A/N - Sorry for the late update. I got caught up in some stuff :')

One week later...

Keshav agreed to take Aradhya and me to the market while the kids were at home. Even Saarang came with me as I realised he had been quite neglected after the twins were born. He didn't deserve to feel that way.

"Didi, Keshav Bhaiya kaha gaye?" He squeezed my hand while walking.

(Didi, where did Keshav Bhaiya go?)

"Unko thoda kaam tha. Woh kuch der mei wapas aayenge hume bulane," I smiled at him. One of Bhairav Ji's men was with us as well, as both Bhargav and my husband had made it clear that we weren't allowed to wander around the village by ourselves.

(He had some work. He'll be back after a while to take us home.)

"Sanjana..." Aradhya nudged me quietly, "Aap jab bhi bahar aise jaate ho toh ek aadmi aise peecha karta rehta hai?"

(Sanjana... Whenever you're outside, do they appoint a man to follow you like this?)

I chuckled at her question, "Haan... Shikayat karne se koi faida nahi hota. Jab mai Maa ke saath bahar aayi thi, tab do aadmiyon ko bhejte the humare Thakur Ji."

(Yes... There's no use in arguing. When I used to go out with Maa, Thakur Ji used to send two of his men.)

Her brows raised in surprise, and she glanced back at the man who was standing a little away from us. He was still on high alert about everything we did. I sighed.

"Hum kabhi akele nahi ho sakte?" She whispered.

(Will we never be left alone?)

I looked around before finding an apt crowd, "Chalo!" I dragged her with me, along with Saarang. He was excited to play the game of hide and seek.

(Come on!)

The market was large and crowded enough for us to slip past a few older women into a shop that sold perfumes. "Thakurain Ji!" The bodyguard called behind us, but before anyone could notice, we slipped out through the back door of the shop. We walked further ahead towards the crowd of vegetable sellers.

"Lo ab hum akele hai!" I smiled.

(There you go, we're alone now!)

She shook her head playfully, "Aur agar woh aadmi jaakar Thakur Ji se keh deta? Aapko dar nahi lagti unse?"

(And what if he tells the Thakur Ji? Aren't you scared of him?)

My smile faltered just a little. Little Saarang decided to comment at that time, "Jiju toh sher se bhi daraawne hai!" He explained animatedly with his claws. Aradhya laughed at this.

(Jiju is scarier than a lion!)

"Unke saath hum baad mei jhed lenge... Ab tum bolo, shaadi ke ek hafta ho chuka hai. Humare devar ache se pesh aa rahe hai na?"

(I'll deal with him later... Now you tell me, it's been one week since you got married. Is my devar treating you well?)

Her cheeks turned crimson under the veil. I could tell by the sudden silence, "Ji... Woh... Ache aadmi hai."

(Y-yes... He... He's a good man...)

"Oh?" I giggled, hugging her arm.

She blushed even more, "Unhone mere liye ek moorthi lekar aayi."

(He bought a statue for me.)

"Moorthi?" I asked in surprise.

(A statue?)

"Haa... Mayke mei mere kamre mei hamesha ek Hanuman Ji ki choti si moorthi hoti hai. Bau Ji ne diya tha... Magar mai use ghar se laana bhool gayi. Unhone usi tarah ki ek choti si moorthi khareedkar dilayi thi. Kamre mein hai."

(Yes... Back at my home, I used to have a little statue of Hanuman Ji. My father had given it... But I couldn't bring it here. He bought a replica of it for me. It's in our room now.)

My heart melted at her words. At least Bhargav knew something about romance. I was happy for her. Very happy.

"Pag phera ke rasam ke liye aapka Bhaiya kab aa rahe hai?" I asked her.

(Is your brother coming to take you back home for pag phera?)

"Mm... Is mahine ke anth. Unhe sheher mein zaroori kaam hai. Wapas aate waqt mujhe lene aayenge," she replied.

(Yes... At the end of this month. He has some important work in the city. As soon as he comes back, he'll come get me.)

"Didi... Didi..." Saarang tugged my hand before pointing at a few toys in the distance, "Mujhe bhi chahiye..." He mumbled. A few children were standing around the toy seller curiously as he showcased a little monkey that clapped by itself. Saarang dragged me over there by hand.

(Didi... Didi... Even I want that...)

"Keshav Bhaiya ne pichle hafte hi ek naya khilona dilaya hai na...?" I cupped his chin. But his eyes remained glued on the monkey.

(Keshav Bhaiya already bought you a new toy last week, right?)

"Haa... Par... Par..." He nibbled on his index finger without looking away from the monkey. I sighed. It was the money that Bhairav Ji had given me to buy groceries and other necessities. Saarang rarely got anything he asked for. The least I could do was make this little wish come true.

(Yes... But... But...)

"Theek hai... Tum ek khilona khareed sakte ho. Par sirf ek," I ruffled his hair. My little brother's eyes twinkled as he pointed at the monkey, "Woh chahiye, Didi!"

(Okay... You can buy a toy. But just one. I want that one, Didi!)

I asked the price for it and was busy going through my purse to get the change. Aradhya squeezed my arm at that time, "Waha koi ache ache kapde bik rahe hai... Mai abhi aayi."

(They're selling some nice clothes over there... I'll be back in a bit.)

"Theek hai," I nodded.

(Okay.)

The vendor counted the money I gave him, and soon enough, Saarang had his monkey in his arms. "Achi lagi?" I smiled and ruffled his hair.

(Do you like it?)

"Haa! Bahut achi hai, Didi! Shukriya!" He grinned and hugged my hand. I laughed.

(Yes. It's so nice! Thank you, Didi!)

"Ab Aradhya Didi kaha gayi?" I asked out loud while scanning the crowds around us. She was nowhere to be seen. The fabric stall that she mentioned couldn't be spotted either. "Waha rahi!" Saarang pointed somewhere, but I still couldn't find her.

(She's over there!)

"Kaha?" I asked, puzzled.

(Where?)

He pulled me through the crowd, and my heart dropped when I saw her at one of the fabric stores, surrounded by three men. They seemed too friendly, judging from their smiles and proximity.

She was scared. In the crowd, it seemed like nobody cared or noticed.

I couldn't let that happen.

"Aradhya!" I shouted. A few heads turned my way. Even the men looked at me. Saarang squeezed my hand tighter because the men looked awfully scary.

But I was the Thakurain. My husband was far more terrifying than any man I had come across.

"Yeh ladki kaun hai?" The man in the center muttered. One of the others with him mumbled in his ear, "Woh... Us Bhairav Chaudhary ki biwi hai..."

(Who's this girl?)

(She... She's the wife of that Bhairav Chaudhary...)

"Ah..." The man smiled a little.

Aradhya quickly came towards my side. She was trembling like a leaf. I squeezed her hand, "Tum theek ho?"

(Are you alright?)

She shook her head on the verge of tears, "Ch-chune ki koshish ki..." She whispered. My blood boiled. It had barely been a week since she came to our village, and this was how the men behaved? Just because Aradhya was far more beautiful than any woman they had seen.

(Th-they tried to touch me...)

"Sharam nahi aati! Akele aurat ko chedne mei?" I snapped at the man. Loud enough so that the people around us could hear.

(Aren't you ashamed of yourself to harass a helpless woman like this?)

His smile faltered just a little, "Aurat ho... Aukat mei rehna seekho. Warna aur bhi bahut tareeke hai sikhane ke liye-"

(You're a woman... Don't act too smart. Otherwise, I have more ways to teach you manners-)

I slapped him.

"Bhai!" The men around him held onto him suddenly. Even his eyes were wide at what I had done.

In fact, I regretted it immediately.

The villagers were watching. Everyone gasped. There were whispers everywhere, and my heart raced. I had raised my hand without thinking. I had acted on impulse. My hormones were still not under my control.

If word were to reach my husband... I'd be punished badly.

"Teri itni himmat! Haath utathi hai-!"

(How dare you slap me!)

I stepped back in fear, holding both Aradhya and Saarang behind me as the man yelled and shook his fist in the air.

A familiar face stepped in between and pushed him back a little, "Shaant ho jaiye, saheb. Bacha bhi hai saath mei... Auratein hai... Aur yaha ke Thakur ki biwi hai. Jurm hai yeh sab."

(Calm down, sir. There's a child with her... She's a woman... And the wife of the Thakur. What you're doing is a crime.)

The man grabbed Paramesh's collar, "Tu kaun hai bey? Kanoon sikhane aata hai?!"

(Who the hell are you? You've come to teach me the law?!)

"Barrister hu," he glared, "Thakur Ji humara khaas dost hai."

(I'm a lawyer. Thakur Ji is my close friend.)

The friends of the perpetrator tried pulling him back again, "Bhai... Nikalte hai, Bhai... Log dekh rahe hai... Aur woh Thakur utna seedha aadmi nahi hai-"

(Bhai... Let's leave... The people are watching... And that Thakur isn't such a nice guy-)

He pushed them away, "Thakur hai toh kya hua? Hum Gulzar Sultan ke aadmi hai! Is gaon ke Sarpanch se badkar kaun ho sakta hai?"

(And what if he's the Thakur? We're Gulzar Sultan's men! Who can surpass the Sarpanch of this village?)

The name was familiar. Maybe I had heard Bhairav Ji mention it over the phone once or twice. If he were the Sarpanch, then based on power, he'd be above my husband.

"Gulzar Sultan?" Paramesh mumbled, "Aur aapka naam...?"

(Gulzar Sultan? And your name is...?)

"Baldev! Baldev Bhai. Yaad rakhna," he turned to glare at me next, "Ek din toh keemat chukayegi..."

(Baldev! Baldev Bhai. Remember it... You'll pay for it one day...)

They went away. I could hear the whispering intensify. Nobody came forward to say anything though. Paramesh sighed and led us towards his car through the crowd.

"Shukriya, Paramesh Ji..." I mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed.

(Thank you, Paramesh Ji...)

He didn't look very happy, but he nodded, "Aap jaanti nahi kaise khatarnak log hai woh... Khair, aapko Bhairav ke paas lekar jaata hu."

(You don't realise how dangerous those men are... But anyway, I'll take you to Bhairav.)

My face paled, "H-huh...?! Koi baat nahi... Hum... Hum ghar hi chale jayenge-"

(H-huh?! There's no need... We... We'll go home-)

"Thakurain Ji," he switched to a firmer tone, "Akele kahi jaana ab surakshit nahi hai. Mai aapko Bhairav ke paas hi leke chalunga. Aap ghabraiye math."

(Thakurain Ji. It's not safe for you to go alone now. I'll take you to Bhairav. Don't be scared.)

How could I tell him that I was more terrified of my husband than walking home alone?

"Chalte hai, Sanjana..." Aradhya squeezed my hand, "Bahut dar lag raha hai..."

(Let's go, Sanjana... I'm really terrified...)

I glanced at Saarang's petrified little face too. He was clinging to his monkey toy tightly.

"Theek hai..." I gave in and said a silent prayer to myself. My husband would definitely lose his mind.

(Okay...)