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Home Calling!

The Maharana Pratap International Airport, Udaipur airport was bustling with activities. Foreign tourists, Indian Tourists, Local people, Cars, trolleys, Hotel Buses were everywhere. A statue of the National Hero Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar stood mounted on his favourite horse Chetak at the terminal. She stepped out, in her casual baggy jeans, Blue teeshirt and pink sneekers, a bagpack ( pink and black cheetah print) on her shoulders and a pink trolley in had. Her long hair was let lose as her shades acted like a hairband. She looked around to find a cab.
" Bhaiya Suniye... Cab?!" She asked a man.
" Sorry Madam today we have cab strike!" The man shook his head.
" Shit!" Chewing the gum, she looked around, then dialed " Papa". Noone picked up.
" Shit Shit Shit!"

Ajabde Punwar, 21, was just like any other normal college student from Delhi. Only she was not from Delhi. She was daughter to a manager of a small princely state of Surajgarh, a mere three hour drive from the Udaipur airport. She had left the place when she was ten, with her mother and lived at her Nanaji's place so that she had a better education. Surajgarh had nothing to offer except the huge palace, some villages and archeologcal sites and two good primary schools. Last heard the Princehad taken up resposibilities for the state's betterment. However bad it might be, for her it was home.

Her thoughts were broken by a sudden commotion at the terminal gate as a few local media reporters rushed towards it. Getting hold of one such man she asked, "What's the fuzz? Who on earth has arrived?"
" He is the next big sensation of Udaipur. A Big Business Tycoon in the making! He has just bought a hotel here and had come here to see off the previous owner."
" Aree Who is it Bhaiya?" She frowned slightly "Naam toh hoga na!"
" Kunwar Pratap Singh of Surajgarh!" The man rushed towards the gate to catch a glimpse of the celebrity. Her eyes widened.

A party was in full swing. A little girl sat looking out of the window. She was barely five, in a pretty pink dress and her eyes yearned the lush green lawns outside. Most of the children here were rich and spoilt. She had heard her mother say. She looked around watching the kids dance to something loud and silly. Seemed like a rhyme song. A seven year old boy came up behind her asking, " What are you doing here?"
" Nothing." She didn't spare him a glance.
" Then come lets dance." He offered.
" Who are you?" She asked annoyed. A smile appeared. 
" You are asking me, at my place?" Her eyes widened in fear as she got up and ran away leaving him all confused.
" Aree, wait, tell me your name!"

 " Mom... Mom.... " She tugged at her mother's saree restless. 
" What happened Ajab?" The lady asked, cluelessly.
" I.... I... met ...." She stammered.
" Who did you meet Ajab?" The woman frowned.
" Kunwarsa." She whispered as though in fear.
" Why are you scared silly girl? Stay with me." Hansa held her hand tight as she looked around spotting him with his best friend.

 Ajabde came out of this memory.
" There's no cabs here, Papa is not taking my call too... I am already late..." She looked at her watch. " He should have a car..." she looked at the crowd. " But why on earth will he believe who I am! Am sure he doesn't remember me!" She thought aloud again.
" Ahh well, I have no option, so Ajab let's try this!" She pulled her trolley and pushed through the crowd of onlookers.

A man comes out of the terminal as the media starts clicking pictures. Shutters and light was everywhere. Two security men guide him out. Black shirt, black suite, aviator shades. Just twenty three he looked like a man who meant business. The media started throwing their questions at him.
" Are you planning on building a hotel empire?"
" Will your Surajgarh Palace soon be a hotel?"
" Will you buy Hotels abroad?"
" No questions! No questions!" The security men waved.
He opens the sedan door to get in when she shouts from a feet away, " Can I get a lift?"
Stunned, he removed his glasses and looked at the crowd to see who said that. The media people were looking at each other and at Ajabde as though she was crazy. Some were staring at her with sympathy even. She looked a little uncomfortable.
" Damn! This was utter stupid of me!" She murmured.
" Pardon?" His voice made her look up. Her eyes looked troubled. He looked at her luggage and then back at her. She gulped.
" Am... am... RamRakh Punwar's Daughter." She managed.
" Ajabde?!" He exclaimed as she nodded. He waved at the securities to let her through.
" I am sorry... I couldn't get a cab so...." She stammered an excuse.
" Come with me!" He told his driver to take her luggage. She smiled gleefully before getting into the car. Then as he sat beside her, backpack in between, she opened the window on her side and threw out her chewing gum making him stare.
" Oops! Sorry. Your Highness, Amazing car." She said looking around.
" Your Highness?" He asked a slight amusement in his voice.
" Then what should I call you?" She asked surprised.
" Bachpan mein kya bolti thi... hmm... I remember... Spoilt Princy...Isn't it?"
She turned red thinking to herself, " Hey Bhagwan, how on earth does he know?"
" You are thinking how I know! Naa?" He smiled slightly.
" Kunwarsa, Bachpan k liye bhi sorry!"She interrupted in a hurry. " Really sorry!"
" Wow you can use Kunwarsa? wow!!" He smiled.  Ajabde didn't respond. She ignored the taunt and amusement in his voice.
" You rememer Bhagwati?" He asked again, killing the silence of the car.
" Ofcourse she was my Bff!" Ajabde sounded excited at the mention of the familiar name. Bhagwati's father too worked in the estate and she was a neighbour.
" Bff??" He frowned cluelessly.
" Best friend. Till I left. I know her now only through Facebook!" Ajabde shrugged.
" You are here at the right time! She is getting married!" Her eyes went wide at his words.
" Married? OMG. To whom?" She seemed stunned.
" You remember my best friend?" He smiled again as she looked shocked.
" That Stupid Guy who used to take chocolates from your room and give Bhago?!" She bit her lips. He was the son of an associate of the Royals, who also grew up in the premises of Surajgarh.
" Ajab control!" She thought to herself. " Speak less!"
He nodded happy, " The same stupid guy!" She sat like a statue for a moment and let the information sink in. They were not kids anymore, and now with college being over, she had to act like an adult, especially around her father's work place.
" Thank you." Her tone turned formal and aware suddenly.
" For What?" Kunwar Pratap eyed her.
" Giving me the lift home!" He nodded in silence before they stared out at the Aravallis. But Ajabde was restless. She couldn't stay quiet for long.
" By the way, how is Ranima?" She started again, as Pratap smiled.
" She keeps talking about you. And keeps gushing, courtesy all her phone calls with Hansa Mausi."
" Mom?" Ajabde was a little taken aback.
" You didn't know? They have like two hours of convo twice each week." He shrugged.
" No Idea! I used to be hostels all the time!" Ajabde shook her head.
" Me too, hostels, dorms, in London." He added.
" Rich brat!" She murmured to herself.
"Kuch kaha tumne?" He asked as she shook her head.
" By the way congrats for that thing you bought!" She smiled.
" It's a seven star Hotel and Resort, not a thing!" He frowned at her words.
" Yes. That!" She smiled again. He gave a courtesy smile back.

The Surajgarh Palace was a huge estate, the Palace stood surrounded by gardens, orchards, shooting arena, sword arenas, Horse stables, Car sheds, Two Mandirs, The office, the servant quarters and a chain of houses for the in house employees as well as open spaces and lawns. One of the houses in the Employees enclave was Ajabde's childhood home. The car zoomed past the entrance as the guards saluted the prince. She was delighted to see the place after so long. The car zoomed past her house as the smile disappeared.
" Areee Roko Kaka Stop Stop!" She shouted.
" Kaka take the car to the palace entrance." He ordered calmly.
" But.. But my house is right there!"
" Ranima is waiting ever since she heard you are coming! Meet her."
She thinks aloud unconsciously. " Shit Man! Ranima in these clothes, am not even properly dressed for a meeting after a decade!" She looked at her tshirt and frowned.
He heard that and acted like he hadn't.

As he stepped out Jaivanta Bai came out. She had a royal aura about her, dressed in a cream saree and a blue velvet blouse with some royal jewelry she looked like a queen right out of some museum portrait.
" Pratap! Pratap!" She called worried. " Ajab's flight had landed in time but she..."
" Ranima, look who I found stranded in the airport."

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