Sealed

Pratap's phone rang and he jolted a little. It was too late at night. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep, crying. The screen flashed Heer's name on it. His heart skipped a beat. Was she okay?

"Hello." There was urgency in his voice. "Is everything okay?" He asked almost in a reflex.

"I… hello. It's me. My phone battery died so…" Ajabdeh's voice made him sigh in relief. "Oh. How can I help you?" He checked his tone. He could hear her sigh.

"We need to talk." She said.

"There is nothing left to…"

"No. I mean… I mean…" he waited with a narrowed pair of brows as she stammered. "You left something here by mistake."

"Oh. Must have got into your luggage." He said. "Let it be."

"No. Why don't you come along and take it tomorrow?"

"Ajabdeh I am sure it's nothing important." He scrutinized the things spread around him in heaps. "I have everything I need here. Don't bother so much."

"Are you sure?" She insisted "I think you should come around."

"It's about the papers isn't it?" He snapped. "Fine. You could just say that. I will stop by after work. Take care." He was eager to end the call. Her voice was like a knife stabbing his heart.

"You too." She disconnected.

Ajabdeh paced the room and looked up at the clock. Heer had informed her flight was on time. She sighed. She then picked up the phone and texted.

"You are coming right?" She asked.

"After work. Can be late. We can skip." He texted back.

"No. Come over. Take back what is yours." He was annoyed at her text. She couldn't even keep something that belonged to him for a few days. Did his mere presence irk her so much? He took the keys and packed his briefcase.

As soon as Ajabdeh opened the door she noticed how tired and sleepless Pratap looked. Like he hadn't slept all night.

"What did I leave behind that is so important that…'' he stopped as he entered the house. "Wait a minute. Are you alone?" He sounded anxious. "Where is Heer?"

"On a flight back to Delhi," Ajabdeh said rather calmly.

"What?" Pratap looked agitated. "You can't stay alone. The doctor…" Pratap picked up his phone.

"It's okay. I told her to leave. She didn't want to. She has something important at work." She reassured Pratap to put the phone back in his pocket.

"Fine. I will tell Shakti to…" He stopped at her cold stare.

"Fine. Do what you want to. What did I forget was so important that I had to be here today itself?" He asked. He was scared being in the same room as she made him vulnerable. "Could it not wait?"

"No. You forgot the most important thing." She said taking a step closer and making him stare at her with questioning eyes. " Your wife."

"Wha…"

"She is stupid. She is slow. You can't give up on her just because she told you to."

"I don't understand." Pratap managed as his throat went dry and his heart thumped in his chest. "You said…"

" Do you want to take her back or not?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and inching closer to him.

"Who is her?" He asked, confused.

" Your wife. You forgot to take her home." Ajabdeh smiled as her eyes sparkled. Pratap thought either this was a dream or she was under medication.

"But you told…" he reminded her.

"I said what I said. I thought you never… loved me." She blinked away her tears.

"Are you crazy? Of course, I love you. I have always loved you."

"But you never said it before. Never said it ever." She placed her hand over his heart. "I was so scared. And insecure."

" I am so sorry. I always thought gestures were enough for us. Like I knew from your gestures that you care I thought you see through me." He said holding her shoulders with both hands. She looked into his moist eyes. "I am so sorry you went through so much."

"No. We did. We went through so much and I never realized I was not alone. You were there in all the happiness and pain. I just didn't see that. I was blinded by my own pain."

"I could have been more vocal. I also took you for granted. I assumed you were happy."

"No. You didn't. You just … I always knew you won't leave me no matter what. So I tried to push you away. I thought you would be happier. But the moment you abandoned me…"

"I never abandoned you." Pratap shook his head, clasping her chin. "I can never. I am the happiest with you Ajabdeh. You are my home. My safe place. The one who is there through my biggest failures and flaws and never lost faith in me."

"Then promise me that if I am ever crazy enough to push you away you will never leave me alone."

"I promise you." Pratap hugged her. "We are enough for each other Ajabdeh. We are complete in our own way. We don't need society to tell us otherwise." He said softly in her ears. She nodded hugging him tighter. Placing her head on his shoulder she closed her eyes and let her tears flow.

"Even when I cry or annoy you? Say things I don't mean? Or oppose you?"

"Even then. I am never going anywhere."

"You have to put up with the mood swings and insecurities. The workaholism and stress. I cry a lot lately." Her words made him smile.

"I am here to bring you coffee and wine, listen to your problems, and wipe away your tears." He reassured her by putting his chin on her head.

"What if there are bad days? Days you are tired of me? Or I want to kill you." She asked, making him almost chuckle.

"We will fight and make up. We will have vacations. We will spend time with the family. Cool down and talk it out. Not keep anything from each other." He reassured her again. "We will be fine."

"I love you." Pratap broke the hug at her words and looked into her eyes with a smile. He wiped her tears away from her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too." She smiled back at his words before leaning in for a kiss.

"You want to take your wife home?" She asked inches away from his lips as their noses touched.

"Maybe tomorrow." She frowned at his words. He smiled slightly pulling her by the waist towards him. "Tonight I want to show her how much I love her." He smiled planting a soft peck on her nose.

"I missed you." She smiled.

"I missed us." He smiled back as she hugged him again.

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Of Faith and Fate

Series Announcement! Historical Fictions are special, so here is one, short but special tale close to my heart after a really long time! This story is a special one because it is completely historical fiction with very little connection to the fan fiction I have written previously. However, I have maintained the sequence of events, reading history books on the context. This is not a story of a man and a woman, their love and trust. This one is about the tests time often puts people through, forcing them to change. My protagonists in this one are hence, two princesses of the same age. Ajabdeh Punwar or Ajbante Kanwar Baisa, as she is locally called is the princess of a very significant district of Bijolia in Mewar. Bijolia lies in the seat of political events, at the border of Bundi and Mewar. Having her lineage from the mighty Chauhans, her forefathers once ruled Mewar. Her father is an officer in the army of Mewar under Rana Udai Singh and she is a lady of princip...

Preparation

It has been a tradition since time immemorial in the face of the earth that the men marched to war, seeking glory for their states and kings, adorning their bodies with bruises no less gaudy than the most precious gems of the land, while the women waited and prayed for their safe return. No war was easy or certain. At least that is what they grew up learning. But does it stop the war? Or the need for power? Absolutely not. The royal blood demands shedding it. Kumar Viraj could have left Maanwari as a child but Maanwari had not left his veins. That was perhaps why he was braver and more skilful than men his age. When Adhiraja Ishaan Dev offered him Neelambargarh’s mighty troops to capture Maanwari, he knew they would surely outnumber his uncle’s one by hundreds. But he made sure he refused Adhiraja's personal help. Battles made Ishaan Dev’s adrenaline rush. He wanted to lead Kumar Viraj to victory. But when Kumar Viraj said that it would only demean his claim to be ready for the thr...

Eternally Yours

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“Some dreams are once broken often come back as haunting nightmares.” The Padishah Begum received the news of the birth of a baby boy to Harka Bai at Sikri. She had arranged for a feast and celebration at Lahore and thanked the Almighty herself for this happiness. She prayed that the boy was safe. Hamida Banu had herself sent a messenger to the Padishah Begum at Lahore. The ladies celebrated for a week. The Padishah Begum had given away coins, and clothes to the needy and new clothes to the kin. The Emperor was on his way to Sikri as well. She had smiled at the happy faces savouring the wine and sweet dishes. She greeted and congratulated everyone around the Harem. The Timurid blood would be safe on the throne. Jalal had visited once in the past few months, giving her the good news of Harka Bai conceiving again. He feared that people were conspiring at Agra. Hence, Harka Bai’s firstborns died, unnaturally. Ridiculous rumours were spread, about the Emperor killing his o...

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Neelambargarh

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Sadh Puron

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