Chapter 44
Baujiraj was in deep trouble was Chakrapani's first though as he saw his friend pacing in the cowshed holding a letter. Chakrapani had been friends with crown prince for a long time and understood his feelings easily though sometimes he might have confused them for other things but mostly his guesses were correct. As he saw his friend having a staring competition with a cow he knew that his friend was deeply troubled
Chakri: Baujiraj are you alright?
Pratap keeps on staring Lakshmi who is calmly chewing her grass. Chakri is astonished to see that Pratap was holding a torn letter- the torn part was under Lakshmi!!
Chakri: Baujiraj is that a torn piece of letter underneath Lakshmi?
Pratap: Yes Chakrapani, Ajabde's cow is as stubborn as she is- this was Phool's letter which Ajabde dropped here. I took it and decided to return it to her but before I could do anything Lakshmi here decided to take it from me and in that game of snatch the letter got torn and I was left holding this (shows the other torn part)
Chakri: But that is a good thing Baujiraj.
Pratap looks at him and Chakri continues: Baujiraj after all that has happened what possibly could Phool Kanwar Baisa write to Ajabde Baisa about? She could influence her to step back from you and allow her to marry you. Ajabde Baisa been the kind-hearted person she is would readily do that to a certain extent for her friendship but also because she understands the importance of Mewar-Marwar alliance
Pratap: That is not the case Chakrapani. Phool is a princess who has never being denied anything and has only received everything her heart desires but now her marriage broke off due to the circumstances she also lost her friend. She is just trying to make best of a situation which has been hard on everyone involved
Chakri looks at his friend: How do you know so much about the contents of the letter Baujiraj? Did you read it? He is astonished that Kunwar Pratap- a man who followed all principles read somebody else's letter
Pratap looked guilty but he had a strong reason to do it as he did not want Ajabde to get hurt but now the letter was torn and what was he going to tell her?
Chakrapani decided to distract him: Baujiraj Ranaji has spoken to Rao ji and asked for Ajabde Baisa's hand in marriage for you. From what I heard Rao ji has spoken to Ajabde Baisa and given her till tomorrow evening to give her decision
Pratap processed the new piece of information he was thankful that his father had already proceeded with the talk of marriage with Rao ji but there was something he had to do after all she had told him "Also Kunwar Pratap if you do intend on marrying me I demand a proper proposal"
Chapter 45
Pratap was ready with his proposal he knew that Ajabde did not like ostentatious things rather she liked it really simple and thoughtful so that is what he did for the proposal- he was going to keep it simple, honest and thoughtful
Ajabde has received Kunwar Pratap's summon of meeting him but the place of their meeting had her in a fix - he had called her at the cowshed where Lakshmi stayed. So she got dressed, made her hair and then went towards the cowshed- all the elders had gone to the Kul Devi temple and would return back in the evening. Now she knew why her mother did not allow her to join in on the trip smiling at her thoughts she walked on
On reaching the cowshed Ajabde stood frozen- the entire cowshed was the same yet felt so different maybe it was in the air or maybe it was her nerves when he spoke
This was the place I saw you clearly for the first time well actually second because I had seen you hiding behind a cow in the Mela. You were in disguise that day as a commoner but when I saw you talking to Lakshmi taking care of her I realised that maybe you were a commoner but then you threw water on me but your eyes they left me defenceless- it was like they could see through me and you looked so scared that it broke my heart a little inside
She saw him- he was dressed in the same clothes he had wearing they met each other for the first time and so was she. It was like their first meeting was happening all over again. He walked towards her and held his hand out for her to take- she looked at the hand and then they walked together. He traced all his steps that he took when he first arrived in Bijolia- hiding from the guards like a thief and then when they ran into the meeting room- flowers fell on them making her smile as remembered the moment she had run into him creating a shower of flowers on them both.
Pratap: Here I found out that you were a princess- you were one of your kind- so unique and different from all others. So simple yet elegant that I had to apologise for not recognising you sooner
She stared at him as his words caused her heart to flutter creating tingles all over and then they went to his room where he proceeded to further compliment her. They walked again holding hands and reached the temple but instead of standing in front of the idols he took her to the wall where he and Chakrapani had stayed while she sang her Bhajan. Your voice mesmerised me so much Ajabde that for a moment I felt that it was Rani Ma singing the Bhajan but then we found out it was you. Did you know Chakrapani mistook you for a mere servant and I just about cut his tongue out- never had I been so angry on him before. You were already taking over my senses as well as making a space for yourself in my heart
She blushed and looked down but then he took her to the field where he stood straight and looked into her eyes
Rajkumari Ajabde I'm a warrior and my first duty is towards my mother land and then I'm a son so my second duty is towards my family but today I stand in front of you to tell you that I love you and wish to spend the rest of my life with you- you may hold the third position on the priority list but I promise you that I will never fail you- whenever you will need me I will be there for you and all I ask is that you be there for me as well because you are the only one who understands me better than myself- your selflessness, goodness of nature, caring attitude I need all of them for me because when it comes to you I turn into an obsessive possessive person who only wants you to be with him all the time. I want to be the reason for your smiles, I want to fulfil all of your dreams and desires but most of all I want a chance to love you and protect you as mine. So I stand before you to ask you Will you do the honour of being my wife Ajabde?
Chapter 46
Ajabde stood with her heart beating so hard that it felt like it would burst out of her chest. Kunwar Pratap the future Rana of Mewar stood in front of her with a determined look on his face she could not believe her luck that a man like him would ever fall for someone like her- she was just a simple girl with simple dreams and here he was the future of the Rajputana who had just told her that he wanted her with him
She kept on looking at him while Pratap was thinking: Why is she not saying anything? Did I overdo it? No Chakrapani had said to convey all my feelings that I feel- did I scare her away with my feelings. Hey Eklingji this girl is seriously scaring me- Me Kunwar Pratap the brave warrior is scared of her rejection- please don't let her reject me. Well go ahead and reject me Ajabde- I swear to you I will kidnap you myself and marry you
While Pratap was having a conversation with his own self in thoughts while Ajabde turned around and started to walk away from him making him worry
Pratap ran after her and turned her: You did not answer my question
Ajabde: I need to tell my father first Kunwar Pratap after all the elders will take the next steps not us you do know that
Pratap: Ajabde Punwar are you trying to make me sweat with worry
Ajabde: Never Kunwar Pratap why would I a mere commoner make you the Crown prince of Mewar worry she teased him
Pratap pulled her close to him and stared into her eyes- he got his answer. A smile made its way on his face and he bent down and kissed her forehead: I promise to love and cherish you as long as I shall live
Both stood holding each other with their foreheads touching thinking about their future together
Rao Mamrakh already knew his daughter's answer so he had consulted with the Raj Purohitji who had matched the Kundlis of the two children and declared them a perfect match making all the elders very happy with the match but Jaiwanta Baiji was worried. She talked to her husband about DheerBai and said: Till she is there our children will never be happy. It is time she is punished for her deeds.
Uday Singh knew he had to carry out this task but it was a personal conflict for him as she was his wife and mother to his son as well but he also knew that she was a snake in disguise and she would not hesitate to attack them again when the opportunity arose so he spoke to the council with everyone involved except Ajabde about Dheerbai's punishment and a decision was taken
DheerBai would be publicly executed for her misdeeds- she would be ousted from the Rajputana and tried as a traitor. The public would witness her humiliation and then after all crimes were proven she would be hanged to death in the centre of the city of Bijolia. She had tried harming Bijolia's princess who was dearly loved by all so it seemed fair that her punishment was given out in Bijolia itself
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