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“The greatest
love often goes through the biggest tests.”
“Your feet are soar, Ajbante Baisa, what
are you doing?” Bhagwati passed her the milk as Ajbante Kanwar Baisa stirred
the kheer now, “There, I am almost done.” She insisted.
“If Ranisa gets to know that you…”
“Hush!” Ajbante warned, checking the sugar, “She shouldn’t.”
“Then listen to me, let’s go to your
chambers, let the cooks do this. You have already cooked four dishes ...”
Bhagwati insisted. “Besides, you were running a fever yesterday, and you fasted all
day. You should rest today.”
“Just this, and we are done.” She smiled, “Daata will go to the Khema with food, and it is our reputation in question…”
“Lies!” Bhagwati giggled. “It’s Kunwar
Partap in question! Your first chance to feed him.”
“ Quiet.” Ajbante looked alarmed “Someone
might hear you.” She blushed.
“So? You are his would-be wife!” Bhagwati
giggled. “Everyone here knows that!”
Ajbante Kanwar got up to put the kheer in
the bowl, and her head felt heavy as she sat down. Saubhagyawati looked
concerned and checked her forehead with a gasp.
“Ranisa Ranisa! Baisa is unconscious.” She
just heard Bhagwati’s voice ring through her blurred vision.
Kunwar Partap was trying in vain to do his
own bandage with the balm, as the medicine man had instructed. He missed Ranima and
her soothing touch most at these times. The Sevak came to help.
“Baojiraj, allow me.” He begged.
Kunwar Partap gave in; it was a long, exhausting day at work, and they had checked the posts at the borders. He was
more alarmed now than he was when he had set off with a totally different
agenda, towards Sirohi the previous day.
“Kunwarsa.” A soldier stopped at the
curtains of his tent as the Sevak helped him with his angrakha. “Rawat
Chundawatji is here.” Kunwar Partap frowned at the sand clock. So soon?
“Send him in.” He dispersed both the Sevak
and the soldier.
The curtains parted, and Rawat Chundawat,
one of his father’s favourite aides, came in with a smile on his face. Kunwar
Partap folded his hands in respect to “Khamma Ghani.”
“Ghani Khamma Kunwarsa.” He frowned at the
injured hand “All is well?”
“Yes, Rawatji, just a minor injury.” He
nodded with a smile.
“Ranaji sends me to check on you,” made him
smile. Knowing Ranima, he had expected this. She had probably set out to meet
him herself when his father had stopped her and sent Rawatji instead.
“Kunwarsa, I have some important discussion
with you.” His smile disappeared as Kunwar Partap nodded and went to pull the
curtains tightly in the camp.
“Don’t let anyone…” he stopped telling the
guards as Raoji’s troop came in sight.
“Ghani Khamma Kunwarsa.” The man smiled, “How are you feeling now?”
“I am fine, Raoji.” He reassured.
Rawatji came out to greet the man. “Come
inside.” Rawatji invited Raoji in as Kunwar Partap nodded an approval.
Rawat Chundawat, along with Rao Punwar, were
impressed with the foolproof security plans Kunwar Partap had just made. It
was way past the afternoon into the dusk when they were satisfied with their
plans. Kunwar Partap ordered immediate action on security. Rawat Chundawat
was all set to return to Chittorgarh with the plan when Rao Ramrakh stopped him, making Kunwar Partap stare.
“I came with a request, Kunwarsa.” Raoji
rubbed his hands together. “If you agree, my wife has sent you dinner at the
Khema. She wanted to come herself, but… seeing the security concerns, I advised
her against it.”
“That’s some good news, Raoji, Bijoliya’s
royal cuisine.” Rawatji looked delighted “Am I invited or not?”
“Of course, Rawatji.” Raoji smiled at him and then at Kunwar Partap, who approved of the food. “Do give her my regards.” He
managed a faint smile before turning to Rawatji, who was now rolling a map of
the borders.
“The Afghans won’t sit silently, you have
killed their leader.” He said as Raoji agreed. “We need to find their hideouts
and drive them out of Mewar as soon as we can.” He met Kunwar Partap’s nod.
“I have written about it to Bhai Shakta; he, after taking Daajiraj’s permission, will lead the troops to search himself.”
He smiled, “He will get to them, and we can fight them if they want to.”
“And the Bijoliya borders, Raoji.” Rawat ji
looked at the man, “These parts are frequently being attacked and looted as
well.”
“We
can do something?” Kunwar Partap offered.
“The last time we drove them away, they
threatened to attack the Mahal, rather openly.” Raoji shook his head.
“I don’t think they will dare to do that, Raoji,” Rawatji reassured.
They sat talking about the other political
scenarios around them while the food was being served.
“Humayun is in Kabul, I last heard.”
Rawatji spoke, “Agra and Dinpanah seem far from his reach now.”
“You cannot say about thrones, Rawatji,
things change in minutes.” Raoji smiled.
“The Umerkot Rajputs are still their
aides?” Kunwar Partap frowned.
“Heard so.” Raoji agreed. “I don’t know
about others, but he seemed like a good man; after all, he came to help Ranisa
Karnavati and Rana Vikramaditya ji in times of need.” Rawatji nodded in
agreement. Kunwar Partap frowned.
“The Jauhar couldn’t be stopped in time. He
came late. Willingly or unwillingly.” His voice trailed. The men stared at each
other in silence.
“Kunwarsa. Dinner is served.” The Daasi
interrupted them, making them stare at their plates. The delicious aroma of the
food spread on the silverware, especially by the Ranisa of Bijoliya, made
them smile.
Kunwar Partap looked impressed at the
platter. He was indeed hungry, and the food looked delicious. He was about to
help himself when the bandage hurt him, and he frowned uneasily in pain.
“Kunwarsa?” Raoji looked concerned “Are you
all right?”
“Her head is burning with fever.” Hansa Bai
sat worried at the bedside of the princess, a small lamp flickering. She stared
at an equally worried Bhagwati “What were you two up to, Baisa?”
“I swear, Ranisa.” The girl looked scared “I
don’t know where she was.” Bhagwati hid the balm applied to the sore feet of her friend
under the blanket. Ajbante Kanwar Baisa moaned something in the fever and semi-consciousness.
“What is it?” Hansa Bai looked worried.
“Hey Bhagwan Ajab, you are burning with fever, someone get me some water and a
piece of cloth quick!”
“I am fine.” She held her worried mother’s
hand with a faint smile, “I promise, Maasa.”
“Where did you go?” Her mother’s query made
her gulp.
“I rode to the Gurukul Maasa, and the heat
caught me. That’s it.” She met Bhagwati’s eyes she looked scared. Hansa Bai
could make out Ajbante’s lies from how her face winced. She placed her hand on
her forehead lovingly.
“Rest now.” Hansa Bai knew exactly where
she was at that very moment. She managed to hide her smile. Her daughter’s
heart was perhaps Mewar’s now.
“Bhagwati,” Ajbante whispered to the friend
in need. “Did you find it?”
“Baisa”, she looked scared “I searched the
whole palace and outside it as well, but the anklet was nowhere.” She gulped. “Where
did you lose it on the way?”
“I… don’t know. The forest, roads, fort, it
can be anywhere.”
“The camp?” Bhago looked scared as Ajbante
Baisa stared wide-eyed.
“I am fine, Raoji.” Kunwar Partap managed to
tuck a piece of bandage back in “I just cannot bandage the way Ranima does it
for me, that is it” He smiled an innocent smile that made Rawatji laugh. Kunwar
Partap took a morsel of food in his mouth as Raoji smiled at him, savouring it.
“How is Ajbante Kanwar Baisa?” Rawatji
smiled at Raoji, “It’s been so long since I have seen her.” Kunwar Partap’s hand
stopped at the morsel.
“She is learning the Vedas now, Gurukul and
Vaidji’s Seva Kendra are her worlds.” Raoji smiled at Rawatji, who eyed Kunwar
Partap once.
“Seva Kendra?” Rawatji asked, surprised. “At
such a tender age…”
Raoji smiled, “Vaidji’s granddaughter
Saubhagyawati is her friend. They spend most of the day helping there,
especially with the old and homeless people.”
Kunwar Partap stared at them once, then back
at his plate. Then it struck him, the Royal anklet? Couldn’t have been Vaid’s granddaughter… it was…
“The Kheer is too good. So is the Ghevar, Raoji.” Rawatji smiled. “Tell Hansa Bahena. And do send Ajbante Baisa my
blessings.”
“Ajbante … has always cooked better than
her mother.” Raoji looked proud.
“She cooked the food?” Rawatji stared, stunned, licking his fingers.
“Yes, she always cooks for guests herself.”
Raoji smiled. They stared at Kunwar Partap finished his dinner in a hurry.
Rawatji smiled at a rather worried Raoji.
“Is the food not good enough, Kunwarsa?”
“No, No Raoji, thank you for it, but I am
full.”
Kunwar Partap rose from his seat, making the
men stare. “I… am done, I need to rest. Subh Ratri.” He left in a hurry.
In the tent, he ran to his trunk and took
out the anklet he had found the previous morning. He frowned at it, carefully
scrutinising it once more. He had seen this type of jewellery at home. Navratna-studded and heavy, definitely a princess’ jewellery. He looked at it carefully
again and placed it down on the table. Why
was she…? He frowned in displeased.
Maharani Jivanta Bai had informed Kunwar
Partap that his sister’s hand was being asked for marriage by his friend Surjan
Singh’s family. He had looked stunned. Marriage? Wasn’t it… for elders? His
mother had laughed.
“You are old enough to save your motherland
and mother, so you are old enough to honour someone as a wife too!” she had
said, much to his shock.
“I won’t get into such things ever, Ranima,
my life is dedicated to my motherland.” He had smiled as worry swept across her
face. “Kunwar Partap, there is something you should know.” She had made him sit
down.
He had heard her name for the first time
that day, Rajkumari Ajbante Kanwar Punwar. He looked at his mother, stunned.
They had promised an engagement he had no clue about when they were infants. He
was grateful that Raoji was a major contributor in all the battles. He had also
liked Hansa Mausi when he had met her once at his sister’s engagement. But
Marriage to their daughter? He had never thought about life beyond Mewar and
wars. He didn’t want it. He was a warrior; His mother always told him that his
life was Mewar’s. The same Ranima had that day reassured him of her choice and the necessity of marriage to one’s life.
But how could Ranima know how the princess was? She hadn’t met the girl
either. She could be a snobbish, spoilt princess, just like most of them who had
no clue about the world around them. He was sulking all day about it in secret. He
had stayed away from them all his life, and today, his Ranima was telling him he
would eventually marry one.
Kunwar Partap stared at the anklet again.
She was no snobbish princess for sure. But why was she… He had met many
princesses, whose gaze and ways made him feel uneasy at times. His brother had
often teased him again and again about how they would die for his attention. And
then there was this girl who… She didn’t even want him to see her or know her,
yet she made him the balm herself. He stared at the bowl of comfort. He couldn’t
give the girl false hopes.
Early at dawn, Bhagwati had opened the
curtains, as the sunshine from the jharokhas fell on Ajbante Kanwar’s face, making her open her eyes slowly.
“How
are you feeling, Rajkumarisa?” Bhagwati’s question was met with silence.
She frowned, “Ajbante Kanwar Baisa? Baisa?”
She got up, startling her friend.
“I need to go.” She spoke to her friend, holding her hand. “Get the palanquin ready, Bhagwati.”
“Hey Eklingji, you fainted yesterday, you
have a fever, Ajbante Baisa.” Her friend looked worried. “Where are we going so
early in the morning?”
“I am fine; I need to find the anklets
before someone else does.”
“What?” Saubhagyawati looked stunned as if she had seen a ghost. “Do you even know who you are saying? We cannot go back to the
camp asking around for an anklet. We will be caught. He is Kunwar Partap Singh!
He will understand something is amiss, what if he complains to your Daata, what
if…”
“Are you coming or not?” Bhagwati’s pleas
were cut short by Ajbante Baisa’s words, and she agreed in silence.
Kunwar Partap was already late by two days, and he did not want to delay his travels any longer. While leaving for Sirohi,
a sound in the forest stopped him. The foot soldiers grew alarmed.
“What is it, Kunwarsa?”
“I heard something…” He frowned, turning
back. “A procession?”
“At such an early hour?” The soldiers
stared around “No travellers travel this path.”
“I must have heard wrong.” He held his
reign. “Let’s go, we are getting late.”
Ajbante frowned at the empty tents.
Saubhagyawati smiled, relieved “See, it's empty, there is nothing here, let’s go
home. Baisa? Baisa! Baisa?” She called in vain and watched her walk inside the
largest tent, untying the ropes with her pocket dagger.
“Hai Eklingji, what are you doing?”
Bhagwati sat down on the ground, worried. She eyed the maid and the soldier who
had accompanied them. She hoped the news did not reach Raoji. It was clearly
Kunwarsa’s tent that Baisa was trespassing into.” We will be caught and hanged like
thieves!” She exclaimed.
“Bhagwati, come quick.” Ajbante’s alarmed
voice made her skip a beat as she peeped into the tent and watched Ajbante
Kanwar Baisa stand there, by the empty trunk, the only thing left behind. In
her hand, something shone brightly. Coming closer, Saubhagyawati’s eyes widened.
Her anklet. Ajbante gave her a silent look. She snatched the piece of paper
from Ajbante Kanwar Baisa’s hand.
“Rajkumarisa.” Bhagwati sounded alarmed, staring at Ajbante Kanwar Baisa and back at the letter. “Rajkumarisa, next time
you stalk someone, make sure you leave no clues behind, that is the first rule
of … Spying on battlefields?” Bhagwati frowned and stopped. She eyed Ajbante’s
unreadable face and continued. “Thank you, your balm helped a lot.” She smiled.
“But I should inform you that my heart and soul belong to my motherland. No
one else has a place there. Or in my life. I am clearing this up because I don’t
want to give any princess false hope of commitment. Jai Eklingji. Kunwar
Partap Singh of Mewar.” Saubhagyawati stopped, and there was complete silence.
She stared at Ajbante Baisa, smiling. For a moment, she feared her friend had
lost her sanity from the blow she had received with this letter.
“Baisa?” She looked scared and concerned as
Ajbante giggled in a manner very unlike her, “Are you all right?” She was
worried.
“All right? Bhago. Bhago. Bhago.” She held
her friend’s shoulders and twirled twice, surprising her. “I was never so
happy!”
“What?” She looked stunned.
“Kunwar Partap! Wrote to me.” Ajbante
smiled, snatching the letter.
“Yes, telling you not to expect…”
“He taught me a lesson on warfare!” Ajbante
Baisa cut her short. She fell silent. “And… He knows who I am. He knows… me!!”
She tucked the letter into her Dagger holder, making Bhagwati look surprised, “You are keeping it?”
“Of course, how many people does Kunwarsa
write to and give lessons to?” She smirked, her eyes twinkling.
“Ajbante Baisa…”
“He taught me a thing about warfare, Bhagwati, and I will teach him more about life. We will impart lessons if that
is what Kunwarsa wants!” She smiled a smile her friend knew.
“What is going on in your mind?”
“Kunwar Partap should know that he cannot
think of me as just another princess. I, Ajbante Kanwar Punwar, will prove to him that I am an equal and able princess. He will regret this letter; it’s
a promise.” Bhagwati looked at her adamant face, scared.
“He has heard tales of a Rajputani’s
adamant nature, Bhago; now he will see one. Ajbante Kanwar Baisa is and will
always be his.” She smiled, staring at the anklet in her hand.
