The little girl stood in front of the broken mirror wearing a red ghagra, sent by her would be in-laws. She looked at herself getting ready as she didn't see these things before. The red joda and jewelleries were making her look so beautiful like but her mind was doing a different battle. She didn't want that man to be her husband. That man was very bad and old. She didn't like him a bit.

Shree pouted her lips getting angry and glared at the mirror. Her innocent mind always drew a different kind of picture regarding marriage. She used to think always, if she got married some day then she wouldn't get her aunt's beatings and she didn't have to work this much like a maid, she would get so many beautiful dresses, jewelleries and many more gifts. She would get her own babies with whom she could play but she didn't have any idea, how cruel this world was.

Her aunt came into her room to take her.

"Come outside"

"Kaki hume us dusht budha admi se vyah na karna" (Aunty, I don't wanna marry that bad and old man)

Shree started to protest but got a slap in return. Her face turned into another direction as her cheeks puffed up and little nose flattered. Tears dropped from her beautiful eyes as she was about to cry her heart out.

"Don't try to open your mouth in your worst nightmare and come with me" Lata held her wrist and started dragging her towards the mandap.

Bhupinder Singh looked at his bride from top to bottom who was coming towards him. His mind clouded with lust again thinking about her she would be looking so perfect under him.

Lata made her sit on her place and stood beside her not wanting to take any risk. What if she would try to run from there. Shree felt angry tears coming out of her eyes as she wiped it off harshly.

The priest chanted some mantras and the marriage started. He asked the bride and groom to place their hands over the holy fire as they did the same. Getting a chance, Bhupinder Singh gripped her alta coated hand tightly and ran his fingers on her skin as she glared at the old man.

Suddenly, a hard wooden stick was thrown at their joining palms as he removed his hand immediately while wincing in pain.

Shree burst out in laughter showing her tongue seeing the bad man crying in pain but the next moment her laughter stopped when Bhupinder Singh grabbed her hairs and pulled her towards him. She screamed in pain when she felt him pulling her hair so tightly which could make her bald.

"Bas vyah ho jan de ekbar. Fir dekhenge kitni hasi reh jati hai" (Let this marriage happen, then I'll see how much you can laugh)

He spat on her face angrily as she tried to push him on his chest.

"Your dream isn't going to fulfill, Bhupinder Singh" He heard a loud voice as everyone glanced at the direction from where the voice was coming from.

Their eyes widened seeing Rishiraj Raghuwanshi standing there holding a wooden stick.

He threw it again in the direction of Bhupinder making him cry out in pain. His grip on her hair loosened as she cowered back getting free from the bad man's cage.

Shree got up from her place and was going to come near her teacher but her aunt again slapped her hard two times stopping her motion. Her eyes filled with tears as she stood there lowering her head.

"What do you want here, Master?" Bhupinder shouted at him.

"Stop this marriage right now!" Rishiraj announced fixing his death glare on the man in front of him.

"I want to take the girl from here without any drama" He continued with his words as the old man gritted his teeth in anger.

Bhupinder Singh gestured with his eyes to some of his men to instigate the villagers against Rishiraj. The villagers got scared thinking, if the marriage would break, their lives would come under threats. So, they decided to support him.

"Who are you to take the girl from here. Let this marriage happen, Saheb. The girl is very lucky because Malik wanted to marry her otherwise who would marry a girl who was born with only bad luck and misfortune. She killed her mother as soon as she was born and her father died because of her. All because of her. She will only bring destruction to this village if this marriage stops in the middle" One of the men came forward and added folding his hands in front of Rishiraj.

"Then you people don't even know the actual meaning of Shree. Shree means Goddess Laxmi. She is the Laxmi whom you people want to kill by marrying her off to this monster" Rishiraj sighed in disappointment hearing those words from the person's mouth.

How stupid those people were and how low their thoughts were. How could they become so dirty and cruel towards that little girl. Their minds were full of superstitious beliefs and he hated every bit of it.

He took some steps towards Shree but stopped his motion when Mahendra with some villagers blocked his way.

"Let this marriage happen, Saheb! Don't interfere in our family matters" Mahendra said and others nodded.

"Are you people out of your mind? Don't you guys know it's illegal to marry off a girl or boy before he/she becomes an adult? Can't you see the girl isn't 18 yet? And you people are marrying her off to this man who has already married five times before and is going for the sixth one at the age of 50?" Rishiraj yelled in front of the whole village people but it seemed like he was talking with the stones.

Theses villagers would never understand his words. They were the puppet of this cruel society and filled with superstitious beliefs.

Without conversing further, he moved forward and grabbed Shree's hand tightly who looked at him with those innocent eyes.

"You can't take her anywhere, Master! I paid 1000 rupees for her" Bhupinder Singh got up from his place and threatened him.

"Let me see who has the guts to stop me today" Rishiraj tightened his grip around her wrist.

His eyes were blazing fire as he challenged the man openly. Shree got scared for a moment seeing the whole villagers and that old man who were standing against them. She clutched his arm tightly and shifted closer to Rishiraj.

"Aap chale jaiye yahan se, Master Ji. Nehi to ye sab apko maar denge" (Please go away from here, Master Ji. They will kill you)

She whispered slowly so that only he could hear. Yes, she never liked Rishiraj, her teacher who used to scold her every time but she didn't want him to fall in trouble only for her. Already she was born with misfortune and took her parents' lives. She didn't want to be the reason for her teacher's death now.

"None can touch you till I'm alive" Rishiraj ended the conversation and started taking her from there without hearing their words.

The men of the village were going to follow them but Bhupinder Singh showed those people his palm stopping them to do anything.

"Let him enjoy this night with her" He smirked and continued.

"His time was today but tomorrow it'll be mine"

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