Chapter 2

A/N: 100 Views complete you all!!!!

          So tomorrow I'll be travelling from Pune to              Bombay in the morning, and in the evening            we'll be celebrating my father's birthday..

          So I thought of celebrating my father's                    birthday AND my 100 + views today itself.

          Enjoy the update!

                                   Chapter 2

Inside a particular Khema, laid a young lad with his arms folded below his head. He had features unlike anyone. If Handsomeness, Intelligence, Bravery, and Gentleness had a face; it would exactly look like Kunwar Pratap: His father had said. And he indeed was right, thought the whole of Rajputana. Kunwar Pratap was a Guy of Morals, of Principles. He wouldn't budge from his decision no matter what. He knew his decision would be the right and just for all, after all they were taken by his mother Maharani Jaiwanta Bai ji. He never once doubted or re-considered her decisions. But today, he couldn't help but question what she had chosen for him.

Lost in his thoughts, his face unknowingly made a slight frown; but that was still unusual for his rather calm face.

Vivaah? Kyun karwaana chahti hai Ranimaa humara vivaah! Keval Raj Gharaane ki Pratha ke liye?? Isse acchaa to hum Bhai Shakti se aayu mein chhote hote. Kam-se-kam aaj yahaan HUM nahin hote inn vichaaron ke saath!

He was already not at all satisfied by his mother's 'nirnay' and his thoughts were only making it worse for him.

The night's cool breeze was somewhat soothing him, but the uneasiness just won't go away!

Kintu hum baat toh ab bhi Ranimaa se kar hi sakte hain! Bijoliya jaane mein toh abhi poora ek saptaah hai. 

In literally a second he was aware that it was not POORA EK SAPTAAH but SIRF EK SAPTAAH!

Hey Ekling Ji! Ab to keval ek saptaah reh gaya hai humare paas Ranimaa ko manaane ke liye! Hum jald-se-jald-

''DADABHAIIII???''

A loud and harsh jerk from his brother woke Kunwar Pratap up.

''Kya soch rahe the aap??''

Kunwar Shakti did a quick raise of his eye-brows playfully as to cheer his big brother up but unfortunately for him it did nothing but irk Kunwar Pratap more.

''Hum aapko kyun bataaye? Aap toh waise bhi bas humein chhedenge. Baaki toh kuch aata bhi nahin aapko!''

Just as he was about to leave from his spot, he felt a tug at his wrist preventing him from going any further. He turned to face Kunwar Shakti showing an apologetic look at him. Looking at him, Kunwar Pratap cooled down a bit and he thought of apologizing, for he was being unnecessarily rude to him.

''Kshama chahte hain Bhai Shakti..hum aap pe apna krodh nikaalna nahin chahte the. Woh toh bas-''

''Dadabhai.''

''Koi baat nahin. Humne bura nahin maana. Hum samajh to nahin sakte, kintu hum anumaan zaroor laga sakte hain ke aap kya anubhav kar rahe hain.''

He dragged him to the bed with his hand which was already placed on his wrist; and immediately said,

''Aaj hum aapko tang nahin karenge.Balki aaj to hum aapse baat karenge. Ek bhai apne bhai se. Aaj aap Kunwar Pratap nahin- Aur hum bhi Kunwar Shakti nahin. Aaj hum keval ek bhai hain, jo apne jeshth bhrata se baat karna chahta hai.''

Kunwar Pratap, for a minute- was just looking at his face plainly. How easily he had said it all, expressed what he truly wanted, just in one go!

Could he himself do it? Be vocal of HIS wantings? HIS desires? Probably no. Today he unknowingly realized that perhaps his younger brother was actually not who he showed he was. That he was a lot more than that. Today he realized that perhaps his younger brother was even more mature than he- himself!

Kunwar Pratap was feeling utterly overwhelmed and now even suffocated in the small place where he was sitting. He abruptly stood up making even Kunwar Shakti stand and ask him what was wrong.

''Bhai Shakti..humein yahan ghutan si ho rahi hai. Chaliye na hum bahaar ek ya do chakkar kaat kar aate hain. Chalte chalte baat bhi ho jayegi. Kya kehte hain?''

''Ji. Chaliye.''

''Jaiwanta Bai ji aapka putra- Jissmein aapne swabhimaan koot koot ke bhara hai, woh aaj humaare ghutnon tak mein aa gaya. Aur aap jaanti hain usska kaaran kya hain? Aap! Aap Jaiwanta Bai Ji! Kitna vivash kar diya hai aapne unhe!''

''Ranaji. Yeh aap bhi jaante hain ki hum bina humare ghar ke sabse bade putra- Kunwar Pratap ko byaahe Padmavati Baisa ka vivaah nahin karwaa sakte! Padma ka vivaah keval do mahine baad nishchit hua hai. To kya kare hum? Mewar ki varshon se chali aa rahi prathaa ko tod de? Kya yah kaaran paryaapt nahin hai?''

''Kintu Jaiwanta Bai Ji-''

''Bas Ranaji. Kunwar Pratap ka vivaah karwaake hum unhe koi dand nahin de rahe. Aur Ranaji! Kiss baat se darr rahe hai ve? Vivaah se? Aap hi bataiye- kya Vivaah koi bhaybheet hone wali vastu hai? Abhi ve satraah varsh ke ho chuke hain. Yadi Padma ka vivaah nahin ho raha hota, toh bhi hum vivaah toh unka karwaate hi. Haa, shuru mein unhe ek naye vyakti ke saath rehne mein dikkat hogi, kintu kuch samay baad jab ve ek doosre ko jaanenge, ve ek doosre ko pasand bhi karne lagenge.''

''Hum donon ne hi Ajabde ko dekha hai. Unki naitikta, unke siddhant, unka har ek gun Kunwar Pratap se mel khaata hai! Swayam Ekling Ji ne unki jodi banayi hai, tabhi toh unke darshan karne ke paschyaat hum itna shubh kaarya karne jaa rahe hain.''

''Aap se ulajhne ki cheshtha hi nahin karni thi humein Jaiwanta Bai Ji! Maan lete hain aapki baat. Ab aaiye, bohot raat ho chuki hai, hum so jaate hain!''

With a sigh, they both went off to a peaceful slumber in the peaceful, calm night;

But what they didn't know was that two men who were listening to their conversation were now more confused than ever!

They quietly returned to their khema, and even lay quietly on their bed, ready for sleep to come.

Just then, Kunwar Shakti said,

''Dadabhai, humein lagta hai ki Badimaa theek keh rahi hain. Aap nahin karna chaahte vivaah, kintu Padmaa ke liye waise bhi karna to aapko hoga hi. Iss baare mein baat karke bhi koi faayda nahin.''

''Aaj humein pehli baar Mewar ke Baojiraj hone ka boj prateet ho raha hai Bhai Shakti. Aisa lag raha hai ke hum chahte huye bhi kuch nahin kar sakte. Hum swayam itna bhramit anubhav kar rahe hain ki kya bataye aapko! Kal tak hum kisi na kisi nishchay par aa hi jayenge. Kintu abhi ke liye so jaate hain, bohot der ho chuki hai. Shubhraatri Bhai Shakti.''

''Shubhraatri dadabhai.''

Ye toh hum bhi jaante hain Bhai Shakti ki Ranimaa sahi keh rahi hain. Kintu baat sirf itni si hai ki humara mann ise maanne ko tayaar nahin.

Par hum yeh bhi jaante hain ki iss maamle mein hum kuch nahin keh sakte. 

Huuffhh (SIGH)

Haan Kunwar Pratap, maan lijiye.

                     Ho raha hai aapka vivaah!

A/N: Wasn't this long?

I know I know..

So in the next chapter our to-be lovebirds would finally meet!

How??

Well stay tuned to find out!

Next update will be between 1st - 2nd and 3rd August, not before that, not after that.

Bye-bye!

I'll peacefully sleep tonight!