Kunwar Pratap and Ajabde were friends. He didn't feel awkward sharing his plans and thoughts with her anymore. She was more than happy to advise him on everything. She was happy he listened to her advice before taking or discarding them, be it on what to wear to Padmavati's Sagai or how to befriend the revolting Bhils. He loved the way Ajabde always used metaphors from Puranas and Ramayanas to explain the toughest things so easily. She expressed herself so well, so easily that it amazed him.
The Afghans were now led by Mehmood Shah. They have made secret territories in the forests and waited to attack. Rawatji and his spies had confirmed the news and Udai Singh had warned Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. And his spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. One of his aides suggested a perfect Plan.
The Afghans were now led by Mehmood Shah. They have made secret territories in the forests and waited to attack. Rawatji and his spies had confirmed the news and Udai Singh had warned Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. And his spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. One of his aides suggested a perfect Plan.
Maharani Jaivanta Baiji had decided to go to the Mahakaleshwar Temple near the outskirts of Chittor beside the Jungle. They had travelled a long way and across a bridge that was made above the river that meanders. Sajja Bai shared her palanquin while Saubhagwati accompanied Ajabde in the other. Saubhagwati was going to meet her husband there once the puja was over. They got down to the temple premises. Ajabde was in a dark green golden embroidered lehenga with an orange dupatta on her face as she walked behind Ranima who was in a maroon lehenga with a yellow dupatta. Strangely, the temple premises seemed a little overcrowded to Ajabde. Men, who looked like travellers, were all around the place. She narrowed her eyes a little. Is there a special Puja today?
Maharani Jaivanta Bai didn't like taking a procession of guards to the temple. She had insisted five armed men would be enough. They walked to the altar.
Kunwar Pratap was in the strategy room, as his father and the chiefs discussed war strategies. He could feel something was not okay, all he knew was the Afghans played the game without any rules. Shams Khan had taught him that. He was a little disturbed at how easily Mehmood Shah had agreed to the war when the odds were clearly against him. This bothered him to the core. He must be planning something. He walked through the corridors of the Ranimahal and then stopped a Daasi.
" Suniye Kunwaraniji..."
" Maharanisa has taken her and Majhli Ranisa to the temple Baojiraj."
" They have... taken guards??" He asked, a little worried.
" Five men and a daasi."
Kunwar Pratap stood lost in thoughts before he called a Sevak saying " Get Sarang ready to leave in a few minutes."
"Ajabde, I forgot my Lota in the palanquin." Sajja Bai ji looked upset.
" I am bringing it back Majhli ma." She smiled. As Ajabde stepped out of the temple and into the palanquin for the lota, she heard two men whisper to each other.
" Yellow ... That's her... we need to be alert, Sardaar needs to be happy with our work."
Ajabde's heart skipped a beat, but practical and calm she kept her nerves. She was walking back in when she spotted some travellers carrying Khanjars and swords. Knowing the Afghans, it was not difficult for Ajabde to decipher the situation. They are here for Ranima? Kunwarsa needs to know. How? I need to save Ranima, I... should have brought my khanjar. These many men and five guards... Jaivanta Bai was disappointed at how she was lost in thoughts as the puja started. Ajabde now had to think of something quick. Trying to light the Diya she pretended to be careless and dropped the water from Jaivanta Bai's lota on the ground.
" Ajabde! Where are you lost?" Jaivanta Bai was worried and angry.
" Woh... I think we should all go to the river bank and get some water..." She suggested Jaivanta agreed. They needed the water. Jaivanta Bai was about to walk to the front door when Ajabde stopped her. " The back door route is the shortest Ranima" She convinced. Bhago who was also in a bottle green lehenga and a red dupatta was about to follow the queens out when Ajabde dragged her aside.
Kunwar Pratap was on Sarang making his way to the temple. The temple is beside the forest. It's not safe. And five men are too less if something happens. Hai Eklingji I hope I am wrong, keep them safe. His heart was scared. the Afghans could do anything. Mehmood Shah was known for his cruelty as well.
Ajabde walked back to the front gates alone, her heart skipped a beat to see none of the five soldiers around. She still kept her nerves and moved to the Palanquin as the Daasi asked " Baaki sab..."
" Only I am here." She said aloud as the men around her stared at each other and the Sardar signalled.
" Ajabde, you have taken enough time to fill up your lota. We are late, let's go back inside." Jaivanta Bai turned to leave as Saubhagwati shouted " Don't go Ranisa. There is danger." Jaivanta Bai stopped shocked and unveiled her asking " Where is Ajabde?" She was quiet when Jaivanta Bai repeated angrily. " I am asking you again, where is Ajabde?"
" Ranisa, she told me to exchange dupattas with her and not let you go that way, she said to take the river route back to Chittor." Saubhagwati sobbed in fear. The Daasi came running before Jaivanta Bai could react.
" Jaldi, everyone on the boat." The queens were pushed onto it by the Daasi and two women she had escaped with. " Where is Ajabde? We can not leave her, tell me what happened." Jaivanta Bai was restless as the Daasi sobbed. "We should leave and return with troops MahaRanisa." She sobbed.
As Ajabde was about to get into the palanquin one of the Afghans in disguise caught her hand. She struggled to free herself as she ordered the people to " Run to safety." The Daasi ran helplessly as she looked back spotting them drag Ajabde away on a cart that they were hiding from view. The Daasi heard one of the men say " We didn't get the Maharani, but she must be some Royal too, let's not disappoint Sardar and take her." Ajabde fought fiercely in vain, armless with about twenty men. They were pushing her into the cart when she managed to shout. " Kunwar Pratap! Kunwar Pratap!" The men laughed, " No one is here Shehzaadi, we have sedated the soldiers." " Kunwar Pratap!" She called again.
" Kunwaraniji?" His heart skipped a beat praying he heard wrong. " Sarang, faster." He pulled the reign. He was at the temple complex in about the next five minutes which seemed like an hour and it was entirely deserted. Except for the empty palanquins, he recognized well. He rushed inside the temple and out of the back door. He could spot the boat at a distance.
" Ranima!" He shouted.
" Kunwar Pratap! They have Ajab, save her." Jaivanta Bai was helpless and angry as she saw him rush back to the front as the boat floated away towards Chittor.
Ajabde's mouth was gagged as soon as she had started shouting his name, from behind the bushes she watched him move towards the temple, on Sarang, worry swept across his face as her vision blurred. I promise not to let your respect be harmed Kunwarsa, even if I die for it. She saw him ride away on the road.
Kunwar Pratap found traces of struggle beside the Palanquin. He also found the sedated soldiers. He was clueless as to where they took her. They wouldn't take the main road in broad daylight. The forest was very deep and easy to escape without leaving a trace he thought restless as something shining caught his attention. It was her bangle, just beside the palanquin. His fist tightened. They touched her, They forced her! He took Sarang and made his way to the forest. His eyes were on the forest floor looking for clues when he found another bangle. She is leaving a trail. His face lit up with hope as he picked it up and moved ahead. Ajabde was promptly throwing her bangles at each corner they took in the forest, hiding carefully from the captives. If Ramayana had taught her many good things one of them was how to leave a trail. Her bangles were done with now she left her payal. That was a mistake. As soon as the Payal fell with noise, it caught the attention of one of her captives. Her hands were gagged soon enough like her mouth. Besides, even if they didn't she was still out of jewellery, she wouldn't part with the maangtika.
Kunwar Pratap found the trail up to her Payal, then till quite a stretch, he walked clueless, getting down from Sarang for a better view. She ran out of jewellery or they caught her? He was worried. He looked around for clues in vain. Ajabde was thinking about how to leave the trail. Her eyes fell on the dry straw she was sitting on. The forests didn't have dried straws! She pushed the straw strands with her feet as they moved.
Kunwar Pratap concluded he had lost the trail, now it was up to him to find her before... He stopped before he thought the worse. For the first time, he was doubting his abilities. Scared of being late he looked for clues frantically. It was dusk and he gathered he needed to wait for dawn, in no way could he find clues in the dark. He took refuge in a tree waiting for dawn to arrive soon.
As soon as Jaivanta Bai reached Mewar, she rushed to Udai Singh. The king lost no time in ordering his spy system to go on alert over the matter and find the Afghans in the forest. He was sure Kunwar Pratap would find them before his trained spies anyhow. Kunwar Shakti was disappointed that his Dadabhai left for the dangerous operation alone. Jaivanta Bai knew that Kunwar Pratap was restless and clueless somewhere in the forest. Chittor Mahal was having a sleepless night.
Ajabde was in the cage but ungagged as per their Sardar's order. She had no clue where she was or who these people were. But all she knew was she heard them talk about Kunwar Pratap. They now knew she was Kunwar Pratap Singh's begum and were pleased to have her as a captive even though they couldn't get the mother. She sat down in a corner, refusing to eat what they offered. Where are you Kunwarsa?
Kunwar Pratap jolted off his sleepiness somewhere in the forest. Kunwaranisa? Did I just... it's just in my head. Stay put wherever you are, I will find you before it's late. I promise. Trust me.
Come soon, I trust you more than I trust god right now. She wiped away her tears with her bruised hands.
It was with the first rays of the sun that Kunwar Pratap resumed his journey. By the next two hours of endless aimless search, he came across a small bunch of dried straws on the forest floor. Dried straws? There is no village nearby, where did these... Kunwaranisa? He thought for a moment before his eyes fell on another heap of straw some feet away. Hope shone on his face again, as he rushed from one to the next.
Ajabde was tired, weak and hungry. Bruises from the gagging were on her wrists and her clothes were dirty. Two soldiers came to take her saying " Sardar wants to meet you!" She jumped two steps back as the soldiers came to touch her. " I am going with you," She replied firmly. " Keep your hands off me."
" Wah! Such an attitude. Kunwar Pratap chose his bride well." A man in a black robe with a black pagri with a white feather came as the soldiers did a salute " Aadab Huzoor."
Ajabde stood there, her eyes cold, staring without a blink at the man. He scrutinised the girl with hawk eyes.
" Tell me Shehzaadi, where is your Kunwar Pratap?" he taunted. " Is he scared of me? The great Mehmood Shah?" She was still looking at him without a mark of fear on her face.
" Will he, not come, to save the precious possession that I stole from him?"
" Pray that he doesn't come soon, Mehmood Shah! If he does, so will your death. And his precious possession you can never steal from him, till his last breath because it is our motherland, Mewar! He won't give up on Mewar and neither will I."
" Ghamand!" Mehmood Shah was angry. " Bow your head before me now! Or prepare to die."
Kunwar Pratap was happy that the Afghan tents were visible at a distance. He climbed up a cliff for a better view. Then he jumped down the sides to the back of the biggest tent. He didn't know that it was in front of this very tent that Mehmood Shah was talking to his captive. He was moving stealthily towards the voices, his sword ready.
As soon as Kunwar Pratap jumped down from the cliff, Ajabde felt a sense of confidence as she smiled at Mehmood Shah. She knew in her heart he was there somewhere near her.
" Bow down. Or die." Mehmood Shah shouted at her.
" I would like death over bowing to you." She answered firmly.
" As you wish!" His talwar was out of the case, ready to be swayed as Ajabde closed her eyes and clanked! Another talwar hit him, making Mehmood Shah lose grip of his own. She opened her eyes to see Kunwar Pratap standing between her and the man, his back to her, his talwar out. He turned half back, to look her in the eyes and ask " Are you all right?"
" Yes." A choked voice came. Ajabde wanted to hug him right then and there. He had come for her.
" What are you people looking at?" Mehmood Shah screamed. " Get them both! Dead or alive."
" One bruise on her and I will make sure your clans are no more." He was shielding her from the twenty-odd men who ran towards them, swords ready.
He was fighting them as Ajabde tried to move out of the way and a man caught her hand.
" Let go of me!" She shouted. The man was in all smiles, " I have got your weakness here Kunwar Pratap, drop your sword!" Kunwar Pratap was about to react when Ajabde firmly told the man " I will never let anyone be his weakness ever!" She tried to free her hand. Kunwar Pratap slashed two soldiers blocking his way while he ran to where she was struggling. He cut the man's hand saying " Noone can or ever will be able to put their hands on my respect, you are messing with the wrong person here." Their eyes met briefly as he nodded and turned back to the remaining.
" There are too many, when I signal, you run. Sarang is on that cliff." He whispered looking at the approaching men.
Ajabde promptly picked up a talwar from a dead Afghan's hand. " Two is better than one."
" It's very difficult to get out of these many, alive." He argued a little irritated with her stubbornness.
" I am bound by my vows to be with you, even in death." Her words made his heart skip a beat as he saw her take position beside him. She knows how to fight? Why didn't she say that before?
They were two against twenty or rather a unit against a gang. Kunwar Pratap's skills and Kuwarani Ajabde's support seemed like a wonderful pair, as their swords swung against the enemies. Mehmood saw his plan fail as he escaped to safety. Kunwar Pratap was having a dagger fight with the last one as Ajabde threw away the blood-soaked sword, tired and breathless. To her dismay, she spotted an injured soldier about to throw his dagger at Kunwar Pratap from the back. Kunwar Pratap was too busy with the other one to notice this.
" Kunwarsa!" Her words were simultaneous to him slashing his opponent's throat as he turned around to see Ajabde in front of him, taking the dagger on his behalf. The dagger hit her right back and his heart stopped for a second. Kunwar Pratap threw the dagger in his hand at the man whose dagger had hit Ajabde before he caught her head from touching the ground as she fell. Her vision blurred and she could feel him holding her head with one hand and her hand with the other.
" Kun... Ajabde! Ajabde!!" He called, shaking her head. She was happy he called her name. He could see his hands, and her clothes soak very quickly with blood. She opened her eyes slowly
" Kun.Pratap!" She managed before her vision blurred completely.
"Answer me. Ajabde!! Ajabde!!" Her world went dark with the call. So did his.
