Chapter Five

As Shalini had expected, Deviyani did accept the alliance. Aryan spoke to Shashi and the deal was sealed. Arnav would marry Khushi, and Khushi would become a Raizada Bahu, as well as the Lady of the Land.

"Bro, I can't believe you're getting married," NK said.

Akash pointed his cue at the white ball and hit it, pocketing no balls. "I can't believe he's following tradition."

"Me too! I mean the Lord of the Land still has to follow their parents orders of who he's going to spend the rest of his life with?" And he scoffed.

"Maybe Bhai should have gotten married at 13," Akash snickered.

Arnav hit him upside in the head. "Shut up. That shit is messed up."

"What?"

"Whoa whoa whoa," NK piped up, getting up from his seat.

"Since when did you care about that shit?"

Arnav said nothing and struck his cue at the white ball, pocketing two stripes.

"Oh, I get it. Khushiji said that didn't she," NK teased.

"That's so cute of you Bhai," Akash teased.

Arnav rolled his eyes and hit the white ball again, pocketing another stripe. "Whatever," he grumbled.

"But in all seriousness, I've got one question for you Bhai."

Arnav straightened and leaned on his cue stick. "What?"

"Are you really going to marry someone you haven't fucked yet?"

"Oh! Good question Akash Bhai," NK chirped, all the while Arnav scowled.

"I mean do you really want to spend the rest of your life with someone who might possibly be bad in bed?"

"Yeah Nanav, why-"

There was a knock on the door before it opened, revealing Akash's mother, Amoli.

"Time for dinner," she chirped.

"Coming Ma," Akash said, and his mother left.

Arnav placed his cue away and headed for the door.

"Hey Nanav, you didn't answer the question," NK hollered.

Arnav turned to face them. "Here's all I have to say - don't put the ideas of sex and my future wife in a sentence ever again you two," and he walked out of the room.

"Gee, what crawled up his ass?"

Akash thought about it for a moment. "He has a point. After all that's our future bhabi."

NK thought about it too. "Holy shit!"

The two cringed and then headed out of the room. After all who on earth would want to think of their bhabi in such a way?

*~*

Arnav looked into the mirror and smoothed his tuxedo. After his family and Khushi's parents had finished making plans, the date of their engagement was decided, and tonight was that night, leading Arnav to such formal wear. He kind of wished he didn't have to and wanted to do his usual roll-up-of-the-sleeves, but it wasn't right for the occasion.

There was a knock at the door and Shalini came in. "Oh Chote, you look so handsome," his mother gushed.

"Ma," he frowned through the mirror.

"I can't help it," she squealed. "My boy is getting married!"

Arnav sighed with a roll of his eyes and focused on his bow tie.

Shalini came forward and adjusted it for him. "Are you ready for all of this?"

Arnav shrugged.

"Good, because if you were, I'd be worried."

"Ma," he said in shock, although he was amused.

Shalini rolled her eyes with a grin. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Arnav couldn't hold back his grin.

She finished adjusting his bow tie and looked up at him. "You're okay with marrying her, right?"

Arnav nodded. "Whomever you choose."

Shalini smiled and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead. "Shall we go," she asked, wiping away the remnants of her lipstick from his forehead.

"Yes, let's. And may I say, you look beautiful in your dress."

Shalini glanced down at her burgundy dress. "I was thinking of going traditional at first-"

"I'm glad you wore this. You'll be the most beautiful woman of them all."

Shalini chuckled. "Well, maybe second. Wait till you see Khushi."

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows. "They're already here?"

"Mm hmm. And I may have given her a pointer or two."

Arnav looked at his mother carefully. "What did you do?"

Shalini winked. "You'll see," and she led her son out of his room and took him downstairs to their guests and his future bride.

Arnav walked with his mother, arm in arm, greeting his guests as they passed. As they entered the ballroom, Arnav's eyes immediately landed on Khushi, everyone else in the room becoming a blur. Arnav gazed at the woman who would soon become his bride, dressed in a scarlet dress with full sleeves, taunting v-neckline, revealing back, and a slit over her left leg, which ran really high.

She's not wearing panties, he analyzed quickly. There's no way or they would've flashed whenever she walked.

From their one and only meeting, Arnav would have never expected this angel to ever dress so... daringly. But Arnav was glad that this sexy woman would become his and was sure she'd own more things similar to this dress.

Arnav and his mother reached them and Khushi looked up at her future husband.

"My Lord," she said softly with a curtsy.

Arnav took her hand with a bow. "My lady," and he kissed her hand.

Khushi stood by his side and the women gushed at them. Deviyani gave them her blessings, the rest of the family as well. Throughout the night, their guests wished them the best. Not long later, Arnav bent down at the knee and proposed, as was tradition. Khushi accepted and Arnav placed the ring on her finger, and everyone in the room erupted into applause.

As the drinks were handed out, Deviyani went to Khushi.
                       
"May we speak?"

Khushi nodded. "Of course."

Khushi linked her arm with hers and the two began to walk away from the crowd once they excused themselves. Deviyani took them away from the guests and went somewhere private. They arrived to an empty hallway, filled with portraits.

"Oh my, these are beautiful," Khushi said as she admired them.

"These are our ancestors. They're family members of Lords past."

"Wow," Khushi whispered as they passed more portraits.

"There's many throughout the mansion, though I'm afraid one day they might run out of space," Deviyani chuckled.

Khushi smiled softly.

They reached the end of the hallway and paused by a grand window.

"I'm sure you're aware of my grandson's late night activities," Deviyani said as she sat down on the cushioned bench before the window.

Khushi nodded as she sat beside her.

"I thought so...."

Neither women said anything for a moment.

"I've always tried to make the men of this house better, to be good men whom would respect women. Unfortunately the world outside has more power over them."

Khushi held her hand and squeezed it lightly.

"I married into this family when I was 12. I know very well how hard it is to raise a child and to have a family at a young age. I didn't want that for my sons, nor the women they were meant to be with, but I failed on that part, as my husband was more keen to tradition. Luckily that wasn't the case for my grandchildren as he had passed away."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

Khushi's eyes widened.

"These past 8 years have been very relaxing in comparison to all the years before. My husband was.... Well, that aside, I managed to do something with these Raizada men. Maybe not much, but something.

"I have tried to make the lives of my daughter in-laws' better, but my sons are... well, what they are. But my grandchildren," she turned her focus to Khushi, "I hope that there's some hope with them."

Khushi looked down.

"I know that they love to fool around, bedding possibly half of the people in this town, if not more. But I'm hoping that marriage might change this for all four of them.

"You just may be that first light of hope. I pray that you can change my Chote and make him a better man."

Khushi squeezed her hand. "I'll try my best."

Deviyani smiled softly. "I should warn you though, Chote is very stubborn and arrogant."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," she assured her.

"Well in that case then, welcome to the family. From this day forward, I'm your Deeda."

"Thank you for making me a part of the family Deeda," and the two hugged.

*~*

Arnav glanced around the room, bored by the man whom he was speaking with. He wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying, so he had no clue what he was talking about. Luckily his father was there to engage in conversation with the poor man.

Arnav looked around and saw Khushi emerge with his Deeda, both smiling as they spoke.

What are they talking about, he wondered.

Arnav saw his mother meet the two and Khushi walked away with his mother. He watched them as they walked around and spoke, as the two headed towards him. He quickly turned his attention back on the two men in front of him, when Akash and NK tapped his shoulder and drew him aside.

"Congrats again brother," the two cheered, picking up glasses of champagne from a waiter beside them.

The three clinked their glasses and drank.

"So where's Bhabi," NK asked.

"I-"

"Speaking of which," Akash said as his Kaki Ma and future bhabi came towards them.

Both women were chuckling as they reached the men.

"I hope that helps," Shalini winked before walking away.

Arnav looked at his mother curiously as she left, then turned to Khushi.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," he replied. "Er, these are my cousins, Akash and NK."

"Hi," she smiled, holding out her hand.

Each kissed her hand with a greeting.

"Bhai's lucky to get a girl like you as his wife," Akash said.

"No kidding, eh Nanav," NK teased.

Arnav frowned as Khushi chuckled.

"Nanav? That's so cute," she chuckled.

"It is, isn't it? See-"

"Okay, story time is over," Arnav cut in between.

"But-"

"Over," he said through his teeth.

"Fine," he huffed.

Khushi chuckled then turned to Arnav. "Can we go somewhere private?"

Arnav's eyebrows shot up and so did Akash's and NK's.

"Yeah, sure," Arnav replied.

Khushi took his arm and followed Arnav out of the room, while Akash and NK watched them.

"You think he's gonna get laid," NK asked.

"Mm... I think so. I'm surprised it's taken this long into the night."

"No kidding, I mean she's wearing red. His cock must be ready to fall off."

"No kidding."