Rao Ram Rakh and Hansa Bai were at the gates of the Bijolia Mahal to welcome the newlyweds. Patta was present too, along with Balwant and Ratan, at the gates. The commoners had gathered for a glimpse of the newlyweds. At the horizon, a red and gold Mewari flag appeared, followed by Kunwar Pratap on Sarang.
"Kunwar Pratap Ki jai!" He acknowledged the crowd with a smile. But his eyes were hawk-eyed the faces in the crowd for something usual.
Behind Sarang was a palanquin where Ajabdeh sat, her face hidden in the maroon dupatta, embroidered with gold by the Royal Tailor. As the procession stopped, Kunwar Pratap got down from the horse, smiling at the family waiting, then turned to see if she had gotten out of the palanquin.
As Ajabdeh stepped out, slowly and gracefully, the crowd erupted with "Kunwarani Ajabdeh Baisa Ki Jai." She acknowledged the crowd with folded hands. Hansa stood at the threshold with the aarti thaal in hand, happy at the love and respect Ajabdeh received.
"Raoji, I had never even dared to dream about such a family, marriage or respect for Ajabdeh." She spoke up as Raoji agreed.
"Maybe you hadn't, Mausi. But I have. I always knew my Jija was different." Patta spoke happily.
As Ajabdeh and Kunwar Pratap walked up to the greeting family, matching each other's steps, Kunwar Pratap was still eyeing the crowd as he spoke up.
"Woh... Ajab..."
" I know! I am alert." She spoke up as he smiled slightly at how she always read his mind.
As they walked up to Hansa, she smiled and did their aarti before saying "Padhariye Kunwarsa."
They sat in the Baithak. Ratan decided to see Jija's face as she unveiled her and hugged her tight. Ajabdeh was happy to be back in the place she once called home. Ratan, on the other hand, scrutinised the changes marriage had brought upon her Jija. She was too dressed up.
"Hey, Eklingji." She teased, " You are my Jija? Or someone else? So dressed up!" She giggled as Kunwar Pratap smiled, " Majhli Maa never leaves her an option!"
Hansa smiled. " Now she is Mewar's honour, she can't dress simply, Ratan." Amidst all these, Ajabdeh's eyes travelled to Patta, and she gave a nod after which he left, making an excuse. All these didn't miss Kunwar Pratap's eyes, but he decided to ask later. Hansa Bai got up in a hurry after the Thandai and Mithai were served.
"Chaliye, it's time for some Rasms."
"First, we start with the Daan to the poor people of Bijolia by Ajabdeh, as per the norms. " Raoji came to take his daughter as Ajabdeh got up and veiled her face.
"Raoji, can I come too?" Kunwar Pratap spoke up as everyone started smiling. " To meet the subjects."
" Of course, you can, Kunwarsa." Raoji insisted.
Ratan was in giggles as she held Ajabdeh's hand and said softly, " He's not ready to leave you alone even for a moment, Jija, how sweet!"
In the corridors, as Raoji walked ahead, Ajabdeh whispered, "Baijilal can protect herself, Kunwar Pratap," before walking past him, making him smile as he murmured to himself, "I can not take risks."
"Kunwar Pratap Ki jai!" He acknowledged the crowd with a smile. But his eyes were hawk-eyed the faces in the crowd for something usual.
Behind Sarang was a palanquin where Ajabdeh sat, her face hidden in the maroon dupatta, embroidered with gold by the Royal Tailor. As the procession stopped, Kunwar Pratap got down from the horse, smiling at the family waiting, then turned to see if she had gotten out of the palanquin.
As Ajabdeh stepped out, slowly and gracefully, the crowd erupted with "Kunwarani Ajabdeh Baisa Ki Jai." She acknowledged the crowd with folded hands. Hansa stood at the threshold with the aarti thaal in hand, happy at the love and respect Ajabdeh received.
"Raoji, I had never even dared to dream about such a family, marriage or respect for Ajabdeh." She spoke up as Raoji agreed.
"Maybe you hadn't, Mausi. But I have. I always knew my Jija was different." Patta spoke happily.
As Ajabdeh and Kunwar Pratap walked up to the greeting family, matching each other's steps, Kunwar Pratap was still eyeing the crowd as he spoke up.
"Woh... Ajab..."
" I know! I am alert." She spoke up as he smiled slightly at how she always read his mind.
As they walked up to Hansa, she smiled and did their aarti before saying "Padhariye Kunwarsa."
They sat in the Baithak. Ratan decided to see Jija's face as she unveiled her and hugged her tight. Ajabdeh was happy to be back in the place she once called home. Ratan, on the other hand, scrutinised the changes marriage had brought upon her Jija. She was too dressed up.
"Hey, Eklingji." She teased, " You are my Jija? Or someone else? So dressed up!" She giggled as Kunwar Pratap smiled, " Majhli Maa never leaves her an option!"
Hansa smiled. " Now she is Mewar's honour, she can't dress simply, Ratan." Amidst all these, Ajabdeh's eyes travelled to Patta, and she gave a nod after which he left, making an excuse. All these didn't miss Kunwar Pratap's eyes, but he decided to ask later. Hansa Bai got up in a hurry after the Thandai and Mithai were served.
"Chaliye, it's time for some Rasms."
"First, we start with the Daan to the poor people of Bijolia by Ajabdeh, as per the norms. " Raoji came to take his daughter as Ajabdeh got up and veiled her face.
"Raoji, can I come too?" Kunwar Pratap spoke up as everyone started smiling. " To meet the subjects."
" Of course, you can, Kunwarsa." Raoji insisted.
Ratan was in giggles as she held Ajabdeh's hand and said softly, " He's not ready to leave you alone even for a moment, Jija, how sweet!"
In the corridors, as Raoji walked ahead, Ajabdeh whispered, "Baijilal can protect herself, Kunwar Pratap," before walking past him, making him smile as he murmured to himself, "I can not take risks."
Ajabdeh and Kunwar Pratap were distributing coins and clothes to the gathered crowd, who blessed them as Patta stood watching with Raoji. Kunwar Pratap, however, was looking into the crowds again and again. Raoji noticed this and asked, "Is anything wrong, Baojiraj?"
"No No Daata." Before he could open his mouth, Ajabdeh spoke up. " It's his habit to scrutinise every crowd like that! The warrior in him never rests."
"No, I...." He protested softly as Ajabdeh added, "He never stops until and unless he invites danger."
"No, No! It's not like that!"
"Yes! It is like that"
"Ajabdeh!" Hansa Bai's scolding stopped Ajabdeh as Kunwar Pratap smirked.
"Don't talk to your husband like that. What did I teach you?" Hansa added. Ajabdeh lowered her gaze at the carpet, rubbing her hands.
" See, this is how she talks all the time!" Kunwar Pratap's words made her fume as her mother gasped.
"Ajabdeh!" As she was reminding her daughter of the codes of conduct as a wife, Ajabdeh looked miffed at the smiling face of Kunwar Pratap that spoke of victory.
" But Maa..." Her words were silenced again by Hansa Bai. Let me go back to Chittor; if I don't make Ranima scold you, I am not Baijilal. She swore.
"Now for the Coin hiding Rasm," Hansa explained.
" We will give Kunwarsa 7 coins that he will hide in the room, anywhere. Ajabdeh will try to find the coins. Then Ajabdeh will hide them, and he will find them. If they manage to find all the coins, it will be evident that he knows her well and vice versa."
Ratan and Balwant were excited as Ratan sided with her Jija and Balwant with Kunwar Pratap.
"First, Kunwar Pratap will hide."
Hansa's words made him smile confidently as he took the coins and closed the door of the room behind him. Within a few minutes, he was back with the same confident smile as Ratan spoke up.
"Jija, go and search."
Ajabdeh entered the room and looked around. She smiled. She knew each and every corner of the Mahal so well that if anything was amiss, she could tell. Three coins were in her hand soon, and Kunwar Pratap looked worried.
"This is not fair, she knows the place." He murmured.
"Everything is fair when the opponent is your wife, Baojiraj." Chakrapani appeared smiling as everyone laughed, and Kunwar Pratap shook his head.
Soon, Ajabdeh wore a victory smile as she showed the family the seven coins. Kunwar Pratap was not one to lose.
" Let me search. I am Kunwar Pratap Singh. I never lose!" He was clearly competitive.
"Hai Bhagwan!" Ratan spoke to Patta. "This is more of a war than a rasm now."
"This happens when two warriors get married," Balwant smirked.
Ajabdeh was taking longer than usual to hide the coins behind closed doors.
"This is cheating, she can not take all day!" He protested.
"Patience Baojiraj, it is the key to..." Chakrapani stopped at his cold stare.
" Search now."
She smiled as he walked in. He looked under the carpet, and there was nothing. She smiled, sure that he would lose. He stared at the lamps and smiled. Two coins she had hidden on the unused lampshades. Ajabdeh frowned as he smiled. One appeared in the vase on the table. Kunwar Pratap's eyes fell on the pot of soil kept for gardening in a corner.
"Mewar's soil." He murmured to a disappointed Ajabdeh as two coins appeared in it.
He was searching the room frantically as she smiled again. He saw her smile as a challenge. He stepped across the room, crossing her and towards her lord Girdhar as her eyes widened.
" Sorry that I am taking this from your feet." He found the coins carefully hidden by the flower petals at his feet.
He smiled at his bride, who couldn't believe that he had found the coins as he handed them over to Hansa Bai.
" This proves that they both know each other so well." Saubhagyawati was pleased. As their eyes met, and smiled. They couldn't help but agree.
" Go to your room and rest until dinner," Hansa spoke up after a hearty lunch. Ajabdeh said, " I will go meet Laxmi first, it's only past noon!" and walked away as the others sat talking politics.
Kunwar Pratap was in the room, lost in thought, when she entered, appearing pleased. She sat down to braid her hair as she spoke, unmindfully and happily.
" Laxmi is doing well. And Ratan flooded me with so many questions. About the palace. The people," she smiled.
Kunwar Pratap was still unmindful. "But he is not here yet... Or is he waiting for me to go?"
Ajabdeh realised that he was not paying attention as she frowned. " You are not even listening to me!"
Kunwar Pratap got back to reality as he lied, " No, I was"
" Really? Tell me what I just told you?" She narrowed her eyes.
" You speak so much that it's impossible to keep track. "
As soon as he said it, Kunwar Pratap realised he had made a grave mistake, seeing her fume. She silently picked up the puja thali and made her way to the temple. He immediately called on Patta, whom he had appointed to be her shadow, without letting her know.
At the temple, miffed by his behaviour, Ajabdeh folded her hands to the lord.
"Girdhar Gopal, show me some way to make him listen at times. 7 days and he is like this, what will happen in 7 lives?"
" I know a way." Bhago's voice made her jump as she smiled and hugged her friend.
"Let's dress you up like before, the simple Ajabdeh he loved." Bhago seemed excited.
"Aree nahi..." Ajabdeh protested softly, a little unsure as Bhago held her hand. "Trust me, he will not be able to keep his eyes off you!"
As Bhago did her sringaar, Ajabdeh frowned.
"Marriage does such strange things." Bhago appeared amused. "Who thought our Virangana Baijilal would also dress up for her husband?" She giggled.
"Bhago, if you tease like this, then let it be." She got up as Bhago made her sit down again with a quick apology.
"Trust me, Bhago, he will not be affected! He is beyond all these; he doesn't know how to appreciate beauty." Ajabde spoke disappointedly.
"Oh, he might be a warrior, but here he is a husband, right? He will notice." Bhago giggled.
Bhago dressed her up in a simple lehenga and a neckpiece maangtika, and a nose ring. She put the dupatta on her head and said, " Stay put."
In the corridor, she met Kunwar Pratap and informed him that Ajabde had called upon him. Kunwar Pratap frowned.
" She was angry a while ago, and now she is calling me? Daajiraj was right, wives are confusing!" He murmured to himself as he made his way to the room.
He opened the door as his eyes met in the mirror. He looked away, asking, "You called?"
" What's different today?" He looked up at her smiling face, confused at her question.
"Ji?"
"What's different? Look around... What's..." He looked around the room, making her smile disappear.
"What's different in ME?" she asked, annoyed. He looked more clueless as he added.
"Nothing, you are you, Ajabdeh!"
"Ohho!" She sat down on the bed hopelessly. "I told Bhago!"
"Told what?" He frowned. " I am hating being clueless."
"Look." She walked up to him. "I dressed up!"
"You did? Oh, you did! For what?" He asked, surprised.
"Nothing, I have work."
"Aree, what happened now?"
"You were supposed to appreciate my beauty!" She frowned as he laughed.
"What? You know I am a warrior, we don't have eyes for beauty."
"I am also a warrior, Kunwarsa!" She defended.
"You look pretty." He tried to calm her down.
"Rehne dijiye." She left as Kunwar Pratap wondered why she acted so weirdly.
Kunwar Pratap followed Ajabdeh out in the corridor as he heard Patta compliment her.
"Jija, you look different", made Ajabdeh smile as Kunwar Pratap looked wide-eyed as trouble seemed to increase for him. He shook his head and followed Ajabdeh to Laxmi's shed.
"Laxmi. Tell me how I look." She taunted as her eyes fell on a potter's wheel in a corner. She smiled. A punishment!
Kunwar Pratap arrived to find her giving shape to clay on the potter's wheel. He frowned. She spoke without staring at him, with a smile.
" Come. Let me teach you to give beautiful shapes to clay. Then you can learn to appreciate the beauty!" Her taunt made him shake his head as he sat down to face her.
She taught him with his hands on hers as she instructed through the procedure, smiling. He stared at her as her cheeks had a smudge of clay, and she looked up to see him staring as she blushed, and his hands held hers as she protested softly.
"Aree, the shape of the..." Her words died out at his stare. " It's done."
She got up to leave, and his clay-smudged hands held her wrist as he got up and dragged her towards him. She blushed as he whispered.
"Ajabdeh. For me, beauty is what you have inside you, your kindness, intelligence, and bravery. Your love and generosity. It makes you different. It makes you my Baijilal. " He pulled her closer as she looked up at him with a smile.
"Kunwar Pratap Singh! This is a cowshed!" She pinched his hand before he could react and ran giggling.
He ran after her through the corridors as Ajabdeh looked back to see if he was following her and bumped into Hansa Bai, startling herself as well as her mother. Kunwar Pratap quickly hid.
" Ajab. Look at you!" Hansa scolded. Ajabdeh stood silent as her mother walked away, and Kunwar Pratap came out to have a hearty laugh at her as she narrowed her eyes at him.
She went into their private chambers to clean up as Kunwar Pratap appeared behind her. She was cleaning the clay off herself when he startled her with "Let me help," and drenched her in a jug of water as she got angry. A knock on the door broke the moment as Kunwar Pratap opened the door to see Patta. Patta, on seeing his Jija drenched, managed to hide a smile as he said, " I must have come at the wrong time" That embarrassed Ajabdeh as Kunwar Pratap asked, " Any information?"
"Yes, Western Highlands." Kunwar Pratap nodded, pleased as he said to Patta, " Tell Hansa Mausi I will leave tomorrow at dawn and will be back in three days to take Ajabdeh back."
"Leave?" Patta looked confused. Pratap smiled.
"If he doesn't leave, they won't make a move." Ajabdeh smiled as Kunwar Pratap nodded in approval.
"Oh, all right!" Patta nodded and left.
Everyone sat down for a hearty meal at dinner, as Hansa put out a grand feast.
"You are leaving tomorrow, Baojiraj?" Ramrakh asked, surprised.
" You could have had lunch here at least," Hansa spoke up.
"I know it's early, but there is some work." He spoke as Ajabdeh nodded in approval.
After dinner, Kunwar Pratap walked into his room after a talk with Patta. Ajabdeh was sitting with Baijilal's dress in hand and checking a sword. He smiled.
"Sleep, we have a big day tomorrow!" He spoke up.
"We? I thought Badshah Khan!" She smiled as he frowned.
She looked up at him, "After all, who else had the luck to meet Sakhaveer, Baijilal and Kunwar Pratap all at the same time!" Her words made him smile as he nodded and sat beside her to check the weapons in the trunk.
"No No Daata." Before he could open his mouth, Ajabdeh spoke up. " It's his habit to scrutinise every crowd like that! The warrior in him never rests."
"No, I...." He protested softly as Ajabdeh added, "He never stops until and unless he invites danger."
"No, No! It's not like that!"
"Yes! It is like that"
"Ajabdeh!" Hansa Bai's scolding stopped Ajabdeh as Kunwar Pratap smirked.
"Don't talk to your husband like that. What did I teach you?" Hansa added. Ajabdeh lowered her gaze at the carpet, rubbing her hands.
" See, this is how she talks all the time!" Kunwar Pratap's words made her fume as her mother gasped.
"Ajabdeh!" As she was reminding her daughter of the codes of conduct as a wife, Ajabdeh looked miffed at the smiling face of Kunwar Pratap that spoke of victory.
" But Maa..." Her words were silenced again by Hansa Bai. Let me go back to Chittor; if I don't make Ranima scold you, I am not Baijilal. She swore.
"Now for the Coin hiding Rasm," Hansa explained.
" We will give Kunwarsa 7 coins that he will hide in the room, anywhere. Ajabdeh will try to find the coins. Then Ajabdeh will hide them, and he will find them. If they manage to find all the coins, it will be evident that he knows her well and vice versa."
Ratan and Balwant were excited as Ratan sided with her Jija and Balwant with Kunwar Pratap.
"First, Kunwar Pratap will hide."
Hansa's words made him smile confidently as he took the coins and closed the door of the room behind him. Within a few minutes, he was back with the same confident smile as Ratan spoke up.
"Jija, go and search."
Ajabdeh entered the room and looked around. She smiled. She knew each and every corner of the Mahal so well that if anything was amiss, she could tell. Three coins were in her hand soon, and Kunwar Pratap looked worried.
"This is not fair, she knows the place." He murmured.
"Everything is fair when the opponent is your wife, Baojiraj." Chakrapani appeared smiling as everyone laughed, and Kunwar Pratap shook his head.
Soon, Ajabdeh wore a victory smile as she showed the family the seven coins. Kunwar Pratap was not one to lose.
" Let me search. I am Kunwar Pratap Singh. I never lose!" He was clearly competitive.
"Hai Bhagwan!" Ratan spoke to Patta. "This is more of a war than a rasm now."
"This happens when two warriors get married," Balwant smirked.
Ajabdeh was taking longer than usual to hide the coins behind closed doors.
"This is cheating, she can not take all day!" He protested.
"Patience Baojiraj, it is the key to..." Chakrapani stopped at his cold stare.
" Search now."
She smiled as he walked in. He looked under the carpet, and there was nothing. She smiled, sure that he would lose. He stared at the lamps and smiled. Two coins she had hidden on the unused lampshades. Ajabdeh frowned as he smiled. One appeared in the vase on the table. Kunwar Pratap's eyes fell on the pot of soil kept for gardening in a corner.
"Mewar's soil." He murmured to a disappointed Ajabdeh as two coins appeared in it.
He was searching the room frantically as she smiled again. He saw her smile as a challenge. He stepped across the room, crossing her and towards her lord Girdhar as her eyes widened.
" Sorry that I am taking this from your feet." He found the coins carefully hidden by the flower petals at his feet.
He smiled at his bride, who couldn't believe that he had found the coins as he handed them over to Hansa Bai.
" This proves that they both know each other so well." Saubhagyawati was pleased. As their eyes met, and smiled. They couldn't help but agree.
" Go to your room and rest until dinner," Hansa spoke up after a hearty lunch. Ajabdeh said, " I will go meet Laxmi first, it's only past noon!" and walked away as the others sat talking politics.
Kunwar Pratap was in the room, lost in thought, when she entered, appearing pleased. She sat down to braid her hair as she spoke, unmindfully and happily.
" Laxmi is doing well. And Ratan flooded me with so many questions. About the palace. The people," she smiled.
Kunwar Pratap was still unmindful. "But he is not here yet... Or is he waiting for me to go?"
Ajabdeh realised that he was not paying attention as she frowned. " You are not even listening to me!"
Kunwar Pratap got back to reality as he lied, " No, I was"
" Really? Tell me what I just told you?" She narrowed her eyes.
" You speak so much that it's impossible to keep track. "
As soon as he said it, Kunwar Pratap realised he had made a grave mistake, seeing her fume. She silently picked up the puja thali and made her way to the temple. He immediately called on Patta, whom he had appointed to be her shadow, without letting her know.
At the temple, miffed by his behaviour, Ajabdeh folded her hands to the lord.
"Girdhar Gopal, show me some way to make him listen at times. 7 days and he is like this, what will happen in 7 lives?"
" I know a way." Bhago's voice made her jump as she smiled and hugged her friend.
"Let's dress you up like before, the simple Ajabdeh he loved." Bhago seemed excited.
"Aree nahi..." Ajabdeh protested softly, a little unsure as Bhago held her hand. "Trust me, he will not be able to keep his eyes off you!"
As Bhago did her sringaar, Ajabdeh frowned.
"Marriage does such strange things." Bhago appeared amused. "Who thought our Virangana Baijilal would also dress up for her husband?" She giggled.
"Bhago, if you tease like this, then let it be." She got up as Bhago made her sit down again with a quick apology.
"Trust me, Bhago, he will not be affected! He is beyond all these; he doesn't know how to appreciate beauty." Ajabde spoke disappointedly.
"Oh, he might be a warrior, but here he is a husband, right? He will notice." Bhago giggled.
Bhago dressed her up in a simple lehenga and a neckpiece maangtika, and a nose ring. She put the dupatta on her head and said, " Stay put."
In the corridor, she met Kunwar Pratap and informed him that Ajabde had called upon him. Kunwar Pratap frowned.
" She was angry a while ago, and now she is calling me? Daajiraj was right, wives are confusing!" He murmured to himself as he made his way to the room.
He opened the door as his eyes met in the mirror. He looked away, asking, "You called?"
" What's different today?" He looked up at her smiling face, confused at her question.
"Ji?"
"What's different? Look around... What's..." He looked around the room, making her smile disappear.
"What's different in ME?" she asked, annoyed. He looked more clueless as he added.
"Nothing, you are you, Ajabdeh!"
"Ohho!" She sat down on the bed hopelessly. "I told Bhago!"
"Told what?" He frowned. " I am hating being clueless."
"Look." She walked up to him. "I dressed up!"
"You did? Oh, you did! For what?" He asked, surprised.
"Nothing, I have work."
"Aree, what happened now?"
"You were supposed to appreciate my beauty!" She frowned as he laughed.
"What? You know I am a warrior, we don't have eyes for beauty."
"I am also a warrior, Kunwarsa!" She defended.
"You look pretty." He tried to calm her down.
"Rehne dijiye." She left as Kunwar Pratap wondered why she acted so weirdly.
Kunwar Pratap followed Ajabdeh out in the corridor as he heard Patta compliment her.
"Jija, you look different", made Ajabdeh smile as Kunwar Pratap looked wide-eyed as trouble seemed to increase for him. He shook his head and followed Ajabdeh to Laxmi's shed.
"Laxmi. Tell me how I look." She taunted as her eyes fell on a potter's wheel in a corner. She smiled. A punishment!
Kunwar Pratap arrived to find her giving shape to clay on the potter's wheel. He frowned. She spoke without staring at him, with a smile.
" Come. Let me teach you to give beautiful shapes to clay. Then you can learn to appreciate the beauty!" Her taunt made him shake his head as he sat down to face her.
She taught him with his hands on hers as she instructed through the procedure, smiling. He stared at her as her cheeks had a smudge of clay, and she looked up to see him staring as she blushed, and his hands held hers as she protested softly.
"Aree, the shape of the..." Her words died out at his stare. " It's done."
She got up to leave, and his clay-smudged hands held her wrist as he got up and dragged her towards him. She blushed as he whispered.
"Ajabdeh. For me, beauty is what you have inside you, your kindness, intelligence, and bravery. Your love and generosity. It makes you different. It makes you my Baijilal. " He pulled her closer as she looked up at him with a smile.
"Kunwar Pratap Singh! This is a cowshed!" She pinched his hand before he could react and ran giggling.
He ran after her through the corridors as Ajabdeh looked back to see if he was following her and bumped into Hansa Bai, startling herself as well as her mother. Kunwar Pratap quickly hid.
" Ajab. Look at you!" Hansa scolded. Ajabdeh stood silent as her mother walked away, and Kunwar Pratap came out to have a hearty laugh at her as she narrowed her eyes at him.
She went into their private chambers to clean up as Kunwar Pratap appeared behind her. She was cleaning the clay off herself when he startled her with "Let me help," and drenched her in a jug of water as she got angry. A knock on the door broke the moment as Kunwar Pratap opened the door to see Patta. Patta, on seeing his Jija drenched, managed to hide a smile as he said, " I must have come at the wrong time" That embarrassed Ajabdeh as Kunwar Pratap asked, " Any information?"
"Yes, Western Highlands." Kunwar Pratap nodded, pleased as he said to Patta, " Tell Hansa Mausi I will leave tomorrow at dawn and will be back in three days to take Ajabdeh back."
"Leave?" Patta looked confused. Pratap smiled.
"If he doesn't leave, they won't make a move." Ajabdeh smiled as Kunwar Pratap nodded in approval.
"Oh, all right!" Patta nodded and left.
Everyone sat down for a hearty meal at dinner, as Hansa put out a grand feast.
" You could have had lunch here at least," Hansa spoke up.
"I know it's early, but there is some work." He spoke as Ajabdeh nodded in approval.
After dinner, Kunwar Pratap walked into his room after a talk with Patta. Ajabdeh was sitting with Baijilal's dress in hand and checking a sword. He smiled.
"Sleep, we have a big day tomorrow!" He spoke up.
"We? I thought Badshah Khan!" She smiled as he frowned.
She looked up at him, "After all, who else had the luck to meet Sakhaveer, Baijilal and Kunwar Pratap all at the same time!" Her words made him smile as he nodded and sat beside her to check the weapons in the trunk.
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