Sleepless

Kunwar Pratap woke up when it was still dark. He opened his eyes in the dimly lit room and could see her calm content face in the darkness, in deep sleep. Known to be a fighter, he had no idea how and when he developed these weird feelings. His Guruji had always taught him to be emotionless. Fighters don't have emotions. He was reminded again and again and yet, this time around, unsure of what was in store at Bhilwara he was .... scared? He shook off the feeling. Yes, tonight was about his promise to himself to make her his wife. Tonight, he had explored his feelings and hers like never before. But, in the back of his mind, even as he watched her sleep, he could not shake off the thought. I have to leave her alone here. What if.... last time there was Ratan, Balwant and Padma but this time she is alone... He touched her cheeks with his fingers with a smile as she leaned to his touch even in her sleep.

Ajabde woke up at the break of dawn. She had a lot of work to do before he left. She was about to get out of bed when she saw his hand hold hers. A shy smile curved her lips as she carefully freed her hand and was about to walk away when she felt a tug at her dupatta. Ajabde stopped wide-eyed and softly spoke up " Kunwar Pratap... I..." She turned around to see her dupatta stuck under his sleeping figure. She pulled at it in vain and decided to leave it there.
Mharo Pranam Banke Bihari Ji
Mor Mukut Madhyan Tilak Birajya
Kundal Alkakori Ji
Adhar Madhur Dhar Bansi Bajawa

Kunwar Pratap woke up to the sweet voice as he sat up on the bed and spotted his things all ready to be packed, including all his clothes, armies and amenities. He smiled knowing she did all that by herself, without being asked for, that is what Ajabde was all about. He got ready to leave as she came up with the aarti thal. Eyes smiled at each other, hiding the fears within.
" Your things are ready to..."
" I can see that." He spoke up as she was about to leave. " Ajabde." She stopped and turned back after keeping her thaal on the table.
" Ji?"
" Promise me." He held her hands. " You will take care of everyone as well as yourself."
" Only if you promise me to be safe first." She smiled as he nodded.

Maharani Jaivanta Bai was at the entrance to see off Kunwar Pratap.
" I will be back in a day or two. If things go well..." He told his mother as worry swept across his face.
" Everything will be alright." Ranima smiled at him and stared back at Ajabde. " It has to be when people pray for you day and night." Kunwar Pratap smiled a proud smile at Ajabde who looked away.
" Chalte hai." She nodded softly as Ranima approved. He walked up to Sarang and turned back to see her standing there with a smile. He left as she watched.

A few Hours later, in the Khema...
" Baojiraj, I think we should call Bhil Sardar for a talk before deciding anything."
" Yes Rawat Ji, I want to talk to him about their grievances first thing in the morning." Rawatji left with the task to find the Bhils in the forest.
Kunwar Pratap sat alone in his camp as he unpacked some things from the trunk. His eyes stopped at a wrapped thing. He unwrapped it and it was her Ramayana. A smile curved his lips. She sent a part of her in his trunk. Did she not know he carried a part of her in his heart? He sat down with the book, under the lamp.

" Today we are making our favourite dishes." Sajja Bai smiled excitedly as Ajabde entered the Paak shala. " You want to make something Kunwaranisa?"
" Yes Bhabisa make kheer please." Maan pleaded. Ajabde smiled in approval as Dheer bai entered the Paakshala.
Ajabde was busy making the kheer when she didn't put cashew nuts and Kesar as per the Raj traditions in the kheer. She was about to serve Maan when Dheer Bai interrupted.
" What are you doing?" She stopped a scared Ajabde.
" Giving Rajkumarisa Kheer...."
" No, where are the nuts and Kesar? Will my Maan eat what the villagers of Mewar eat? Have you forgotten you are not the Samantputri anymore?"
Her words struck Ajabde like an arrow yet she remembered she had promised him to take care of everything.
She smiled a polite smile saying " Rajkumarisa doesn't like nuts, so I thought... I will add them, Chotima." She gave the Katori to Maan adding " Never disrespect the food we eat Rajkumarisa no matter how simple it is. We never know what it's worth until we starve due to lack of food like millions of others."
Maan nodded impressively as Dheer Bai fumed, Sajja Bai praised Ajabde saying, " You are absolutely right Kunwaranisa. We must always be grateful for what we have because we never know when we will lose them all." Dheerbai left disturbed.

" Kunwaranisa." Ajabde walked out of the Puja Ghar at the call, delighted to see Majhli Maasa.
" Ji?"
" Come, read the Ramayana to me today." Ajabde happily followed Sajja Bai to her room.
" And she stayed a decade, bringing up Labh and Kush, aware that he missed her presence. That he chose to be the King rather than the husband."
" Sita was strong enough to live her life without his help. It was Ram who needed her more." Kunwar Pratap read aloud in silence as the lamp flickered. He stopped and looked at the light flickering in the lamp lost in thought. He missed her explanations. He missed her presence.

Ajabde walked into the room after dinner, with a sigh. She didn't need to wait today, but something told her she would be sleepless tonight as she lay staring at his empty place on her right. He walked up to the empty papers in a roll and sat down to pen down his thoughts. Not a soul knew that the valiant warrior Kunwar Pratap Singh was a poet at heart.

Gentle like a petal,

Pure like a conch
She touches every heart with Kindness,
She is elegant and full of grace.

He smiled at his own silliness and kept aside the paper, neatly in his trunk. Miles apart two souls waited to be united, as the moon and stars witnessed their sleepless night.

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His Wife

" Where is the Kesar, Rama? And the Kalash?" Ajabde looked visibly displeased at the daasi who ran. " They are at the fort gates and nothing is ready yet!" She exclaimed. She was clad in a red Jora and the jewellery she had inherited as the first Kunwarani of the crown prince. Little Amar ran down the hallway towards his mother. " Maa sa Maa sa... who is coming with Daajiraj?" His innocent question made her heart sink. " Bhanwar Ji." Sajja Bai called out to him. " Come here I will tell you." Amar rushed to his Majhli Dadisa. " Ajabde." She turned at Jaivanta Bai's call. "They are here." " M... My Aarti thali..." Ajabde looked lost like never before. Jaivanta Bai held her stone-cold hands, making her stop. She patted her head and gave her a hug. The hug gave her the comfort she was looking for as her racing heart calmed down. Jaivanta Bai left her alone with her thaal. " Maa sa!" Amar exclaimed

My Everything

Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rao Ramrakh and Rawatji stopped the ongoing Raj tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhattiyani hadn't expected this son of Mewar to show up that too twenty-one days after his father's death. He was not informed as per Dheerbai's instructions. She looked at Rawat Ji. He must have gone to Raoji at Bijolia. No one except them knew where Kunwar Pratap was staying. It was for the safety of his family. " What are you doing Chotima?" A disappointed voice came. She could stoop down so low? " We were about to inform you..." She spoke up in her defence. " When Dheerbai ji?" Maharani Jaivanta Bai, clad in white entered the hall as people bowed before her. " After your son's coronation?" " I did nothing Badima I swear!" A low voice came from Jagmal. " Maha

To Protect You

Kunwar Pratap was in court with Rana Udai Singh. The Mughals were conquering a huge part of the north courtesy of Bairam Khan and Mewar on their routes to the ports of Gujarat. " Dajiraj we need to secure the roads leading to Agra and also towards the west. The attack-prone areas should always be under surveillance." " Yes Ranaji. Baojiraj is right." Rawatji agreed. In the Rani Mahal, everyone was preparing for a grand lunch. Ajabde was making a sweet dish for the princes and princesses and in a hurry, she forgot to add the Kesar and Badam on top. As she served the smaller princes including Kunwar Jagmal, Dheerbai came to inspect her eldest son's food. " What is this? Who made this? Kokoiaji?" She stormed to the kitchen with a bowl of sweet dishes. " Kunwaranisa did." Came a scary answer, from Veer Bai. " Ajabde Baisa." Her words let out a silent gasp from the lesser queens who stood witness. Calm and composed, Ajabde walked up

Towards You

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

Chapter Two: Catastrophe

Abhaya was suffocating as she could now taste the soot and ash in her mouth. She could see the smoke engulf her. The boxes around her turned into shadows in the blurred vision. She opened her mouth to breathe but the choking air wanted to make her cough. She ran, stumbling upon some boxes and utensils towards the window on the other side. It was shut firmly and her weak hands could do little to move it an inch. She placed the end of her saree over her face and coughed, hoping not to be heard from the outside. The sound of chaos and footsteps outside was increasing. She heard a scream. Was it her mother? Her sister? Or one of the sisters-in-law? Were they escaping? Should she try too? She tried to find something to break the window with, but instead, she froze at the sight of flames entering through the cracks of the door she had shut behind her. Abhaya said a soft prayer. This is how it ends. This was not the country her father served. This was not the country her mother read stories o

Understandings

After counting days, Ajabde was happy that she was going to Bijolia. She knew how eager her mother and Ratan would be to know about her new life. She couldn't wait to hug her mother and feel like... Home. She was selecting gifts for her parents and her siblings as per Ranima's instructions. Then suddenly an idea struck her mind. Her new family welcomed her with so much love and support. Especially Ranima and Majhli Maa Sa. She wanted to give them something. Suddenly she remembered that Ranima had loved her embroidery work on dupattas back in Bijolia so she called a Dasi and ordered some plain Chunris and embroidery threads. She had a lot of work to finish in a day before leaving. Kunwar Pratap came back into the room to see her on the floor, right in the middle of the room with red, green, yellow, and pink all sorts of dupattas scattered. " What's all this?" He asked not sure if he should be asking. " I am making gifts. For Ranima, Majhli ma, Rani Dheer Bai

Destiny

The war was almost won. A few of Marwar’s soldiers were left on the field along with Rao Maldeo Singh Rathore, their king and leader. He was thinking of retreating at the end of this day. As his sword clashed with one of the opponent generals as he eyed the opponent King now open and prone to attack. A little hope flickered in his mind as his eyes instructed his closest aide. The opponent was quite in a winning situation thanks to their new Senapati. He was just 16 yet his bravery and valour reflected his blood and upbringing. He mesmerised the opponents and even Rao Maldeo with his clever war strategies and sword skills. As Maldeo’s aide swung his sword at a taken aback Udai Singh, someone’s sword defended it as his body acted like a shield for the king. He killed the man in one go. “ Ranaji are you okay?” “ Haan Raoji.” He nodded gratefully. By half the day, the Marwar army had retreated as the air filled with “ Jai Mewar! Jai Eklingji!” From the triumphant soldiers. Rana Udai Si

Friends?

Early morning, Ajabde walked into Saubhagyawati’s house as the Panditji looked relieved. “Baisa you are here now I don’t need to look after anything.” She walked into Saubhagyawati’s room and found her braiding her hair nervously. Her lehenga looked beautiful and only the maangtika was about to be put so Ajabde did the honours. Saubhagyawati held her hand and took a deep breath. “Ajabde have a confession.” “What is it Bhago?” She looked worried. “Are you scared?” “No no Ajabde it’s not that. I… met him… before…” “Whom?” “The one who is coming to see me.” She looked away scared. “What? How…” Ajabde looked at her with wide eyes. “woh… Both nights when I waited for you in the…” “Hai Bhagwan Bhago! What if he says that seeing you in front of your father?” Ajabde spoke up as Bhago looked shocked. Why didn’t she think that before? “What will we do now?” Bhago asked worriedly. Ajabde was lost in thoughts. No way could people know. The groom had arrived with

Chapter Three: Pedigree

The Imperial Police work was a tough job. The family had no idea what Superintendent Animesh Kumar Mukhopadhyay went through to provide for his family and their luxurious lives. Abhaya’s father never failed to let his family know that. Every time he drank down his sins. Every time he came home drunk. Every time he beat his wife. Abhaya would often sit awake all night, her pillow pressed against her ears as she sobbed silently, hoping that her mother’s begging sobs and father’s lewd language would stop. One day she had opened the door of her room slightly and was about to step out when her sister-in-law intervened. Her face was dark as she coldly told Abhaya to return to her room. She would be punished if her elder brothers found out about her trying to get out of her chambers at night. Abhaya at twelve knew one truth greater than others. Men were like this, women had to tiptoe around them to serve them as they demanded. She was intimidated by the regular chores the women of the hous

Love?

“I swear I can kill that Sakhaveer.” Balwant swung his sword at the Dangal as Ratan and Ajabde looked on. Ajabde hid a smile as Ratan looked amused. “Like you did last time?” Ratan’s chuckle made Ajabde press her hands with a soft no as Balwant stopped his sword and looked angry. “What do you know Ratan?” He roared angrily. “What do girls know anyways about fighting??” “Jija can fight better than you.” Ratan looked angry and defensive. “Ratan! Leave it.” Ajabde insisted. “No!! Jija, I saw you, you are better…” “Then let’s have a duel Jija.” Balwant insisted. “No.” Ajabde looked surprised and shaken. “It’s been such a long time since I have …” “No excuses Jija, teach him! That girls can be…” Ratan insisted as Balwant handed her a sword she took rather reluctantly. She tied the corners of her dupatta together and her braid in a bun. Kunwar Pratap was making his way out at the Dangal when he heard swords clash. He gathered the father-son duo would be at the Dangal

RAABTA

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