The ladies were all sited around the bride in the evening planning about the big day the next day as the bride sat unmindfully.
Ajabde was now a nervous bride. The moment she saw her reflection in the wedding lehenga, Baijilal gave way to a blushing bride as Saubhagyawati teased her. She looked at herself as Ratan put the chunri on her, and awaited the new life eagerly. Kunwar Pratap was adjusting his pagri when Jaivanta Bai arrived, smiling. He blushed as she did his Nazar utran. Finally, Sakhaveer and Baijilal realized it was the day they had dreamt of. Everything else, every worry and plan faded as they smiled at their reflections with eager anticipations of the evening.
"Bindni must be thinking of Kunwarsa " someone giggled.
"Or the wedding " another added. Jaivanta Bai looked at an absent-minded Ajabde. She took her hand and led her out of the hall to her chambers.
"What happened?" She asked closing the door behind her.
"Ji?" She asked surprised.
"Why are you tensed?"
"Ranima woh...." A knock made her stop as he appeared at the door with Patta.
"Ranima you called..." his eyes stopped on her worried face then back at his mother.
"Yes, I think Baijilal needs some talking here." She left with a smile closing the door behind her.
"Patta." They spoke in unison as the boy looked wide-eyed.
"Do not tell anyone who we suspect, is that clear?" Ajabde spoke up.
"I know Jija she has a stronghold..."
"And we three need to keep an eye on her." Kunwar Pratap added. " If we can't expose her, we will stop her."
"She was not with the ladies," Ajabde spoke up. "That worries me."
"Then where is she?" Patta frowned.
Dheerbai ji was at the Mahanal Temple puja thaal in hand. A man wrapped in a shawl walked by and stopped at a distance. She gave her daasi a piece of paper. The man took it, nodded positive and left as Dheerbai smiled contently.
At night, Rana Udai Singh entered his room to find Dheerbai ji waiting he frowned.
"You want something ?"
"Ranaji, I know you are still angry about my orders but please listen to me." She still mesmerized him with her smile. " I... am truly sorry, you know how much I love Kunwar Pratap don't you?"
"Dheerbai ji...."
"I can help you with the Marwar issue." Her words made him look up. She played her cards well.
Everyone knew that Mewar and Marwar were in a cold war situation. Two of Rajputana's largest states were not united. Udai Singh feared if this news reached Akbar he would use Marwar to get Mewar. He didn't want war within Rajputana with the Mughals at Agra, breathing at their neck. Rao Maldeo was egoistic, vain and never to bow or ally with Mewar. Even Jalam Singh's capture won't bring him down to a peace talk. What can however bring him to a treaty would be his favourite queen. Rani Uma Devi Bhattyani was a perfect elder sister to Dheerbai. She could control and influence him with her words. And this relationship was the help Mewar needed for peace talks right now. Kunwar Pratap knew that the whole of Mewar knew that. Just out of the Bundi war, Udai Singh needed to buy time with talks, if not a peace treaty. Tonight Udai Singh was going to forgive his favourite queen, for his own benefit.
The dawn arrived with the Haldi ceremony preparations in full swing. Ajabde was bathed in Milk and rose water before she headed to the Haldi ceremony. Patta was keeping an eye on everything around the palace. Ajabde saw Dheerbai's confident smile that made her worry, as she searched the crowd for Ratan.
Patta was at the stables. He was inspecting a pair of footprints that led in from the walls into the stables. They appeared fresh. Clutching his sword he looked around. Suddenly he felt someone behind him. As soon as he turned a sword was on him. He swiftly moved to his left which injured his right hand. He swung his sword and missed the man. The man smiled. A hired assassin no doubt. But why him? He frowned. As swords clashed he remembered he had stared at Dheerbai ji speaking of the traitor.
"She send you, didn't she?" He smiled. They professionally kept mum as swords clashed.
"Baojiraj, Baojiraj." Chakrapani appeared breathless, as Kunwar Pratap smiled at his friend's arrival but the smile soon faded as his friend appeared worried.
"Back... stable... Patta." Kunwar Pratap picked up his sword and ran out.
"But..." Chakrapani called in vain.
As Patta's hand weakened due to blood loss he felt dizzy. Before losing his sense all he remembered was Kunwar Pratap's face.
"Patta! Patta!" Jija's voice rang.
The assassin lay slayed at Kunwar Pratap's feet as he looked at his injury and back at Patta's head on Ajabde's lap.
"Someone call the vaid." He shouted at the gathered crowd. "Now!"
Ranaji and his queens arrived with Raoji and Rawatji at the site.
"A hired goon. He was here for Kunwar Pratap!" Rawatji looked worried.
"No, he was here for Patta." Ajabde's teary eyes flashed rage as she stared at one particular face in the crowd.
"Kunwarsa, your hand..."Sajja looked worried. " A cut... it's not a good sign..."
"Majhli masa. cuts are jewellery to a Rajput, this will heal soon." He smiled reassuringly. The vaidji arrived as Patta was taken to a room.
"Baisa. Why do you think the assassin came for Patta?" Rawatji asked as she looked surprised.
"Because he showed himself when he could hide and wait for his prey unless he was the prey." Ajabde's answer impressed everyone.
"This wedding is full of unpleasant events." Dheerbai's words made everyone look worried as Jaivanta Bai smiled "No Dheerbai ji, just insignificant tries and failed attempts... of enemies." Ajabde smiled at her face amused as Kunwar Pratap's glance caught hers.
"He is fine, just needs rest." The Vaidji spoke up.
"Dhanyavaad."Kunwar Pratap folded his hands.
" Chaliye sab, let Ratan and Ajabde take care of him, we have rituals " Sajja Bai took everyone out. Kunwar Pratap left after a nod at Ajabde. Dheerbai ji was in the corridor when Ajabde called her from behind, making her stop.
" Choti Ranisa." She smiled. "Since we are family can I share something?"
"Surely Ajabde, you are my favourite son's would-be bride." She smiled back.
"Some insider, a traitor, led Surtan here and helped him escape." Dheerbai's smile faded as she said "I know."
" Someone tried to kill my brother and injured Kunwarsa." Dheerbai nodded.
"But you see, love and believe a win over everything Choti Ranisa." She hugged her, surprisingly a taken aback Dheerbaiji.
"I see how much you love and care for us all." Her sarcasm didn't escape Dheerbai. " And I promise to give you the same and more, once I arrive at Chittor." Ajabde smiled. " Your love is something I will cherish winning."
"Ajabde, it's my duty to love and care as a mother," Dheerbai spoke up with a cunning smile as Ajabde's smile did scare her.
"And it will be my duty to protect and honour." Ajabde's smile disappeared as she looked into Dheerbai's eyes and added "Your love."
She saw Dheerbai walk away nervous. She had just encountered the Baijilal in Ajabde. Pleased, Ajabde went back to her room, where Ratan was waiting.
"Ratan, you be with Patta and tell Balwant I send for him."
"Ji Jija." She ran.
"Did you call me?" Balwant arrived at her threshold.
"Yes, I need you to do something for me."
"Me?" He asked surprised.
"yes, you. Be on guard until Patta is better, don't let him go out, especially... at night until he heals. And, before I go. " She opened a chest and took out a letter. " I want you to give Patta this after I am gone."
"Ji Jija." He nodded a little clueless.
Kunwar Pratap was sitting for the Haldi Rasm with a slight blush as he looked around and frowned.
"Where is Chotima?"
"Here I am Kunwar Pratap. Was just a little caught up with your bride." Her last words made him worry. What is she planning now?
The Haldi rasm was going on when a daasi arrived with a gift box for Ajabde. Dheer Bai took it and walked up to Ajabde's room as Kunwar Pratap's eyes travelled to his mother who followed quickly.
"Ajabde, my elder sister, Uma Jija send this for you." She smiled at the box. "From Marwar."
Ajabde stared at the box and then at Jaivanta Bai who just arrived.
"I am sorry I can not accept this." Made Dheerbai gasp. The samant Putri was refusing a gift from the Maharani of Marwar.
"This is a Naulakha she send ...." Dheerbai tried to ...
"No! It's from Marwar and we are in a war-like situation until that is resolved, I as a Mewari can't accept this, I am sorry."
Ajabde's determined words made Jaivanta Bai smile and agree as Dheerbai fumed. She walked away with the box which a poisonous snake hissed. Ajabde knew Marwar was too vain to send gifts, she needed to be careful and play the game right with Dheerbai. Jaivanta Bai was pleased that she understood that.
"Kunwarsa." Her call made him stare wide-eyed.
"Ajabde? You know after the Haldi...."He looked around the empty corridor, then back at her.
"I just came to give this." She placed a bowl of balm down on the table. "Chalte hai."
"Ajabde." She stopped without turning.
"Ji?"
"Hum, apse ..." Footsteps in the corridor made him stop as she ran, and turned back at the corner they both blushed with a smile as eyes met before she disappeared behind the drapes.
Dheerbai had no intention of peace with Marwar, and neither did Marwar, she wanted war, she wanted to submit to the Mughals knowing that way, Akbar would kill Kunwar Pratap and her Jagmal could be king. Peace with Marwar would yield nothing. But she wanted her niece to be his bride so that in case the Mughals had no interest she would still have a stronghold using her niece. But, all her plans were failing. She had tried to kill Patta and failed. She had tried to attack Ajabde with the Marwari gift that would cause a war but it failed. Now she had the only hope in Udai Singh. She needed to restore his faith in her with a successful talk with Marwar. She knew to win bigger wars, she needed to lose this small one.
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