earrings that moved like water when they turned their heads, and bangles that sang a soft metallic song with every gesture. They looked like island goddesses themselves, embodying the beauty and grace of their ancestral home.
The musicians, positioned throughout the grove, created layers of sound that seemed to pulse with the heartbeat of the island itself. Young men with drums slung across their shoulders moved in time with the rhythm, while little girls in flowing skirts swayed as they played small bells that chimed like wind chimes in the breeze. The music wasn’t just accompaniment but it felt like the voice of the community, welcoming her into their midst.
The sound of rhythmic splashing reached her ears first, followed by the deep voices of men calling out in unison as theyrowed. From her position on the decorated path overlooking the water, she could see the traditionally decorated boats approaching with the sun behind them, its carved prow cutting past the rough surface of the ocean.
She knew the ceremony was more for the family and the island community to accept the marriage. Especially since Ashok has agreed to be the future Chieftain. Her heart was not supposed to be involved but now she was invested for the sake of the twins. They would be in the next best place
But as she adjusted her position to get a better view, her blood turned to ice.
There were others she had not registered as she was only looking at the family.
On paths flanking hers, she caught glimpses of silk and gold, the flash of jewelry catching the evening light. Other women. Other brides. All dressed in bridal finery that rivaled her own, beautiful outfits like hers, their hands painted with the same intricate patterns, their hair adorned with the same jasmine flowers and shells.
Each one beautiful, poised, waiting.
The realization hit her like a physical blow. This wasn’t just their wedding, but a selection. A competition. She had only heard about this in mythological stories and no one warned her about it.
Not even Ashok!
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms through the delicate fabric she was scrunching. The rational part of her mind tried to assert itself.
Why did it matter?
This was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, anyways. She didn’t even want to be his real wife. The very ideaof marriage had suffocated her and that’s why she stayed away from it. The women who had their eyes on the approaching group of men were beautiful, from the island. Suited for the lifestyle and not an outsider like her. And from what she had learnt about the island people, they were caring and loving, which meant any of the women would do a better job of being Ashok’s wife and the mother of the twins, far better than her!
So why was fury coursing through her veins like poison?
Her gaze swept to the left, where a woman in deep red silk sat with perfect posture, her beauty undeniable even from a distance. Then to the right, where another bride waited, her jewelry catching the light like stars. Each one a potential choice. Each one a threat to something she hadn’t even known she wanted to protect.
He’s mine.
The thought blazed through her mind with startling ferocity, and she had to bite her lip to keep from saying it aloud. The intensity of the feeling left her breathless, confused by her own reaction.
Where did this possessiveness come from?
This irrational need to stand up and shout at these beautiful strangers that they had no right to be here, no right to want what was meant to be hers?
Her chest tightened as she forced herself to look back at the approaching boats, trying to regain her composure. But the damage was done. Something primitive and fierce had awakened inside her, something that didn’t care about convenience or arrangements or rational thinking.
Yet as the boats drew closer and she caught the first glimpse of him, the jealousy warring in her chest transformedinto something even more dangerous. A desire mixed with a determination she had never felt before.
Ashok was rowing ahead of the group. Even from afar, his presence commanded attention. The other boats were his brothers-in-law, cousins and other men from the community, rowing with practiced synchronization, but her eyes could focus on no one else. The white dhoti draped around his waist was simple, unadorned, yet it somehow made him appear more regal than any elaborate costume could have managed.
As they neared the shore, she could see the definition of his shoulders, the way they moved with fluid grace as he adjusted his position. His chest was broad, tapering to a lean waist. The sunlight caught the smooth planes of his torso, highlighting muscles that spoke of strength without flamboyance. There was something almost sculptural about the way he carried himself with the confidence minus the arrogance, powerful yet graceful.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously on the silk of her outfit as she found herself unable to look away. This was not how she had imagined feeling. The sudden overwhelming awareness that made her pulse quicken and her breath catch was not like other times. This was different.
When he finally reached the shallow water on the beach, her heart forgot how to beat properly. The dhoti clung to his frame as he stepped into the water. His hair, dark and slightly damp from the moist spray, caught the evening light. When he turned in her direction, she felt the earth under her shift.
Their eyes met across the distance, and in that moment, something fundamentally shifted inside her chest. This was no longer about practical arrangements. This was about the man walking toward her through the water, droplets catching the light on his skin, his gaze steady and sure as it held hers.
She was already married to him legally and prepared to marry as per tradition too. What she had not been prepared to was the intensity that made her forget every careful reason she had constructed the plan. Yet as he approached, water swirling around his legs, that beautiful, strong body moving with unconscious elegance, she knew with startling clarity that she wanted to marry this man. Not for duty or family honor, but because something deep within her recognized him as hers.
The realization should have terrified her. Instead, it filled her with a fierce, unexpected joy that she struggled to keep from showing on her face as he drew closer, bringing with him the promise of a future she had never dared to imagine wanting.
She could not avert her eyes from him, as she was lost in this delusional world that made her believe he was the one for her. The one she would spend the rest of her life with.
But he didn’t come to her first.
