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A Heart at War

Legend has it that Pratap had to struggle for his father Rana Udai Singh's approval on his wedding with the daughter of Bijoliya's chieftain's daughter, Ajbante Kanwar Punwar. It is so because he was the crown prince and his first queen was supposed to be the next queen of Mewar. Hence his father expected his first bride to be a powerful princess who would aid his political needs. But stubborn as he always was, Kunwar Pratap had other plans.

The water of the Bhimlat was still. The sound of the waterfall could be heard in the silent afternoon in the dense forest. A pebble caused ripples in the water and alerted the horse gazing nearby. He looked up at the source of the stone. Then began grazing peacefully once again. The source of the stone however was far from being peaceful. His face wore a frown as he stared around restlessly for the umpteenth time. He sat unmindful on the large rock on the bank of the water body watching the ripples closely, lost in thoughts. The sound of anklets made him turn. He stared right at the forest from where the sound came and promptly got up.

The forest floor was now as familiar to her as the Haveli itself. She had played here with her sakhis, received herbal training at the Gurukul nearby, and most importantly came to the Bhimlat on foot. Time and again. But this time she promised herself it will be the last. She had received the news of the war and an impending alliance. The marriage of the favourite crown prince was indeed a happy affair for the whole of Mewar. But to her? She had brushed aside the thoughts. Would she lose a friend? Or perhaps more?

Adjusting her silver mang tika and yellow dupatta on her head properly she breathed in and forced a smile before showing herself. Her simple blue lehenga embroidered quite ordinarily with a pink choli certainly didn’t belong to her. She saw him standing there staring right at her, with a disturbed face. His warrior instincts always kept him on alert. She smiled. He wore the same blue angrakha he had worn the first day they had met. She smiled courteously as she walked up to him.

“What took you so long?” was his impulsive question. He stared at her face, calm and unreadable, as she looked away.
“I am sorry … Hukum.” He raised his eyebrows at her last word. “It is not easy to not get noticed in the haveli and…” she rubbed her hands in nervousness.
“I don’t have much time. The Camp is set and…as soon as I got your letter I…” He stopped closing his eyes and breathing in. With this restlessness, he might just scare her away.
“The war is on, I know Hukum.” She stopped him “You should be at camp rather than being here… But… I apologize that I …“
“I know what I am doing and where I should be Rajkumarisa!” His voice was louder than usual making her stare right at his face with a little shock.
“I…I…I am sorry if I crossed my limits, Hukum!” She stammered looking at his irked face.
“For Eklingji’s sake, Ajabdeh!” He stared right at her intensely “Stop being so formal. Please. That is the last thing I want right now.”

“Kunwarsa!” For the first time, her tone sounded worried.  Worried for him.
His eyes immediately showed a flash of happiness that he disguised rather quickly. But not as quickly as she got what she said and looked away awkwardly. Silence filled the Bhimlat except for the sound of the waterfall.

“Where is he?” Rana Udai Singh frowned at his second born “I asked you something Kunwar Shakti Singh. Answer me!”
“He... took Sarang for a ride in the jungle.” A reluctant loyal brother pointed at the dense forests of Bhilwara.
“In this war situation, without any guards?” He was irked as he clapped his hands. “Send in some soldiers, we cannot lose our best Senapati.”
Kunwar Shakti’s fist tightened at the last words.
“Stop.” He ordered the man who was about to leave with the orders. “I will go and bring back my Dadabhai. You will not lose your best Senapati. I promise.” Kunwar Shakti left a rather irked Rana Udai Singh behind as he mounted his horse.

He stared at her face light up with a gentle smile as she offered some leaves she has brought with her to Sarang, and he happily obliged. She had noticed him smile at them. She patted the horse that neighed at her.
“Mewar needs you. More than anyone else ever will. And never forget your purpose in life. It’s for the motherland.” She stroked the soft mane of the horse as she spoke. He took a step back and turned to face the water away from her. He waited to clench his jaws as she giggled softly at Sarang’s antiques as he tugged at her dupatta for more leaves. Once Sarang was back to grazing she walked up to him, his back still to her.

“How bad is the situation?” She made him stare at her with a confused frown “I  mean…” she looked away “At the war front”
“They have a large army but Marwar lacks good leaders. Rawatji said all we need to do is make sure the war is long and they will eventually sign a treaty. Rao Maldeo is not a very patient man.” He said recollecting Rawatji’s exact words from the night before.

“I heard…” She paused as he stared at her with a frown. She carefully chose her words. She needed to do this.  “That there was another way to stop the war.” She looked away.
“And?” He looked disturbed. “You must have heard what my answer to that was as well?”
“Kunwarsa pardon me but… if that could save so many lives then…” she stopped at his stern stare.
“My parents had an alliance, Ajabdeh. You know very well they are simply not the happiest people on earth today!”
“And what about all the people who will fight in these wars? Who knows how many more will follow? Their families? Their children?” He stared at her admirably.
“ One alliance could save them all.” She spoke in a calm understanding voice.

“And what about …” He stopped to check himself “Who will save me Ajabdeh?”
“You.” She smiled “Are the saviour Kunwarsa.”
“Is this why you called me here Ajabdeh? To say all these? And I thought…” he paused as she smiled faintly, a hint of distance in her voice as she said “Let’s not talk about what could be. Who knows this can be the last time you will meet me.”
“What are you saying Ajabdeh?” His voice had a certain urgency and shock as he looked at her staring longingly at the Bhimlat.
“I am saying, go back to camp, and say you are ready for the alliance. I am saying be the saviour and stop this war.”

“What about YOU?” he took a step forward making her stare at him and fall back two steps as she stared at his twinkling eyes.
“What about me?” she smiled faintly with a twinkling teardrop.
“You know exactly what I am saying Ajab… since when do we need words to…” Kunwar Pratap calmed his racing heart as she looked away.
“I am a very ordinary girl Kunwar Pratap. My father has a very small province under Hukum and…”
“You know that doesn’t matter to me!”
“It matters to Mewar. It matters to everyone.” She looked at him intending.
“It’s my life.” She knew he was stubborn, but she had never seen him this stubborn.
“Your life.” She smiled “Is Mewar’s dream.”
He stood silenced as she quickly wiped away the coming tears.

“Save your soldiers Senapati Pratap that is what you should do.” Her voice was more like an order. It was probably the first time she had asked him for something.
“Then you have to do what I say. Promise me you will choose what will be best for you where ever it may be and you will never again sacrifice anything for anyone. Promise me Ajabdeh.” His voice choked as he stopped.  She looked up at his eyes as hers blurred with tears. Her silence was his answer. She could never make false promises.
“Ajabdeh…” he said her name slowly and sunk it in like it was the last time. Her smile made him make up his mind.

“I promise you that I will save Mewar’s soldiers. But not this way. We are Rajputs. We are born to fight. You called me Mewar’s bravest soldier. I will fight like one. For Mewar and for everyone who matters. And I promise you, the day I lose a war you can give up on the US, not before that.” His determined answer was not to be questioned. Ajabdeh stared at him sinking into what he had said.

“Can I do your tilak?” she asked wiping off her tears quickly. He nodded in approval, his eyes still on her face. She took out her dagger, and cut out a part of her thumb. The bravest soldier of Mewar winced uneasy at the sight of her blood. She smiled ignoring his worried face and her blood did his tilak “ Jai Mewar.” She smiled.
He promptly took out a piece of cloth from his angrakha and tied it to her thumb. “Take care of yourself.” He nodded.
“I will. Take care of Mewar.”
“I will.” He nodded as in his impulse he had held her hand tightly. She placed her hand on his.

“Dadabhai. Dadabhai” Kunwar Shakti’s voice was followed by the sound of hooves as they moved a few feet apart.
“I guess it’s time you go.” She spoke smiling at him.
“I should before he comes here.” He nodded.
“And Kunwarsa.” She added with a smile “I will never give up on us. Even if destiny has other plans.”
“I don’t believe in stars Ajabdeh, we make our own fate. I will make mine. Only with you. I promise. "
 
He rode away as the dust from Sarang’s hooves settled. She stood there watching him go. She stared at the waters of the Bhimlat, wiping away the tears that came, this time in happiness. The warrior was ready for the hardest battle he would ever fight. All she had to do was be his strength. Love had just promised her a strong fight with destiny.



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