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Ajabdeh looked around the unfamiliar surroundings nervously. The last two days have passed like a dream. The Marriage, the Vidai and the arrival at Chittorgarh. She was now sitting in the room she called her own, yet seemed so unfamiliar. She got up to see whether anyone was there keeping an eye on her. A little relieved, she took the lota from the centre table and placed it on the bedside table. 
As soon as she placed it, three Dasis appeared at the door asking, “You need something, Kunwaranisa?”
Eyes wide and nervous, she replied, “N…No… I was just…”
“Maharanisa has told us to be at your service for every need.”
“I… don’t… need….” She was scared at the thought that three Dasis will be at their toes for her needs.

“Disperse now.” Sajja Bai’s voice made her feel relieved.
“I will get Kunwaranisa dressed for Kunwarsa’s arrival.” She smiled at a nervous, happy bride.
Kunwar Pratap’s eyes were not easy to outsmart. He caught Rawatji in the corridor, running out of Rana Udai Singh’s room, worried.
“Rawatji.” His voice stopped the man. “What happened?”
“Baojiraj. Nothing. You…”
“Rawatji, tell me.” He insisted.
“News is that Maldeo has joined hands with Bairam Khan, and your Daajiraj is worried. Also, Badshah Khan is active with the Afghans; we are afraid they will also ally with the Mughals.”
“Badshah Khan? “ He frowned. “Shams Khan’s son.” Rawatji nodded.
“The Afghans have attacked at Kelwara in the evening,” Rawatji said absent-mindedly.
“What? You are telling me now?” Kunwar Pratap looked disappointed. “I will be getting ready to…”
“No, Kunwarsa.” Veer Baiji stopped him. “Your new bride…”
“Veer Baiji. “ Dheer Bai appeared behind her “I am sure Ajabdeh knows her duties as …”
“Don’t worry, Chotima. Ajabdeh will be happy to let me go.”

The new bride was sitting with nervous expectations as he entered the room, worried about how to handle the situation in front of her. Kunwar Pratap had forgotten that his new bride was Baijilal. One look at his face and she frowned, “What happened?” Her question made him smile faintly.
“Ajabdeh.” 
She walked up to him and asked again. “What happened?”
“Badshah Khan attacked …” He sounded a little unsure.
"Who?" She frowned. 
"Shams Khan's son. He attacked ..." Pratap looked angry.
“What are you still doing here?” She looked displeased as he looked up at her face. She walked away towards the adjacent room and came back with his sword as he stood admiring her.
“You get ready, I will do the puja.” She reassured with a smile. 
As she turned to leave, he held her back by her wrist, making her stop.
“Ajabdeh.”
She turned with a smile as his eyes twinkled proudly.
“Kunwarsa…” 
He hugged her tight, as she found peace in his arms, then moved away from his embrace shyly. 
“Go. You are getting late.” He smiled with a nod.

As Kunwar Pratap got ready for the mission, she put down her aarti thal from her puja, placed it on the table in the room beside his sword. As she opened the door, she saw a Dasi standing.
“Maharanisa has called upon you both, Kunwaranisa.”
“Ji.” 
She nodded as he heard the orders, and their eyes met with a nod.

Jaivanta Bai smiled at the newlyweds as Ajabdeh handed him his sword. Rana Udai Singh walked in and stopped as Jaivanta Bai smiled at him proudly. He nodded with a faint smile as she did his aarti. Pratap and Ajabdeh smiled at each other as he walked behind his father. Maharani Jaivanta Bai urged her to accompany her to the Rani Mahal gates.

As Kunwar Pratap glanced over his shoulder at the gates, she smiled reassuringly at him. He smiled back faintly before looking at his mother, who gave a reassuring nod before he left. As his horse went out of sight, suddenly Ajabdeh felt a cloud of loneliness around this unfamiliar place. She needed to shake off the feeling. It was home now.

Ajabdeh turned around as Jaivanta Bai said, “Come stay with me tonight, Ajabdeh.” She smiled faintly with a nod.
" You know, when Pratap was just three, we used to live in Kumbhalgarh, he..." Jaivanta Bai knew her mind and soul needed to ease. They spend the night, telling and hearing childhood tales, mostly of Kunwar Pratap's adventures. Jaivanta Bai smiled at the sleeping figure as she caressed her head with a sigh and whispered a small prayer. For her, mostly for him.

At dawn, Dheer Bai ji walked into the decorated room of the newlyweds and frowned to find it empty.
“You need something, Chotima?” Ajabdeh’s voice startled her as she turned to see her, in a red and yellow lehenga, ready after a bath, with a puja thali in hand.
“No… I…. Kunwar…” She sounded unsure.
“Kunwarsa and Rawatji have gone to stop Badshah Khan, remember?” Ajabdeh smiled.
“He…went?” Dheer Bai managed a sly smile. “Leaving his bride on the wedding night, already?”
“He went.” She nodded. “For his mother needs him to save her.”
“I feel so bad for you.” Dheer Bai faked a concern.
“I feel so proud that I am his wife.” She smiled as she meant every word.

Kunwar Pratap and Rawatji arrived in time to scare away the small troops of the Afghans, but something in Kunwar Pratap said it was not over so soon. Shams Khan’s son wouldn’t stop. He made sure the borders were secured as of now; every bordering state needs to be on alert. 
Shams Khan's son was hiding in a khema in the Mewar forest after his escape. Pointing at a fort on the map, he looked at his generals.
"Kunwar Pratap will pay for killing my father. And this is how. Prepare to attack the eighth day from now."
"But Huzoor, why here?" A man asked. Badshah Khan smiled faintly.
"Because, according to their Rajput rasm, this is where we will find his strength, alone, in seven days. You rip his heart out, you devastate him, and revenge is taken. This is personal." He smiled, pleased and confident. He had all the information he needed to gather on the Samant family, Bijolia and the new Bride.

Kunwar Pratap looked at the Mewar map in his khema with a frown. He circled out three places. Shook his head. He was missing something. What was he missing? The doorman announced Rao Ram Rakh's arrival. He folded up the map with a smile.
"Kunwarsa... you are going back to Chittorgarh, I am leaving for Bijolia at the earliest."
"Ji Raoji, I will give Ajabdeh your regards." He smiled.
"Actually, I'm here to invite you for the Pakfera there on the seventh day, and like the rule, Ajabdeh would... stay back till the tenth... Hansa Bai will write to Maharanisa." Raoji's words made him smile like he had found something. Raoji stopped, confused.
"Don't worry, we will be there." He nodded as Raoji turned to go.
"Raoji...." He stopped the man. " Keep your troops ready. In case." He nodded. Kunwar Pratap opened the map and circled the fourth spot with a frown on his face. However, he was happy that in just two days, they would be back in Chittorgarh.

In these two days, Ajabdeh learned many things with Sajjabai’s help. At first, she thought she needed a map of the palace of Rana Kumbha. She knew the road leading to the mandir and garden; others she dared not use out of fear. The princesses were in awe of their new Bhabisa as they showed her around the garden and the mandirs. Meera Ma’s mandir filled her imagination with the lady’s tales.
In the evening, she read out to the eager audience of princesses, as she missed Balwant and Ratan. She missed home. She prayed twice daily for his safety. He who made her call this unfamiliar place home.

The news of his arrival filled her heart with happiness and her mind with nervousness as Jaivanta Bai ordered the Dasis to get her ready in her wedding attire and jewellery before he arrived. He needed to see her just the way he left her.


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