The news had spread like wildfire. Udai Singh's spies were suspicious of the story of a Bhil boy who had killed a tiger. It was an unimaginable feat by a tribal lad. Something was amiss. Udai Singh sent his soldiers to see for themselves. The soldiers hovered around the Bhil villages for weeks until the Bhils confronted them, fearing for their own safety. The soldiers could not confirm the news, but the spies could guess what Udai Singh feared.
"He is going to rebel." He said to a worried Dheer Bai. "That is why he has befriended those Bhils."
"If you fear treason, Ranaji." Dheer Bai seized the chance. "You can keep him under house imprisonment somewhere away from Chittorgarh." Udai Singh looked reluctant.
"The chiefs will see it as my weakness." He grunted. "I will tell my spies to keep an eye on them."
"It's unsafe to stay here anymore." Pratap stopped at his morsel, hearing his mother speak. She was fanning him with a dried leaf as he ate his meal. Jaivanta's eyes looked worried.
"Why do you say that, Ranima?" He enquired.
"I don't want the Bhils to have to deal with more soldiers coming from your father. They are our friends."
"But where will we go?" Jaivanta Bai was silent and thinking about it. They were at Bhilwara. The closest forts were all under Chittorgarh. Could going to Bundi be safer? Or perhaps... "Pratap, I need to write to someone. Could you help me send a letter?" She asked as Pratap nodded. "I can take it to the village and pay someone to..." He contemplated. "But who are you writing to?"
"The Samant of Bijoliya." Her words made Kunwar Pratap frown. "Bijoliya?" He asked, unsurely. "Is that in Mewar?" She nodded.
"It's a small traveller's town between Chittor and Bundi."
"But will that not be..." Pratap looked unsure, "Close to home?" Jaivanta nodded.
"You know, Pratap, the best way to hide is in plain sight." Her words reminded him of the camouflage he had learnt from the Bhils. He nodded, agreeing to his mother's decision to move.
A girl in royal attire, about twelve years old, her hair neatly braided and swept to a side over her lehenga, was busy making a garland when a younger girl rushed inside, hardly able to breathe. Concerned, the elder sister stopped her work and looked at her panting young sibling.
" What is it, Ratnwati? What's wrong?"
"Jija, Maasa is not letting me go to the haat mela alone. Please come with me, I need to buy some bangles." The spoiled younger one pleaded.
"Wait, let me do my aarti first, then we can go." Her sister sounded calm.
The reluctant Ratnawati sat down impatiently, waiting for her sister to finish her chores.
In another chamber, away from the temple premises of the Bijoliya Palace, their mother was helping their father get ready for the day. He was the Samant of Bijolia, the representative of the Rana of Mewar in this little town that hosted weary travellers during their journey from Bundi to Chittorgarh. Throughout the day, he had to deal with administrative problems in Bijolia and give people justice, but today he had something more important to do.
" Should I tell the girls who are coming?" the mother whispered, unsurely.
" No, they should only know that your friend is coming from Bundi." Her husband sounded firm.
" But..." She looked reluctant. "They are coming from Bhilwara."
" The people of the palace are not mature enough to hide the truth if they know it, especially Ratnawati." Her husband reminded her gently.
" What about Ajabdeh?" Her mother never lied to her before. She felt reluctant.
" No, she cannot lie to Ratnawati if she asks." Ram Rakh Punwar shook his head, reminding his wife of her duties. "This is important for the safety of Mewar's future, Hansa Bai."
Rao Ram Rakh Punwar glanced at his wife one last time before leaving in a hurry, alone, on his horse.
The girls were sneaking out through the back door and were caught in the act by their mother.
"Where are you two going?" Her voice startled them.
" We... we..." Ajabdeh stammered.
" Haat mela." Ratnawati's reply was prompt. Ajabdeh expected her mother to be angry, but instead she reminded them not to let their father have an inkling of their adventure.
" Come back soon, we have guests coming."
" Guests?" Ajabdeh looked worried. " We need to clean the guest rooms."
" It's already done, you go and get the flowers for the rooms when you come back."
Kunwar Pratap looked around the Bijolia Hatt mela for Rao RamRakh Ji. His mother was veiled with her dupatta, walking silently beside him. Usually, if he had come, people would have flocked around to catch a glimpse of him; in these commoners' attire, nobody recognised them. A horse stopped beside them, and Rao Ji got down from it.
" Khamma Gani, Kunwarsa. Everything is arranged."
" But who else knows we are coming?" Jaivanta Bai enquired. Softly. After all, they did not want Udai Singh to know they were in Mewar at any cost.
"No one except my Bindni. I told my daughter that her mother's friend is coming from Bundi."
Jaivanta Bai smiled. Yes, she used to be a friend, back when she was not the Maharani of Mewar and Hansa Bai was the Samant's wife. Maybe God had given them this chance to renew their old bonds. They made their way to Ram Rakh Punwar's Haveli in the fort. Sitting in the Darbari room, they were provided with Chach and fruits by the maids. Hansa Bai rushed to greet her old friend. Kunwar Pratap, being a humble prince, touched his mother's friend's feet.
" No, No Kunwarsa, you are Mewar's Prince, you don't need to touch my feet."
" First, I am my mother's son, hence your nephew, so bless me, Mausi Ji."
She was in awe of this prince. He reminded her of an equally humble Rajkumari who was now Maharani of Mewar.
Ratnawati came running in, " Maa saa? Maaasaaaa?" and was shocked to see two unknown faces. Rao Ram Rakh was embarrassed by how his daughter came running in. Hansa Bai quickly saved her.
" You are back from the temple? Where is Ajabdeh?"
" Jija...." She had no clue; she had left the otherwise quiet and slow Ajabdeh alone as soon as she reached home.
Kunwar Pratap yawned in tiredness. He was not used to this life and was trying hard to cope with the disguised character. Seeing him yawn, Hansabai got up, " Ratnawati, this is my friend from Bundi, and that is her son, Pratap. Please take him to one of the guest rooms and make him feel comfortable. Go with her."
Pratap got up, waiting for Ratnawati to lead the way. He heard her murmur under her breath," I have better things to do than lead this boy to his room."
" What did you say?"
" Nothing." She stopped in the corridor
" Go straight, then turn right. There is a room that is lit for you."
Ratnawati turned around and ran away before he could say a word. He reluctantly made his way through the unknown corridors and into the chambers. Stepping over the threshold, he was taken aback. There was somebody there already.
" Shama Karein, I thought this was my room." He turned around to go.
"Nahi nahi," She quickly tried to put her dupatta over her head and missed it. " I was just putting flowers in the vase."
Turning around, he saw her face. She was not beautiful in the conventional sense of it. Her dusky skin was not tanned like his was under the sun. Her eyes were expressive, and there was a sense of calm in her soft-spoken nature and shy smile.
" You must be Ajabdeh. Hansa Mausi was looking for you," he managed a smile.
" Ohh... I shall take your leave then." Ajabdeh nodded. She went past him, about to cross the threshold, but he stopped her.
" I am Kun... umm...Pratap, Pratap from Bundi." He stammered. She turned around with a smile of appreciation and a nod. " Thank you for the flowers, Ajab Deh."
" You are welcome." She disappeared after a turn in the corridor, and he wanted to talk to her more. He was eager to know about Bijoliya, and something in her demeanour made him feel he could ask her. He wondered why she felt too eerily familiar when he had just met her. There was something oddly warm that he could not place.
At dinner, as everyone sat around, the maids served them food, helped by Ajabdeh.
" Aree Wah! Kheer! It's my favourite." He said childishly, smiling at his mother.
" Ajabdeh made it." Was a prompt reply from her proud mother. Ajabdeh was embarrassed at this as he smiled at her, visibly pleased.
" My Jija makes the best Kheer in Mewar! Try it!" gushed Ratnawati proudly.
" Ratan...." A slow, stern voice from Ajabdeh made her stop. He looked at the two sisters and smiled. He had left his brothers and sisters behind at the palace, and he missed them. Watching these two brought back some good memories he shared with Kunwar Shakti. He heard Ratnawati whisper to Ajabdeh, "You know Jija, the Prince of Ranthambore, is getting married; if he saw me, I am sure he would have married me. Oh, how I wish I had met a prince." Ajabdeh just smiled at her sister's innocent dreams. She led Ratan away by her hand to the other side of the dining hall, where the women would be served.
After dinner, a cool breeze was coming in from the small window in Kunwar Pratap's chambers, so he stepped out looking for a fresh-air roof somewhere to sit and stare at the stars. As he stepped onto the balcony, he found Ajabde already there, looking up at the moonlit sky.
" Shama karein, I will leave." Again taken aback, Ajabdeh tried to put the dupatta over her head in vain.
"It's okay," he stopped her," You don't need to be formal, nobody is here."
" You enjoy the breeze, I will leave." She smiled politely.
" Why?" His question startled him as much as it surprised her. A long, awkward pause followed.
" Can I ask you something?" He broke the silence.
" Ji?" She looked up at his reluctant face.
" Why is your sister not mature enough like you?" His voice had a hint of praise she did not miss, but she was offended. Her brows arched.
" I'm sorry, if she told you something she shouldn't have. She is only five."
" No, no, I was just amazed at how she wanted to meet a prince." He was ashamed that he had heard their conversations. Ajabdeh, although shocked at his overhearing them, just smiled, a little amused.
" She is just childish; she will know better with age." Her choice of words made him narrow his furrowed brows.
" So, you have never met a prince or king?" He asked her.
" No." She shook her head.
" Why? Your father is a Samant, right?" He asked, crossing his arms across his chest.
" Yes, but we never go beyond Bijoliya, we just hear stories." She shrugged. "The people who travel through Bijoliya and stop by stay in the Mardana Mahal are mostly noblemen." She pointed at a distant building on the premises.
" You have no intention to meet a prince like Ratnawati?" He was growing curious.
" She wants to marry a prince." She smiled, correcting him.
" And you?" His brows shot up. He had heard his sisters gush like Ratnawati did.
" I just want to know the person I marry, may he be a prince or pauper, to be a good man." Her answer made him smile. She took his leave before he could ask more. Ajabdeh wondered why he was curious. He seemed to be observant. There was something in his demeanour that was very unlike the stable boy to the prince of Bundi, he said he was. Help in royal palaces was barely curious, even if they were guests somewhere. It was an inherent nature to remain invisible in every place. She had observed her maids enough to know that.
The next day, when Pratap accompanied his mother to the Puja Ghar, Ajabdeh was already there, before the break of dawn, making flower garlands. A smile formed on the edge of his lips as he watched her go through the rituals and mantras with Ranima. Jaivanta Bai noticed that. She asked Ajabdeh, "Will you sing a bhajan?" She agreed reluctantly at the guest's request. Hands folded, the people of Bijoliya prayed along as Ajabdeh sang one of Meera Bai's Bhajans. Pratap watched his mother do the things her maids were usually there for. She made the garlands, she cleaned the utensils of the lord, she served the Bhog. Back at the palace, there were maids in attendance for all this; Pratap felt his mother was not comfortable enough here. A pang of guilt cropped up inside him. He was about to leave the premises suddenly when Ajabdeh stopped him.
" Suniye?" Her unsure voice stopped him on his track out of the Mahadev Temple near the Mandakini Kund.
" Ji?" He glanced over his shoulder.
" Prasad." She gave him the prasad and walked away.
At the Jalpan bhajan, Ajabdeh was not present. Pratap looked around for a glimpse of her discreetly behind the veil that separated the men's dining area from the women's. Jaivanta Bai asked her mother, " Where is Ajabdeh?"
" Oh, she is at the cowshed with her cows; she won't have a bite before feeding them." Hansa Bai smiled.
Pratap got up, " I need to go feed Sarang." He said to Raoji as he left abruptly.
At the cow shed, Ajabdeh sat feeding her cows and cleaning the shed. He rushed in to meet Sarang, who had got a place in Raoji's stable just across the cowshed. Feeding Sarang with his hands, he said to his horse, "Sarang, meet my new friend Ajabdeh. She is Hansa Mausi's daughter."
A shocked Ajabdeh looked up to see him with the horse. She stepped forward in awe of Sarang.
" You could have told me, I would have fed him with the cows." She insisted, "You are a guest..."
" He doesn't eat from anyone except me." There was a hint of pride in his voice.
She took some straws and placed them in front of Sarang.
" Sarang, your master just said I am your friend, that way, I am your friend too, so will you make your friend sad by rejecting her food, or will you eat it?" She went on talking and caressing the horse until it ate her feed. She looked at an awestruck Pratap and said, " You see, Love can win all." He smiled at her. As she turned to leave, she stopped.
" By the way, Kunwar Pratap's horse's name is Sarang too, you know." She looked lost in her thoughts, as Pratap's heart skipped a beat.
" Yes, that is why I named him Sarang." He quickly answered, aware of where her thoughts were going. It was not unknown to any Mewari that ever since the Maharani of Mewar left Chittorgarh over a feud with her husband due to Kunwar Pratap's security concerns, she and her son had not been seen.
That night on the roof, Pratap waited for Ajabdeh to show up. He did not know if she came there every day, and he did not know if she would that day; still, he waited. The sound of her payal, coming his way, made him smile. She stepped over the threshold and smiled back at him, before sitting down a few steps away opposite him.
" I was waiting for you." He said abruptly.
" Ji?" She looked surprised as her brows arched. He was embarrassed again. She blushed in the moonlight.
" Actually," he tried to sound normal," I wanted to know about Kunwar Pratap."
" Kunwarsa?" She asked, with a frown.
" Yes, we heard a lot about him." He cleared his throat. "Back in Bundi. You must know about him?"
" I have heard about him too, Daata says he is the bravest warrior and the kindest soul of Mewar, his humble, down-to-earth nature makes him everyone's favourite." Pratap was pleased to hear her praise him. Ajabdeh looked up at the clear sky with the veil of stars.
" You never met him?" He asked curiously. "Never saw him anywhere?"
" No, I didn't." She shook her head, "My world is very small and limited to Bijoliya, Pratap. I don't travel like you do."
" Do you want to?" he asked, "Meet Kunwarsa?" he shrugged. "Most girls your age..."
" No, I am sure, even if I meet him, he will not talk to me or notice me because he is a prince after all." Ajabdeh smiled. "So what is the point of meeting him?"
" But you just said he is humble." He pointed out.
" I just heard, never saw for myself." She shrugged, "I can't know for sure, can I? Most royal people are..." She searched for the right word.
"Vain?" He suggested. She shook her head. "Perhaps selective. With whom they surround themselves."
" Do you like Kunwar Pratap?" He asked, "I mean, from what you heard of him?"
" Every Mewari likes him," she smiled. Pratap was keen.
" Suppose you meet a prince, what will you do?" He asked as she smiled a little. He thought he heard her chuckle, a little amused.
" I will get scared and faint!" Her answer made him laugh; his laughter made her smile.
" What if I am a prince?" He asked, almost like a challenge.
She laughed at this ... " You can't be." She shook her head.
" Why?" His face grew serious.
" Because a prince can never be so down to earth." She smiled. He looked at her, impressed, knowing she was praising him for being who he was.
Their conversations on the roof soon became a daily affair. He waited for her, she waited for Ratnawati to fall asleep, and tiptoed to the roof. He often asked her for her ideas on patriotism, spirituality, and politics, and her thoughts reflected his soul. He talked of Meera Bai, and she asked questions about Bundi. He asked for her opinion on politics, and she indulged in his love for poetry. They were becoming friends. Ajabdeh knew her inner thoughts were expressed with ease, for he did not judge her, unlike her brothers, to have known less since she had not seen the world. He respected her opinions and even praised her knowledge. Pratap knew he could talk of more human things with her, things he could never share with anyone, the relationships between parents, siblings, and family that bothered his emotional side. Ajabdeh sensed that he was here with his mother because his father had probably remarried and had children from that marriage. She felt bad for him.
At dawn, Ajabdeh was praying to the Tulsi Manch on the lawn when she heard the sound of hooves. She decided to go and check on the front gate because many important letters often arrived from Chittor for her father. On reaching the gate, she saw Pratap talking to the soldier who had come from Chittor with the Mewari flag.
" What is he doing with the soldier?" She thought aloud.
She stepped forward and heard bits and traces of the conversation.
" Kunwarsa, Ranaji wants you to leave for the field at once. They can attack anytime. Ranaji sent this letter to Maharani Sa."
Her hands felt numb, her knees weak, and she sat down on the floor at the gates. Kunwarsa?? Kunwar Pratap?
At once, all their conversations made more sense. A sense of being betrayed hurt her entire being as her eyes teared up and she shivered a little.
Kunwar Pratap took the message and turned to see her sitting numb on the floor. His heart skipped a beat. She looked up at his eyes, the feeling of being betrayed reflected in her eyes filled with tears, as she stood up, stumbling a little before she ran inside.
" Ajabdeh?" He called in vain before he ran back in, following her. She ran to her room and shut the door.
" Ajabdeh, listen to me, please, I wanted to tell you..." He knocked on her door. She sat down, leaning on the closed door, and cried silently. She never talked to anybody the way she did with him; she never trusted anybody as much as she trusted him. These days felt like a lifetime of knowing him; she could not deny that his thoughts and compliments made her blush. She never knew who he was. She would have never let the thoughts come to her heart otherwise. She felt betrayed by him and her parents. They all lied to her.
His eyes filled up. He felt helpless at the lack of response as he heard her sob. He knew what she was feeling. The same pain swept through his heart.
"Please, Ajabdeh. Allow me to explain. Listen to me, even I don't know what to say except that I did as I was told by Ranima. It was for safety. I really wanted to tell you. Please, Ajabdeh." With no response, he left disappointed.
Reaching his room, he ordered the servants to get his clothes packed. He went to give Ranima the letter from Chittor and informed her that he was leaving for war. Shams Khan was breaching the contract and attacking Chittorgarh. Coming back to his room, he was angry. He should have told Ajabdeh the truth and trusted her with it. If not, he should have been less friendly. He had hurt her. He eyed the servants around him as he felt frustrated at himself.
" What happened? Pack quickly!" He shouted. That was so unlike him. Everyone looked a bit startled. Somebody picked up the vase he had just toppled in frustration. He turned around, and it was her. All his anger disappeared. He smiled at her, but her eyes said she was hurt. Putting the vase down, she looked away, avoiding his glance. Her face was calm and composed as she eyed the servants packing his things and instructed them to take the first aid kit from the Raj Vaidya. He wanted to talk and said, "Ekant!"
"No, No." She stopped the servants from leaving. " I was just here to say thank you, Kunwar Sa, for staying at our humble home, and sorry if we couldn't please you." Her formal tone had a hint of pain; he knew he deserved this. He stared at her in silence as she looked away. His jaws tightened, and then he called for a guard, "Get my horse ready." He walked past her and to his mother's room. She wiped away a tear in secret.
He was about to leave when Jaivanta Bai came to do the traditional aarti to see him off. She followed in silence. All through the aarti, he stared at her as she continued to ignore his glances. He left after touching his mother's feet. She rushed up to the roof as fast as she could. At the gate, he looked back and saw her standing there. A smile curved on his lips; he knew she was angry at him, but she still cared.
After a few days, Jaivanta Bai too left for Chittor; the letter from Chittor had helped sort out their differences, and she needed to resume her duty as the Maharani of Mewar. Before leaving, she hugged Ajabdeh and said, "I always wanted a daughter like you. I am so happy I stayed here. Sometime later, I will be sending a letter to invite you to stay at Chittor with me for some time. Hansa, please send your daughter."
" It will be my privilege, Maharani Sa." Ajabdeh bowed.
" Don't call me Maharani, Ajabdeh, you are like my daughter, please call me Ranima, like Kunwar Pratap does." His name made her heart skip a beat. She smiled and nodded.
Never in his worst nightmare did Pratap imagine coming back home to Chittorgarh after years of exile to be welcomed by cannons and gunpowder. It was his first battle. His first chance to prove that he was a worthy heir to the legacy of his forefathers. Shams Khan’s army had taken over the fort. The moment the news of Sher Shah’s death spread like wildfire, the Afghans were each to their own. They knew if they could drive the royals out of Chittorgarh and establish their might there, they could build an empire. Udai Singh’s army was protecting their side of the fort, but for how long? When Pratap came and sought his father’s blessing, he could see that Udai Singh's demeanour had changed. He was not affectionate or proud of him. Instead, he told the Rawat of Salumber to take Pratap to the Khema and explain the war situation to him. Shakti, however, welcomed him with the warmest hug.
“I think Kunwar Pratap should be Senapati.” Rawat of Salumber said as the others looked confused.
“He is barely fifteen.” They gasped. “How can he…”
“It is time he proves his worth.” Udai Singh had agreed. Shakti had expected his brother to be worried about the challenge. He expected him to refuse or say he was unsure. But Pratap laid his sword down in the temple of Someshwara and vowed to protect his motherland.
The war was short and decisive. Although Pratap held the reins of the army, it was the Rawat of Salumber who taught him every aspect of controlling his troops. The day Kunwar Pratap replaced the Afghan flag with Mewar’s royal emblem, he knew he was destined to do this. He could feel his purpose in life. Greeted by his mother’s proud smile and Aarti, when he finally found time away from the celebration and merriment of the palace, he had slipped away from it all, into the silent corridors, wondering to himself why he felt a void even in his success. A name escaped his lip, as an image formed in his inner eye. He tried to brush it off, yet somehow she lingered in his thought, in his poetry and in the letters he could never send to Bijoliya. This newfound feeling of eagerness to see her again, anticipation of meeting her, finding excuses to speak of her whenever he spoke of his time away from home, did not escape his mother’s eyes for long.
It was almost two years to the day when Ajabdeh had assumed that Jaivanta Bai had forgotten her promise. Kunwar Pratap had been away at Kelwara, and her father kept praising his bravery. But since no letters ever came from him, Ajabdeh tried in vain to forget the past like a distant dream. She was growing up into a woman, and she had overheard her parents' concerned conversation regarding her marriage. It upset her, for she knew whoever she married, she would not be able to accept him wholeheartedly. She was sad about it when, out of the blue, a letter arrived with the royal seal, inviting Ajabdeh to stay at Chittorgarh Rani Mahal with the queens. Ratnavati was hurt. The invitation was for her sister only. A reluctant Ajabdeh did not want to leave her sister behind, but she had no choice. The queen's letter was almost like an order. Hansa Bai loaded her trunks with gifts for the royal family. She gave her daughter her best jewellery to carry with her for her two-day stay. With a huge arrangement, Ajabdeh reached Chittor with a pounding heart. She did not know if he would be there or not, but her heart wanted to see him. At the Gates of the Ranimahal, Ajabdeh was welcomed by the Maharani herself.
" This is Ajabdeh." She was introduced to Rani Sajjabai. Two princesses rushed out, one was about Ajabdeh's age, and the other was younger.
" So you are Ajabdeh, I have heard so much about you." She gushed excitedly, " Ranima, can I take her on a tour around Ranimahal?" With a nod of approval, the princess was pleased. " I am Maan Kanwar, younger sister to Kunwar Sa."
" I know who you are, Rajkumari." She smiled politely. " Please call me Ajabdeh." They reached a big ground where the princes were practising.
" Dadabhai, look who is here."
She saw him stop his sword in mid-air and turn around. A glance at her made him smile. She blushed at his sight.
" Dadabhai talks so much about you." The younger princess broke the silence.
" Chand!" He tried to stop her in vain, but it was more awkward than he thought.
" Your Puja, your cooking, everything, he talks about it all."
Sajjabai interrupted this rather awkward conversation to show Ajabdeh her room. She turned away, confused, as he watched her go.
At the Ranimahal, Ajabdeh was given a big room, with its Mandir, granth, and everything she liked. It was like her own room in Bijolia. She sat arranging her things when Jaivanta Bai walked in.
" Ajabdeh?"
" Maharani Sa, Khamma Gani." She rose to her feet.
" Again, you are calling me Maharani? " Jaivanta Bai smiled.
" Sorry, Ranima." Ajabde blushed.
" Here I have something for you."
She handed Ajabdeh a Shiva Linga. " They say if you worship him daily, you get your desired husband. What kind of husband do you want, Ajabdeh?" The question was rather rhetorical. She looked up, blushing slightly at the smiling Jaivanta Bai as Pratap interrupted.
" Rani Ma, I have been looking for you everywhere."
Their eyes met and smiled, yet their lips didn't. As he followed Jaivanta Bai out of the room, Ajabdeh sat with her newly found lord for the sandhi puja.
The next day, at dawn, Ajabdeh made her way to the Narayan temple for her early morning prayers. She sat making a garland when she overheard two daasis gossiping.
" I heard they are looking for a bride for Kunwar Pratap."
" Has to be some Rajkumari. Our Kunwarsa is so brave and handsome."
Something made Ajabdeh feel so bad that she got up and left. On her way, she met Kunwar Pratap.
" I have something to talk to you about." He said before she could speak a word.
" I am sorry, Kunwarsa, but I have to go pack my things." She said hurriedly.
" What? You are leaving so soon? Why?" He frowned.
" I miss Ratnawati." She bit her lip, looking away.
" Ajabdeh, don't lie to me." He snapped.
" I am not lying." The way she said the last words angrily, never had she ever talked to a royal like that.
" I don't understand you at times. Yesterday everything was fine, and suddenly..." He looked confused.
" You don't need to understand me, Kunwarsa, understand your new bride, that will do." She shook her head and turned to leave.
" I... What? Bride? What are you saying? Who told you?" He followed her, alarming Ajabdeh as she walked faster through the corridor, and he followed still, on her feet.
" I just heard." She entered the Rani Mahal before he could stop her. He didn't meet her until she was about to leave. She hugged the Princesses goodbye.
" I shall take you to Bijolia." He offered.
" No, Kunwarsa, you need not worry; my guards can take me." She rejected his offer.
She hugged Rani Ma and thanked her for the invitation and gifts. When she got into the palanquin, her eyes filled up. It was like a final goodbye. She wanted to tell him so much, but that would just be wrong; her dreams were never meant to be fulfilled.
A week had passed since she returned. She had told her mother to look for a groom; she wanted to go away from Mewar. Her mother was shocked. In two days, her daughter seemed to grow up a lot. A messenger arrived from Chittor. He had a letter for her father. It was to inform them that a war with Marwar was inevitable and soon. Before she could go back to her room, a maid intercepted her with a letter. It was unsealed, and her heart knew who it was from. She skipped a heartbeat.
What happens next? You know the story; are you ready for this version of it? If the story moved you, share your thoughts in the comments and let me know what you hope unfolds.