RAABTA

Ishaan Dev paced his chambers a little agitated at dawn. They had reached Suryapali two days before and he carefully avoided Priyambada ever since, as they had promised not to get into each other’s way. Today Gulabi Bai informed him of a Fire sacrifice the Queen wanted him to do. It came in a written order. But he was surprised that Priyambada had agreed to do it sitting on his left as a wife. So unlike her. He was almost sure that the queen had refrained from telling her the entire truth of the Fire sacrifice. But he knew the rules. He knew what the queen planned and what she expected of him. He needed to speak to his mother. Maharani Trinayani Devi placed the smoking pipe down and dismissed her maids with a wave of her hand, as her son stood at the threshold. Something told Ishaan Dev that his mother expected him there. He didn’t like being read into, like the back of her hand. by his mother. He sighed as she gestured at him to take a seat.  “I was thinking when you would show up…” “

The camp was relatively smaller owing to the less number of troops that had assembled there. Ishaan Dev arrived to find only one large tent had been set up in the area while a few smaller, makeshift shelters surrounded it. He glanced over at Priyambada who was helped by one of the soldiers to get down from her horse and she ran to the comfort of the fire that was lit in the middle of the camping area. She rubbed her hands in the fire and comforted herself by hugging her arms. The chills of the evening were slowly setting in. Yuvaraja Ishaan Dev walked into the tent and splashed water on his face and arms from the basin kept on the side. He then quickly changed his clothes and looked around. A carpet was laid down on the ground, with a single mattress to act as a bed for the night. He sighed. He then walked outside to find Priyambada sitting on the bank of the river in the darkness. He walked up behind her and stopped carefully at a distance hearing her sobbing. His voice of authority w

Rajkumari  Priyambada’s horse ran through the darkness of the forest as fast as she could ride. She knew that she had to cover the maximum distance that night itself before the palace woke up to find her missing. By midday, she would reach halfway through. She had to stop somewhere to rest and finally reach the next day. The forestland had cliffs and rocky areas. She needed to be careful in places where the forest was not thick and looked out for soldiers. As dawn broke on the horizon the water of the river Maya was visible like a silver line in the distance. River Maya at some points drew the natural boundaries between Suryapali and Neelambargarh but since she was already in Siyori she thanked the heavens that she didn't need to cross the river. She stopped her horse in the foliage and looked across. She had to travel down towards the river. Somewhere around the banks was her mother’s hideout. Ishaan Dev had selected this place for them. It was in the middle of nowhere. There were