Her Protector

Kunwar Pratap walked up to his mother as his eyes searched the crowd in vain.

"Jaivanta Bai, your son has yet again proved that he is Mewar's protector." Udai Singh smiled proudly as Jaivanta Bai did the aarti.

Sajja Bai smiled at Kunwar Pratap's searching eyes.

"Kunwarsa." She smiled as he realised he was caught. " Patience."

She giggled as she stopped watching Ranaji and Jaivanta Bai's serious faces. Dheer Bai smiled.

"Seems like your son is not yours anymore, Jija." She smiled. "His eyes search for someone else."

" Well, Dheerbai, from where I see, he is still standing here waiting for Jija's orders." Sajja smiled again at Jaivanta Bai.

"Pratap, go with the sevaks and change before you go to your room." Jaivanta Bai spoke to her son.

" Ha, Kunwarsa, your dinner will be served in your room." Sajja smiled at a blushing Kunwar Pratap.

He was soon dressed in his white angrakha and red pagri, happy to be back in the comfort of his home, more eager to see her, as he took a box and smiled at it before making his way to the room.

Ajabdeh was once again dressed in her wedding lehenga and jewellery as she looked around the decorated room. Flowers, rangoli, drapes and scented candles made her more nervous.

" Parvati." She called on the Dasi in waiting.

"Ji Kunwaranisa??" She waited for the orders.

" Bring the balms and bandages I made and keep them here." The Dasi went to do as she was ordered.

Kunwar Pratap stood at the threshold of his room, hearing her voice.

"Two bowls of balm, one bandage and yes, keep some warm water too, Parvati, thank you!" He smiled.

As he stepped into the room, box in hand, the Dasis left, closing the door behind him. Ajabdeh's back was to him when he entered with a smile, and she closed her eyes with a deep breath. He stared at the laid-out food. He kept the box down beside the bed and noticed her rubbing her hands. Today, his Baijilal was a new bride.

"I am so hungry." As soon as he spoke, she turned with worry on her face and rushed to the laid-out food, making him smile.

" Ajabdeh." He stopped her hands as she looked confused. "Ji?"

"Don't you want to know what happened?" He asked, knowing what would ease her out.

" Yes." She smiled as their eyes met, and he nodded and started his story as she served food.

She poured out the water and was about to move away when he held her hand and made her sit. He took her favourite dish and put a handful in her mouth before she could protest.

"Tell me about your days here." He insisted. But Baijilal was not convinced.

"It's not over with Badshah Khan, isn't it, Kunwarsa?" Her question made him stare right at her as she smiled proudly at her skills.

" I don't...." He was clearly ignoring the question. Ajabdeh put aside the empty plates and brought the balms and bandages as she thought aloud.

"Well, he is an Afghan; he is cunning, and after all, Shams Khan's son. He's after you. And he will come back stronger. Isn't it?" As impressed as he was with her thoughts, he decided to divert her mind elsewhere.

"Hai Eklinji!" She exclaimed at the wounds on his hand as she applied the balms. Worry swept across her face.

" Baijilal is scared of wounds?" He taunted with a smile.

"No, Mewar's Kunwarani is because these wounds are on Mewar's protector." Her answers always made him smile. He held her hand and pulled her closer as their eyes met, and she looked away, blushing.

"Ajabdeh. I missed you." He smiled at her blushing face.

"Jhut!" She narrowed her eyes, surprising him. " You are lying! The Kunwar Pratap I know loves his wars more than anything else."

"That changed the day Sakhaveer saved a limping girl who didn't know basic escape rules." He chuckled as his taunt miffed her, but a smile curved her lips.

"What's in that box?" She asked with a smile.

"Nothing escapes your eyes, does it?" He shook his head.

"Well, I am the wife." As soon as she spoke, she stared at him, a little embarrassed as he laughed out loud.  He walked to the bedside and brought back the box to her as she looked confused.

"Here, I was supposed to give this as a wedding gift, and I gathered that this would be perfect." He gave her the box and stared at her face as she opened it and gasped in surprise.

There was a golden-handled sharp dagger, with gems on it, and on it were curved lines.

"To the Protector, from Her Protector."

She smiled at it as he spoke up, "I gathered, being the unique one that you are, you will love this more than jewellery."

"I will always keep this with me." She smiled.

"You might need to."

 He spoke up, worried and unmindful, then regretted his words as he looked at her. She could read between his lines as she added.

"I think you should write to Daata and Patta to be on alert."

"No, no, Ajabdeh, they will worry and... It's just an intuition."

"Kunwar Pratap never has wrong intuitions." She smiled confidently.

" Umm... Ajabdeh, you need to promise me something." He held both her hands as she nodded.

"Promise me you will never let the Baijilal in you die." He meant it.

"Yes, I promise, Baijilal will always be there if people need her." She nodded as he smiled, holding her hand in his.

As eyes met, her heart skipped a beat as he pulled her by the hand, closer to him and whispered, " I have injuries on my back and chest also."

"I...I...." Ajabdeh fumbled as he kept his finger on her mouth.

"Hush."

He held her chin, and his fingers caressed her cheeks, making her blush as she hugged him, hiding her face in his chest. He pulled the dupatta away as she moved out of the embrace and added, "You need the bandages done urgently."

"And only you can do that."

He kissed her hands as she got up for the bandages, and he opened the angrakha for her to apply balm. His eyes teased her as she did so without a word and said, "It's done" She stared at his eyes, and he decided to pick her up and put her down on the bed decorated with flower petals.

"Your wounds." She protested softly as he added, "They are fine."

The night broke into dawn as two souls discovered love in a whole new way all over again.

Kunwar Pratap woke at dawn to find himself alone as he frowned. He expected her to be there, but Ajabdeh was up early and was helping Ranima at the puja. Jaivanta Bai was surprised to find her there before her and smiled at her sincerity. Kunwar Pratap was sure she hadn't slept at all; otherwise, no way she could wake up before him. He stepped out of his room and searched the corridors.

"Kunwarsa, are you looking for someone?" Sajja's voice behind him made him look wide-eyed as he eased himself to say, "No, I am ..."

"Jija has called you for the Vinayak Puja." Sajja smiled and walked away.

He stepped into his mother's puja room to find the ladies there, and Jaivanta Bai urged Ajabdeh to do the aarti as they stood.

"Pratap." He stopped at the threshold as the others left. Ajabdeh was about to leave, but was stopped by Jaivanta Bai's hand gesture.

" Ji Ranima."

"I want you to take Ajabdeh to Bijolia for the pakfera. You will stay for a day and return, and she will stay for two more days before you go to bring her back."

"Ji." He agreed as Ajabdeh smiled happily. But as eyes met, his worried eyes made her give an assuring nod.

Ajabdeh had cooked lunch for the family, and as they sat to eat, Kunwar Pratap took the first bite and smiled at the Jharokha.

"Seems like someone already knows who cooked." Sajja teased as Ajabdeh blushed.

" Sajja Jija, he knows her so well, just like Ranaji knows Jija." Veer Bai's smile faded at Dheerbai's glare. Ajabdeh's eyes didn't miss this as she thought to herself how complex life was at the palace. The more she knew, the more Ranima amazed her. She was so perfect. Kunwar Pratap was a perfect example of that.

At night, Ajabdeh was in the room packing her things as he walked in and said, "Ekanth."

" Is everything fine?" She asked, a little worried.

"Listen to me carefully, if anything unusual crosses your mind and..."

"Kunwarsa! I know how to act, and also how to reach you." She stopped him. "I even wrote to Patta." She bit her tongue, a little worried that he might be offended. Kunwar Pratap smiled.

"You did well." He nodded. " Be ready to leave at dawn tomorrow."

"Ji." She smiled.

"But now..." She raised her eyebrows at his words as he said,

"I will lie with my head on your lap, and you will tell me about Bijolia's terrains and ways to get into Bijolia. Okay?"

He promptly lay down as she frowned, adding, "You mean let's make war strategies just in case?" He smiled at getting caught as she excitedly said, "Let's do it on a map!" he agreed.

He lay with his head on her lap as she held out the map, trying to mark out the terrain, remember the names of hills and lakes nearby, and mark the attack and escape routes.

Ajabdeh stopped after a while to find him asleep as she smiled.

"The war must have tired you."

She whispered as she caressed his head and carefully placed it on the pillow. She looked at the Bijolia map, a little worried about Kunwar Pratap, as she smiled, saying.

" Be my protector forever, Sakhaveer."

She folded the maps and laid them down. Bijolia was waiting for her. Her family, her friends, Laxmi and... Badshah Khan! She smiled at the challenge.