A kingdom called morena: MJHT goes cinderella way! - Page 71

Palace portico

Mayank is staring at the fullmoon, thinking of wat has happened,,, as in the day time he was too busy with his work and then with his mistake he couldn't be able to comprehend the full impact of it. He has always known that being born with certain royalty is being born with certain responsibilities at the same time,,,responsibility of being noble,,,being understanding,,,being kind,,,being honest,,,being strong (tho royalty comes with certain drawbacks as well,,,like beining dictator, being arrogant,being power hungry and being Casanova,,,but he has always been able to be stay away from those stuff ,,,tho samrat has been inherited a bit of this and a bit of that like arrogance and mr.charming thingy tho its no where near Casanova its just a bit of romeo that's it,,,but never that dodgy but mayank is ansolutely free from those stuff,,,atleast that's how it seemed to him until today,,,) strong enuf to deny his heart for the sake of his country's welfare,,,strong enuf to be prepared for a royal marriage to bring new prosperity to morena,,,that's how it has always been for him,,,being in love has never been a luxury he cud permit himself to have,,,but now here he stands straight and strong as it seems,,,yet still having an invisible hollow in the place of his heart on which he has no longer his claim,,,on which a girl has,,,mayank sighs and wonders as he is not troubled at all,,,not at a tinsy bit that he is in love against all odds,,,as if he knew it is something that cant be altered,,,,it is something that he is destined with,,,as he knew it somewhere in his heart that all his equation about love and marriage is gonna be proved worng, from the day to be more specific from the moment he met that girl,,,and now here he stands without feeling any restlessness without any bitterness about the change,,,embracing the defeat lovingly,,,adoring and accepting it peacefully as he was too waiting for it to come and win over him,,,but still there is one thing bothering and irritating him a lot,,,among all of the questions related to his ,,,no, he repharases in his mind, their wud be the better word from now on,,,among such a wide range of questions regarding their future,,,the only question is bothering him now,,,is how is he going to pacify her? How is he going to make amends,,,how is he going to befriended with the girl who matters the most,?the girl namely nupur bhushan,,,,,,,,

Nupur's bedroom

The bright moon is showering her with her soft, smooth and caring touch,,,but nupur remain unaware of that,,,just the same way she has still managed to be unaware of the warmth of mayank's deserted heart which she now posseses,,,absolutely unknowingly,,,she is troubled,,,she is pained,,,because of how mayank reacted with her,,,even naqaab's powerful words of admiration from the other day which she likes to cherish, aren't enough to recover from that pain that's given to her by mayank,,,who is the last person,,,no matter how many qualities he has,,,on earth she wanna be with,,,who means nothing to her,,,atleast that's how she has felt about him till date,,,nothing but a worthy and dangerous opponent,,,nothing more than a wud be fair and good ruler(she doesn't know about the throne-leaving incident,,as this has not still been made official),,,if he means only that to him,,,then why,,,it hurts that much?,,,why a tiny lil thing which she cud easily forgive if done by some1 else but him is troubling her that much? Why can't she forgive him for a lil mistake? Since when he has got the power to hurt her that much? Why is it all different when it is done by him not by others? Why? Loads of questions like that are trying to touch her heart trying to get freed from the closed chamber of her mind,,,but she doesn't allow them to be,,,she doesn't let her defence down,,,she cant,,,as she doesn't know,,,she doesn't know his heart,,,she doesn't even know her one as well,,,some night for nupur,,,she keeps rolling over her bed,,,fixing her pillows as well,,, unnecessarily,,,as she still cant manage some sleep,,,yet.

morning

samrat's room

samrat is sitting not facing the door,,,so he doesn't see gunjan entering with food,,,placing the tray on the table gunjan opens her mouth to bid him good morning but a scream from her replaces that abruptly as a cockroach has just run past her,,,in a split second another replacement takes place as an earsplitiing sound of broken glass muffles gunjans scream.

Country road

Nupur has been dozing (as she cudnt sleep much last night) while the carriage suddenly comes at a halt,,, she wakes up abruptly.

N: kya huya? Ye ruk kiu gaya?

Driver: gutter me chakka ghus gaya chhoti malkin

N (sighing): aap nikal sakte ho ise? Akele?

Driver: koshish karke dekhta hoon,,chhote malkin

N (coming out of the carriage) :pavan ( the helper) kaha hain? Aaj kiu nahin aya wo?

Driver (bending down to the wheel): uska biwi ki tabiyat kharab hain is liye wo aaj nahi aa saka chhoti malkin

N keeps staring here and there for help while he is pushing the wheel in an attempt to make it out of gutter.

Sajan

G (staring at the small broken mirror): ssorry samrat,,wo main

S (still not facing her with a certain urgency in his voice): tumhare paas dusre hain,,,hain na?

G: dusra kya samrat?

S: sheesha,,,yaar,,aur kya?

G: hain,,aur bhi char hain,,,par kiu?

S (ignoring her question): ek le aaon na? abhi ke abhi!

G (she takes a tentative step forward to samrat as samrat is too determined not to face her right now): samrat,,,baat kya hain? Tumhe sheesha kiu chahiye? I mean itna urgently kiu chahie?

S: aare! Fizul ki baton me der mat karon,,,jaao ,,,jaake sheesha lekar aao (saying that in a royal manner he adds abruptly) please,,,

G: par wo sab sheesha toh life-size hain,,,carry nahin kiya jaa sakta!,,,chhota toh ye ek hi tha!tumhe aab thoda intezaar toh karnahi parega samrat,,kiuke ab toh sheesha shaher me jaake ki lana parega,,,

S (grouching): main is haal me nahi shaher jaa sakta aur nahi intezaar kar sakta

G: is haal me? Matlab kis haal me?

S turns to gunjan and gunjan covers her mouth,,,clearly at a shock.

Country road

Nupur is walking to as she preferred to give herself a bit of exercise,,,before the driver brings help from the nearest house,,,suddenly a sound of approaching horse catches her attention,,,seeing the rider from the distance a smile spreads on her lips

Sajan

Gunjan's shock doesn't stand for more than a second,,,looking at his half shaved face she cracks in to a laughter,,,samrat looks annoyed at this ,,,he gulps his annoyance right away seeing her so enternained and carefree which is very rare to see,,,even he joins in

S (after the laughter-storm is calmed down): ab iska kya kare?

G: ek kaam karti hoon,,,main ramu kaka ko bula deti hoon,,,wo,,,ek minute,,,aaj toh

S: aaj toh kya gunjan?

G: aaj toh unka chhutti hain!

S: wwwwwhat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Country road

She waves at naqab in a friendly way,,,but he to her amazement and horror,,,rides straight past her,,,without even showing any sign of recognition,,,she stands there like statue until a carriage stops next to her

Driver: chhoti malkin,,,chhoti malkin?

After a moment,,,nupur notices the call from her carriage and gets up on it without any delay.

saajan

g: mujhse nahin hoga samrat!

S: koshish toh karke delkh lo!

G: mujhe daari kamaneka experience thodi na hain? Tumhe toh hoga na? us hisab se kamalo!

S : mujhe kaha experience hain? ( thinking aloud,,,recalling having professional shave each morning in da palace)

G (awwstruck): kya?!!!!

Maya

Dia (aaproaching to the desk where mayank is busy working): ye raha guest list,,,ekbaar check karke batana,,,thik hain ya nahi,,,(mayank takes the list right away and start going thru it'diya after a pause to allow him the required time) thik hain?

M: sirf ek naam add kar lena,,,rimjhim ka,,

D: wo haan! Samrat ka special order!! (smiling,,,then abruptly getting tensed) aare haan toh phir toh,,,darzi ko ek aur dress ka order dena parega!

M: matlab?

saajan

S (rectifying): matlab,,,actually,,,hota ye tha ke,,main aur benji ek dusre ki daari shave kar deta tha u know,,,(turning the point sensing its too weak to be given opportunity to think) aare is liye hi kehta hoon,,,experience nahin toh kya huya? Aankhe toh hain na? atleast dekh ke toh shave kar sakogi tum! (offering the ancient razor to gunjan) itna toh madat kar do mera? Please yaar, mera izzat ka sawal hain!

Staring at his face for a while,,,gunjan takes the razor in her trembling hand

maya

d: samrat toh order karke hi chain ki neend so gaya,,,bhaiyan,,,agar hum western andaz me party kar rahe hain toh kapde bhi toh western hi hona chahiye na? uske sath sath mask vaageraz bhi chahiye,,,aur ye sab toh bazaar me milte nahin,,,toh maine socha kiu na ye sab hum hi provide karde,,,sathosath dance classes bhi hum hi organize kar de

m: dance classes?

saajan

gunjan places her shaking left hand at samrat's right cheek mildly to keep the balance,,,doing so her face turns red as she lowers her lashes,,,looking slightly at his left cheek,,,she approaches it with the razor,,,but almost jumps abruptly in her place as her grip is gripped by samrat

s (who has been looking closely at her, speaking sweetly): agar haath itna kaapegi toh kaise chalega gunjan?

g (battling with her pounding heart, composing herself after a while): aab nahin kapega

they stare in toeach others eyes for a brief moment sharing silent expressions,,,samrat lets go of her hand finally.

maya

d: haan dance,,,dance toh zarur hona chahiye! Ball jo hain! Bhaiya,,,suno bahat dinose practice na karne par main thodi rusty feel kar rahi hoon,,,tum shamko mere sath dance practice karo na!

m: main? Aur dance?

D: kiu tum nahin nachoge kya?

M: nahi,,,samrat ka plan hain,,,jitna chahe wohi dance kar lega,,,

D (with false concern): bechari nupur! Phir toh Use aajnaabiyon ke sath hi dance karna parega party me!

M (without thinking a bit): wo mere sath nachegi!!

D (triumphantly winks at her brother): sham ko milte hain!!!practice pe!!!!

Mayank smiles after a bit, staring at diya's deserted pathway

Saajaan

G (crying out loud,,,pointing at the cut at his fully shaved right cheek): kaha tha main eke, ye mujhse mat karwao,,,mujhe ye sab nahin ata (she covers it with the end of her stole'not noticing samrat's bewildered but amusing stare at her) lakin nahin! Tum kiu manoge? Har baat sunneke liye, manneke liye, ek main hi toh hoon pure duniya me!

S (smiling): gunjan relax! its just a small scratch!

G: chup raho! Mujhe dekhne do! (she stands up from her seat,,,she starts to move but stops abruptly as her dupatta is still engaged with samrat's wound,,,she turns red again,,,then recovers soon,,,grabbing the towel,,,replacing with her dupatta) jab tak main na lautu tab tak ye hatana mat ( samrat nods, still bemused) aur haan (looking at the broken glasses on da floor) bhul se bhi yaha se hilna mat,,,warna gaal ke sath sath payer bhi kaat jayega!

S (fighting a laughter, stating the truth in a comical way, tho he is still unaware of it): ji maharani sahiba! Aapki hukum ser ankhon par!

Gunjan leaves hurriedly throwing an angry look at him

Nupur's meeting at palace

N (accompanied by dia,,,staring at her team sitting infront of her): toh aur koi sawal? (as there is none) great,,,toh aap log aaone aapne groupwise aapne aapne kaam me lag jaiye!

D (smiling at them); all da best! (to nupur) mere request rakhneke liye thanks nupur!

N: koi baat nahin dia,,,par mere team me ho toh kaam karna parega,,, rajkumari banneki special koi advantage tumhe nahin milega!

D (nodding): manzur hain nupurji!!! Par kya aap mere liye thode der ruk sakte hain yaha? Ek zaruri kaam yaad aa gayi mujhe!

N (shaking her head); dekha? Abhi se hi

D; sorry! Aage se nahi hoga! Promise!

N:promise karneki koi zarurat nahin! Ab jaao aur jaldi se wo kaam pure karke aao

D leaves the hallroom with a warm smile in her lips,,,but some1 else replaces her place without any delay

N: aap?

sajan

s (as gunjan is putting some haldi on his scratch): maine tumhe aise react karte huye kabhi nahin dekha

g (still in a bad mood): tumne mujhe dekha hi kitna hain?

S: jitna dekha hain utna kafi hain ye janne ke liye

G (firing up): kiu? Main react nahin kar sakti? Main insaan nahin hoon kya? Kya mujhe apni apno ki parwa (gunjan halts at this,,,,,samrat smiles wickedly)

Mayur

M (as if nothing happened): haan main,,,baat jab mujhe hi karna hain tab ana bhi toh mujhe hi parga na?

N (acidly): mujhe aap se koi baat nahin karni! (then she goes white realizing her mistake,,,mayank looks amused) ummm,wo,,,mujhe maaaf kijiyega rajkumar mayank,,,thodi der ke liye main thoda emotional ho gayi thi,,,uske liye main aap se maafi mangti hoon

M : maafi toh ek shart pe hi milega

N: kaunsi shart?

Sajan

s (smiling shamlessly at her discomfort): toh miss gunjan ki list me samrat ka naam bhi shaamil ho hi gaya hain (gunjan looks at him nervously,,,blushing) jiska use bahat parwa bhi hain! Some news buddy!

g (trying to find the right words for a while then counters): maine aisa kya keh diya? Dost aapne nahin hote kya?

Mayur

M: ji haan (taking a step closer to her, winking, making her hair going up) give and take ka shart!

N (burning with anger forgetting all of the prior resolution of hers): main kabhi soch bhi nahin sakthi ke aap itna

M (interrupting like nothing happened): maaafi ki adan-pradan ki shart,,,u know,,,u forgive me first,,,I forgive u in return! Sounds good to u? (looking at the statued nupur,,,from her repitative over reaction,,,he goes serious straight away) dekhiye,,,mana ke galathi mera hain,,,lakin insaan se hi toh galathi hota hain na?

Nupur looks a bit abashed while mayank goes on

M: jaise ke aap se huya? (adding humorously) ye baat toh baad me tay hoga ke aap ke galathi kaunsi hain mujhse bow karna,,,ya phir na karna?

N : dekhiye wo main,,,,mera matlab ,,,

M (ignoring her discomfort,,,seriously again): royal hone ka matlab toh ye nahi ke main insaan nahin hoon? (staring at her intensely) please nupur (both of them gets forzen here for a while then mayank adds) ji, mujhe maaf kar dijiye?

Saajaan

S (smiles affectionately): aare Maine kab kaha ke dost aapne nahin hote?

G: toh phir aap (samrat raises a brow) I mean tum waise kiu bol rahe the?

S: buddhu! I was pulling ur legs buddy!!! Apne hone ke sath sath dosti ki package me ye bhi ata hain!!!

Gunjan looks at him fierecely then smiles at his 'come on yaar,,,chhoro na!' of look.

Mayur

n (smirking a bit): soch lijiye!

M: sochna kya hain?

N: maafi ki sath sath tikhi baatein bhi naa mil jaaye aapko!

M: mujhe tikha pasand hain (he smiles,,,so does nupur) toh friends?

Nupur looks in to his willing eyes wordlessly, and remains like that till the end of this episode