Ajabdeh woke up with the song of birds as she felt something warm on her hand. Her eyes went wide. Her hand was on the pillow in between them, between his hands, clasped as he slept. She thought of removing it slowly, but he was holding on to it so tightly. Ajabdeh's heart beat faster and faster. What do I do now? How do I not wake him? What if... why is my hand in his? She was utterly confused.
" Am I...In love?" Pratap was staring at the sleeping figure on the bed as he stared back at the rain. Then he frowned as he noticed that she shivered. He closed the windows of the room to make it cosy, then sat on his side of the bed. A lamp flickered on her side like always, and he stared at her sleeping figure as he put his blanket over her as well. She shifted a little in her sleep to make herself cosy again. Her payals and bangles made a rhythmic sound, breaking the silence of the room. Her hand was out of her blanket and on the pillow in between. He tried to slowly put it in the blanket when he realised how cold it was. He placed her cold hand between his warm ones and rubbed it gently. He lay down and continued to do that slowly and carefully, not waking her up. He stared at her face, which seemed a little sad, but he couldn't say why. Maybe it was the fact that she missed home, playing with those children, or maybe that couple in the rain.... her hand between his, he had no idea when he fell asleep.
Ajabdeh slowly tried to move her hand out of his grip as it woke him. She looked a little scared as he opened his eyes and stared at her, half leaning over the pillow between them, on his side. His heart skipped a beat before he realised that her hand was in his, and he jolted up, embarrassed.
" Woh..." He looked away," ... You were cold, I mean, your hand...."
" I ... I should... umm... get ready for the puja and feed Sarang." She was about to get up as he stared at her.
" Ajabdeh." She stared back at him. " Woh... " He pointed to her cheeks, just below the eyes.
" Ji?" She tried to rub off whatever was there. He extended his right hand towards her and rubbed it off, softly, as she gulped at his touch. " Kajal." He explained before walking away, leaving Ajabdeh visibly shaken.
" Mahra re Girdhaar Gopal, Dusra na Koya,
Sada sakal log joya, Dusra Na koya."
He stopped taking his Dagger as he heard her sing. He tiptoed into the puja room behind her, hands folded as she sang, eyes closed in front of the Lord. He smiled as her voice filled the air with peace. I had never felt so content with peace like the way her voice makes me. He thought as he watched her, still in the song, as she handed him the Prasad and walked to the backyard to Sarang. He followed in tow as she made the mix in a bucket for Sarang's morning meal and put a water pail in front of him, and then stopped singing. He is here to see if I am taking proper care of Sarang. Doesn't he trust me this much? Her back was to him as she stared at Sarang and thought.
" Sarang, finish both the bowls before I come back, or else I will be very angry." Sarang's neigh made her giggle softly as he smiled at her motherly scolding. She walked past him into the kitchen as he asked,
" Can you make some kheer?"
"For lunch?" She turned around. Her silver maangtika was out of place, stuck with her blue dupatta. He noticed it and was not sure whether he should point it out.
" Now."
" Umm... all right." She smiled.
After serving him a meal, she was making braids, sitting in front of the small mirror in the room, as he walked into the room to take his Dagger. His eyes stopped at her simplicity as she made the braids, looking away, lost in thought. She brings so much light into everyone's world, but why is she so aloof and absent-minded all the time? He thought. Shaking off his thoughts, he walked up to her as she was pulling the dupatta on her head. Eyes met in the reflection as he said
" I may need your help... with the mission."
" Really? Can I help?" She stood up and turned around, excited like a child being allowed to play. She smiled and asked, " How can I?"
" Listen carefully... " He was all serious as she unknowingly stared at his face while he looked away, explaining.
" Kakisa Gani Khamma! How are you?" Ajabdeh was at the door of another hut. Aarti Bai walked out smiling to greet her.
" Aparna? What are you doing here? Come in."
" I am new here and the only person I know is you. So I thought that I could come over for chit-chat after my husband left." Ajabdeh smiled convincingly as the old woman welcomed her inside.
" You are alone?"
" Yes, all husbands have so much work. Mine leaves at dawn, for the Panchayat; he is one of them. Then he often goes out of the village for work...."
" What kind of work?" Ajabdeh inquired.
" He says I won't understand, so I don't ask." The old lady smiled. " I am making Churma, do you want some?"
" No, No... I... Your house looks very clean and decorated."
" I do this all day, what to do when you are childless?" She seemed sad as the empty feelings crept back into Ajabdeh's heart.
" Kakisa, how are you childless when you have me now?" She smiled at the old woman. " I will come every day and help you clean once... P...Pinaki ji is gone ..."
Kunwar Pratap was at the window, hiding behind the bushes, keeping an eye on the women in conversation. Although Ajabdeh warned him against it because if he was spotted, then they would be exposed, and also added that she trusted that Aarti Bai was innocent, he trusted no one when it came to Ajabdeh's safety. He didn't tell that out loud and pretended to leave as she went for her part in the mission. He hoped Rawat Ji's spies were not wrong with the information.
" What does he do?" Aarti Bai asked.
" He is a carpenter," Ajabdeh said the first thing that came to her mind. What? Did she just call me a carpenter?
" Wah, then I have a wobbly table that needs fixing." The old woman was delighted as Ajabdeh smiled.
" Waise... " She continued. " How is your husband by nature? I mean, mine has been so busy in life with his work. Even when I was childless, he never complained or remarried. He kept loving me...." Ajabdeh stared at the old woman, sad that when the truth was revealed, she would know that maybe she had always misunderstood her husband, and how miserable she would feel. " ... He always is so caring and responsible towards his duties towards our motherland..." The woman was lost in praising her husband. " How is yours?"
"Mine?" Ajabdeh gulped. She had no idea that right outside the window, a soul was eager to hear the answer as a smile curved his lips.
" Yes, yours... but be careful. Husbands these days... wherever they find beautiful young girls, they want to marry, not that you are not beautiful, they never treasure what they have... and yours, I have seen him eyeing everyone eagerly in the village, children. Men. Women... you know women? That Lalita... never ever let him near her... I have seen her look at him... " Ajabdeh stared, confused and wide-eyed at what she should say or how she should react. She knew why he kept an eye on everyone, and the kind of person that he was; he would never eye women, but she had to agree with the lady. She sat silent, her face looked funny as the woman kept speaking of husbands and their typical behaviours, none of which she had witnessed so far.
Pratap stole a glance at her face as he laughed to himself in silence. Her face was like she wanted to run out, but couldn't. She was confused about everything, and what amazed him more was how the lady described him. What he wished he could hear were her praises. Maybe some other time, when I can hear it from you, without hiding myself. He smiled.
Ajabdeh was waiting for him to get back from a secret meeting with Rawatji in the jungles. As soon as he got back, she was all excited to tell him about how well she lied to befriend the lady, but suddenly guilt crept in.
" She is an innocent and naive Kun..." He stared at her, making her stop. "She doesn't know a thing."
" I know that." He bit his tongue as he said that.
" How do you know?" She asked, surprised.
" I... I can understand from seeing people." He looked away.
" You are lying." She said plainly as he looked surprised. " I know you were there. I told you I would be fine, and she is ..."
" Who told you to say I am a carpenter?" He changed the topic as she looked embarrassed.
" I ... didn't know what to say."
" But Carpenter? Where did that come from?" He shook his head as she smiled, amused.
" Don't worry, once everything is clear and before we leave, I will tell everyone you are not a carpenter but..." She stopped.
" But?" He asked, hoping to hear a few praises.
"Let me cook dinner now, I will go to her tomorrow again and hopefully have more access." She sounded determined. I love how serious she is about the mission. She is so dedicated to everything she does. He nodded.
That night, Kunwar Pratap was in a deep sleep when she finally finished her book. She was reading the famous tale of " Savitri's quest to Yamlok to bring her husband Satyavan back from death." She was inspired by the woman's willpower and hope. She needed both now; she had gathered as she stared at his sleeping figure in the flickering light and sighed.
She was back at Aarti ji's hut the next day and offered help. The old lady was happy to have her clean the place while she made lunch. Ajabdeh was soon cleaning an adjacent room when she noiselessly opened the drawers and cupboards and searched them. One of the cupboards was locked. She looked around and found a small pin that could act like a key. She opened it up and started searching among the books. A map, three letters and a pouch were found. These were enough as she tugged them carefully in her dupatta and said to the lady rather sadly.
" I just remembered he will be back early, Kakisa. I need to go."
She ran as fast as she could to her hut, and she stood breathless as he rushed in from the backyard. He was practising his sword from the look of things. His face was worried as he walked up to her.
" Ajab..."
" Here! See what I found, there is more... in... that cupboard...." She was breathless. His eyes went wide.
"Afghan sealed letters? Mehmood Shah's coins? Mewar's maps?" He looked at her in awe.
"How did you..."
" I broke a lock. We don't have much time; you need to catch him red-handed. Before he sees that and escapes. " She was anxious. He nodded.
" I have a plan." Her words made him smile as he felt like hugging Ajabdeh for her intelligence and bravery.
Everyone was gathered at the village Panchayat under Rawatji's instruction. None of the villagers was happy to see Udai Singh's trusted General there. But Rawat said one of them was going to say something. So they stood patiently. He had said he was there at her request.
Ajabdeh walked up on the dias in a yellow and orange lehenga, and a simple village look, her face covered in the dupatta.
" Aparna?" Aarti Bai was surprised. Hearing his wife, Parvat Das, wanted to excuse himself from the crowd, alarmed.
" We have all been fooled here to start a rebellion." Voices broke out in the crowd as soon as she spoke." The panchayet calmed them to hear her out.
" Someone, one of us, has been acting as an informant and working with the Afghans. He led them here to loot, and he is the one who didn't let the letters for help reach Chittorgarh."
" Aparna ji." One of the Panchayat leaders spoke up. " You are new here, you have no idea about the rebellion or the people. You can not point a finger at us without proof."
" I have it with me, Kakasa." She shocked everyone. " Tell us, who did you give the letters to when you wanted to send them to Mewar?"
" Parvat Das ji, he goes through Mewar for work, and he has been the messenger for the last twenty years."
" Yes, Kakasa... but now what will be his profit from this?" Everyone was quiet as Aarti Bai stood in disbelief. " Aparna! What are you saying?"
" Shama kare Kakisa, I have proof." She went on as the woman looked shocked and teary-eyed. The same tears appeared in Ajabde's eyes as she loved the old lady, but she had a huge responsibility as Kunwarani now.
" He wanted to be Panchayet head. But his name was far from coming up with the other elderly people here, the trusted families that have served Mewar. A failed rebellion would have made Ranaji so angry that he would have removed the panchayat and made a new one. Parvat Das ji would then use the opportunity. The Afghans used him, knowing that once he became the leader, they would gain easy access to set up a secret camp here and eventually capture the place." The villagers gasped and were scared as Aarti Bai cried, " Please tell me you are lying. You don't have any proof."
" I do." She tried hard so that her voice didn't shake. " Here." She displayed what she found.
Kunwar Pratap was hearing what she was saying as he saw Parvat Das move away. The plan was working. He followed the man as he ran to his house and then to his cupboard.
" Where are my... the letters?" He was speaking out loud as fear crept in.
" Looking for something, Parvat Das ji?" He was startled by his voice as the papers in his hands fell.
" You?" He asked, shocked. " How did you get in?"
" By breaking the lock on the door." He smiled.
" Who are you?"
" Kunwar Pratap Singh naam hai humara." Parvat Das stood numb, staring at him as he said, " You have two options: either you accept in front of the villagers what you did and you will face imprisonment, or you don't accept and face death right now."
" Hukum... Shaama Shama." The old man was about to fall to his feet as he said, " No. I don't forgive a Deshdrohi."
" Think about it yourself, if the Royal family can be friends with the Bhils and defeat Afghans like Shams Khan, why will they not answer your calls? All of you are their subjects." She continued as the people looked convinced.
" We want Parvat Das convicted." The panchayat told Rawatji, ashamed.
" So it will be done, we assure you." He spoke up.
" Aarti Bai, being not guilty, shall be helped as long as she lives by me personally." Ajabdeh declared, knowing that Kunwar Pratap won't say no to this request.
" Who are you? How do you know so much about the Afghans and Bhils and everyone?" It was a question the Panchayet asked her.
" I am... the Samant putri of Bijolia." She said as Rawatji smiled. He was about to praise her modesty and tell her who she was when, somewhere behind the crowd, a voice she knew very well said,
" And she is the Kuwarani of Mewar." The crowd parted as Rawatji smiled at Kunwar Pratap. Two soldiers held Parvat Das captive as Aarti Bai felt disgusted to even look at the man she called her husband. Ajabdeh's eyes were fixed on Kunwar Pratap as he approached the panchayat to greet the crowd.
" Kunwar Pratap ki jai."
" I did nothing; she did it all." His declaration made her hands and feet turn cold.
" Kuwaranisa ki jai." She couldn't believe how happy they were with her. She looked at the crowd, amazed as he seemed proud to flaunt her to them.
They were back in the hut, preparing to leave for Mewar as the royal procession stood at the door. She was making sure that the Daasi held her Giridhar properly when he walked in as the maid left.
" I will miss this place." She declared, looking around.
" Yes, it felt like home." He added, smiling, knowing how much she loved that simple life.
" I should go check on..."
" What did you promise Kakisa in your lecture?" His words made her stop as she looked scared.
" Woh... Sh, shama... I didn't ask you..."
" You did the right thing; you are perfect at convincing people." She looked up at his praise. He had been praising her a lot, that too publicly, which was so unlike him.
" I am thinking of taking you with me on missions." He smiled. " I have never ever solved any issue so peacefully without bloodshed. Besides, I am bad with words. So you can do the talking and I can do the fighting!" She was smiling until it faded in the last part.
" Kunwarsa..."
" Kunwar Pratap." He smiled as she ignored it.
" You think I am not good at sword fighting?" She looked offended. Kunwar Pratap had dared to tease a Rajputani's bravery.
" You are better with words; I am best with the sword."
" You can not say you are best until you ..." She stopped when he stared, raising his eyebrows. Now she wants to sword fight with me?
" Umm... It's not good to flaunt your skills; people call that vanity." She added.
" Wah! I can flaunt my wife and people cheer, and I flaunt my skill, that's vanity?" His words made her break out into a burst of laughter as she added, " They were cheering for your success." Seeing her giggle, he smiled as he said, " Kunwaraniji, let's go home. We can settle the debate on the way." She nodded.
Dheer Bai was sitting, cutting some betel nuts with a cutter, as Veer Bai was sewing something. She suddenly remembered Ajabdeh's gift and said, smiling,
" Choti Jija, wasn't Ajabdeh's Chunri so beautiful? She is so talented." Her smile faded at Dheer Bai's glare.
" The Royal Family doesn't need the sewing talents of Veer Bai ji. Kunwar Pratap is the future king; she needs to be his wife." She snapped.
" Yes, Jija, in the last few weeks they have become good friends... he even calls her..."
" Veer Bai Ji! That is it. She will always remain a friend. Kunwar Pratap needs a Princess, I am telling you. He will never accept her as a wife."
Jaivanta Bai walked across the hall as these words haunted her. That is it, he will never accept her as a wife. She was worried. What she saw in Pratap's eyes over the last few days she couldn't shake off. There was care, there was... Love? She was not sure. She went to the temple and prayed that everything went well in Kheri. A Maid came running.
" Kunwarsa is here with Kunwaranisa."
Jaivanta Bai was at the palace stairs with the aarti thali as Dheer Bai watched from behind with the others. Shakti, Vikram and the princesses were there too. Shakti ran to Kunwar Pratap's horse, as it stopped and waited for him to get down, and he hugged his brother.
" Chaliye." He held Kunwar Pratap's upper hand to drag him up the stairs as he stopped. Confused, Shakti turned to see his brother walk back to the palanquin. He smiled.
" Ayiye." She was waiting for his call, as she removed the curtains and found him leaning over, his hand extended to her. She smiled and took it to walk out. Jaivanta Bai smiled, pleased at the scene as all her worries disappeared. The worry now reflected on Dheerbai's face and filled her heart and mind.
She got out as he stared at her with a nod. Shakti walked up to them and, seeing their hands still in each other's, he smirked, saying, " Ahem! Dadabhai! Bhabisa is out of the Palki. I think she can walk the stairs by herself," Ajabdeh blushed red behind her dupatta as Kunwar Pratap gave his brother the stare that made him say " Khamma Gani Bhabisa," and run for his life. They walked up the stairs, and Jaivanta Bai did their aarti as they touched her feet, their hands met, and so did their eyes briefly. Ajabde was not sure about all the things that were happening today. Were they all in her thoughts and imagination, or were things actually a bit different? She was confused.
"Ranaji has summoned everyone to the darbar." A Sevak declared.
Kunwar Pratap left in a hurry as Jaivanta Bai hugged Ajabdeh, saying, " Chaliye."
" Ji?"
" Let me dress you up now, and leave these commoners' attire." She smiled.
She took Ajabdeh to her room and dressed her up in her own jewellery and lehenga.
" But Ranima..." Ajabdeh protested feebly.
" No buts... today I am so happy." She hugged Ajabdeh. Happy? What is Ranima thinking? Why is she so happy?
" Ranaji called Maharanisa and Kuwaranisa to the Darbar." The guard declared as Ajabdeh looked scared. Hey Eklingji, am I getting punished or something? I was never supposed to be part of the mission. What if Ranaji doesn't like my involvement, or that I was given credit for Kunwarsa's mission? She looked at a happy Jaivanta Bai, reassuringly holding her hand, and dragged her to the Darbar.
This was the first time she was going to the Darbar. It was so magnificent. She had read about the great things that had happened here since Rana Kumbha's time. Ranaji was smiling, and so was Kunwar Pratap as they walked in.
" Kunwar Pratap told me about your work, Kuwaranisa. I am pleased." Ranaji spoke up as Jaivanta looked even more pleased with Pratap and said, " No one told me."
" She had shown Bravery and Intelligence, Maharanisa. She had shown she is a perfect Kunwarani to Mewar." Rawatji praised.
" And a perfect future Maharani too," Jaivanta added proudly, looking at Ranaji, who nodded in agreement. Ajabdeh turned red and awkward at the praises, but she saw Kunwar Pratap was enjoying her awkwardness, aware of how she felt.
" Dhanyavaad." She spoke softly.
" Rawat Ji." Udai Singh ordered. " I am very happy today. You declare that the people of Chittor will be given their Diwali gift, like always, today, not by me but by Kunwaranisa and Kunwar Pratap." Ajabdeh stared in shock as Kunwar Pratap protested, " Nahi nahi Dajiraj ...."
" Kunwar Pratap. I think it will be best as it will make the people happy. They love you more than they love their own children. And this way they will know Kunwaranisa better." Udai Singh suggested.
The people flocked as they were giving away some token gifts. Elders blessed them, people praised them, and they humbly folded their hands in response. Pratap watched Ajabde talk to the children who were mesmerised to meet her. She mixed with the people as one of them. She smiled back at him as he nodded. After a tiring day, she was standing at the window of the room as he walked in, and she smiled back at him.
" What are you thinking?" He asked. For the first time.
" Nothing, I am happy that I made Ranima happy." She smiled.
" Everyone is proud of you." He beamed as he faced her. " Ranima, Dajiraj..." He stopped. Me. I am the proudest.
" Do I deserve all these? The honour, the good words..."
" You deserve more." His words made her look into his eyes as she couldn't decipher his thoughts.
You deserve much more, and I am ready to give you all of that now. If you are ready to accept me. I won't deprive you of your rights anymore, Ajabdeh. " Kunwarsa." Her call made him jerk out of his thoughts as he still stared at her.
" Kunwar Pratap." He said again as she frowned, fed up with giving her reasons.
" Can we read the Ramayana for a while?" She asked, hoping he was not too tired.
" I was going to say the same." He smiled. " I will read."
" I will choose." She added.
" What they both didn't know was that the day would be different... Ram had arrived there not knowing about the Swayambhar, and he was walking up the palace lawn, in between a crowd of suitors. Sita was on the balcony looking down at the crowd. One of them was the one." Kunwar Pratap read as he looked up at Ajabdeh, who was listening, staring at his face in the light of the lamp.
" Then?" She urged him to continue.
" Then I think you have everything memorised as you read it too many times." He smiled.
"Kunwar Pratap! Continue." He smiled as she took his name awkwardly. She had finally given in to his will.
" Ram felt something as he looked up at the balcony, and eyes met momentarily. She was captivated by his gaze, and he by her beauty. Being the man that he was, he walked away quickly. Sita remembered seeing him in the forest when she had not been happy that a prince had been summoned to deal with Taraka."
Kunwar Pratap stopped for a silent moment, both were lost in the same memory of their first eye lock by mistake at the Jharokha. They looked at each other only to realise that the thoughts were the same as he continued the story quickly to avoid the awkwardness at how well she read his thoughts, and he hers. Kunwar Pratap Singh, the warrior prince, was actually in love with his wife, and now he was not scared to admit that, at least to himself.
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