War For Love

~Twenty Nine~

Siya placed the large pot on the hearth, pouring some milk in it. She allowed the milk to boil before she added the rice in it, stirring it well. She was still thinking about the sudden marriage proposal for her sister. What has happened after she went to jail that made their parents to marry her. Did they fear Vedika to become a rebel too? Was that the reason, they wanted her to get married so early? She shook her head as she kept stirring her kheer. She would take some for Sahib too. A smile formed on her face at the thought of Sahib.

Once, the kheer (sweet dish) had cooked enough in the heat, she added some powdered sugar to make it sweet. Siya was a decent cook. She knew she made food delicious enough for people to love it. But just to be sure of the taste, she tasted some and her eyes closed in bliss as the sweetness blossomed in her mouth. It was after so long, she had made kheer and had tasted kheer. The last time she had kheer was probably two years ago. She pulled the hot pot down, covering it with a lid. Just when she was about to drink some water, she heard some footsteps before a family walked in, with Satyavan, her father.

True to her mother's words, the man looked young. And decent. He was accompanied by his parents and a younger brother who looked Siya's age. She straightened her skirt and dupatta (scarf) before she offered their guests some water.

"You must be Siya." The woman asked, her voice soft and the smile her face held looked genuine, devoid of any malice. Siya felt a smile forming on her face too as she nodded her head, folding her hand in respect.

"That shall be me, Kaki. Please have some water." The woman nodded her head, taking the earthen glass before sipping the water. Siya offered the glasses filled with water to all of them.

"I must say Leela, your daughters are really beautiful and well behaved. Though she looks a little....... fiery but such sweet voice." Prema— the woman said looking at Siya and she felt her fingers curling in a fist. She still managed to smile slyly at her. Vedika looked nervously at her sister, not liking the words of her future mother-in-law towards her sister.

"They are, Prema. And my Siya is a wonderful cook too. She had prepared kheer for all of us. No, Siya?" Leela said, her voice suspiciously sweet and Siya felt her eyes narrowing at her mother.

Satyavan and Vedika felt the bitter taste of guilt in their mouth. They knew what Leela was upto, unlike Siya, who was still oblivious to her plan. Prema nodded her head as she placed the glass down before turning towards her sons. One of them had his eyes on Vedika, making her blush. He couldn't believe he was getting married to such a beautiful woman. The other one looked nervous, however. Fear was clear as day on his face. Siya noticed everything.

"This is Janak, he works in a factory. We have five acres of land and a few buffaloes." She said, looking at her eldest son before she turned towards her youngest son, who sat there awkward and scared. "And this is my youngest son Mehul. He works as a blacksmith. Leela ji, we are not rich but we're not under debt too, considering the taxes these officers had put on every second thing."

"True, Prema ji. And a person only needs as much as he can feel his stomach with and cover their body. The rest is just a part of greed." Leela said. The two men were silent as their wives talked with one another.

"Such wise words, Leela." Prema said before she looked at Vedika. "Tell me, dear child, are you comfortable?"

Vedika's eyes widened when all the attention turned towards her and she nervously nodded her head, her fingers curling around her saree. She slowly looked up, her eyes met Janak and she looked away, her cheeks flushing red. Prema smiled as she saw Vedika shying away from her son.

"Hm." Vedika hummed and Prema smiled in amusement.

"Tell me, dear child, what are your hobbies? Can you read?" Vedika was taken aback by her question. She had expected questions like: Can she cook? Can she clean? But she never expected a question..... so different.

"I can read. I like cooking and weaving too." Prema nodded her head.

"That's good. I assure you, Vedika, I'll treat you as my own daughter until my son is happy with you." Siya pressed her lips, feeling the urge to question so many thoughts that raced her mind.

What if Janak doesn't feel happy with her sister, will she start hurting her? What if Janak can't keep her happy, will she still treat her like her daughter.

"What if your son can't keep my sister happy, Kaki? Will you stop treating her as your daughter? Will your relationship change with Jiji if her relation would change with Janak ji?" Prema knew Siya wasn't a woman, one can play with. Her question made the older woman to look at Siya. She would be hard to tame. Prema realized.

"Our society is like a bullock cart, Siya. Where men are always the one who seeks control. Relationship changes when our man desires." Siya snorted as she took a step forward.

"Funny, Kaki. You talk about men being in charge and yet you won't let Kaka speak a word. Why the authority you exercise can't be questioned when you are driving other's life?" Leela glared at her daughter. If she continued with her opinions, neither would she, nor would Vedika ever get married. She felt the necessity to intervene before Siya ruins Leela's hardwork.

"Siya, why don't you get the kheer you made for everyone, hm? I am sure they must be feeling hungry after miles of travelling. Go, Siya." She gritted out when she didn't move.

Siya poured the kheer in bowls before serving them the sweet she made. The kheer was undeniably delicious. Siya was still a bit irritated by Prema's hypocrisy. But she couldn't blame Prema entirely. This was how almost everyone thought in the village. She calmly waited for them to eat the kheer, waiting for Lord knows what else was kept for her. She knew this meet wasn't just for Vedika. She could smell the conspiracy woven for her from a distance. When they had the kheer made by Siya, Vedika helped them wash their hands.

'Beautiful.' Janak thought in his mind as he looked at Vedika.

"I like your daughters, Leela. Though your youngest is akin to the agni (fire), I am sure she would learn with time and people." Prema said, smiling genuinely. She never realized that her thoughts were so sexist. Biased. Siya narrowed her eyes, mocking at the older lady who wished to tame her.

"She's still a kid from inside, Prema. I hope you didn't mind her words." Prema laughed at Leela's words.

"I know, Leela. Besides, she'll learn that her thoughts are nothing but troubles. Your daughters are my responsibility now, Leela. They are my daughters from now."

Siya's eyes widened at her words and she looked at her father and Vedika in disbelief, feeling betrayed by her own family. This was why they had guilt on her face. They knew from the start! This wasn't for Vedika, she was dragged in this so that Siya could be married off. Satyavan looked away from her daughter, unable to look in her eyes.  He looked at Joshadh Mal instead, Prema's husband. He had promised Leela to arrange their daughters' marriage but he never said, he wouldn't help Siya. He loved his wife but he loved his daughter equally.

"Joshadh Mal ji, would you mind if the children talk to each other in private?" Leela looked at her husband, enraged. Prema lost her smile too. But suspiciously, Joshadh Mal liked the idea of them meeting in private.

It was like the women were hiding something, they were scared of and men wanted to reveal what the women wanted to hidden. Satyavan knew he had to just give his daughter a chance and she would break her marriage. Satyavan knew Siya loved Sahib and he didn't want her love to remain incomplete because the society was too brutal to accept their love.

"Is there even a need?" Prema asked, laughing nervously and Joshadh Mal nodded his head, slightly glaring at his wife.

"They have to live forever, Prema. Let them talk." Joshadh Mal said and Siya looked at her father gratefully.

Vedika and Janak went inside the kitchen while Siya and Mehul went inside the small room. Siya was ready with her speech. If he won't agree to break the marriage, she would break it in front of their parents. But she won't marry a man who isn't Sahib. Even though she wasn't married to him but she still felt like loving someone else would be immoral. Wrong.

"Look......" Siya started but Mehul cut her off, his eyes wide with nervousness.

"No please, hear me first, Miss Siya. I can't marry you, please forgive me." Siya opened her mouth to protest but closed it back when she registered what he had said. He can't marry her? He can't marry her! She was fearing for ........ nothing?

"What?"

"I know you're deeply hurt, Miss Siya. You're a very beautiful woman, Miss Siya and probably the best woman any groom can get but forgive me, Miss Siya. I can't marry you. I am not the right person." Siya smiled widely at him, looking at him with happiness as she shook her head.

"Don't be sorry but can I ask you the reason you don't wish to marry? Is it about the arrest or about what I had just said to your mother?" Mehul shook his head, letting out a sigh.

"You're a brave woman, Miss Siya. Your bravery is not certainly the issue. It..... it has to be in me. It is in me. I can't marry you."

"Then?" Siya pressed and Mehul felt the obligation of atleast letting her know the real reason for his rejection. Only Lord knows, how would Miss Siya take his rejection. He doesn't want to be a reason for her self doubt. He felt it as his duty to let her know the real reason why he rejected her. He owes her an explanation.

"I.... I desire someone else, Miss Siya. And marrying you while I love someone else would be such a big betrayal to you. I don't want to ruin your life." Siya laughed softly, shaking her head and Mehul looked at her in confusion. What made her laugh? Did his rejection made her lose her sanity already?

"Don't be sorry, Mehul. Even I was going to say the same thing. I can't marry you, either. I love someone else too." Mehul's eyes widened at her confesion before feeling relieved. He felt so much better now.

"Oh? That's great. Is that the reason they wanted to marry you this fast?" He asked and Siya laughed softly, nodding her head.

"That too but majorly to keep me away from the protests. Do your family know that you love someone else too?" He hesitated before nodding his head softly. Siya felt bad for him.

"I can help you meet your lover though. If you want. Does she lives in this village or does she live in any of my neighbouring villages?" Mehul gulped before he looked into her eyes, shaking his head. Fear, nervousness swirling in his eyes.

"It.... it's not a 'she', Miss Siya." He said softly and Siya looked at him in confusion, not understanding a thing.

"What do you mean, it's not a 'she'?"

"What I am mean, Miss Siya, is that I don't love any woman." Siya furrowed her brows, tilting her face to the side as she couldn't understand anything yet.

"I'm sorry, Mehul, I am not understanding, what you're trying to say. Can you be more clear, please?" Mehul took a deep breath before he confessed his deepest secret out.

"I love men. I am a gay, Miss Siya."