Chapter 24

Part 24

 

Serious Interference

Two days later in Sumaina

 

An unexpected visitor arrived alarming them all. It was Maharaj Dayavardhan who had come for a special meeting and Nivriti was really tensed as Sumaina's Maharaj had gone out and she didn't know why Dayavardhan had come. He was such a big entity that she was very nervous about recieving him. However Sia wasn't that much intimidated but she also was curious as to why had he travelled so far to come to her kingdom and that too being so below him.

 

He arrived inside and didn't even feel his worth to address the queen and directly walked in and addressed Sia.

 

Dayavardhan: To yeh hai tumharee maa? (giving a sharp look at Sia and then at Nivriti)

 

Sia: ji ha Maharaj. Maa yeh Maharaj Dayavardhan hai

 

Nivi: inhe koun nahi jaanta yeh to…

 

Dayavardhan: (not interested in listening and looks towards Sawri and makes a face) or yeh tumhaari ek behen hogi

 

Nivi: Ji ha Maharaj yeh hamaree dusree choti betee hai per osse choti or hai jiskee shaadi abhi haalee me hee huwee hai

 

Dayavardhan: (again makes a face with disinterest and turns away from her) yeh kamra kaafi chota lagaraha hai or bari ghutan bhi horahee hai. (looks out of window) bahar bhi kuch ziada bara bhaag nahi hai. Per aap chote logo ko to koi aapati to hoti nahi hogi

 

Sia could clearly sense that he was putting them down on purpose but she still failed to understand why he had come here. He certainly wouldn't have had come all this way just to insult them. Just then she had begun to get her answers.

 

Dayavardhan: (stood up) hamne yaha aatee waqt dekha tha ke aapke is chote se bhaag me ek jage pe hame laga tha ke yeh khoobsurat kehne laayak hai (towards Sia) Rajkumari Sia aap hamare saath waha ghoom ne ka upkaar karengee (he said it in a taunting tone)

 

Then he left and Sia followed with a crossed face as she didn't like him at all. Nivriti didn't understand this charade between them and kept wondering why Dayavardhan was so keen on Sia.

 

In the grounds

 

Both of them were walking more like Dayavardhan striding with Sia following. She wanted to know what was going on in his head. Then soon they came to a spot and they stopped. He turned around towards her.

 

Dayavardhan: wese to hame pura yakeen hai ke tum itnee bhi bewacoof nahi ke yeh na jaan paao ke ham yaha kyu aaye hai

 

Sia: shama kijye maharaj per ham sach me yeh nahi te karpaarahe hai ke aap yaha kyu aaye hai

 

Dayavardhan: (stern and crossed face) apne aapko bari chalaak samajti hai aap Rajkumari Sia, per ham aapko bata de ke hamse khelna aasaan nahi. Jitnee bholi dikhtee hai aap utnee hai nahi. Do din pehle hame aisee khabar milee hai ke hamare hosh hee urgaye. Itnee bari jurrat (really disappointed) pehlee jurrat to yeh ke naa hee sirf aapkee behen ne baree chaalaaki se haamare bhateeje Veer ko apne chungal me phasaake shaadi karne pe majboor kardiya per aap…aap ne to hadd hee paar kardi. Hame khabar milee ke aap bhi aise sapne sajai bethee hai ke bohat jald aapkee shaadi bhi hamare honhaar bhateeje or Aryanagar ke maharaj Dharam ke saath hogi

 

Sia was utterly shocked to hear that

 

Dayavardhan: jaante hai ham ke aap saaree behene kitnee chalaak or dhokebaaz hai. Jab hame yeh pata chala ke Dharam ne Rajkumari Antara se rishta tore diya to ham forun oske baare me pata chalne ko nikle or hame pata chala ke yeh kiskee harkat thi. Tabhi ham yaha chale aaye jitna jaldi hosakhe taake ham aapko hamara faisla suna sakhe

 

Sia: (unhappy) jab aapko pata tha ke yeh baat kabhi sach ho hee nahi sakti to phir kyu yaha aake aapne apne waqt barbaad kiya

 

Dayavardhan: taake ham khud is maamle kee teh tak pohoch sakhe or is aaffa ko aage barne se roke sakhe. Ek pal ka chain nahi hai hame

 

Sia: aap ka yaha aana ose or bhi bigaar sakhta hai Maharaj. Log or sochenge ke wo baat sahi hai or aap yaha oske silsile me hee baat karne aaye hai

 

Dayavardhan: khamosh! (raised his hand to silence her) hame ziada sunne kee aadat nahi. Jitna ham pooch rahe hai utna hee jawaab do. Kya hamare bhateeje ne aapse shaadi kee koi bhi baat ki hai?

 

Sia: maharaj aapne khud yeh khulla keh diya hai ke yeh namumkin hai

 

Dayavardhan: or aisa hee rehna chaheeye (gives her a shrewd look) per ham jante hai ke aap ne zaroor apnee behkee baatose or apnee chalaaki se ose behlaaya hoga or phislaaya bhi hoga. Or wo bhatak gaya or bhool gaya ke oski kya kya zimmedaariya hai.

 

Sia: agar aisa hota to ham wo aakhri insaan hote jo yeh baat ka ikraar karte

 

Dayavardhan: (displeased) aapko andesha bhi hai ke aap kisse baat karahee hai Rajkumari  Sia? (Sia just galres at him) maharaj Aryavardhan ke jaane ke baad ham hee Dharam ke sabse kareebe daar rishtedaar hai. Baap ke samaan hai ham or hamara pura haq hai jaane ka ke oski zindagee me kya horaha hai. Behat kareeb se jaante hai ham ose.

 

Sia: jaante honge per iska matlab yeh nahi ke aapko hamaree bhi her baat jaane ka haq hai. Ham hamaree koi bhi baat kisee ko bhi aise nahi bata dete

 

Dayavardhan: ek baat hamaree kaan khole ke sunlijye Rajkumari Sia (slightly raised voice) yeh rishta jiske baare aap sapne dekh rahee hai or samajhti hai ke sach hojaaehga to yeh kabhi nahi hoga. Hargiz nahi hoga. Aap apni chaal me kabhi kamyaab nahi hogi. Dharam hamesha se Rajkumari Antara ke liye hee chuna gaya tha or hamesha se oske saath hee rahega. (arrogant smile) ab bataye kya kehtee hai oske baare me?

 

Sia: (thinks about it and takes a deep breath) agar aisa hai to phir aapko kyu lagta hai ke onhone hamare liye shaadi ka praostao rakha hoga?

 

Dayavardhan: bachpan se onka rishta teh hochuka hai or wo koi nahi badal sakta. Or aap yeh sochtee hai ke aap kal kee nayi aayi Rajkumari aake yeh rishta tore dogi jiskee naa to koi aukaat hai or naahi koi bari hastee. (enraged) yeh rishta kabhi nahi hoga samjhi aap. Bohat hee bara dhaag or dhaaba hoga wo raaj gharaane per or aapse koi bhi rishta nahi rakhna chahega

 

Sia: (sarcastic) sach me kitna bara nuksaan hoga

 

Dayavardhan: behat hee ghamandi or batameze larki hai aap. Sharam aati hai hame sochte huwe ke aap ek rajkumari hai. Hame naa sunne kee aadat nahi hai samjhi aap or hamaree baat hamesha maani jaati hai

 

Sia: taras aata hai hame aapki soch per or aapki haalat per. Magar isse hame koi farak nahi parta

 

Dayavardhan: khabar daar jo hame toka to. (stares at her with memacing eyes) abhi bhi ham aapko hukum derahe hai ke samajh daari se kaam le or jaha hai wahi rahe. Apni hadd se bahaar jaane kee koshish bhi mat karna

 

Sia: Maharaj ham aapko bata de ke hame kahi bhi nahi lagta ke Maharaj Dharam ke saath rishta jore ke ham os hadd ko paar karahe hai. Wo ek maharaj hai or ham bhi ek rajkumari hee hai. To dono huwe raaj gharane se hee to kaha hai farak?

 

Dayavardhan: magar aapke baaki ke rishtedaar koun hai? Aapkee maa kisee bhi raaj gharane se nahi thi to phir kaha se huwa yeh raaj gharane ka khoon? (Sia gives her an annoyed look) ham sab kuch jaante hai Sia, aisa mat samajh na ke hamse koi bhi baat chupee hai

 

Sia: theek hai maana ke aisa hai per agar aapke bhateje ko koi aitraaz nahi to phir aapko bhi koi aitraaz nahi hona chaheeye.

 

Dayavardhan: (raised voice) saaf saaf hame bataye ke kya Dharam ne aapko shaadi ke baare me baat ki hai ke nahi?

 

Sia: Ji nahi

 

Dayavardhan: (calms down and sighs with relief) hame wachan dijye ke agar aisa huwa bhi to aapka jawaab naa hee hoga

 

Sia: ham aisa koi wachan nahi denge (he tried to intervene but she stopped him) or ab hamaree aap se bintee hai ke is maamle me hampe or koi dabao mat daal ye

 

She turns around to walk back as she has had enough

 

Dayavardhan: itnee jaldi nahi, abhi hamaree baat puri nahi huwi hai. (Following after her)

 

Sia: (stops and turns towards him) ab aapke paas kuch bhi bachana nahi hai kehne ko maharaj. Mujhe or mere parivaar ko jitna zaleel karna tha aapko, wo aap kar chuke hai to ab mujhe ijazat dijye waapis mahal me jaane kee. (she turns around and continues walking)

 

Dayavardhan: (following her) to phir aap tulee huwee hai Aryanagar kee izzat ko mittee me milaane. Behat hee bari khudgarz or bad dimaag larki hai aap. Hamara istarha apmaan karke koi khushi nahi milegee aapko. (both of them stop near his carriage) pura ka pura barbaad karden gi aap ose. Puri dunya me mazaak banake chorogi ose

 

Sia: (trying to stay calm) ham wohi karenge jo hamara dil kahega or jisse sirf hamaree khushi or onki shaamil hogi. Or oske ilawa hame na to aapse ya phir kisee bhi or dunya ke log se dilchuspi hai

 

Dayavardhan: to yeh aapka aakhri faisla hai? (she turns away with aggitation) theek hai, jesee aapkee marzi (climbs his carriage) ham bhi jaante hai hame kya karna hai. Ham jaarahe hai. Ab ham aapko or aapke parivaar ki or dubaara mur ke dekhna bhi pasand nahi karna chahenge. Aapkee itnee aukaat hee nahi ke ham ospe hamara waqt barbaad kare. Bohat hee dukh huwa hai hame aapke is faisle se or ab aapka kuch nahi hosakta.

 

With those last words his carriage drove off out of the mahal's grounds and out of Sumaina. Sia was deeply hurt by his accusations and she let out silent tears as she made her way inside. But before entering she made sure she wiped them away as she didn't want her family to know what had gone about out there. When Nivriti asked Sia just said it was kind of him to pay a visit to see how she was getting on after she had visited him in Avdhi. Nivriti was pleased and just left it at that.

 

In the evening

 

Sumaina's maharaj had returned and he had found out about Dayavardhan's visit and then he had also received some alarming news. He searched around and found Sia on the way.

 

S.M: acha huwa tum hame milgayee Sia. (takes her hand) chalo hamare saath hame tumse zaroori baat karni hai

 

He took her with him to his room and then both of them sat down and then he took out a letter he received.

 

S.M: aaj subhe ham jab kaam se gaye the to beech me hame Rajkumar Harsh mile or onhone hame yeh diya. Bohat hee hairaanee kee baat hai isme Sia (she made an upset face as she thought it must have been something to do with Maharaj Dayavardhan) yeh khat Rajkumar Harsh ne hee likha hai. Pehle to onhone hame badhai di hai Ananya ke rishte ke baare me or phir wo…(scans through the letter) wese onki taarife to itnee lambhi hai ke ham jaante hai ke tum wo nahi sunna chahogee to mudde pe aate hai. (looks through and then finds the relevant information) yaha pe likha hai ke ab bohat jald aapki dusri betee Rajkumari Sia bhi Sumaina ko chore ke jaane waalee hai. Jab aapki bari betee Rajkumari Ananya kee shaadi hongee tabhi oske baad forun Rajkumari Sia ki bhi hojaaehgee. Jis raaj me hoga wo sabhi raajyo se unchaa hoga or dono behne ka ek hee sambhand hoga (looked towards her) kya tumhe andesha hogaya hai ke kiskee baat horahee hai? (Sia nods her head in disagreement) dekho ab wo aage likha hai (continues reading it again) wo jo hai onka khaandaan or raaj itna bara hai ke sab onki or dekhta hai. Per yeh baat zaroor sach hai ke onke chacha Maharaj Dayavardhan is rishte ke khilaaf hai or hargiz nahi chahte ke aisa kuch ho. (she shook her head as she understood who it was about now) tum jaantee ho na ab koun hai? Maharaj Dharam. (the maharaj sounds disappointed) saare raajyo me se sirf wo hee mile kya, Maharaj Dharam. (he gives out a short laugh and Sia doesn't say anything as she doesn't know what to say) Maharaj Dharam jinhone kabhi kisee bhi rajkumari kee taraf aakh uthe ke nahi dekha or onki baat horahee hai. Kya tumhe hairaanee nahi horahee Sia yeh sun kar, kyu ke onhone kabhi tumharee taraf yaha tak tumse kabhi sidhee tarha baat nahi ki or onka rishta tumse jore rahe hai.  Maana ke Ananya ka rishta Veer se jure chukka hai per iska matlab yeh nahi ke osee gharaane me ham hamaree saari beiteyo ko dhakel de.

 

Sia lets out a laugh agreeing with him but somehow she is still quite upset about it.

 

S.M: per Sia aapko dekhkar hame yeh nahi lagta ke aap ko baree hasee aayee is baat per. Kahi isko lekar pareshaan to nahi horahee aap?

 

Sia: (laughs again) aisa nahi hai pitaji, ham bus soch rahe the ke yeh sab kaafi ajeeb hai

 

S.M: ha ajeeb to hai. To shayad isiliye hee Maharaj Dayavardhan aaye the na. onka faisla suna ne (gives a short laugh but then becomes tensed again) Ham bus yeh pratna karte hai ke Ananya or Rajkumar Veer ke rishte me koi baadha na aaye. ( Sia turned away to hide her hurt feelings. She didn't know how to tell her father about how she felt but she herself wasn't clear about them either. Then she assured him that nothing wrong would happen now)

 

They finished talking and then she returned back to her room wondering about what happened till date and how things had changed. How she had changed and her ways of looking at life had changed.

 

Next day

 

Ananya and Sia had decided to go to Malkapur's bazaar. Veer and Dharam were now setting out to go back to Aryanagar and on the way had decided to go to Sumaina and meet up with Ananya before going back home. When they reached they found out from Nivriti that they had gone to Malkapur so they took their leave to go there. Dharam was also anxious to meet Sia as he had many things to tell her and from their last meeting he had sensed she also had many questions in her eyes.

 

Malkapur bazaar

 

Ananya and Sia had reached the bazaar and were just browsing around. All of a sudden there was a roar in the crowd and people were found running around. Both of them panicked and looked around to see what heppened but things were moving around so quickly that they didn't understand what was happening.

 

Many horses could be heard coming and vicious men were on board them who were terrorizing all the people and snatching all the valuble goods. One of them came near Ananya and Sia and just kept scaring them. They got really scared and tried to run away from him but other two men came rushing towards them on their horses and picked them up by force. Both of them kept protesting to let them go but the men didn't listen a word and just carried them away.

 

Ten minutes later Dharam and Veer arrived and were astonished to find the whole bazaar in a mess. Things were all lying around and it was a wreck. All the people were also crying and moaning.

 

Veer: (caught a passer by) sunye bhaisab, yeh yaha kya huwa

 

Fellow: kuch dair pehle yaha pe daakuo ka hamla huwa tha or wo aake sab lute gaye

 

Veer: kya!

 

Both Dharam and Veer were not pleased with that information but then they became worried about both the rajkumaris.

 

Dharam: acha yeh bataye ke Sumaina kee do rajkumariya yaha aayi thi to wo kaha hai?

 

Fellow: onhe bhi daaku uthaake legaye

 

That enraged both of them and they snarled and clenched their fists. This was the limit and Veer vowed he won't spare any one daakoo. They asked the fellow if he knew in which direction the daakoos had gone and he said he saw them going in the Northwest direction. Both Dharam and Veer mounted their horses and set off to rescue their princesses at once.

 

Aswaahi qabila

 

 Sardaar: ab aaya hai sahi moka haath me (looks towards the rajkumaris) ab shikaar khud shikanje me aaehga (evil laugh) Taasha hamare mehmaano kee khatir daari karo (then starts laughing again)

 

Taasha came and tied both the rajkumari's hands and then dragged them away with him and locked them up in a room. Finally the Aswahi sardaar got a chance to get back at Dharam and Veer as he knew they would be coming any moment.

 

Dharam and Veer soon arrived at the den but they stopped midway and went on foot as they had to be careful. Cleverly they killed the guards outside and then disguised themselves as them and went inside to find out where the two were hidden.

 

Ananya and Sia were lucky enough to free themselves from the restraints and then were looking around for a way to get out of there. Then Ananya began knocking on the door.

 

Ananya: darwaaza kholo! Hame yaha pe kyu band karke rakha hai? (continues knocking) darwaaza kholo! Hamne kaha darwaaza kholo!

 

She continued knocking but there was no answer and then suddenly the door opened and Ananya moved back stunned. In front of her stood two of the daakoos and she became afraid again and began moving back.  One daakoo kept moving towards them and the girls kept warning him to stay back but he didn't listen and kept moving forward. Then as the two leaned against the wall, the daakoo towered over them. Ananya and Sia's heart began racing and they held each other's hands for comfort. The daakoo came really close, really close to Ananya and she became frightened.

 

Ananya: (closed her eyes and yelled) VEER! AAAAAAAAH!

 

Veer: (pressing his ears and getting annoyed) ssssssssh…are itna jore se chilaaogee to phir sab yaha aajaenge. Or tumhaare paas hee to khara hu to chilaa kyu rahee ho?

 

After hearing that Ananya became shocked and kept staring at the daakoo with wide eyes. He sounded so much like Veer. Then what she saw next was even more shocking. The daakoo removed the cloth off his face and she saw it was none other than Veer.

 

Ananya: Veer? Aap yaha?

 

Veer: ha jab mujhe pata chala ke yeh daakoo tumhe uthaake legaye hai to me turrant nikal para tumhe bachaane. Aise hee kese chore deta me.

 

Both keep staring at each other with love and smile and laughed like innocent kids. Ananya was relieved to see him here and they forgot where they were.

 

Dharam: (running in) Veer jaldi karo kuch log isee taraf aarahe hai

 

Both Ananya and Sia are surprised to find yet another daakoo but he knew Veer. Then they realised who it was.

 

Sia: Maharaj Dharam aap bhi yaha?

 

Dharam: (stares at her and then removes the cloth off his face) ha wo ham dono aaye hai aap dono ko bachaane

 

Dharam and Sia also keep staring at each other as if there was a lot they wanted to tell each other and he could see how she was trying to show her gratitude with her eyes. She actually appreciated him coming to save her and in a way she was sure that he would come.

 

Then some bustling was heard outside so both Veer and Dharam quickly covered their faces again and then all of them pretended they didn't know each other.

 

Daakoo: are tum dono yaha kya karahe ho?

 

Veer: (in a changed hard voice) ha wo ham…

 

Daakoo: chalo sardaar ne in dono ko bulaaya hai

 

Veer: ha ham bus lekar aate hai

 

After the other daakoos left Veer and Dharam looked back at the two rajkumaris. Then they explained their plan to them and then they pretended to be the daakoos ansd took the rajkuamris with them to find out who was this sardaar.

 

When they reached the main place where the sardaar was sat both Dharam and Veer looked at each other as they couldn't believe who they were seeing again. It was their old enemy who apparently had resurfaced. Both were enraged but had to maintain their cool until they found out what he was up to.    

 

Sardaar: aaye, aaye Rajkumari.

 

Ananya: hame yaha baand ke kyu rakha hai?

 

Sardaar: bohat jald pata chal jaaehga

 

Daakoo: (rushing in) sardaar abhi abhi khabar milee hai ke Rajkumar Veer or Maharaj Dharam Malkapur ke bazaar me aaye the or waha se nikal chuke hai

 

Sardaar: (stands up with delight) yeh bohat hee acchi khabar sunai tumne. Yehi to me chahta tha ke wo dono yaha aaye. Wo samjenge ke wo yaha aake dono rajkumariyo ko chura ke lejaaenge per wo aayenge to sirf apni maut ke jaal me, maut ke jaal me. (he let out an evil laugh)

 

Both Dharam and Veer eyed each other and signaled to do according their plan. Then both of them rapidly swinged sideways and grabbed hold of the standing daakoos and put their swords under their necks.

 

Dharam: ofsos tumhaara yeh khwaab kabhi pura nahi hoga

 

The sardaar was stunned to see what happened and then he saw that it was Dharam and Veer. He ordered his men to kill them and then there was a fight between them all. Ananya and Sia tried to escape from out there as planned but one of the daakoos came and gripped Ananya's hand really tight. She squealed in pain and Veer immediately came in a rage and pushed the daakoo away. In between the daakoo slit Veer's arm and he yelled in pain but he was too angry to notice it and he attacked him and killed him. Eventually Dharam and Veer won over the battle and killed all the men and finally were fighting with the sardaar. It took some effort but in the end they had him pinned down and this time both didn't hesitate to finish off the job. They killed the sardaar and were relieved that finally this mess was over and he would never bother them again.

 

All four of them rushed out of there and were back in the bazaar. That's when Ananya saw the blood oozing out from Veer's arm and she panicked and quickly grabbed him.

 

Ananya: Veer aapke haath se to khoon beh raha hai (she takes him with her to a hut and makes him sit down and then brings some water and a cloth and begins nursing it) kya zaroorat thi aise oske saath larne kee, kitnee chote lagayee aapko

 

Veer: (smiled) agar nahi karta to phir tumhaaree raksha kese karta. Me tumhe kabhi kuch nahi hone de sakta Ananya

 

Ananya: (keeps staring at him with love. A light breeze blows through them and as it touches her she gives a quiet hiss and closes her eyes. Then she opens them and finds him still staring at her) ab agar aap hame istarha hee dekhte rahenge to phir aap hee kee nazar lag jaaehgee hame

 

Veer: nahi Ananya ab yeh mera farz hai ke me dunya kee wo her buri nazar se tumhe bachao. Ab her bala ko tumse pochne se pehle mujhse takraana hoga

 

She finished tying the cloth on his wound and then just kept staring at him. There was so much love in his heart for her and she felt too proud to have him in her life. Tears of joy fell out of her eyes. He came forward and wiped them away slowly and nodded with his head telling her not to cry and then put his arm around her shoulder. She rested her head on his chest and just felt so secure and didn't want to get out of those arms ever.

End of part