"Now, put the vermilion on the bride's head," the priest instructed, his voice calm yet firm.

Little Anirudh glanced at the red vermilion in his tiny hands, then at his parents, confusion flickering in his young eyes. His mother chuckled softly before guiding his hand to fill Bondita's hair parting with the sacred powder.

As the final ritual was completed, rose petals rained down upon them, showering the newlyweds with blessings. The marriage was done.

Bondita and Anirudh rose, their small hands entwined as they bent to touch the elders' feet, receiving words of wisdom and warm smiles. Then, hand in hand, they were led toward the waiting car that would take them to Roy Chaudhary Haveli—their new home.

Tears streamed down Sumati’s face as she adjusted Bondita’s bridal attire, her fingers trembling as she wiped away the excess vermilion from her daughter’s forehead. The sight of her little girl, draped in wedding finery, ready to leave her maternal home, tightened the ache in her chest.

"Ma... I don’t want to go... please!" Bondita sobbed, clinging to her mother’s arm.

Sumati swallowed back her own tears, forcing a reassuring smile. "No, my love... don’t say that. I will come to see you," she whispered, cupping her daughter's face before gently guiding her into the car.

Inside, Anirudh had already curled up in a corner, his eyelids heavy with sleep. The night air carried a stormy chill, the wind howling softly in the distance.

Sumati turned to Anirudh’s father, her hands folded in a silent plea. "Please... take care of her."

Vinoy smiled kindly, his voice steady. "She is our daughter now. You have nothing to fear."

With one last glance at her home, Bondita pressed her hands against the glass, tears spilling as the car rumbled to life.

As it pulled away, she watched her mother shrink into the distance, her cries lost in the stormy night.

"Can you please stop crying?" Bondita heard a little sleepy voice from beside her, she wiped her tears and looked at Anirudh who was rubbing his eyes softly looking at her.

"Why?" She asked. "I want to sleep, you should sleep too." He said closing his eyes again. "I don't want to sleep.. I want my Ma.." She whispered lowly.

Anirudh again opened his eyes and looked at her tears stained face. He forwarded his hand and wiped her cheeks softly.

"Don't cry.." He said but that seem to make Bondita cry harder. Anirudh panicked. "No no don't cry, you can have my Ma.." He said trying to make her stop crying.

"Really?" She asked hiccuping and wiped her face. "Yes, she is so sweet, you will love her." He said excitedly. "But I want my Ma.." She whispered quietly.

But Anirudh didn't hear that and they fell into silence, both turning to gaze out of the window. Outside, the rain had begun to fall, tiny droplets kissing the damp earth, filling the air with the rich scent of wet soil. The rhythmic patter of rain against the glass lulled Anirudh back into slumber, while Bondita sat awake, watching the world blur beyond the window, her heart heavy with longing.

The car came to halt in front of the Roy Chaudhary Haveli, Bihari babu came outside and took out the things from the car before knocking on the window of Anirudh's car.

"Chhote malik.. Come out." He knocked on the window and saw both Anirudh and Bondita were sleeping leaning on the windows.

He quietly opened the door and shook Anirudh to wake him up. "Chhote malik.." He said making Anirudh squirm in his seat before opening his eyes.

"Bihari babu.. What happened?" He asked yawning.. " Come out, badi malkin is waiting for you and your bride." He said helping him put of the car.

Anirudh looked back at Bondita who was also sleeping. He opened the car door and shook her. "Wake up.. " Bondita woke up with a jerk.

"What.. What happened?" She asked eyes wide in panick. "Hey hey relax.. Nothing happened, we reached my home. Come, I will take you to my Ma." He said helping her out of the car as well.

As they reached the main gate they saw Anirudh's mother Sweta, standing there with a puja thali. As they neared some maids quickly came forward and adjusted Bondita's veil and covered her face.

"Why are you covering her face, how will she walk?" Anirudh asked stopping them. The maids just chuckled.

"Already protective hmmm" The giggled among themselves. "The face should be covered of the new bride. And only her husband can lift it on the first night." One of them explained to him.

He furrowed his brows in confusion, "But how will she walk?" He asked again. "She has to learn to walk like that she isn't a girl anymore." He heard his mother voice coming closer.

Anirudh didn't say anything else and just held Bondita's little hands in his own. "Come I will help you." He said and helped her to ascend the stairs.

While all the women laughed seeing them. Bondita was confused as what was going. She just know that she has to listen to Anirudh as her mother told her. So she is doing everything Anirudh is saying without questioning.

After all the rituals, Anirudh's mother took Bondita to her room and helped her to sit on the bed. "Don't remove your veil until Anirudh come, okay?" She asked.

Bondita looked up to her under her veil and tilted her head. "Why?" She asked. "It's suffocating.." She whispered.

Sweta chuckled as she stood up to open the windows of the room. "Because, he is your husband, so always listen to him and obey him okay." She said and turned to leave the room without waiting for a reply.

"I am going now. I will come after some time to help you with your dress." She said and closed the door behind her after exiting the room.

Bondita sat there feeling hot in that heavy dress, she looked around and saw a switch board through her veiled vision. She stood up carefully before making her way towards the switch board.

She tried to reach the board to on the fan but it was high. "Why it's so high.. Now what will you do Bondita?" She murmured to herself before her eyes landed on a small stool in the corner of the room.

She dragged it towards the switch board and stood on it. She switch on all the switches on the board and again off them leaving the one which was operating the fan.

"Uff finally.." She said and jumped from the stool only to have her veil uncover her head due to air.

She quickly went towards the bed and sat on it and quickly covered her face with it again.

Just when she was about to doze off the room opened and Anirudh entered. He looked at her confused.

"Why are you still covering your face?" He asked, tilting his head. Bondita looked at him. "Because your Ma said to not remove it. " She whispered.

"You can remove it, she is not here." He said and sat on the bed beside her. "Really??" She asked. Anirudh nodded his head.

"Yes.. Let me help you.." He said and removed her veil. "Uff finally.. I wasn't able to breathe.." She said and smiled at him.

Just then the door opened and Sweta entered. "Ohh you removed her veil, okay now Anirudh go and sleep with your brother." She said to him.

"Why? This is my room. " He said "Because you both aren't sleeping in the same room." She said. "Then send her to a different room." He said pointing at Bondita. "No, the spare room is not fully furnished so you go and share the room with your brothers.. Go.." She pushed him out of the room who whined in return.

After closing the room, she helped Bondita remove her jewelry dress and left after saying good night.

"Why are you here brother?" Batuk asked looking at Anirudh who closed the door behind him. "Because Bondita is staying in my room." He said and flopped on the bed on his stomach.

"So you are going to sleep here?" He asked curiously. "You never let anyone in your room then why Bondita?" Som asked this time.

"Because Ma said so. And I will get my room back tomorrow." Anirudh replied and closed his eyes. "Now let me sleep." He said.

Both brothers shut their mouth and layed beside their brother and slept off.

In the other room, Bondita was sleeping in her night pjs without any care in the world.

The next morning was much more worse than yesterday night. It was thundering and rain was pouring from last night.

Bondita's sleep got disturbed by the cold wind seeping through the opened window. She shivered before turning to the other side.

"Uff Ma.. Close the window.." She whined. Not getting any response she whined again. "Ma...." She cried and then she opened her eyes a little and that's when she realised where she is.

"Uffo Bondita.. You aren't with your Ma anymore. " She slapped her forehead and again closed her eyes and pulled the blanket a little higher till her chin and slept again.

"Chhoti malkin.. Wake up.." Bondita opened her eyes and saw a few women standing in front of her.

"Come on go and take a bath, it's already late." One of them said and Bondita looked at them confused.

"I want to sleep.." She whined burying her face in the pillow. "No chhoti malkin, badi malkin is waiting for you and chhote malik to do some rituals." The maid said pulling her up.

"What time is it?" Bondita asked. "It's 5 in the morning." One of the maid replied. "It's too early.." She said but still stood up and dragged her little feet to the bathroom.

"What are you making me wear..??" She cried.. "I don't wanna wear it.. I don't like it." She said and started removing the saree the maids were helping her wear.

"Chhoti malkin, you have to wear it." On of them said. "No I don't want to.." Bondita cried and sat on the bed puffing her cheeks in anger and frustration.

"Please chhoti malkin wear it, badi malkin would be angry. It's getting late." The maids tried to pursued her. "No.. It's uncomfy.." She said stubbornly.

That's when the door of the room opened again and little Anirudh came inside and froze seeing so many people inside.

"Chhote malik, do you need something?" The maid asked. Anirudh looked at them with wide eyes and then at Bondita who was still sitting on the bed with puffed cheeks.

"Yes.. I want to take my clothes." He said and made his way towards the wardrobe.

"Badi malkin is calling for her." One of the maids said coming inside the room. Their eyes widened.

"Chhoti malkin please wear it." The head maid, Koyli said pulling Bondita to her feet. "Nooooo" She cried.

Anirudh looked at them, confused. "Why are you forcing her?" He asked. They all looked at him and sighed. "Chhote malik you go, she has to wear this saree, badi malkin is calling her." Koyli said.

"But she doesn't want to wear it." Anirudh retorted. "Yes I don't want to, I have a beautiful dress I will wear." She said.

"No you can't--"

"What's happening?" They all stiffened hearing Sweta's voice booming inside the room.

All the maids went out of the room leaving just two of them. "Badi malkin, chhoti malkin doesn't want to wear this saree." Koyli replied.

"Ma.. She said she has another dress she wants to wear. But they are still forcing her. " Anirudh said going towards her mother. "Yes yes I have.." Bondita nodded her head eagerly.

Sweta chuckled seeing them. She crouched down and patted Anirudh's head. "You go and take a bath okay? I will see what she wants to wear, hmm.. Go.." Sweta said making Anirudh look at Bondita and then at his mother, he nodded his head and went out of the room.

"Everyone, go out." Sweta ordered and closed the room after everyone left.

Anirudh came out of the room after getting ready and went in the living room where everyone is waiting for him and Bondita to start the rituals.

"Anirudh.. Come here, come here.." Trilochan Roy Chaudhary said taking Anirudh by his shoulder and making his sit on his designated place.

After few minutes they saw Sweta coming down the stairs, helping Bondita with her Saree as her face is hidden beneath the draped end of her saree.

Anirudh furrowed his brows seeing her wearing the saree she didn't want to. But he didn't say anything.

Sweta made Bondita sit in her designated place as well and they started the post-wedding rituals.

(I don't know much about them sorry)

After the ritual, all the guests started leaving one by one, and now only the family members are present in the house.

"The table is set." One of the maid informed them as they made their way to the dining area.

Sweta asked one of the maids to help Bondita on the chair while she served the food to her husband Vinoy and her sons.

Bondita was waiting for her to serve her as well but when she saw that Sweta stood still, she tugged on her saree.

"You didn't serve me." She reminded her. "Let the men eat first then we will eat. " Sweta replied. "But I am hungry, I haven't eaten last night as well." Bondita whined.

"No Bondita--"

" It's okay, let her eat this time." Trilochan said and motioned a maid to serve her.

"Thank you, kaka sasur ji.." She smiled showing her little teeth. "But don't make it a habit bahu.." He said and Bondita nodded her head.

As they started eating, Anirudh was watching Bondita. He smiled seeing how she is eating a little messily, Anirudh saw how Bondita finished the sweets before the actual lunch.

She likes sweet.

Author -  Anirudh is 12 years old while Bondita is 7.

What do you think of Bondita and Anirudh for now?

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