Yul signalled Devin and followed after his mother. Devin guided Liya and Inu to a guest room at the far end of the ground floor.
"Please rest here until the maids come to take you to the venue. The auspicious time for prayer is at ten o'clock. For the time being, I have ordered some refreshment. Please have it and if there is anything else feel free to tell me." Devin informed Liya after they entered the room.
Liya looked at Inu who was looking around the room as if in an amazement park. From his point of view it was somewhat similar. The room was too much furnished and decorated compared to his house. There were animal motifs in the furniture and doors that felt lifelike. Then there were colourful stone works that glittered under the chandelier on the floor and the roof. It was really an amazing room for Inu.
She smiled on seeing him relaxed. Who will take care of Inu during the function was actually a problem. She didn't dare to entrust him to anyone in the Amarok family. Thus she had a request to Devin, which she wondered how to ask. But for Inu, she eventually did.
"Devin, can you do me a favour?"
"Of course ma'am. Just say it" Devin replied.
"Can you call for Ginny and ask if she can take care of Inu for the time being?"
"Actually you can ask any servant to look after him. They are bound to do that. Even I can do that if you will permit." Devin was wondering why Ginny specifically.
"Actually it is because Inu is familiar with Ginny. Moreover I don't know anyone else here. So I can be at ease if Inu is with someone he know." It was more like someone she can trust though she didn't say that loud.
"As you wish ma'am. I will call her over. She must be in the prayer hall arranging the camera positions. Just wait for some time." Devin said and went to look for Ginny.
Liya was glad to hear that Ginny was already here. She called Inu to come closer. She moved his uneven hair to place and said gently, "Can my baby stay with Ginny aunty for some time? Mom will be back in no time. Until mom comes back, aunty will take you to see more animals like this. Can you do that for me?"
Inu nodded his head as an agreement. Liya smiled at him and then kissed his forehead. "My good boy… Mom loves you…" She said while hugging him.
"Inu… Do you remember me?" Ginny had come in looking for Inu with some candies.
Liya stood up and greeted Ginny. "Sorry for troubling you. But I couldn't think of anyone else for giving Inu to."
"It's okay, ma'am. I will take good care of Inu. Please be rest assured." Ginny replied politely with a smile.
They all waited together in the guest room while Devin went to look after the arrangements Ginny had left halfway. Yul had also gone to change before the prayer started. The hall was filled with the elders in the family and some close relatives. In front of the idols of the Gods, the monks had prepared everything and were waiting for the bride and groom to enter.
Soon two maids came to invite the bride to the venue. Liya nodded at Ginny and went with them. The maids carefully lead the bride to stand on the right side of Yul who was already standing facing the high priest, in front of the Gods.
There wasn't much difference to what Yul was wearing before and now. Both were black suits, maybe this one was more costly, which made no difference in Liya's eyes. As she took her place, the priest started chanting the prayers and all the guests who were seated until now stood up on hearing that.
The prayers made no sense to Liya, so she kept looking at the Gods' images and idols placed on the wall and the table. They were mountain spirits, worshiped by Amaroks like a hereditary belief. For each purpose there were separate Gods as in every ancient religion, like marriage, wealth, children and so on.
She had never seen such Gods before, who looked like scary masks but even then they revoked some kind of familiarity in her. It was the first time she heard such prayers too, but everything was strangely familiar for her. As time passed the chanting, the ringing of bells and the weird Gods, all made her feel lightheaded.
Liya stumbled backwards a bit but then suddenly Yul got her by waist and made her stand straight. She shook her head lightly and then looked at Yul who was checking if she was alright. She bowed her head lightly to say she was fine but Yul kept holding her just in case. His hand around her waist made Liya more uncomfortable but there was nothing she could do.
The bride and groom were then made to offer the prepared plates of fruits and flowers as offering to the Gods. After about an hour or so, by which time, Liya and Yul were made to offer a variety of items, from incense stick to clothes and even food to the Gods, the prayer ended.
The monks assisting the prayer declined to the side and now, only three of them stood in the centre; the high priest, Yul and Liya. The high priest instructed Thamina to bring the rings.
Thamina looked at Fariya and she quickly went up to them holding three rings in a silver platter. The high priest took out the small golden ring with Liya's name and gave it to Yul. Then he took the one with Yul's name and gave it to Liya.
With everyone's esteemed presence the bride and groom finally exchanged the rings. But the wedding wasn't over. Their traditional wedding style had other rituals though they had also adopted the western ways. Now it was time for that.
The high priest signalled Yul with a smile and he took the last ring and bend down in front of Liya. Although Liya knew about this, she wasn't actually expecting Yul to do this in front of everyone. This practice was no longer followed by anyone as it was very troublesome. Everyone had adapted to the western style already. The Amaroks were seriously traditional.
Yul looked at Liya for permission and she half-heartedly lifted her right foot a bit. As Yul held her foot in his hand, Liya felt all ticklish at the same time lost her balance. She had no choice but to grab on to Yul's shoulder not to fall.
Fariya was giggling on seeing this but as her eyes met Thamina's stare she stopped laughing at the instant. The high priest sensed the change in Fariya's expression and looked in the direction Fariya looked. Thamina smiled at the high priest as if nothing happened. The high priest also smiled with an all understanding gaze.
Yul put the ring on Liya's second toe of her right foot. Then he carefully placed her foot back on the ground not to make her fall. In the old times this was how people in Poonj got married. The ring on the foot was a symbol of married woman and the ceremony itself symbolised the trust the wife and husband had for each other. If they weren't careful, of course the bride will fall and it was a bad omen.