"From now on you will never be alone, even when we are separated, or even when death itselfs parts us...

I shall remain with you and love you till my last breath deary..."

The most awaited day for the Khan family arrived, today was Mansha mehndi function and the whole town was invited. The house was surrounded by the fresh fragrance of flowers such as roses and jasmine all Mansha's favourite.

Faiz Khan and Taimoor arranged everything as they wanted to make this day memorable for Mansha and it's also a celebration for Manizeh coming back home.

The whole day was spent in working and running around. In all this hustle-bustle the happiest were Shazir and Manizeh as they were testing food samples for tonight function. They have pleaded Faiz khan to give that specific duty to them and he laughed at their beaming faces when he agreed.

Mir Taimoor Khan was coming from a hectic day at the office. He has been going to office since he came here and he resigned from his temporary job as an English literature lecturer.

He was handling his duties again relieving his father from all the extra duties so he can concentrate on Mansha's wedding preparations. He also took some responsibilities and was pleased with the decoration of the white palace.

It was looking like a bride after so many years, the last time this house was so illuminated and jovial was at his wedding that reminded him of his little cute wife who was again avoiding him.

He chuckled at her attempts but she didn't know he was following her like a shadow, he knew her every move.

He going toward his room when he heard a sweet voice from the living room and smirked when he knew who that voice belonged to. He goes toward the direction and stands arm crossed his chest leaning against the wall as he observed the mesmerising sight in front of him.

His little wife was devouring the food like it was the last thing on the earth.

"This is heaven...it's so yummy,"

she mumbled busy in eating the Ice cream that she didn't notice his presence.

The blissful expression and the voices she made were stirring his inner beast but he controls himself but suddenly he narrowed his eyes when he saw Shazir with her.

He knew he didn't have to be jealous of his baby brother but seeing her with someone else made his blood boil. He faked a cough that was enough to get the attention of the two food monsters.

Shazir swallowed the bite as he saw his brother expression and vanished from the room, mumbling how scary his brother was.

Manizeh was looking at him a spoonful of kulfa ice-cream mid-air.

He controls his smile as Manizeh was looking like a fish as she opened and closed her mouth. He moved toward Manizeh but she ran away in the speed like Usain bolt.

He chuckled at her antics and shook his head as he picked the ice cream bowl she abandon on the table before fleeing away.

He picked the spoon that his wife was using mere seconds ago and goes toward his room to devour the remaining treat but he just wanted to eat Manizeh leftover.

He smiled at her cuteness and eat the ice cream happily.

"Cute... My cute fairy... My wifey," he spoke smirking.

.......

In the night Manizeh was getting ready for the mehndi function in the same pistachio color frock with churidar and off-white embroidered dupatta that Taimoor has selected for her.

She was feeling giddy but control her emotions, her innocent heart didn't understand what is happening to her.

She was always shy and nervous in Taimoor's presence. She has been accustomed to his playful behaviour but his affection and attention these days were doing things to her scared heart.

She was happily living here with everyone but these emotions were tugging her heart. She wanted everything to be right, she will break again if anyone was heartbroken. She just wants this happiness to be everlasting, her whole childhood had enough heartbreaks and pain.

She adjusted the jhoomar and necklace gifted by Dadi Janam, it was their ancestral jewelry and Manizeh was looking so ethereal in the whole attire but the jewelry was adding more to her beauty.

She moved toward her nightstand to pick her phone when she saw a black velvet box and a note neatly tugged with the box. She frowned and picked the box, opening the box give her another shock as in the box was a beautiful heart-shaped locket with a big heart blue diamond stone.

The heart stone was encased by the exotic platinum design. She was so occupied by the beauty of the locket that she didn't open the note attached to it. She opened the note and get another shock. In the note written with elegant cursive writing but what surprised her was the name written at the end of the note.

The note ends with a winking face and it brings a small smile on her face.

She shook her head at his antics and clasped the locket around her neck admiring the gift as she caressed it with happiness. She takes one look at the mirror and goes outside where the sound of music started indicating the function begins.

The cultural music was playing making the night look more festive. The women were laughing and gossiping.

Manizeh moved toward the stage where everyone was present waiting for her to start the function, she was running around getting Mansha ready that she got late and ran to her room when Shaheen beghum scolded her.

Taimoor was standing beside his Dadi Janam looking dashing in desi attire as Dadi Janam ask him about the goody bags that were packed as a return gift to the guests but when he saw his beauty walking toward the stage looking magnificent in his selected dress made his heart pounding in his chest.

He saw the locket he placed at her nightstand clasped around her neck and He was feeling like the luckiest man alive, he wanted to pound his chest and tell everyone that this beauty belongs to him.

He wanted to claim her but he knew that he has to wait for the right time. He was so lost in his wife that he didn't notice that she has reached the stage until Dadi Janam speak.

"Aa gya Mera Bacha... Now come here. Everyone was asking about you,"

Taimoor was opening looking at Manizeh without any shame and this fact was not unknown to her. She put her face down and goes toward Dadi Janam who holds her hand with affection.

Manizeh smiled at everyone who was praising her but she was trying her best to avoid the intense gaze that had her heart racing.

Taimoor averted his gaze when Mansha coughed but he just smiled at her not once ashamed of admiring his wife in front of everyone.

He moved to go back where the males were enjoying themselves as they sat around the bonfire when someone stopped him.

"Khan... Where are you going? You have to give Mansha the gifts according to the ritual as a happy start of her married life,"

the lady standing beside Mansha's mother in law spoke and everyone agreed with her.

He nodded his head and told the servant to bring the gifts platter his mother has arranged before as the servant came back and he moved to give the gifts to Mansha again someone stopped him.

He was getting more frustrated with the passing seconds but control his angry for his sister.

"It was ritual to give the gifts to the daughter of the house by her brother but if the brother was married then the sister in law also joined him. So Khan... You have to do this with Manizeh Khanum,"

Another lady spoke up and he looked toward a shocked Manizeh.

He didn't want to pressurised her so he just stood there waiting for her to decide. Dadi Janam and Shaheen beghum were anxious that what will happen if Manizeh denies doing this.

Manizeh was surprised with the words but one look at Mansha's smiling face and hopeful eyes and she knew that she has to do it. She nodded at them and moved to stand beside him holding the platter with shaking hands.

Everyone around cheered for them but the Khan family sighed in relief a happy smile brightening their faces.

Taimoor and Manizeh moved toward the beautiful bride who was looking gorgeous with her mehndi dress, no makeup, and floral jewelry.

Taimoor felt so overwhelmed not only because Manizeh was doing this with him as his wife but his baby sister was going to be married tomorrow.

They placed the platter in Mansha's lap who was looking at her brother with misty eyes. Taimoor took notes from his pocket and give them to Manizeh who was dumbfounded at first but soon she circled the money around Mansha doing every duty as her sister in law as the now elder daughter in law of this house.

A sob suddenly left Mansha's mouth and she hugged her brother who was trying to control his emotions.

"La...lala... I don't want to leave you. I don't want to go," Mansha whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

She was hiccuping and her sudden emotional state cause tears in everyone's eyes. Manizeh was also crying when her eyes collided with Taimoor who frowned looking at her tears. He shook his head mouthing 'stop crying' to her.

Manizeh lowered her head and stood there beside him. Taimoor patted Mansha's head and pulled her face toward him.

"Mansha bacha... Stop crying. You are going to start a new journey, a new life... It's like a new birth for you all over again and I promise you bacha. Your Lala will always be there for you... I am just one call away Meri Jaan. Now stop crying I don't want the guest to run away saying my little sister was a banshee," he spoke teasingly and everyone laughed at his words.

Mansha also hit his chest.

"Lala... Stop it. I am bride at least don't make fun of me today," she said angrily but a smile still adorning her face.

Taimoor chuckled at her angry face and that send chills down Manizeh spine, who was looking at the siblings praying for their happiness.

Everyone mumbled Ma Sha Allah under their breaths looking at the siblings bond and Manizeh felt a little pain in her heart as she remembers that she didn't have such a childhood, that her was filled with pain and bitter memories. But soon Mansha called her to apply mehndi.

The girls started the function and Taimoor went outside but not before glancing at his fairy, he noticed her dazed look and knew what was going inside her mind. He took a deep breath and goes to his father.

Manizeh was sitting with Mansha as they were both getting their mehndi done by the mehndi artist. And soon after a lot of happiness and cheerful hours the end of the function.

Everyone retired to there room but Manizeh was pacing around the kitchen counter, her hands were still wet because of the mehndi and she can't touch anything. She was hungry and this situation of her was not helping much, she pouted at the counter cursing herself when she didn't listen to her Badi Ammi to eat food with everyone.

She was glaring at the floor stomping her feet and turned around but scream getting startled by the silhouette of a man. She placed a hand at her heart to calm down when a chuckled caused her to narrow her eyes.

"Are you out of your mind? You scared me,"

Hand still at her heart when she yelled at him who looked amused at her as he leaned against the kitchen door.

Manizeh didn't find his amusement a little bit funny so she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I did not mean to scare you fairy... I just came to fill the jug but when I saw you glaring at the counter I have to see what happens... So tell me Manizeh... What are you doing here this late?" he asked mischievously.

Manizeh closed her eyes and bit her lip that caused havoc in his heart but he focuses his gaze on her eyes waiting for her to speak.

"I...I was...," she stutters in embarrassment.

He moved his gaze toward the countertop where the leftover food was sitting and the sides of the bowl have a little mehndi smear. He now knows the reason of her presence here and moved toward the counter as he speaks.

"You are hungry... I know. This is what happens when you didn't listen to everyone," he taunted her started plating food for her.

He put the food on the plate and came toward her, he nodded toward the stool bar for her to sit down. Manizeh listens to him without any tantrums because first, she was hungry, and second he will not go away without doing this so she kept silent and sat waiting for him.

He took the other stool and place it in front of her, he scooped the rice in the spoon and bring it to her mouth. She kept looking at his hand for some time but soon opened her mouth devouring the food and moaning with each bite.

She didn't know that her moaning was killing him but he was doing everything in his power to control his desires and not scare his innocent wife.

Soon Manizeh eats the whole plate feeling content but Taimoor has other plans for her. He gets up from his seat and moved toward the fridge, Manizeh frowned at him but soon he came back with a plate of dark sugary goodness and a large box of her favourite chocolates.

Manizeh was surprised to see her favourite chocolates and chocolate lava cake as a happy squeal left her mouth. Taimoor chuckled her at excitement and started feeding her the chocolatey treat.

After everything Manizeh gets up thanking him and moved toward the door when he grabbed her arm, she felt a shiver went down her spine but turned around to look at him.

He moved close to her and caressed her cheeks, Manizeh closed her eyes that made Taimoor smiled at his wife. His fairy was so innocent, he thought.

"Thank you so much Manizeh... You wear the locket I gave you and it made me very happy. Also, you were looking so regal in the dress that I have a difficult time controlling myself fairy," he spoke softly still lost in her eyes.

He leaned more closer to her face and whispered in her ear.

"I heard the darker the color of mehndi the more your spouse loves you... I will wait for the morning eager to see yours. Even when I know it will be the darkest... Because you Mrs. Mir Taimoor Khan are my world. My love, my fairy, my wife...,"

he whispered as he looked at her mehndi clad hands and the intensity of his words shook her to the core.

"Thanks for the cake by the way," he said politely.

Manizeh frowned at his words with confusion but before she can ask something he placed his mouth closed to her lips and licked the remaining chocolate smeared there. Manizeh was shocked at his sudden action and was numb at her place, she closed her eyes tightly.

He pulled away looking at his bride who was standing in front of him with closed eyes and a flushed face.

He smirked at her and started moving away that break Manizeh trance as she felt the warmth leaving her. He walked backward still looking at her who was trying to avoid his gaze but he will not let her do that so with his final words at her he left from there.

"It was the best cake I ever had... Mrs. Khan... And don't eat all chocolates in one day. Good night," he spoke mischievously, and with a wink at her, he went to his room.

Manizeh was shocked at his sudden advance and goes to her room still in a daze with the chocolate box hugged to her chest.

.......

The whole wedding passed in haste, every function was emotional but the rukhsati was the hardest part for everyone but they depart their daughter with wishes and blessings. Manizeh had the darkest color of mehndi and was teased continuously.

Mir Taimoor Khan was also roaming around her with a proud smile on his face as if saying I told you so, and Manizeh was very shy around him.

He never missed a chance to show his possessiveness when someone tried to approach her or even when someone was gazing at her.

She looked magnificent at all functions in the dresses selected by her husband. The wedding was a happy affair for the Khan Family and they have enjoyed each function.

It's been one week since Mansha's wedding, Today all the elders have gone to bring Mansha home as it's also a ritual and the only one at home was Shazir and Manizeh. Taimoor has gone to the office he did not want to but when duty calls, we must obey so he went but promise to be home soon.

Manizeh was getting bored so when Shazir suggests doing some gardening they both changed and dashed toward the back garden that was the masterpiece of the white palace.

They have spent two hours in the shades planting new plants and redoing the old ones.