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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See You Soon

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Prologue: Impulsive Hearts

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Unexpected

" This is your room Ranisa." Hansa opened the door to the well-furnished large guest room of the Bijolia Palace. The diyas were lit and the room was neat and clean. " Your Daasis decorate the rooms well." Jaivanta Bai looked around. " Oh, Ranisa. all these... " Hansa smiled proudly. " All these are done by my daughter." " Your daughter?" Jaivanta Bai smiled surprised. " Milwayiye ." Jaivanta Bai was eager to meet her. " Ajabde! Ratan!" Hansa called as the girls came in. 13-year-old Ajabde preferred a simple lehenga in a pink and blue Dupatta clad over her head. She was the first one to calmly bend down and touch Maharani's feet as a five-year-old Ratan came running. " Ajabde is very talented in sewing, gardening and home decor. She can also...." " Maa Sa...." Ajabde's soft protest stopped Hansa as Jaivanta Bai smiled. " Accha, I won't tell but these are your good talents, right? ...

Protectors

Rao Surtan was at the Palace gates as the soldiers tried in vain to attack with arrows. His army was stronger and more competent than the one Balwant headed at the Bijolia Fort Gates. “Break the door” he ordered. “Where is Ajabde?” Hansa looked around the cellar. “Jija!” Ratan exclaimed. “She was on the roof last I saw.” “Ajabde.” Hansa Bai opened the cellar door and stepped out followed by Ratan who was equally worried. “Stay back!” Sajja Bai called in vain as Jaivanta Bai too walked out and up the stairs to the corridors of the Ranimahal in search of Ajabde. Meanwhile, Surtan’s army had entered the palace and he made his way to the Ranimahal. He was having different thoughts now. Killing Jaivanta Bai won't yield him anything… Maybe capturing a few young maidens… Ratan froze in the corridor seeing the man approach. Behind her were her mother and Jaivanta Bai with the same reaction. “ Jee Bavro ho gayo!” Surtan Singh took out his sword. Ratan took two ste...

Life and You

" Maharanisa! Maharanisa!" The Daasi ran through the quiet Rani Mahal as Jaivanta Bai who was sitting in front of the Lord in her room ever since she was back, rushed out of her room followed by Sajjabai and Veerbai. " What happened?" She asked, her voice calm, but her heart thumping. " Kunwarsa is here... with Kunwarani... She... She...." The Daasi sobbed as Jaivanta Bai rushed to the room. She stood at the door as her eyes couldn't believe what she saw. Kunwar Pratap was soaked in her blood as he laid her down on the bed shouting " Jaldi. Rajvaidya..." His eyes stopped at the door as Jaivanta Bai rushed to be beside the unconscious Ajabde. The Daasis and Sevaks were running about soon enough. SajjaBai gasped at the scene. So much blood. Kunwar Pratap hadn't noticed anything except her calm unconscious face. Now he looked down at his blood-soaked hands, red, he stared at them as though in a trance. " Kunwar Pratap! Tell me what happ...

You Deserve More

Ajabde woke up with the song of birds as she felt something warm clinging to her hand. Her eyes went wide. Her hand was on the pillow in between, between his hands, clasped as he slept. She thought of removing it slowly but he was holding it so tight. Ajabde's heart beat faster and faster. What do I do now? How do I not wake him? What if... why is my hand in his? She was utterly confused. " Am I..." In love? Pratap was staring at the sleeping figure on his bed as he again looked back at the rain. Then he looked back frowning as she shivered. He closed the windows of the room, to make it cosy then sat on his side of the bed. A lamp flickered on her side like always and he stared at her sleeping figure as he put his blanket over her as well. She shifted a little in her sleep to make herself cosy again. Her payals and bangles made a rhythmic sound breaking the silence of the room. Her hand was out of her blanket and on the pillow in between. He tried to slowly put it in th...

RAABTA

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