The Sacred Scarlet

4: Cultural Collision

CULTURAL COLLISION: THE RAJASTHANI-PUNJABI WEDDING SAGA
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🪔🫶🏻📜🦚—

"Your father is the royals' secretary?" Rudransh's inquiry startled Kabir, who seemed lost in his own reverie.

Rudransh gave him a gentle shake, bringing him back to the present.

"You are m...marrying rani saa? You will be the r...rana sa? You are the one my parents meet at the restaurant?'' Kabir finally spoke, his words stumbling out.

"They were your parents!?" Rudransh asked, surprised.

Kabir nodded, puzzled. "Yes!"

Rudransh sighed, his mind clearly burdened with thoughts. "But why are you so zoned out?"

"You know about their family?" Kabir prodded, sensing there was more to Rudransh's distraction.

"Yeah, some royal family, big name stuff," Rudransh replied casually.

Kabir hesitated, then continued, his voice filled with weight. "There's more to it."

Rudransh leaned in, intrigued by the mystery surrounding Kabir's connection to the royal family.

-🪷-

"So, bhabhi—um...you don't mind me calling you bhabhi, right?" Although Roohi instantly adored Advita, she still felt a bit uncertain.

"Yeah, I guess?" Advita replied, slightly taken aback.

"So, bhabhi, are you going to say yes or no?"

Advita looked at Roohi with a puzzled expression. "You don't know?"

"What?" Rutvik interjected.

"I'm happy with whatever my parents decide for me, and the elders are already discussing dates and stuff downstairs."

"Yayyy!" Both Roohi and Rutvik exclaimed in unison.

"Hooo, bhabhi ke sang holi mein rang gulaal udayenge..." Rutvik began, showcasing his majestic dance moves accompanied by less-than-stellar singing.

"Shut up, Rutu! I'm pretty sure bhabhi will back off after hearing your song," Roohi remarked, making a face.

"Just ignore her, bhabhi. Come on, let's go to veerji's room, or I should say, your room-to-be. Come on," Rutvik urged, nudging Advita towards a room, which she assumed to be Rudransh's.

The moment she heard 'room-to-be,' her body stiffened. This was all really happening. She was going to marry Rudransh Singh Arora.

Rudransh Singh Arora, the guy who motivated her to drag her lazy self to college every day, just to catch a glimpse of him. The one who inspired her to step out of her comfort zone and don a freaking saree for the college fest. She wandered aimlessly around the campus, hoping to bump into him by chance. But despite all her efforts, to her, he appeared oblivious to her existence.

When Advita snapped out of her reverie, she found herself standing in his room. The walls were painted a soothing pistachio green, perfectly complemented by the off-white furniture. A showcase adorned with various trophies caught her eye, hinting at Rudransh's achievements. One wall was dedicated to a stunning photo display, each image rendered in timeless black and white. The monochrome photos seamlessly blended with the room's aesthetic, exuding a sense of vintage charm and sophistication.