Marriage: Alliance and Love

She sat quietly on the palace balcony, her baby sound asleep on the Jhula. Unlike traditional Princesses, she was born a commoner and hence did not let her firstborn be taken care of by Dai Ma. After all, she was the future Maharani and had to make sure the heir to the throne was safe. After all, she was one of the few to know how manipulative her stepmother-in-law was. The Bhatiyani Queen hated her husband. Suddenly she heard footsteps and grew alarmed.
"Baiji Sa..." She was relieved to see her Daasi. 
" Yes, what is it?"
" Maharani Sa send you a message to be ready, Kunwar sa and Rana ji will be arriving back in Chittor any time soon, and it's been twenty-one days so Maharani Sa wants you to welcome Kunwarsa yourself."
As the Daasi left, She picked up her newborn, kissed his forehead and whispered, " Kunwar Sa will see you for the first time." Her eyes twinkled with joy. He had written to her continuously these last few months when he could not be with her because he had to oversee the construction of the new capital. She was used to this. After all, their first priority had always been their motherland. This was the tradition of their forefathers. 
 
Two maids arrived to dress her up in the best of her attires, her gaudy jewellery and a traditional red lehenga. She always liked it simple and so did he but she was not that common anymore. The Aarti thal was ready. She picked it up and made her way towards the gates of the Rani Mahal as the sound of hooves and cheer grew closer. Chittor seemed to come alive at the break of dawn.
 
He rode in with his father who was duly welcomed and taken inside the Palace by his queens. She saw him coming toward her with a smile on his face. His eyes met hers and made her blush. Even after two years, nothing had changed. She did the Aarti and put a Tilak on his forehead. The Praja gathered outside and cheered his name. 
" Padharo Kunwar Sa." She welcomed him. A turn in the corridor and they were all alone. 
" Ajab De... " He held her hand. " I can't tell you how eager I was to come back this time." 
" Kunwar Pratap I can't wait to tell you what I felt when I held him in my arms."
" You won't take me to meet my son?"
"Yes..." He let go of her hand and let her step forward.
" No Kunwar Pratap. You have to bathe, get fresh and then meet the newborn with a shagun with your Rajiraj as per the traditions." Maharani Jaivanta Bai interfered. Kunwar Pratap took her blessings and left for his chambers. 
At the traditional ceremony, Kunwar Pratap came to see the newborn prince with his father. The little bundle of joy slept peacefully on the golden cradle meant for him. The traditional name-giving ceremony was held by Kunwar Pratap's friend and Rajpurohit Chakrapani Mishra. Kunwar Pratap and his Ajab De Punwar held their baby boy and named him Amar Singh.
 
" Kunwar Pratap there are many proposals coming for you from all over Rajputana." Rani Jaiwanta Bai was proud of her son. " There are Ranas congratulating you on the birth of crown prince Kunwar Amar and also asking for your hand in marriage." She continued to the taken aback Pratap with Ajab De by his side.
" You know what I feel about marriage alliances Rani Ma, I can't do this." It was a stern answer.
" But Kunwar sa, you are a future Rana and these are important to grow our army against Mughals. Your Rajiraj wants the same too."
 
 At this, the young impatient nineteen-year-old Pratap ran away from the corridor and inside Ajab De's chambers. That room had been his place of decisions over the past two years. Ajab De knew her responsibilities now. " Don't worry Rani ma, I will talk to him. Who is the princess?"
" Solankhini Bai, from the land of Pratap's Majhli Ma sa." Ajab De made her way to her chambers with a smiling face.
 
" Kunwar Pratap..." As she entered the room he put his hand on her lips. " Not another word from you Ajab De, I know you are going to repeat what Rani Ma said."
" Solankhini Bai is a real Princess Kunwar sa like you deserve" she continued, ignoring his glances. He watched her go around the room arranging things as she spoke, clearly ignoring his stares.
" You promised me that you will do what is best for our land, and the Solanki clan has huge armies."
" Ajab De." His stern voice stopped her from picking up the Granth that lay beside her bed. She turned back and looked at him.
" Marriage doesn't mean Alliances Ajab De, we are not the Turkish Invaders who marry to put princesses in their harem. Marriages grow with love, respect and understanding. "
" Yes, I am sure she is beautiful enough for you to fall in love." Ajab De bit her tongue knowing what she had done.
Angered he held her hand. " Ajab De!"
" Shama Kijiye..." She stammered, seeking his forgiveness. Her face melted his heart. He made her sit beside him. " I can never love another like you Ajab De, no matter how big a princess she might be, you are my Princess." He could see her eyes hurt yet happy. " Neither can they understand me like you, they will know the Prince in me, you know the person."
" Kunwar Sa, I am not going anywhere, Amar is there with us too, but you cannot alone win the wars with Mughals without aid. You need this, for me, us, our subjects and Amar. We need to make him the best and it can not be done if we lose Mewar to the Mughals. Then Amar will live never knowing us." The thought of Jauhar and Saka shook their minds. They sat in silence lost in thoughts, hand in hand.
 
The next day at court, he stepped in front of his father as his mother and wife witnessed the events from the Jharohars, " I am ready for the marriage but I have a condition."
" What is it, Kunwar Pratap?" Rana Udai Singh asked.
" I want it to be made clear to the princess and her family that she will only be a queen and not have the rights of suggesting and guiding me like Ajab De. She will never expect to be my Maharani as even though she is a princess, Ajab De is my first wife. " Pratap's intentions were clear, he was doing this for his motherland and family. Udai Singh smiled at his son's love for his wife. The seventeen-year-old Ajab De stood disbelieving at his condition. The queens of Udai Singh were amused and pulled her leg with how lucky she was. Deep down she knew she was indeed lucky to have him.
 
After the court was over, Pratap made his way through the Rani Mahal looking for her. Rani Veer bai informed him she was at Meera Ma's Temple. With a smile, he rode Chetak to the temple and found her singing bhajans. He quietly ordered the crowd of maids and guards to disperse. She stopped her song and looked at him, from behind her dupatta. He took Prasad and smiled at her. " Happy now?" 
" Yes, dhanyavaad." She smiled. He burst into laughter. She got confused.
" You may be the first wife in the world Ajab De who wants her husband to remarry when he does not." His smile faded as he looked at her. " Why? Isn't it difficult?" He was concerned.
" Yes, but I know I am your Mitra more than a wife, Nobody else can be that. Besides, you only taught me to think of my people and motherland before us right?" He always had no word for her intelligent answers. " Let's walk home today." She nodded with a smile.
Together they made their way to the palace side by side, not a word exchanged in public yet their silence spoke to each other, he of his love and she of her faith in his love. A long journey lay ahead, the teenagers unaware of what the future had in store. Ten more marriages, wars, the siege of Chittor, moving to Udaipur, hiding in the forests, all that history witnessed in their life.
 
Maharana Pratap Singh and Maharani Ajab De Punwar's love stood the test of time for almost thirty years of their marriage, and two sons later, before her untimely death. He married her sister as per her last wish and all through their life they kept aside their personal happiness and pleasure for their motherland.