Chapter 21
Gayatri couldn't sleep that night, she spent hours with Swarnlekha reassuring her, listening to her painful sobbing, tending to her wounds and then finally getting her to sleep. She was safe here next to her in her room, at least she was somewhere where Gayatri could see her.
All in all Swarna may have drifted off but Gayatri was incredibly disturbed, she wanted to run to Ranaji and tell him what she had seen but then Swarnalekhas cry for discretion also haunted her. She begged for Gayatri not to tell anyone of this and Gayatri had agreed just to keep her Calm at the time but now as she realized how serious the circumstances were Gayatri could see that she had a made a false promise.
...
The next morning as Gayatri served Ranaji his breakfast at the table stood behind his chair she noticed that the kings hand was bandaged as he ate from his helping. Knowing what she knew that of course alarmed her but it wasn't as if she could be openly worried about what she saw before the whole Royal family. Even Swarnlekha was present at the table as expected looking deflated and quite in one corner of the table.
Gayatri wasn't the only one that noticed the dressing on the kings hand, Rajmata made the same observation and as expected questioned it.
"Aap ko yey chot kaisi lagi Ranaji.?"
The King spoke of being hurt during this mornings sword fighting however Gayatri knew for a fact that Ranaji hadn't taken part in anything of the sort this morning and his eyes when they caught with his by chance were revealing of his white lie.
...
As Ranaji walked away from the table after breakfast, a familiar voice called upon him from behind. It was Gayatri she rushed up to him as he stopped in his steps it was clear that her eyes and panic was for Ranajis injured hand.
All she could think of was Swarnlekhas fathers words to her husband. For every scar Swarna is given ranaji would also gain the equivalent and what Gayatri had seen on Swarna was enough to leave her in fear of the possibilities.
Seeing his young wife all worked up he reassures her with his very royal tone of voice. "Ham bilkul theekh hai..magar aap ke is akulta ka kuch karna padega
Raniji."
("I'm fine but we'll have to do something about this meekness of yours my queen ")
Gayatri got the feeling that she had just been scolded by him and dropped her eyes at once she couldn't help being worried , or scared it was just the way she was. She also knew by now that Ranajis expectations of his queens to be as equally as strong as him stood tall and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. The feeling of being told off wore away as Ranaji could see Gayatris reaction to his comment and put his hand to her shoulder caressing it a little to show that his intentions were not to be harsh upon her but for her to realize that he had her best intentions for her to heart and that included helping her grow to be strong enough to withstand what royalty bought with it and when Gayatri spoke of there being something very important she needed to share with him he was all ears at the mention of Swarnlekha.
As Gayatri slightly uncovered Swarnlekhas back in a modest fashion before the king Ranaji takes one glimpse of the scars on her Swarnlekhas back and closes his eyes in sheer torment.
When Gayatri bought out Swarna to face Ranaji, he could barely stand to see her upset, her tears, the sadness in her eyes the disort on her face. She could barely look at him through no fault of her own.
It took immense strength to be Ranaji in this moment Gayatri who was nearly tearing up herself wondered how her husband managed to say so strong although the feeling of distress was now all anyone in the room could experience.
There was sheer silence for a moment, just raised heartbeats, and tremble in posture seen by ranaji in his sister inlaw.
"Kis ne kiya..?" (Who did this??)His tone of voice was flat and his eyes telling of his disgust.
Swarnlekha was all too emotional and unwilling to speak up.
"KIS NE KIYA????!!!!" He repeated himself this time louder making both women jumper. It only scared Swarna more.
Gayatri held an emotional Swarna on her side it was clear that she didn't want to speak out at this time. As much as even she would have liked to see the culprit being named Swarna was more important at this time. Speaking on her behalf Gayatri knows not how Ranaji was to respond but the truth was the truth and she wasn't afraid to speak it at this time. "Swarna is vakt tayar nahin hai sahib" (She isn't ready.. )
He could see that with his own eyes yet fury was what blinded the king at this time he roared on top of his voice before storming out of the room.
"Tayar hona padega nahin toh ham sab ka jina mushkil kardenge.. !!"
(she has no choice because I wont think twice before making everyones life living hell!!)
The kings fury shook the room and both Gayatri and Swarnlekha but Gayatri could see beyond the anger in Ranaji was hurt.
...
"Hamare chat ke neeche hamari zimadari ke saath hamare apne itna ghinona bartav kar sakte hai..!!!! "The crashing of a dcor against the mirror in ranajis room echoing with a crash.
Watching the king go from rage to a silent crash into his chair.. Gayatri watched from a distance as her husband seemed to say something in English to himself, his posture broken, his expression and eyes filled with sadness.
"Failure... I'm a failure of King".
Caught up in his own battle Ranaji who sits distressed feels a someone cup the palm of his hand and when he looks up he sees Gayatri looking at him with the most loving, reassuring eyes. Indravarden hadn't broken down this way in a long time maybe because he used to having no one to understand his worries but gayatris smallest of gestures helped. On the other hand Gayatri saw sadness, vulnerability and pain things she thought she would never see in the king.
...
A day had passed Swarlekha still that hadn't approached Ranaji and Ranaji although having seen more rational to the situation now was still adamant and angry, angry at himself, the circumstance, angry at the way things were at this time.
Meanwhile Swarnlekha who was trying to avoid confronting the king had approached Rani Subharna in her quarters. Their relationship had many years and was one of familiarity if not friendship.
Kuch chahiyey tha Swarna. (Did you want something Swarna? )Subharna said with a smile to the unexpected visitor to her room usually when people approached her it was for things they maybe couldn't approach the king for directly.
"Ji Ham kuch din ghar jana chahte they.." (Yes I wanted to go home for a few days.) Subharna noticed a hint of sadness in Swarna and put it down to being home sick and missing her parents.
As ever the queens reaction was soft and comforting.
"Ham samjte hai Swarna lekin Rana sahib ka hukum hai koi is vakt mehel chor kar nahin jayeyga.."
(I understand Swarna but Ranaji had made it very clear that nobody is to leave the mehel at this time but I'll talk to him. )
The kings orders were certainly because of last nights goings on but Swarna thanked Rani subharna a little unsure of what she may have now done.
...
The answer was a blunt "No".
"Nahin, Swarna is ghar ki bahu hai use yaha rehna sikhna honga."
(No, Swarna is a daughter in law to this family she'll have to learn to live here.)
He spoke as Gayatri held out his blazer for him and he put his arms into it and straightened it.
Subharna was stood talking to the king which made Gayatri feel a little out of place but she kept herself to herself unless asked for something by the king. The conversation she had a great deal of understanding of certainly why Ranaji was behaving the way he was.
Subharna however was confused, if there was one person Ranaji bent all the rules for and made exception for was his younger sister like Daughter In law.
Queen Subharnas voice depicted her confusion at the matter.
"Use koi galti ho gayi hai kya maharaj.. ?" (Has she done something wrong your highness? )
Ranaji had no response for that he just went about his preparation still listening to what the queen had to say. .
"Swarna sab se syada yaha aap ke karib hai agar aap hein use.."
(you're the only person who swarna feels close to in this mehel.. if you treat her this way then she'll .. Subharna stopped mid sentence when she realized that the king had already made his mind up and that it wasn't her place to breach his decision.
Both rani's felt bad for Swarnlekha, and Swarna who was stood outside the kings room listening was hurt by what was overheard.
It was the first time her Ranabhai sa had ever been this way with her.
...
Ranaji returned from horse riding in the evening but with a fatality someone had yet again attempted to attack the king when Indravarden walked into the mehel with a wounded shoulder there was only odd servant around but Swarna seemed to have caught Ranaji taking a seat on one of the mehel sofa suites shouting various servants.
Rushing to help Swarna approaches the first word that comes out of her mouth is "Bhai sa" which sparks denial in Ranaji. He stops Swarna with a mere hand gesture.
There's no need aur hame bhai sa bulane ke haq aap tabhi koh bethi jab aap ne hamse itni badi baat chupane ka phaisla kiya.
You lost the right call me brother when you decided to keep such things from me you never should have!
...
When Gayatri was given news of yet another attack on the king she could no longer keep her cool and approached Swarnlekha to tell her the truth ranaj had kept quite to protect Swarna. The truth of the deeds of Swarnlekhas own father but things had gone beyond reason now Gayatri could no longer watch Swarna suffer and admits it all Ranaji too. Swarnas refusal to speak up was ruining the king as much as it was ruining Swarna herself. The truth was shocking it was bitter and it was real.
...
It was late night as Ranaji sat back in bed there was knock at the door of his room and when he looked up he could see Swarnlekha stood at the door of his room. He invited her into the room with a nodd of the head, he ought to apologize for his behaviour that he was aware of but what he didn't expect was for Swarnlekha to react the way she did.
Sat at the side of the bed after Ranajis eyes inviting him to he waits for whatever she has to say first but is left speechless when she has only one thing to say that too through tears.
"Lakshyaraj bhai sa" (It's was lakshyaraj")
Ranaji's heart sinking at Swarnas tears takes a sigh and places the palm of his hand over Swarnas head he could see the pain, the discomfort and how much this hurt her but he was going to right by her now.
...
When Lakshyaraj returned in the middle of the night from his time with various men Ranaji awaited him with punishment for all his sins against his wife.
...
Next chapter:
Gayatri had slowly become a habit for Ranaji he found himself wanting Gayatri to be a part of his whole day. Was it love it he asked himself? she was certainly something he couldn't keep out of his mind.