Pratap was putting the reign on Chetak when
he heard not one but two pairs of footsteps at the stable. Patta bowed with a
smile “Choti Rajkunwarisa Khamma Ghani” and he turned to see Ajabdeh being
accompanied by another lady who acknowledged Patta. She looked nothing similar
to Ajabdeh, except for the smile both of them shared, and she was indeed more
beautiful. The gossip around the village was that she got engaged because she
was prettier and it hadn’t escaped Pratap’s ears. She looked far timider and
less confident than Ajabdeh.
“This is Pratap.” Ajabdeh flashed a smile
making him bow slightly at the lady.
“The man who tamed Chetak.” Heer smiled
appreciating as Pratap looked at her a little taken aback and at Ajabdeh who
smiled at her sister.
“This is my sister, Heer.” Ajabdeh stared at
Pratap who immediately withdrew his eyes off her.
“Congratulations on your engagement
Rajkunwarisa.” He had smiled at Heer. “Ma’am the horse is ready.” Ajabdeh
frowned at his formality as he avoided her glance and walked back to Chetak.
“Heer, meet Chetak! Chetak this is Heer.
Say Hi.” Ajabdeh softly patted Chetak as he neighed making Heer stare at him
shocked. “See, he neighs when I call his name.”
“Wow, Jija I never thought he can be tamed!”
Heer smiled. “I must say you did a good job, didn’t he Jija?” Heer smiled at
Pratap and back at Ajabdeh.
“Yes he did Heer, and I can’t thank him
enough for it,” Ajabdeh spoke stroking Chetak as Pratap stepped away looking at
the ground below his feet. “Every heart can change with a little bit of love.”
Ajabdeh’s words made Heer smile as Pratap looked a little pale and his throat
felt dry.
“Rajkunwarisa, your Badal.” Patta had
arrived with Badal from his stable, and Heer smiled patting him.
“Let’s ride together Jija. Patta, hold Badal
for me, will you?” Heer smiled at Ajabdeh’s nod.
Pratap silently put the reign and saddle on
Chetak waiting for Ajabdeh to sit on him.
“Chetak?” Ajabdeh frowned as he shook his
head and held Chetak’s reign. “Are we angry still about the accident? I said I
am sorry...”
“No.” Came a soft reply.
“Then what is it with the Ma’am?” She
frowned imitating him as they now stood in the open meadow. Heer waved at
Ajabdeh from Badal, in the distance. “Because she is here?” The question was met
with silence. “Or people are not talking today?!” She shrugged.
“Is everything fine in the palace?” She
smiled at his question and narrowed her eyes “Yes and no.”
“Jija!” Heer had now instructed Patta to
take her horse closer so that she could ride parallel to Ajabdeh “Your Chetak
is indeed more handsome than Badal.”
“I told you!” Ajabdeh flashed a smile.
“Where did you learn to ride?”
“During college days. Long back.” Heer
smiled. “Umm... Pratap is it?”
“Yes Ma’am” He nodded with a slight smile.
“Where have you learned?”
“My father...” he had stopped, “Ummm...
he...”
“They have a riding school in Jodhpur. They
stay there.” Ajabdeh interrupted as he glanced up at her smiling and back at
Heer.
“I see.” Heer stared back at Ajabdeh and at
Pratap. “I wish to go back Patta, come to Jija.”
“You go on, I just started, I pay him for
an hour and his hour isn’t over yet,” Ajabdeh said matter of factly that making
Pratap look away and shake his head.
“Enjoy your ride then.” Heer smiled “Take
care of my Jija, Pratap.”
“I will.” He acknowledged the princess.
Ajabdeh turned to see her go.
“Let go of the reign.” She said excitedly.
“Don’t be silly, you can’t control him.” He
said monotonously. “Wasn’t that day enough?”
“I can. You will see. Let go.”
“Stop being stubborn, it is risky.” He
looked up at her disapproving glance.
“You are scared?” She raised eyebrows and made
colour flush from his face as he looked away “Yes, I may lose my job if it
repeats.” She frowned at his words.
“Chetak stop.” He had stopped at her firm
words. Ajabdeh got down from the horse and walked away, as Pratap hoped she
would turn back once, in vain. He sighed patting Chetak.
“Will
we be at the gathering today? At the temple?” Ajabdeh asked Heer reaching her
at the stable as Patta and Pratap took the horses away.
“I think so, Maasa said we will meet Guruma
and seek her blessings for the engagement.” She blushed a little making Ajabdeh
stare at Pratap patting Chetak in the distance.
Ajabdeh walked up to Patta and instructed
him “There will be some guests arriving for the royal engagement. Friends,
family, close ones. I want the stable clean and ready in case the guests want
to ride.”
“Yes Baisa Hukum, don’t worry.”
“I am off to the temple gathering with
Maasa.” She eyed Pratap stop patting Chetak briefly at her words before
stroking him again.
“My
hour is over.” He stared at his watch and at Patta. Then nodding slightly at
Heer, he left. Ajabdeh frowned watching him go.
Meera was singing at the temple complex
when Pratap sat a few feet away staring at some children at play. The car’s
engine caught his attention, as he caught the first glimpse of the queen
accompanied by her two daughters. While the queen looked elegant in a saree,
folding her hands and walking with dignity towards Meera, her daughters followed
the younger one in a pink salwar, dupatta over her head, carrying a tray, of
perhaps gifts for the poor. The older one kept her distance and walked with
slow measured steps. She was in a light blue Anarkali and looked around at the
crowd searching. Eyes met as he looked away and walked away from her sight,
towards the Kund. She stared at him go and tapped Heer on her shoulder.
“I am not feeling too well in this heat and
crowd.”
“Oh Jija you are not used to it, you want
to go back?” Heer looked concerned.
“Umm... I will just take a stroll and go
home. You stay here.” She eyed her mother waiting with folded hands in front of
Meera as she walked away.
Pratap was on the lookout, on the other
bank of the Mandakini Kund, towards the temple, as she walked up behind him,
almost running into him.
She was about to speak when he looked
around and back at her alarmed.
“Why are you avoiding me?” He frowned
looking away at her words.
“I am not.” He spoke in a composed tone
“Why will I...”
“I don’t know! All I wanted was to talk...”
Her eyes twinkled. He looked at her briefly, careful to move his eyes away from
her and said “It is because your family is here, and you aren’t... alone
anymore. I don’t think they will approve of you being here... with me.”
“I don’t care!” She shook her head “You
know very well I...”
“But I do. I care about what people think
or say, or what consequences your being here can cause.” She inhaled at his
words.
“Please, Rajkunwari Ajabdeh Baisa.” He
folded his hands and looked away making her fume. “Please spare me my space and
my job and do the right thing.”
“The right thing?” There was a hint of
amusement in Ajabdeh’s voice that made him look up at her. “And you will
dictate to me what the right thing is?”
“I can suggest what is best for you.” He
looked away.
“And what is that?” She frowned.
“Make friends who are worthy of your
standards.” He had stepped back two steps. Carefully away from her, “I don’t
deserve your friendship.” Ajabdeh watched him walk away as she suddenly felt a
fit of rage waves through her entire being. His words stabbed her heart more
than anything else ever did.
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