Udai Singh II had decided to move his capital to the new city down south. After months of tedious work, it is finally ready on Lake Pichola. But it would mean leaving behind Chittorgarh, their home since Bappa Rawal's time. Not only memories, but the pride of the Sisodia Clan was attached to it. But he needed to move his family to safer grounds. The history of their family was always full of turmoil, death and struggle. But he was determined to keep his family safe. For the first time, a Rajput King was thinking of his family before his subjects. He called his sons and chieftains for a meeting.
After much discussion, it was decided that they would move out of Chittorgarh, leaving it in the care of Patta Sisodia, Jaimal Rathore of Badnore and Kalla. Kunwar Pratap was not in favour of the escape and was firm on maintaining his station at Kumbhalgarh. Rawat Chundawat convinced him that he was their future. He should be out of danger to save Mewar in the future. The discussion ended with the decision that they were leaving in a week.
Kunwar Pratap made his way quietly down the corridors of Rani Mahal and was preoccupied with thoughts. He thought the decision was too soon and too personal for his father. A Daasi greeted him on the way. " Tell Majhli Kuwaranisa that I will not be coming to her chambers tonight. I have some important work."
" Ji Kunwarsa."
The Daasi went to give the message to the second wife of Kunwar Pratap, Rajkumari Pur Bai Solankini. He stepped towards his mother's room. He knew the person to talk to now was Maharani Jaivanta Bai. However, a daasi informed him she was already asleep. Disturbed, he turned towards another room. A daasi sat guard at the door and immediately got up to greet him.
" Is she there?" He enquired.
" Yes, Kunwarsa, Kunwar Amar has just fallen asleep. Should I take him away with me?" The maid asked.
" No, no, let him stay with his mother; you can leave."
Dispersing the Daasi, he slowly entered the room, making sure he was not making any noise to wake the sleeping boy. The room was dark, and the prince was asleep in his mother's bed. A lamp shone in a corner, and in that light she sat, reading a Granth. Her face was peaceful and beautiful in the light of the lamp. She looked up at the sound of the door closing, and a smile appeared on her face seeing him, only to fade into fear. She rushed to him, " Are you all right? Aren't you supposed to be at Pur Behena's chamber today?"
" I am fine." He tried to smile to ease her fears, but she was not convinced.
"What happened?"
" We were called to the court by Daajiraaj." He looked reluctant.
" And?"
" He decided we are all leaving Chittorgarh for a safer life in the new capital. Akbar has set up camp at the foothills." His words made her gasp.
" What? Is there going to be a war?" Her voice sounded unsure.
" Yes, but I can not fight here." He sat down, frustrated. "I have been ordered to hold my post at Kumbhalgarh."
" And you don't want to leave?" She inferred.
" I want to save Chittorgarh Ajabdeh, I really do." He looked up at her calm face as he sounded restless.
" If you decide to stay here, I will stay back with Amar." She said firmly.
" No, Ajabdeh, Amar is our future; you have to leave." He shook his head.
" Fine, we will send Amar with Pur Behena," she agreed. "And the others."
" Amar needs his mother, not stepmother." His stern reply reflected the kind of treatment he had received from his father's favourite wife, Dheerbai ji.
" Every stepmother is not the same, Kunwar Sa." She reminded him gently.
" You are leaving, and that's it." He sounded firm.
" Kunwar Pratap, I think you should talk to Ranima. She can suggest what can be done." He nodded in approval.
" And whatever you decide, I am with you." He smiled at her.
As Amar lay in the bed sound asleep, his parents sat on either side, looking at the sleeping boy, smiling proudly.
" I will stay with my son tonight." He declared.
" You should go to Behena's chambers now, Kunwar Sa." She got up to leave." You don't need to tell me that, Ajabdeh. After all these years, I know you this much." She smiled back as he held her hand and they looked at the sleeping Amar, eight and newly going to Gurukul, the hope for their future.
The next morning, early at dawn, Kunwar Pratap went to his mother's chambers. An eager Solankini Bai came to Ajabdeh's Chambers as she sat singing a Bhajan. After the puja, Solankini Bai wanted to ask her what was wrong and why Kunwar Pratap did not come to her chambers the other night. Ajabdeh knew her question even before she said it. She also knew that Jasobai Chauhan and Champa Bai would wait for Pur Bai to bring the news.
" Kunwarsa is very disturbed, Behena. Everyone is moving out of Chittorgarh." In all the years that they had been co-wives, Ajabdeh had found a friend in Pur Bai Solankini.
" Moving out? Where?" She asked, confused, "To Kumbhalgarh?" Ajabdeh smiled at her question. She was not the only one who could read into her husband.
" To the new capital down south, Akbar is going to attack Chittorgarh." Ajabdeh tried not to sound worried.
" There is going to be a war?" Pur Bai gasped.
" Yes, as Kunwarsa said." Ajabdeh nodded, "The southern capital will be safer, Ranaji has said."
" Then we must leave." Solankini was scared.
" But Kunwarsa wants to stay and fight." Ajabdeh sounded unsure.
" Fighting Akbar's large army? No, no, Jija, stop him, please." Pur Bai held her hand, "His children are still young. Jaso was married last month." Solankini Bai feared for her daughters. Ajabdeh knew that.
" Behena, being a Rajputani, we should always be ready to embrace what the war brings; we should support Kunwarsa in whatever he decides."
Solankini Bai nodded in approval, a little in awe of how composed Ajabdeh appeared. Kunwar Pratap entered the room with a grim face. Solankini Bai got up to leave, but he made a hand gesture at her to stay.
" Where is Kunwar Amar?" He enquired.
" He is in the garden playing," replied Solankini. "With his sisters."
"And who is looking over them?" He sounded irked at Pur Bai as she looked scared.
"Champa Bai is," Ajabdeh answered firmly as he glanced over at her. "What's wrong? Didn't you talk to Ranima?"
" Yes, we are moving out with the family." Solankini Bai was visibly pleased, but Ajabdeh knew he was not. She was about to inform the others when he stopped her.
" But we are not going to Udaipur." His words were firm.
" Then?" Solankini Bai asked, surprised.
" We are moving some distance with the royal family, then we will go our separate ways. I have had a talk with the Bhils at Kelwara. You will stay with them until I find Kumbhalgarh safe for you to move there."
Ajabde nodded happily, but Solankini was confused.
"Living with Bhils?" She was a princess, and this was a royal family. She had heard of his unusual ways before marriage; she had heard how commoners attracted him so much that he married one, but this was the first time she saw this strange side of him. She searched Ajabdeh's eyes for a reaction similar to hers in vain. Kunwar Pratap nodded and left.
" Don't worry, the Bhils are good people, and they love Kunwarsa a lot. And I am sure that soon Kunwarsa will find a way and help Chittorgarh." Ajabdeh reassured her. Pur Bai looked confused.
" How does Kunwarsa know the Bhils?"
" During many of his early expeditions to the forests, he befriended them. He told me many tales of how they helped him, too." Pur Bai watched her Jija gush.
Kunwar Pratap came back in a hurry as if he had forgotten something, " Oh Ajabde..." He stopped. He did not expect Solankini to still be there. Pur Bai, by now, was used to his demeanour when he wanted to talk to Ajabdeh alone. He never explicitly said it, but the other person could feel unwanted in the room. Pur Bai bowed and left immediately. They knew that there were things Kunwar Pratap shared only with Ajabdeh, and she was comfortable with the fact that she could do the same with Ajabdeh, things she could never utter to her husband. She had a task at hand: to tell the sceptical Champabai about her newborn daughter, and the newly married Jaso, yet to be introduced properly to their husband's ways.
" What did Ranima say?" Ajabdeh knew there was something more he could say, as Kunwar Pratap paced the room.
" She wanted to accompany us." He sounded unsure.
" To the forest?" Ajabde was not surprised.
" Yes. And to Kumbhalgarh. But I refused. I told her Daajiraj would need her to take charge in the new city. I reassured her once I settle down and it's more peaceful, I will bring her with me."
" Did you tell Ranaji that you want to go to Kumbhalgarh and not the new city?" Ajabdeh contemplated.
" Yes," Pratap nodded," This is not the first time his son is being rebellious, is it, Ajabdeh?" He smiled dryly.
" Wars and weddings are different, Kunwar Pratap." She reminded him gently.
" To me, both were equally important to change my life." She looked up at his eyes. A smile appeared on her face as she looked away and blushed slightly.
She had been a support to him, and with Solankini Bai's arrival, many suggested her position would be like Jaivanta Bai's someday, as, after all, she is not a princess, but in the years that had passed since he married Solankini Bai, then Jaso and Champa, nothing had changed between them. She was still the friend he turned to in need. She was grateful that he did.
The next week was a busy one as they packed all the necessary things they needed for their journey and livelihood. Kunwar Pratap was provided with a total of ten servants and guards by an angry Udai Singh to accompany him in the forest. He would meet the Rawat of Salumber's troops at Kumbhalgarh. Solankini Bai was worried that they had to live like commoners in the villages. Ajabdeh reassured her that she need not worry as her Jija would take care of everything. Kunwar Amar had no clue why they were leaving home in a hurry and why his mother's eyes were filled with tears as the procession moved away. We are going to come back soon, Champa Maasa said. Kunwar Pratap was leaving his soul in Chittorgarh; he hoped to come back someday, unsure of the path ahead.
His little boy rode with him, towards the life of uncertainty. He was a prince who deserved a luxurious life, but his father was not one to put his son's luxury over Mewar's freedom. He would understand that someday, the father in Kunwar Pratap hoped.
