The storm outside was far better than the storm going inside Rajni's head, she couldn't let her family die because of hunger and cold, she has to take the decision, the decision her baba and Amma aren't ready to take, as they say it's better to die because of nature rather than guilt but Rajni being the eldest daughter of family and eldest sister of two sister and a five year old brother, she couldn't let them die, she couldn't let her baba choose her over all of them, she angrily stormed towards her Amma room to make her Amma understand the severity of situation but stopped in midway hearing her father and mother talking in hushed voice.
"We all know the kind of men they are Pushpa" her father said through gritting teeth "And if they would have asked her to marry her or to keep her as a maid I would have given her to them for a chance but .... " He stopped in mid shaking his head negatively as if thinking about their demand was itself a shame to him.
"But what ?" Her mother asked, her voice shivering due to cold and weakness, she wasn't doing well from past few days and the cold weather outside was making her more and more sick with each passing days "even my father sold me to you, even Anjani father sold her to Son of blacksmith, it's not something forbidden in our village but common, we need to think about our other three children too, we don't have money to marry her off, and they are rich man, Thakur sahab will take care of her and also us, he has promised" Rajni could hear the impatience in her mother's tone, even though what her mom said just now stung her but wasn't she here to tell her mother same thing that she will go to Thakur's if if means her family will be safe and fed.
Rajni swallowed hard, pushing down the lump in her throat as she listened to her parents' conversation. Her father's voice was filled with bitterness, her mother's with desperation. They were at the end of their rope, and so was she. There was no way out—except one.
Gathering her courage, she stepped into the dimly lit room. Her parents turned to look at her, startled by her sudden presence. Her father's weathered face was lined with despair, and her mother, frail and pale, looked at her with wide, questioning eyes.
"I'll do it," Rajni said firmly, though her voice trembled. "I'll go to the Thakurs."
Her father's expression twisted in anguish. "Rajni—"
"No, Baba," she interrupted. "I can't watch all of you die. The little ones deserve a chance at life, and Amma needs medicine. If this is what it takes, I'll do it." Her voice broke, but her resolve remained unshaken.
Her mother exhaled a shaky breath, relief and guilt flickering across her face. Her father, however, looked as though her words had struck him like a physical blow.
"Do you know what you're saying, Rajni?" Her Father asked, his voice low and heavy with grief. "Do you understand what this means?"
"I do," she replied, her hands trembling at her sides. "I've thought about it. This is the only way."
Her father slumped into a chair, burying his face in his hands. Amma reached out to Rajni, clasping her daughter's hand tightly. "You're saving all of us," Amma whispered, her voice cracking. "One day, we'll find a way to repay you."
Rajni didn't respond. She couldn't. Words felt meaningless in the face of what she was about to do.
---
The next morning, the storm had passed, leaving the village shrouded in a somber stillness. Rajni sat on the edge of the cot, staring at the cracked mud floor of their tiny hut. The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional cough from her mother in the next room. Outside, the storm had quieted, leaving behind a bitter chill that seeped into her bones.
Her father's voice startled her. "Rajni," he called softly from the doorway. She looked up and saw the torment in his eyes. "They're here."
The Thakurs.
Her breath caught in her throat, but she stood up, steadying herself. This was the moment she had prepared herself for all night. Wrapping her worn shawl tightly around her shoulders, she followed her father outside.
Srikant and Ratnesh Thakur stood waiting, their imposing figures framed by the gray sky. Srikant, the elder of the two, was a tall man with a sharp, hawk-like face and eyes that glinted with malice. Ratnesh, younger but no less menacing, had a cruel smirk playing on his lips. Their wealth and power were evident in the fine woolen coats they wore, a stark contrast to the threadbare clothes of the villagers who dared not meet their eyes.
"So, this is the girl?" Srikant's voice was cold, each word a sharp blade. He stepped closer, his gaze sweeping over Rajni with open disdain, as though appraising a piece of property.
Her father nodded, his hands trembling. "Yes, Thakur Sahib. This is my eldest daughter, Rajni."
Ratnesh chuckled darkly, taking a step forward. "She's thin," he remarked, his tone dripping with mockery. "But she'll do. She's young enough to mold into whatever we want."
Rajni's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She bit her tongue to stop herself from saying anything. Her father cast her a pleading glance, as if begging her not to provoke the men.
"Has she been told what's expected of her?" Srikant asked, his gaze shifting to her father.
"Yes, Sahib," her father replied, his voice barely audible. "She... she understands."
"Good." Srikant nodded approvingly, but his expression remained icy. He turned his attention back to Rajni, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "You'll learn quickly, girl. There's no room for mistakes in our household."
Ratnesh's smirk widened. "Or defiance. You'll find that out soon enough."
Rajni swallowed hard, her throat dry. She refused to show fear, though every instinct screamed at her to run. She couldn't afford fear—not now.
Srikant motioned for one of their servants, a burly man who stepped forward and handed him a small cloth bag. He tossed it to her father, who caught it with shaking hands. The clinking sound told Rajni it was filled with coins.
"That's for your family," Srikant said curtly.
Her father's voice broke as he whispered, "Thank you, Sahib."
Rajni couldn't bear to look at him. Instead, she took a step forward, standing before the Thakurs. "I'm ready," she said firmly, though her voice wavered.
Srikant raised an eyebrow, amused by her boldness. "We'll see how long that attitude lasts."
Ratnesh chuckled. "Oh, she'll learn her place soon enough."
The servants stepped forward to escort Rajni to their waiting cart. She glanced back at her father, who had fallen to his knees, clutching the bag of coins as silent tears streamed down his face. Her mother stood in the doorway, her frail figure shaking with sobs, supported by Rajni's younger sisters.
Rajni didn't cry. She couldn't. As the cart began to move, she kept her gaze fixed ahead, refusing to look back.
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