Chapter Five
Ranaji was talking to the Rajmata about permitting Gayatri to go to the Durgapur Shiv mandir, "Why did you give her permission to go? Both of us know how risky it is. The attacks on both me and Gayatri are increasing. We have enemies all around us. What if something happens to her? I will never be able to forgive myself."
Rajmata replied, "Ranaji she is the Queen of this kingdom and wants to fulfill a vow she made for your sake and for our kingdom. How can I refuse my permission? Anyhow our soldiers and Swarnaleka are going along with her. I would have preferred if you too had gone with her but Gayatri is angry with you. She will forget her anger in a few days. Till then let her be."
Ranaji said in an irritated voice, "God how many tantrums does she throw as if she is the Queen of some place!"
Rajmata reminded him, "Ranaji you keep forgetting that she is the Queen of Amerkot. Even though you are our Ranaji, she is your wedded wife. Wives even of kings have the right and freedom to throw tantrums on their husbands. If I remember right, all this began because you forgot to pick her up."
Ranaji moaned, "Oh God! Not again!"
In another room, the evil trio of Badi Rani ma, Kokila and Kunwarji were plotting, "We will not get another such golden opportunity. But be careful to plan her death in such a way that it will look like an accident. Ranaji will not let us go if he gets any proof against us" said Badi Rani ma.
Gayatri was overlooking all the preparations for her trip. She was organizing all the items necessary for her puja. All she wanted was the welfare of her Ranaji and her people. Her Babuji often used to tell her, "If a problem is beyond you, leave it in the hands of God. He will take care of it."She was about to do the same thing now.
Gayatri was combing her tangled and curly hair. This was one job in her daily schedule which irked her to no end. Only people with a rich, thick and curly tuft of hair like hers would realize how difficult it was in keeping them tidy and manageable. She was battling a lost battle with her comb against her unruly hair. She did not even observe when Ranaji had come and was standing right behind her.
Her breath started becoming thicker and jerkier. The blood started racing to her forehead. She was about to hurriedly stand up when Ranaji made her sit down. Without speaking a single word, he gently smoothed her hair with the aromatic oil on the dressing table. He started untangling the knots in her hair very gently with the tips of his fingers.
Gayatri 's heartbeat was becoming faster and faster. She wanted to avoid all this. She did not want to build up her hopes again. She could not face another disappointment. She could live with the fact that she could never be a wife in the truest sense to Ranaji. She knew that both of them were bound to each other by their duty and not love for each other.
However she found herself entrapped in the magic of the moment. As Ranaji continued combing her hair with the brush, his hands caressing her back, she was floating on the heavens in the bliss of the moment. She had wanted such sweet moments of companionship with him. Then how was it wrong if they were actually happening?
"Yeh moh moh ke dhaage
Teri ungliyon se jaa uljhe
Yeh moh moh ke dhaage
Teri ungliyon se ja uljhe
Koi toh toh na laage
Kis tarah girah ye suljhe
Hai rom rom ek tara
Hai rom rom iktaara
Jo badalon mein se guzre
Ye moh moh ke dhage
Teri ungliyon se jaa uljhe
Koi toh toh na lage
Kis tarah girah yeh suljhe
Tu hoga zaraa paagal
Tune mujh ko hai chuna
Tu hoga zara pagal
Tune mujh ko hai chunaa
Kaise toone ankahaa
Tune an-kahaa sab suna
Tu hoga zara paagal
Tune mujh ko hai chuna
Tu din sa hai, mein raat
Aana Donon mil jaayein shaamon ki tarah
Yeh moh moh ke dhaage
Teri ungliyon se ja uljhe
Koi toh toh na laage
Kis tarah girah ye suljhe
Yeh teri jhoothi baatein mai saari maan loon
Ke teri jhoothi baatein mai saari maan loon
Aankhon se tere sach sabhi, sab kuchh abhi jaan loon
Ke teri jhoothi baatein mai saari maan loon...
Tej hai dhaara behte se hum awaara
Aa tham ke saansein le yahaan
Yeh moh moh ke dhaage
Teri ungliyon se jaa uljhe
Koi toh toh na laage
Kis tarah girah yeh suljhe"
Suddenly Gayatri recovered from the moment and left from the room hurriedly. She loved Ranaji ardently. But she could not face his denial a second time. She would build a wall around herself. She would always be with him as his best friend but not more than that.
Ranaji was shocked at just what he was doing. How could he forget himself? How did he forget Sulakshana in that tiny moment between them? It was just him and Gayatri. How beautiful was it! As he was untangling the knots in her hair, it seemed as though the tangled knots in his own heart were getting untangled. Ranaji was speaking to himself, "What was I doing? She is just my friend. How could I forget myself?"
Gayatri took the blessings of the Rajmata and Badi Rani ma before leaving for her trip. She was glancing out of the corner of her eyes at Ranaji who eyes seemed to be dissuading her not to go. She said within her heart, "Let me go, Ranaji. I going there for you and for our people only." Gayatri turned to go but Ranaji was very unhappy with all this. He was saying in his heart, "Gayatri, please don't go. I feel as though something bad is going to happen to you . I should never have married you. Your life is in perpetual danger because you happen to be my Queen. My enemies have become your enemies also though you have nothing to do with these politics or intrigues. You have such a pure heart and this whole palace is full of people who could do anything for money and power."
Gayatri was saying in her heart to Ranaji, "Nothing will happen to me Ranaji as long as you are there with me. Please don't worry. God and our positive actions determine our fate, life or death." Both Ranaji and Gayatri knew what was going on in the other person's mind even without speaking. They did not need words to communicate with each other. Their eyes spoke what was there in their hearts.
It was mid day by the time, Gayatri and Swarnaleka were crossing the river in a ferry to reach the temple at Durgapur. Their soldiers were also travelling in boats beside the royal ferry while maintaining a close watch on their Queen. Suddenly they heard cries for help floating across the river. The ferry of a marriage party was sinking. Gayatri ordered the soldiers, "Go and save them from drowning!"
The Captain of the soldiers deferred, "Rani sa if we leave here and go, who will take care of your safety? We won't go. It could be a trick to lure us away."
Gayatri ordered, "It could be a trap. What if it is not? I will never be able to forgive myself for letting so many of our praja die right before my eyes. As a Queen my first duty is towards my people and not towards my safety.Go fast before any of them lose their lives."
The soldiers were in the process of saving the marriage party when they heard a loud cry. Swarnaleka was crying while saying, "Gayatri Bhabi sa is drowning. Somebody please save her." They were all stunned for a moment. Their worst fears came true. What answer would they give to Ranaji?
Suddenly they saw two people jumping from either banks into the river towards the spot where their Rani sa was drowning. Both of them took her to the safety of the bank before they hugged each other saying, "Ranaji aap?" and "Aditya, aap yahan?" As they say all's well that ends well. Their Rani sa was safe and Ranaji's close friend and aide, Prince Aditya was back. Looked like the good times of Amerkot were coming back .
After Gayatri had recovered, Aditya was about to leave when Ranaji held him saying, "Please don't go. Your friend and Amerkot need you. I don't have too many people beside me whom I can trust. Stay back, Aditya."
Aditya loosened his hand over his shoulder saying, "My sister's face keeps coming before me whenever I think of coming back to Amerkot."
Gayatri who was listening to this whole conversation, took a raksha dhaga from her puja things and tied it to his hand saying, "Bhaiyya, we get some relations by blood and some by destiny. You are that brother of mine whom destiny gave me. You said that whenever you thought of coming to Amerkot your sister's face keeps coming before you. Now you have another sister at Amerkot. She is alone and needs your help. Can't you come back for her sake?" Aditya had tears in his eyes listening to this. He left Amerkot for the sake of a sister and today he was coming back to Amerkot for the sake of another sister.
Fan Fictions
