On reaching the Chimur palace, which was a long journey, it was already mid evening.

The view in front was magical, as the sky had turned into hues of pink and purple, and the mahal, was glistening with its golden lights.

As the car stopped, Raaghav looked longingly towards the palace, his home. This time it was different for him, as this mahal now was solely his, as he had a companion, "his wife" accompanying him.

He turned towards Vaidehi who was already looking towards him. She didn't miss the spark in his eyes, the subtle way that his lips were curved into did bring a smile on her face as well.

"Chale! ", Raaghav asked.

" Ha"came a prompt reply.

As they both got down from the car, Vaidehi looked towards the mahal in awe. It was truly screaming royalty. But there was something so very welcoming, so very homely, that she could feel aswell.

Raaghav escorted her, as they reached the big entrance door.

Vaidehi spotted few people already standing there.

A lady probably in her late 50's did their aarti.

She then asked them to came inside, but not before the actual grihpravesh of the new couple.

The kalash filled with rice was lightly by Vaidehi, with that they entered in.

Inside the hall, both Raaghav and Vaidehi got themselves settled. The same lady, handed them a glass of water.

Raaghav gulped down the water, then he spoke, "Vaidehi, yeh Bela Kakisa hai, yaha ki head, aur kakisa, Yeh Vaidehi. Humari patni. "

Vaidehi folded her hands in a namaste.

"Badi pyaari hai, baba! Aap dono ki jodi ekdam shiv- parvati si lag rahi hai! ", Kakisa, said still being awed of the small figure sitting beside her Raaghav baba.

Raaghav gave a small smile, while Vaidehi blushed a bit.

" Aap log kamre mei aaram kijiye, tab tak mei khane ki tayari dekhti hu! ", she suggested.

" Ji! ", saying this Raaghav started guiding Vaidehi, who was following him like a lost puppy. On the first floor, Raaghav stopped in front of a big room.

He opened the door, but asked Vaidehi to step in first.

She just looked at him for a while. Seeing her not moving, he gently held her hand, and pulled her inside. In all this, they entered their room, together.

As soon as they were inside, Vaidehi observed the room, it was big. Bigger than the one in the Yaduvanshi villa as well. It wasn't dark, but a chic mixture of ancient and modernity.

The walls were shades of white, with bits of dark colors added by the curtains and stuff.

"Kaisa hai? "

"Bohot achha! "She replied.

And our man was happy with the fact that she liked it.

" Aap thodi der aaram kijiye! Aapka saman wagera sab closet mei already rakh diya hai. ", he said.

" Woh.. Phir hum sab arrange karte hai na! ", she said, somewhere she didn't wanted the bag to remain as it was all this days. She wanted to be a part, a part of his room, his closet, his life.

" Safar lamba tha Vaidehi! Aap thak gayi hai, thodi der aaram kijiye phir rakh lenge! "

"Thak toh aap bhi gaye honge na, toh sirf hum hi aaram kyu kare bhala! " She argued.

He looked at her for a while.

"Aacha thik hai, hum bhi aaram kar rahe hai, aap bhi kijiye!", saying this he laid on the bed.

" Par hume mahal dekhna hai! "She said as she settled on the edge of the bed.

" Dikha denge baba! Ab filhal aaram kijiye! ", he said as he laid down.

After a while, there was a knock on the door, it was Vaidehi who went to open the door.

She saw it was Bela kakisa.

" Woh bahurani, khana ban gaya hai, aap kahe toh lagwade! "

"Ji.. Hum aate hai niche! ", Vaidehi replied.

She went inside, and saw Raaghav was already awake.

" Woh khana lag gaya hai! "

"Hmm"

With that both of them went down stairs and settled to have their dinner.

Vaidehi observed that the dining table was a large one, having numerous chairs, but what amazed her was that, still Raaghav didn't sit of head's chair.

She was confused, but he gestured her to take the sit just beside him.

The servants served. Dinner was a silent affair, but Vaidehi found it quiet different from the ones that she had in Yaduvanshi's villa. There, all the chairs used to be occupied, here it was just two of them, but still there the familiarity, the place felt void, here, even though they were just two of them, but it gave her a fulfilling feeling.

After the dinner, they both proceeded for their room and called it a day.

The next day rose quickly then expected.

Raaghav as usual gotten up early.

As Vaidehi woke up, he did his morning ritual of wishing her morning and then headed towards the gym.

Vaidehi too got up and got ready, after that she headed down stairs for helping in the breakfast.

It was around 8:00'oclock, she returned back to her room, only to see a scene that her eyes got stuck to.She saw in front of her, "her man", clad in traditional attire, his bare chest at display. Vaidehi gawked at the packs, the toned muscles, the perfect v that receded downwards... Uhh she shook her head at her indecent thoughts.

Raaghav was observing his wife's attics.

Her throat went dry, as she gulped hard.

" Aapko kuch kehna tha Vaidehi? "

"Ji.. Ji.. Woh.. Aap garam hai, nashta niche chale! "

"Huh.. Raaghav was surely enjoying the attention that he was getting currently.

Huh.. Vaidehi suddenly paid attention to what she just blabered.

" Woh.. Woh nashta garam hai, aap niche chaliye! "

Saying this she fled in the speed of light from there.

Raaghav had told her that he prays to suryadev daily morning, and Vaidehi was awed by the man. But never in her wildest imagination had she thought that he prayed like this. Hell! She was confused about why she reacted in such a way. But there was no doubt that she liked what she saw.

___________ ____________ _________________ _

~After breakfast~

"Woh, aap mhuje mahal dikha denge? ", Vaidehi asked hesitantly. She knew he had to go to work.

" Ha jaroor! ", Raaghav said.

As he guided her through the walls and corridors of the massive palace, Vaidehi couldn't help but be awed by the extremely beautiful architecture.

They reached the balcony, from where the entire garden was visible, " Yeh kitna sundar hai! "Vaidehi exclaimed.

" Sundar toh hai! "Raaghav said,with his attention towards her.

Vaidehi somewhere understood his meaning, she looked towards him, just then being caught he turned towards the front and pointed towards the small penthouse that was present on the other corner of the palace, " Waha Bela kaki aur baki servants rehte hai! "She said.

" Ooh! "

As the moved forward, she asked, "aap sury pooja kaha karte hai? "

"Umm.. Woh.. Uss balcony se! " He said pointing towards another balcony.

Vaidehi ran towards that balcony.

She observed everything from around.

"Huh ok! Yaha se inhe inka subah wale avtar mei koi nahi dekh sakta! Thank god. " She thought to herself.

Actually she was worried over the fact that what if any other lady, would have seen him like that.

After that Raaghav went to show her the rooms. Just as he was going to show her the first room, his phone rang.

And it turned out to be an important one. He had to take Vaidehi's leave but he promised that he'll complete this .

Vaidehi spent the rest of the day, setting her clothes in the closet just as Raaghav had told her to.

________ ______________ ____________________

It was late. The clock showed 11'00 oclock. Raaghav had not returned. Vaidehi was lying on the sofa, reading a book as she waited for him to return.

After a while, he returned, only to find his wife half sleepy, dodging on the sofa in the hall.

On hearing the noise she got up.

"Aap aah gaye, haath muh dho aayiye, mei khana garam karti hu.", she said as she made her way towards the kitchen.

Raaghav just watched her, he was shocked. Na.. Na.. He was happy. He stared at her retrieving figure only to find a lone tear in his eyes.

"Saalo baad kisine mera intezaar kiya hai! ", he said to himself wiping off the lone tear.

While going towards his room, he halted in front of a large photo frame that hang on the side wall there.

" Pata nahi kya ho raha hai maa! Par ab ghar ghar sa lagne laga hai. " He said looking at the lady in the frame who was staring back at him with all the love that eyes could carry.

He refreshed and returned back to the dining area. Vaidehi had served two plates. He understood that she too didn't have her dinner.

He settled on the chair and gestured her to do the same.

The dinner was a quite matter.

After finishing up, Raaghav waited for Vaidehi to finish. Over time he had relealised that she was a very slow eater.

Though earlier, before meeting her he had hated slow eaters cause he thought they consume a lot of time of his. But here he didn't mind. After all it was an opportunity for him to watch her like there's no end.

After they were done, Vaidehi took thier plates to the kitchen. Raaghav followed her.

"Kuch chahiye aapko? " She asked on finding him in the kitchen.

He gestured towards the plates.

Vaidehi didn't get what he was implying.

He slowly took the plates and started washing them.

"Yeh aap kya kar rahe hai. Hum kar denge aap.. She was coasing him, but by then the dishes were done.

" Aapne kyu kiye, hum kar dete na! "

"Aab khana aapne parosa toh itna toh hum kar hi sakte hai na! ", he said as if it was normal.

For Vaidehi it was not normal.

She had not seen any man do these things that her man would end up doing just casually.

May that be the man in the Ranawats Or the few male doctors that she worked, with, she always saw the division of work. But he was different for real.

" Aacha aap upar jayiye! Hum kitchen ka sab karke aate hai. ", she said.

" Aap kijiye, phir sath mei hi chale jayenge. ", he shrugged, folding his hands as he leaned onto the wall.

Vaidehi didn't see a problem. She quickly started putting the containers and stuff in their places.

After that they both retired for their room.

Both were laying on the bed, while staring at the ceiling.

" Aainda se humara intezaar maat kijiye ga! ", Raaghav said.

" Huh? "Vaidehi quickly turned towards him.

" Hume aksar der ho jyati hai. Toh apko har baar humare liye wait karne ki jarurat nahi hai, aap khana khakar so jaya kijiye. ", he instructed her.

Vaidehi just hummed.

Later after the small talk, Vaidehi asked him how his day was.

He told her about most of the things that happened.

His meetings and stuff.

Though she didn't understand the business stuff, but like every time she would listen to him with great attention. And over time Raaghav too had started to describe it well. Just like how he used to tell his mother in his early childhood days after returning from school, likewise he would narrate everything to Vaidehi to.

Their talks continued as sleep consumed them both.

________ _____________________ ___________

Hope the chapter's good enough! 💌

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