#augusnippetsday14

Subhadra bows her head, having no other choice. “My thanks,” she whispers, the jewels merrily, tinkling. Her husband’s elder aunt smiles brightly back at her. “Just because your husband’s side of the family are little more than paupers does not mean that I will let their carelessness embarrass you or the rest of the family, child.” Money is not the only wealth. Kindness is wealth, too, and love. But she would not understand, embittered as she was, and Subhadra keeps silent.

“Bhabhi. Subhadra should be on her way to school,” intercedes his younger aunt, her hand on Subhadra’s shoulder. “Hmm. Of course. Yet another indulgence given to the favourite grandson.”

Subhadra, still new to the undercurrents in the family, facing them alone for what could be the first time, does not know what to say. Usually, it is easier to let her speak what she wishes, Arjun holding her hand and covertly winking at her. Arjun, however, has already left, having extra classes for his boards. And no matter what she says, she is still an elder of the family, to be given respect, at least in name.

“My thanks for your blessings,” she says, sweet as honey, eyes demurely cast down, as she leaves. Arjun and she will have a laugh about this for sure.

Any thought of laughter has long since fled at the barrage of veiled insults she faces against in school. “How auspicious,” hiss her classmates, “that she need have no consideration for decorum?” She does her best to ignore them, but is not very successful.

“You think you’re so much better than us, don’t you? You’ve taken him all for yourself. He won’t stick around for very long, have no fear,” gloat some of the girls, and Subhadra’s self-control is finally overwhelmed.

She blinks past tears. At the very edge of her hearing, a familiar voice rings. “What is this commotion about?’ Some of them quieten as he nears, murmuring “the prefect. He’s here.” But more of them turn on to him as one, loudly beginning to complain. He cannot see me like this. Even as Arjun’s voice sounds nearer and nearer every second, Subhadra runs.

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Loud voices ring across the grassy field, too many at once to make sense of the words. Arjun frowns, getting to his feet, his lunch abandoned at his side. He walks quickly across to the bevy of girls. He makes sure to speak clearly and loudly, his voice easily cutting off theirs. “What is this commotion about?”

Some of them quieten at the sight of him. “What is the issue?” he asks, signalling to one of them. A large group of them turn to him as one, even as one of the girls breaks free at the periphery of his sight, running into the shrubbery nearby. That is someone I need to look out for, Arjun thinks. Before he can take a step in that direction, “No one is allowed to dress fancy in school, are they?” asks someone.

Arjun automatically shakes his head. “She was swanning around like she had any right to. We just taught her a lesson.” “There is no grounds for bullying. She might just have had a family function, hardly a punishable offence. You are expected to behave better than this.” “Of course you defend her.” hisses one of them. “Just because she wed you doesn’t mean she is deserving of you!” Subhadrey. Arjun has to work to sound some semblance of composed. “What right do you have to hurt anyone else, let alone Subhadra? The lot of you disgust me.” He shakes his head. “I haven’t the time for unimportant nonsense,” he bites out, restraining himself from striking the speaker with much difficulty. She matters not, Parth.

He runs towards the shrubbery, but is stopped by a hand on his shoulder. “Parth,” says Satyaki, his classmate, “recess is over. Bharadwaj sir’s class.” Arjun shakes his friend’s hand off. “I can afford to miss one class,” he tells him. “But I cannot leave her alone like this.”

He slows down inside the maze of shrubs, on alert. He hears jewels tinkling quite near where he stands, and he softens his footsteps. “Subhadrey.” No answer, but for a sniffle. He parts the shrubs quietly, and there she is, what looks like makeup smeared across her face.

He kneels on the sand, holding his arms out, holding her as she collides into him.

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“Subhdarey,” calls Arjun’s voice, soft and worried as he nears her. He reaches her with ease, stopping short at the sight of her. She stiffens, anticipating something she cannot explain, when he sinks onto one knee in the sand. She cannot stop herself from running to him.

He holds her, warm and soft, and hers. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong? Let me see what I can do.” That is all the invitation she needs. Sniffling, she tells him everything. From his aunt’s taunts and the jewellery, to the bullying in the school. He does not say anything for a long moment, letting her cry herself out on his shoulder.

Then, slow and gentle, his hands remove every piece of the jewellery she is wearing. She stops him when his hand is at her neck, loosening the mangalsutra he had tied. “Your aunt said…” she whispers hesitantly, “that these jewels are symbols of our marriage. That they should be respected.” He looks at her, deftly unknotting the necklace. “So they do,” he accedes softly. “That, however, does not mean that they should be respected beyond your comfort. Besides, if it is symbols of our marriage you are looking for, well, here it is,” he answers, hand on his heart. “Living, breathing symbol of the same. And the Gods won’t mind me seeing to your comfort. I am supposed to protect you, after all.” She smiles. “There,” he teases, “a smile. You should get a move on, though, we’re in school, hardly the place for a romantic moment.” She snorts, swatting him. “Arjun!” He laughs with her, holding her hand.