Chapter 17

okays here is the next part...

Part 16

 

Not expected this

 

Sia had set off for Bhavanipur still hesitating in her mind as to what will happen once she gets there. What if she does come face to face with Dharam? She didn't know how he would react and she didn't know how she would react either. She kept praying on her journey that she didn't come face to face with Dharam at all and she left before he arrived.

 

When she arrived she went straight to Pari and enquired on her health and saw that she was really ill. She nursed her and took care of her day and night.

 

Then Bhim came and told her of all the duties they had to attend to at the mahal as there were only two days before Dharam would arrive with his party. He took her to the mahal and she was awed by its beauty. She looked around at all the vast spread well kept gardens and the beautiful flowers grown. She admired the ornately decorated carvings in the mahal and the huge halls and the interior was just mind blowing. She just couldn't stop being mesmerised by it.

 

Bhim: kya huwa Sia, kya dekhrahee ho?

 

Sia: Kuch nahi Bhim Chacha hum to bus dekh rahe the ke itnee khoobsurat jaga hai yeh to pura parivaar yaha kyu nahi rehta or Aryanagar me kyu rehte hai

 

Bhim: ha beta yeh bohat hee khoobsurat jaga hai (begins walking in with Sia) itne saalo se me yaha kee rakh waali karaha hu. Darasal yeh Maharaj Aryavardhan ka puraana mahal tha or wo sab yehi rehte the. Saare bacche yehi pale bare hai. Khaas karke Maharaj Dharam kee yeh khaas jage hai or abhi bhi wo yeha aksar aate hai or maheene beeta te hai. Lekin ab jaake wo Maharaj bangaye hai to ab onhe Aryanagar me hee rehne kee zaroorat hai. (sees the sun is moving towards the west) chalo waqt bohat hogaya hai or kaam bohat saara. Tum jaake Maharaj Dharam ka kamra theek tarhaase ke kardo acha.

 

Before she can protest Bhim has already walked off. It was only his room but still it was something to do with him and she felt a bit awkward doing anything related to him. Anyhow she moved towards his room and as she entered at first she took in the amazing view. Then she was just left dumbfounded by its beauty.

 

 

 

 

Aryanagar

 

Dharam is in the compound doing sword practice and during that he looked pretty stressed out as the only thing on his mind was Sia. Her beautiful face, her amazing smile, her sweet nature and her witty yet simple nature didn't leave his thoughts at all. Day and night he had only her on his mind and of how she had rejected him because of his character. He was even more determined to proove to her that he is not what she thinks and he shall conquer her heart and respect. As he becomes so worked up eventually his sword falls across the sand out of his hands and he is left thinking in despair.

 

Sainik: Maharaj ki jai ho

 

Dharam: hamne jo kaam diya tha wo pura huwa?

 

Sainik: ji maharaj. Aap ke kehne per Chathrapur me Ram Singh ko aapka aadesh bhej diya gaya hai or wo Rajkumar Veer ke saare sandesh leke Aryanagar kal tak pohoch jaaehga

 

Dharam: (turns around towards him) nahi! Kal tak nahi. Ham kuch dino ke liye Bhavanipur jaa rahe hai to wo yaha chaar dino ke baad aaye.

 

Sainik: per maharaj aap to do din baad hee jaa rahe hai na?

 

Dharam: hamare saath ke log hame do din ke baad waha milenge, per ham aaj hee jaa rahe hai. Hamne jo kaha hai oska palan karo

 

Sainik: ji Maharaj.

 

The sainik leaves and then Dharam begins walking out too. He had decided that he would also go with the rest of the party but he really needed to get out of this place to give peace to his over loaded mind and the best place was his favourite Bhavanipur where he had always found solace.

 

Bhavanipur

 

Sia was still in Dharam's room where she had redecorated the whole place with diyas and fresh flowers. Somehow she wanted to decorate it the way she loved it thinking that perhaps Dharam would like the same thing. Then she went and stood in front of the window and intook the breath taking view of the waterfall. It was the most serene thing Sia had ever seen in her life.

 

Sia: or yeh sab hamara hosakta tha (she smiled and let out a sigh of regret and then carried on with her work)

 

Meanwhile Dharam had left his mahal on his own without informing anyone as he wanted to go to Bhavanipur by himself. He needed to calculate all the events in his head and plan out a strategy to relieve his trapped soul. Was he really that bad that Sia had accused him of such harshness?

 

Sia came across a portrait of Dharam hung on a corner of his room and she almost shied away from it thinking it was really him. But then she slapped her forhead saying she had gone mad and then kept staring at him. She had to admit that the guy was really handsome even when stroked down into a painting. His eyes were so captivating that she didn't want to move her eyes off it and wanted to drown in them.

 

Dharam was now at the border of Bhavanipur and he stopped near the huge lake and got off his horse. He needed to cool down so he bent lower and drank the water and splashed some on his face but this much was not going to release anything so he stood up and removed his shoes, then his accessories on his hand and neck and then he removed his red robe and stood with his hands on his hips and faced the lake with a scrunched face. Then at an impulse he dived inside the lake and swam down under deeper and deeper until he was satisfied.

 

It was near evening now and Sia had finished with cleaning and redecorating the palace but her heart still didn't allow her to detach herself from the beauties of the mahal so she roamed around in the grounds in her usual chirpy self enjoying to the fullest with the nature.

 

At the same time Dharam was making his way towards the mahal after the rather odd swim. He felt somewhat relaxed and was returning back infromally attired and he wasn't really bothered as he was aware that he would be all alone at the mahal. He didn't ride his horse and walked with it as he was only a few miles away from the mahal and he could see it in view.

 

Sia was still romaing around unknown of how she was soon going to be graced with the presence of the owner. Just then she heard some ruffling noises coming from the side and then she stood dead straight in her tracks as she couldn't believe what she saw. Dharam stood in front of her in a state which none of them had ever thought they would ever meet. He was all soaked from top till bottom and he was informally dressed without his robe. His hair was all dishevelled and it fell down on his forehead giving him that sultry look that Sia couldn't take her eyes off him.

 

Sia: M…Maharaj Dh…Dharam?

 

Dharam: (equally shocked) Rajkumari Sia? Aap yaha?

 

Sia: (finally manages to look away) ha wo ham…ham yaha…wo Bhim Chacha ko ma…onhone kaha ke aap do din ke baad to ham…hame nahi pata tha ke aap yaha aane waale hai to ham…

 

Dharam: ha ham wo…hamne socha ke aaj hee chale aaye…(feeling awkward standing like that in front of her) aap kesee hai or aapka parivaar kesa hai?

 

Sia: Ji wo sab theek hai

 

Dharam: Ab hame aagya de

 

He walked off towards the mahal and from the otherside Bhim came and saw him leave. He was surprised to find Maharaj Dharam here and that too in an unappropriate state. Then he walked over to Sia.

 

Bhim: Maharaj Dharam itnee jaldi kese aagaye?

 

Sia: (in took a deep breath as if she was desperate) hame abhi yaha se jaana hoga (turns around and walks fast) abhi ke abhi yahase jaana hee hoga

 

Bhim: (follows her clueless) ha per huwa kya?

 

Sia: (almost in tears) pata nahi kya soch rahe honge hamare baare me

 

Bhim: Wo tumse naaraaz to nahi huwe? Onhone kaha kya tumse?

 

Sia: (irritated) kuch khaas nahi bus hamare or hamare parivaar ke baare me poocha or…

 

She continued narrating as she walked back towards the front of the mahal with the desperate need to escape from the place as quick as possible.

 

Few minutes later Dharam rushed out of the mahal still getting dressed by wearing his robe. When he found Sia near the exit he quickly picked up his pace and jogged towards her.

 

Dharam: Rajkumari Sia! Hame maaf kijye ke ham aapse theek tarha se mil nahi paaye. Kya aap jaarahee hai?

 

Sia: (turns towards him still uncomfortable but tries to keep control) ji maharaj. Ham jo kaam yaha karne aaye the wo pura ho chuka to ab hame chalna chaaheeye yaha se. yehi theek rahega.

 

Dharam: per abhi abhi to aayi hai aap yaha. Kahi aap Bhavanipur se naraaz to nahi?

 

Sia: nahi aisee baat nahi…

 

Dharam: to phir aapko yeh jaga pasand aayee? (his expression is almost a smile)

 

Sia: (stares at him and thinks) Ji! Yeh jaga bohat hee khoobsurat hai

 

Dharam: phir aapka mann kese hosakta hai is jage ko chore ke jaane ka? (she looks at him with surprise as to what he was trying to imply) hamara matlab hai ke abhi aapne yeh jaga theek tarhase dekhee kaha hai

 

Sia: hame maaf kijye per hamaree Pari Chachi ghar pe beemaar hai to hame onke paas jaana hai

 

Dharam: Chachi????

 

Sia: ha wo Bhim Chacha ke saath ham aaye the yaha or Pari onki hee biwi hai or…

 

Dharam: Ha acha ham sab samajh gaye.

 

Just then Bhim walks up towards them

 

Bhim: Maharaj aap ka mahal puree tarha se tayaar hai osee tarha jesa aapko pasand hai.

 

Dharam: (turns towards Bhim) hame aap pe pura bharosa hai ke aap ne jo bhi kiya hoga wo theek hee kiya hoga. Ab ek kaam kijye aap ghar jaaye or apni beemaar patni ka khayaal rakhye. Yaha pe ab koi kaam nahi hai. Or ha jab tak wo theek nahi hoti aapko waapis aane kee koi zaroorat nahi

 

Bhim is stunned by Dharam's behaviour. He couldn't believe he was showing him so much respect and that too when he was serving him.

 

Dharam: (turned towards Sia) hame accha lagega agar aap kuch dair or hamare saath yaha rahegee to. Yaha pe ek bohat hee khoobsurat jharna hai dekhne ke liye jo hame yakeen hai ke aapne nahi dekha hoga. Aap hamaree mehmaan hai to kuch hame bhi sewa ka moka de

 

Sia has no words as she is dumbstruck by this sudden change in the man's mannerisms. He was so polite and humble that she couldn't believe that this was the same man she had found so conceited and arrogant. She didn't have to say anything as Dharam understood she had agreed by her eyes. As Bhim was leaving he also had the same questions in his mind as to what happened to Dharam all of a sudden. Before when he had asked to be given some time off due to Pari's illness, Dharam had been so heartless and carefree. But today he told him himself to go and take care of his wife. It sure was alarming but whatever it was he was pleased that it had happened for the better.

 

Dharam and Sia began walking the other way towards the grounds again. At first were walking side by side in silence but when they decided to speak they spoke at once.

 

Dharam: maaf kijyega, pehle aap

 

Sia: (still couldn't look at him) ham aap se phirse maafi maangna chahte hai Maharaj Dharam. Agar hame pata hota ke aap aaj hee yaha aane waale hai to ham kabhi sapne me bhi nahi sochte aise aap ke mahal me ghoom ne kee.

 

Dharam: aap hame sharminda mat kijye Rajkumari Sia. Wese maafi to hame maang nee chaaheeye ke ham hee aise bin bataye jaldi aagaye. Ham do din ke baad hee aane waale the per hame kuch zaroori kaam nikal para is liye jald hee akele nikal gaye. (continued walking for some time in silence again) wo sab bhi do din me pohochte hee honge. Or on mese kaafi kuch log hai jinhe aap jaantee bhi hai (she looked at him wondering what he meant) Rajkumari Antara bhi aane waali hai. (she just nodded not saying anything as she was displeased to know she was coming too) ek or insaan hai jo aapse milne kee bari aasha rakhta hai. Agar aap ki aagya ho to kya ham aapko hamaree behen Sakshi se mila sakte hai?

 

Sia: hame onse milke behat khushi hogi.

 

The rest of the walk they continued in silence and then finally they reached the amazing waterfall and Sia fell in love with it at once. It looked even more stunning in the sunset as the golden red rays fell onto the falling water making it look like strands of silk. Dharam just stood there admiring how innocent she looked loving it all and got lost. Both of them spent time there till the sun had completely set and it had begun to get dark. Then they walked back towards the mahal again as two changed people. Now Sia had these mixed feelings in her heart regarding Dharam, not knowing how to feel whereas Dharam's feelings were unchanged. In fact they had become even more affirmative.

 

Dharam: Ham aasha karte hai ke ham waapis jald milenge

 

He said that to her as they came back to the exit of the mahal. He bid her adieu and then she began walking away. Bhim's house was nearby so she didn't need a palaquin to travel and plus she liked to walk anyways. As she walks halfway she turns around and finds Dharam still standing there looking at her. She also can't seem to take her eyes off him as if she had just met him. In a way she did feel she met a completely new man and she certainly did long for their next meeting.

 

Next day at Chathrapur

 

The temple was finally finished and now Veer was standing outside to inaugarate it. He had sent Dharam the message of how it had been done and he should come but it was not possible for him so he told Veer to go on with it. Now he stood outside waiting for the pandit to perform the rituals.

 

It was done and then the shunks were blown and Veer broke the coconut on the ground and then all of them went inside together and performed the pooja. He prayed that now all the people here live in peace and harmony and that now he can return back to Aryanagar with satifaction.

 

As he came out he crashed into a rather desperate sainik running around with a load of scrolls in his hands which now were all scattered on the ground. The sainik panicked after seeing Veer and quickly bent down to gather all the scrolls before Veer got to see them.

 

Veer: yeh sab kya hai Ram Singh?

 

Ram Singh: ji...ji wo…ji wo kuch nahi. Yeh sab to Maharaj Dharam ke liye hai. Onhone hee mangaaya tha to bus me waha…

 

Veer: theek hai

 

As Ram Singh was leaving Veer couldn't help but notice how he looked really tensed and worried about something. Something didn't look right and he felt like asking him but changed his mind that Ram Sing would probably manipulate the truth. Instead he decided to follow him discretely and find out what he is up to and what was in those scrolls.

 

Bhavanipur

 

Sia just returned back home when she was surprised to find someone unexpected sitting beside Pari who was lying ill on the bed.

 

Dharam: ab aap kee tabiyat kesee hai maaji?

 

Pari: ji…Maharaj aap aaye mujhe dekhne wo mera sobhaagya hai

 

Dharam: aisa kehke mujhe sharminda mat kijye. Aap mujhse bari hai to aisee baat aap ko shobha nahi detee. (touches her forehead) wese maine vaid ji se baat karli hai or aap ka ilaaj jald se jald hojaaehga or aap bohat jald theek hojaaehgee

 

Pari: (amazed) aap? Aap ne itna kuch kiya hamare liye? Maharaj kyu?

 

Dharam: aisa samajh lijye ke yeh mera farz hai kyu ke aap log itne saalo se pitaji ke saath hai or onki sewa kee hai. To ab is umar me hamara farz banta hai ke ham bhi aapka khayaal rakhe.

 

Sia stood in the corner listening to Dharam and becoming more awed by it. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing.

 

Then Pari noticed her

 

Pari: are Sia tum aagayee? Dekho koun aaya hai

 

Dharam stood up and looked towards Sia

 

Sia: Maharaj Dharam aap yaha aaye? Hamare to bhaag hee khul gaye

 

Dharam: aisa mat kaheeye Rajkumari Sia. Ham bhi to aap sab kee tarha ek insaan hee hai. Or wese bhi hame yaha aake baree khushi huwee. Apne ghar jesa hee laga. (he stared at Sia affedtionately and she also gave him a genuine look. The eye lock continued for a while but soon Dharam moved his gaze away) Darasal ham yaha or wajese bhi aaye the Sia. Ham yaha pe aapko kisee se milaana chahte the. (he goes behind to the other room and brings a fair and pretty girl out with him) Rajkumari Sia yeh hamaree behen Sakshi hai. Sakshi yeh hai Sumaina kee Rajkumari Sia.

 

Sakshi: to aakhir me hamaree aap se mulaqaat ho hee gayi. Hamne aapke bare me kitna suna hai ke kya batao

 

Sia: Acha? (looks towards Dharam suggesting it was him who had said so much)

 

Dharam: Wese Veer bhi kuch dino me yaha aane waala hai

Sia: (smiles) yeh to bohat hee acchi khabar hai. Kitne mahine huwe onse mile. Hame onse milke behat khushi hogi. (then turns towards Sakshi) hamne bhi aapke bare me kaafi kuch suna hai Rajkumari Sakshi. Suna hai ke aapko sangeet se bara prem hai, or aap sitar bhi bohat khoob bajaatee hai

 

Sakshi: itna bhi accha nahi jitna aap sochtee hai (eyes towards ceiling) per ha hame sangeet se bara lagoa hai. (looks at her) ham bari aasha karte hai ke hame aapka sitar bajaana sunne ko mile kyu ke hamne oskee kaafi taareef suni hai. Dharam bhaiyya kehte hai ke onhone osse behtar koi sur suna hee nahi.

 

Sia: (gives out a short laugh) ham aapkee yeh aasha zaroor puri karenge per ham aapko bata de ke aapke bhai kuch ziada hee taareef karte hai. Pata nahi kyu? Kahi osme onka koi chupa fiada to nahi?

 

Dharam raises his eyebrows as he understood her underlying message.

 

Sakshi: are nahi nahi, hamare Dharam Bhaiyya kabhi koi banawat baate nahi karte. Hamesha sach hee bole te hai jo onke dil me hota hai. Ha per kabhi kabhi wo hamare prateek thore naram dil hojaate hai

 

Sia: (impressed smile) phir to wo sabse acche bhai honge aapke liye

 

Sakshi: ji ha (looks towards Dharam) wo sabse acche hai or hame koi or onse behtar bhai milhee nahi sakta tha  

 

Sia: ab to hame aapse thoree jalan hone lagee hai Rajkumari Sakshi

 

Both siblings look at her with surprise

 

Sia: hamara matlab hai ke hamare paas koi bhai nahi, sirf chaar behne hai.

 

Sakshi: (eyes gleam with delight) hamne hamesha se chaaha tha ke hamaree bhi ek behen ho per hamare paas to sirf do bhai hee hai

 

Just then Bhim calls from the other room and Sia excuses herself and goes. Sakshi goes and tells Dharam something and then Sia returns back

 

Dharam: Rajkumari Sia, hamaree behen ko aapse kuch poochna hai

 

Sakshi: Rajkumari Sia, ham sab ko behat khushi hogi agar aap apne chacha, chachi ke saath hamare mahal khaane ke liye aaengee. Kal raat agar aap ki aagya ho to?

 

Sia: zaroor (smiles) ham ise hamara sobhaagya samjhenge ke ham sab aapke saat mahal me khaana khaayeh. Ham sab zaroor aaenge Rajkumari Sakshi.

 

Sakshi: (turns towards Dharam and smiles and then back at Sia) or kya ham aapko sitar baajate sunpaaenge?

 

Sia: agar aapkee yehi ikcha hai to ham zaroor ise pura karenge.

Then Dharam and Sakshi take their leave.

 

End of part.

Okays i hope u enjoy these tow parts and have a great NEW YEAR again.