Aap kiyun phool sey vivah nahi ker sakthay? kya kami hai usmay? her eyes said volumes. Finally Pratap was able to read into those deep dark eyes. He clearly noticed that they reflected the opposite of what she was feeling. His heart screamed with clear voice voh bhi aapko pasand kerthi hai' but he couldn't deny the other voice that carried its own scent of disappointment. voh kuch keh kiyun nahi hai aapsey'
aap kuch kehthay kiyun nahi ?
Pratap looked intensely towards Ajab
Kiyunki phool voh nahi hai jo humaray liye bani hain ajab'
aapko kiyun is tarah lagtha hai kuwar pratap. hum janthay hain phool ko. Unmay voh sabh gun hai jo aapki ardhangani ke liye pariyaapt honi chahiye' argued ajab
Nahi, kiyunki phool voh nahi jo humara aisa dhyan rakh sakay jaise hum unkay liye sabh kuch hon' said Pratap
Tho aapko aisi kanya milnay sey rahi' argued Ajab back while turning her back towards pratap. She could not face him now. As she wanted to quiet her heart that was screaming towards her to accept her feelings and cave in...
Mujhye aisi kanya mil gayi hai ajab' came pratap's voice
Her heart started to beat faster as the moment came in closer and it was getting impossible for her to stop herself. She knew what was coming next. She had seen it in his eyes many times before only to steal away those piercing glances and convince her heart otherwise.
aur voh meray saamnay khadi hai'
Those words pushed Ajab into a world unknown. Loosing all her conscious efforts to stop her limbs she caved in. Finally she went with her heart and turned towards her love. All she could feel was the immense relief. As if a mountain had been lifted from her heart and all she could feel was warmth.
Little did she realize that she was in the arms of the man she had so tried to avoid.
Pratap could not believe what had just happened. Finally, the reality of matter sunk in and he got the confirmation that he always wanted. His hands moved slowly towards her beautiful hair.
This feeling was new and beautiful. His heart raced. Never had he even seen a woman or glanced at her.
Ajab kay siway' his mind affirmed immediately. He remembered those sweet tender moments of their first meet and the first time he laid his eyes on the beautiful Ajab in the princess attire. He became lost in the beautiful fragrance that was coming from her and instinctively he hugged her back tighter.
Perhaps it was the force of his hug or his sudden move that Ajab decided to move away. She tried to get away but he pulled her closer. Another instant reaction...
He looked at her face and saw that a lock of her hair had covered her face during the pull. She seemed a little scared and her eyes searched for someone around.
Ye aap kya ker rahe hain kuwarji' she said with her voice trembling slightly
koi dekh lega tho badi samasya khadi ho jayegi' she said
He looked her and pulled her closer and said
kuwarji?'
aap mera naam nahi lengi, Ajabde' he said slyly
Ajabde shyly looked away and tried to get her hands out of his tight grasp. She momentarily forgot that she was being held by someone who could take on an army single handedly so how could she, a single woman get away from his clutches. Perhaps she didn't try hard enough.
Chodiye humay kuwarji, Rani ma humara intezar ker rahi hongi she said' without looking.
nahi. Pehlay humay batayiye ki aap humnay kuwarji kiyun keh rahi hain, Kuwar Pratap kiyun nahi' he asked her
acha batatay hain, pehlay haath ho chodiye'
Teekh hai' said pratap letting her go.
immediately Ajab took off from the place and started running towards her room.
Yeh sahi nahi kiya aapnay ajabde. Hum aapsey is prashn ka uttar jannay bina nahi rehnay dengay'
In the room Ajab was lying on her bed. Her heart was racing really fast. She had locked the doors from inside so that no one could come and see her in her state.
She looked up and glared at the beautiful ceiling.
Ajab' she heard pratap's voice.
She immediately sat up and found Pratap standing besides her bed.
aap... she said with almost her voice giving out.
shh... koi sun lega' he said immediately coming closer.
Ajab moved back and came out from the other side of her bed.
aap yahan per kiyun aaye. Kisi nay dekh liya tho? she said scared.
Ye humara mehal hai.. hum jahan chahe wahan aa sakthay hain' said pratap with smile.
Nahi ye sahi nahi hai. Aap yahan sey jayiye' Said Ajab in a commanding tone
the moment she asked him to leave she saw that he was gone.
Her heart started to slow down. She looked all around her room and it seemed that Pratap had vanished into thin air.
Aapnay humay yaad kiya ajab' came his voice
Ajab looked behind her and found Pratap at a very close proximity.
She immediately closed her face with her two hands and slowly after few seconds peeked through her fingers and again she saw no one
Ye humay kya ho raha hai! she exclaimed to herself.
She rushed out and started looking for her friend in whom she could find some comfort. Then suddenly the guilt came rushing from her inner nerves into her heart. Phool! hum unka kaise samna karengay. Ye humaray sey ithni badi bhool kaise ho gayi'
Nahi hum Phool kay saath aisa kabhi nahi hongay dengay' her mind and heart were at war again. She could not betray her only friend who was also in love with pratap. She knew that from the beginning itself and even then she had let herself go loose. She looked around for Phool. She knew that only by looking at her will she be able to get the strength to stay away from the decision her heart was forcing her to make.
Phool... Phool.. called out Ajabde.
Rajkumari phool Rani Dheerbhaisa kay saath bahar gayi huin hain. Sandhya kaal thak vapis aayengi. Unhonay aapko bohot dunda lekin Rani Dheerbhaisa nay unhay turant anay ko kaha. Isiliye meray haath sandesa pohunchaya hain' Said a daasi.
Ajabde started to walk around the halls of the palace. Lost in her thought and without her friend nearby she was already in such a mess. She decided to go towards her room and wait for Phool to return.
That very moment she saw Pratap coming from the other end of the hallway. She immediately turned her steps to the other direction and started walking fast. She could hear footsteps racing behind her.
Ajabde..rukiye' said Pratap
Ajabde started to pace her steps even faster. She slightly turned and saw pratap almost catching up on her when she hit something.
She looked and saw Rani Jayawanta in front of her.
Shama kariye Rani ma. Humnay aapko dekha nahi' Said Ajabde now literally trembling
Kya hua ajabde aap ithna hamph kiyun rahi hai' And as if as an answer to her question she saw Pratap appearing with his hands out stretched.
He immediately pulled his hands backwards.
Maharani Jayawanta guessed the situation at hand. She looked at Ajabde who was now pressing her both hands and then she looked at Pratap who looked sheepish.
Acha aayiye Ajabde. Aap humaray kaksh main aayiye. Humay aapsey kuch kaam hai' She said smiling
Ajabde without saying or looking anywhere followed Rani Jayawanta'
Pratap looked for a moment and moved to follow his mother but decided otherwise. He turned around and went the other direction.
IN Rani Jayawanta's room, ajabde started to prepare a garland as per her request.
Ajabde humnay suna hai ki aap bohot achi mala banathi hain' said Rani ma.
Ajabde looked at Ranima and smiled. She had started to feel a bit more relaxed.
ma bhi yahi kehthi hain. unko meray hathon ki mala hi bohot bha thi hain' said Ajab reminiscing her sweet moments with her mother.
Moments passed and the garland was ready.
Dikhao mujhe ajabde. Wah Ajabde. Kithni sundar mala hai'
Then at that precise moment
Rani ma'
Ajab's heard did a flip over. She dared not look up.
Rani ma ye humari aabhoshan ki ladi toot gayi hai. aap isey laga dijiye na' said Pratap looking at his mother but stealing glances to look at Ajabde
Rani jayawanta noticed him looking at her.
pichli dafa tho aapko pasand nahi aayi thi humari kadayi...
are nahi Ranima .. maine tho aisa nahi kaha' cut in Pratap immediately
She smiled while looking at Pratap and Ajab. Both where impressively ignoring each other.
Acha teeh khai main laga dethi hun. she said getting up.
She got up and started to leave the room
Rani ma aap kahan ja rahi hain' said Pratap and Ajabde together
Rani jayawanta looked at them and noticed them looking at each other and then looking away. She smiled and said main abhi aayi. Sajja baisa kay paas aapkay aabhoshan main lagnay walay moti hain. Main voh leker aathi hun
Of course this was just an excuse as being the queen she needn't go anywhere. The daasis were available at her very clap but she wanted to give them time to get comfortable with each other and clear out any misunderstandings that might have risen.
aap dono meri yahin pratiksha kijiye' she said wanting to make sure that they stay in the room and not run away from each other once again.
Little did she know that it was only Ajab who was doing the running away and pratap on the other hand was running towards Ajab.
Ye mala bohot hi sundar hai' Said pratap wanting to make Ajabde talk with him
Dhanyawad' said Ajabde meekly without looking at pratap. She became busy collecting her flowers and placing them in the basket.
Waise ye mala aapnay banaya kisliyehain' He asked
Rani ma kay kehnay per' she replied
Acha... tho aapnay unsey karan nahi pucha? he asked
Ajabde shook her hand.
Little did she know that Pratap had slowly walked towards her while she was busy standing and collecting her flowers with her back towards him.
She turned around and found Pratap right in front of her face.
She immediately moved back only to hit her legs with the table and sitting on it with a thud.
Pratap started to laugh out loud
Are ajab aap ithna dar kiyun rahi hain'
with these words Ajab started fuming with anger. she rose up tried to move
Pratap immediately stopped laughing
Acha shama kariye. Pata hai aapko , maine aapko ithna darthay hue kabhi nahi dekha. Jaise ki main aapko kha jaunga' he said once again hiding his laugh
hasiye hasiye. aapko tho anand aatha hain na mujhe is tarah tang kerthay hue? She said trying to get up and move away from him.
Peechay hatiye' she said
Nahi hatengay hum' replied PRatap
kuwarji , aapsey hum vinathi kerthay hain. aap peechay hatiye aur humara raastha chodiye'
He was waiting for this moment. He wanted to hear her say Kuwarji' one more time to make her answer his question.
Aapnay humsey wada kiya tha ki jab hum aapka haath chordengay tho aap humay ye batayengi ki aapnay mujhe kuwar pratap kiyun nahi kaha' he said.
Ajab's heart started to race. They were back to the question that she so desperately wanted to avoid.
Bas aise hi' she said without looking at him
acha tho humay humaray naam sey bulayiye' ;Kuwar Pratap Singh'
said Pratap in a demanding tone
nahi'
acha kiyun'
Humari merzi. Hum jo kehna chahengay hum wohi kahengay' she said looking at him with her fierce eyes.
Yahi tho hum chahthay hain Ajab. Ki aap humari taraf dekho' Said Pratap now taking her hands his.
Ajab looked at him and started looking into his deep eyes.
Aap humsey vivah karengi? asked Pratap
Ajab's heart raced. She didn't know what to say. she could feel his hands and she was sure that he could feel her hands turning cold.
aap ithna ghabra kiyun rahi hain ajabde' he asked now his face etched with worry.
Ithna paseena kiyun aa raha hai aapko, He asked her lifting her hands.
Kiyunki meray priy Putr. Aisi baatain, kanya sey nahi, unkay mata pita sey kerthay hain' came Jayawanta's voice
Immediately Ajabde reacted and took her hands off from Prataps hand and tried to quickly move away from him. IN the process she dropped all the flowers and the garland that landed near Pratap.
Pratap looked at his mother and looked a bit shy.
HUmay shama kariye Ranima. Lekin ye nirnay tho humnay aapkay vivadh ko sunnay kay baad hi liya hai' He said slyly.
Rani jayawanta smiled and pulled his ears slightly.
;aa.. said Pratap
Acha humaray vivad kay baad. Tho aapkay mann main kuch nahi chal raha tha?' she asked pointing towards Ajabde
Ajabde turned red while listening to the mother son conversation. she wanted to run away from there but she couldn't move her legs.
Rani Jayawanta moved towards her and put her hands on her face and slowly caressed it. Aapnay humarai aaj sabhi chintayen door ker di.
aapnay humari beti banker rehnay ka vachan bhi aaj purn ker diya.
Main aaj hi Hansa aur Rao ji ko ye shubh samachar Rana ji kay dwara pahuncha dethi hun' Said Rani jayawanta looking happily towards Pratap and Ajabde.
She saw that Ajabde was looking down shyly and with her forefingers she raised her chin
anu mathi hai kuwari Ajabde'
Ajabde immediately took off from there shyly with Pratap following behind her.