Chapter Two
(Ek Nazar)
" Raja sahib!" called the servant boy as Maan was outside practising archery. Maan looked over and he said, " Kya hua!" " Rani saa aapko bula rahin hai" said the servant boy. " Acha... hum aatay hain" said Maan as he put his bow and arrow down. The servant boy ran off and Maan went towards his dadimaa's chambers. Dadimaa turned around and she smiled, " Maan bete". " Ji dadimaa" said Maan as he touched her feet.
" Jeete raho" said Dadimaa. " Aap kab jaa rahe hai Jodhpur?" said Dadimaa with a little more interest than neccessary. Maan frowned, " Dadimaa, hum kal jaa rahe hoon". " Acha... aap kab aayenge?" said dadimaa. " Aap aisay kyun sawaal kar rahi hain" said Maan as he narrowed his eyes. " Kuch nahi, hum bus yehi kehna chaa rahe hain kay aap wahaan araam kijiye... aap kabhi nahin araam kartay beta" said dadimaa. Maan smiled, " Ji dadimaa..."
" Acha aap jayiye... aur hum apse kal milte hain" said Dadimaa as she kissed his forhead. Maan touched her feet again and he stood up and left the chambers. "Rani saa...hum aapse kuch poochein" said one of the head servant girls Akashi. " Jii... poochiye" said Dadimaa with a smirk. " Aap Raja sahib se kyun yeh pooch rahin thi..jab aapko pata hai kay woh kab jaa rahe hain" said Akashi. " Kyunki, hum Maan ko Rajkumari Geet se milwana chahthe hain" said Dadimaa. " Rajkumari Geet?!?!" said Akashi with shock. " Rajkumari Geet...jo sab kehtay hain kay woh bohot khoobsurat hain?" said Akashi. " Haan" said Dadimaa.
" Humay pata hai kay Rajkumari Geet sabse khoobsurat hain aur sabse bahadur bhi, humay pata hai kay jab Maan Rajkumari Geet ko dekhenge to..." said Dadimaa. The servant girls giggled and said, " Rani saa, aap sach mein bohot hi zaheen hai" said Akashi. " Woh to hum hain" joked Dadimaa. " Haye... pata nahin kya hoga jab Raja sahib aur Rajkumari Geet milenge" said Akashi. " Bus Maan haan kardein... to hum doli lekar wahaan ponch jayenge"said Dadimaa. " Acha aap log jayiye.. humay thora sa araam karna hai" said Dadimaa. " Ekaant" said Dadimaa again. The girls left leaving dadimaa asleep.
The next day, Maan left towards Jodhpur and he arrived in the evening time. Maan climbed down from his horse and helooked around... The palace was beautiful and it was heavily fortified. Just then Tej came in and he smiled, " Maan!". Maan smiled and both men went into an embrace. " Kaisay ho?" said Tej as he broke out of the embrace. " Main theek hoon, aur tum kaisay ho?" asked Maan. " Hum to theek hai!" said Tej. Then Sumer Singh came out with his ministers behind him. Maan smiled and he touched Sumer Singh's feet. " Jeete raho" said Sumer Singh as he patted him lightly on the back. Maan stood up and he smiled, " Aap kaisay hain?". " Hum theek hain, andar aayiye" said Sumer Singh.
Maan nodded and the three men stepped inside to find the whole palace lit up brightly. Maan looked around and he saw Ranimaa coming toward them with her servant girls behind her. Maan smiled and he touched her feet and she said, " Jeete raho beta". Maan greeted her and then Tej said, " Tum thak gayee hogay... jaa kar araam karo" said Tej. Maan nodded and the servant boys led him towards his chamber. He walked in and it was decorated so nicely. He looked around at the tall ceilings and very beautiful decoration of the room. " Aapko kuch chahiye" said the servant boy. " Nahi... Ekaant" said Maan. The servant boy nodded and he disappeared off. Maan walked around his room and he walked out in the courtyard.
He heard giggles coming high above. He stepped out and it was nightfall, the moon was shining. He frowned, " Yeh kiski awaaz hai?". He looked around and he heard the sounds no more. He stepped back inside and he went back into his chambers to rest.
The next morning, Maan got up early and he was to go with Tej early in the morning. As he was stepping out, he looked around and he said, " Subah ho gayi aur lagta hai koi nahi utha" said Maan. Maan shrugged it off and he was walking around the courtyard waiting for Tej. Tej finally came out and he smiled, " You always beat me in the morning!" Maan laughed, " Let's go". Tej nodded and they walked through the large courtyard that stretched far. " Nice to see you again Maan... You are always so busy and I seldom get to see you hardly in political meetings" said Tej. " You are perhaps my only friend Tej, and me taking out time for you is my duty" said Maan.
" Acha suna hai kay tumhari behn ka swayamvar ho raha hai" said Maan. " Tej, we've been friends for five years and I haven't seen anyone but your mother out of all the females in your house" said Maan. " You want to see her?" joked Tej. " No, not really, but im curious, I heard giggling sounds last evening" said Maan. Tej laughed, " That is probably my adorable sister's friends having the time of their lives" said Tej.
Maan laughed, " You may be right". The guys walked on and then suddenly from behind they heard, " Tej Bhai saa!". Tej smiled and turned around and he saw Geet rushing towards him. Maan turned around and saw Geet from far. He could hear to what sounded like payals. He narrowed his eyes to look towards that direction. Tej stopped Maan from going any further and said, " Ruko".
Geet walked faster towards Tej and she had a smile on her face. Geet finally reached Tej and Maan saw her, she was extremely beautiful. She wore an yellow lengha choli with a red combination. Her long hair rested at the back and her duppata rested gracefully on her head. She had fair skin and she wore the most beautiful jewellry Maan had ever seen. Geet was short compared to Tej and Maan. She smiled and her rosy lips shined between the morning sun. She said, " Tej bhai saa, aap kahaan jaa rahe hain humay chor kar!" said Geet.
Her voice was light and soft. It was almost like music to Maan's ears. Tej frowned, " Apko chor kar hum kahin nahi jayenge". " Bhai saa" said Geet. " Acha Geet... humaray dost se milo, yeh hai Maan Singh Khurana jo Jaisalmer ka raaja hai" said Tej. Geet looked up at Maan and put her hands together and greeted him. Maan looked into her aqua green eyes lined with kaajal and soft expression.
Maan nodded and Geet continued, " Bhai saa, aap kab aayenge?" Tej put his hand on her head, " Jaldi aajaonga pagli..." Geet smiled and she said, " Aap se mil kar bohot acha laga". Maan was just staring at her and he didn't say a word. " Hum chalte hain" said Geet as she turned around. Maan saw her turn around and he noticed her long slim back and slim waist that was covered with her dupatta. Tej looked at Maan and smirked, " Humari behn pasand aagayi?". Maan snapped out of it and said, " No..." "Chalo... we have a lot to do today!" said Tej.
Geet was heading back towards her chambers and she had the servant girls running behind her balancing her heavy sword and her bows and arrows. She entered her room to find Soni entering just then and she smiled. " Rajkumari Geet... hum aapse kuch kahein?". Geet took her dupatta off . " Ji boliye." Soni smirked, " Humnay dekha kay aap Raaja Maan se mili thi." Geet stopped and turned around, " Haan to? aap kya kehna chahrahi hain?" asked Geet with a frown.
" Woh aapko itnay kareeb se dekh rahe thay... aapki aakhon mein gum gaye thay" said Soni. Geet rolled her eyes, " Ek aur Raaja? Soni humay koi dilchaspi nahin hain Raaja Maan ki taraf..." " Par... humnay suna hai kay woh swayamvar mein hissa nahin leh rahe?" said Soni. " To achi baat hain? humay unki fikar nahin hai" said Geet. " Jo bhi aap theek samjhe Rajkumari Geet" said Soni as she bowed her head.
Geet was dressed in a pure white outfit and she bunched her hair into the turban and she covered her mouth. The servant girls gave her the sword and Geet went out into the courtyard. " I want to practise archery first" said Geet. The servant girls brought her the bow and arrows. She came down the steps and Soni said, " Geet... didn't you want to take your payals off?" Geet laughed, " hum jung mein nahi lar rahe Soni". Soni nodded and Geet walked on.
She went into the large private courtyard that was all hers. She began practising at the targets and she put an apple on a man's head and said, " I'll hit the apple, don't worry" smirked Geet. The man was sweating in fear... he knew she was getting it but one little mistake could cost him his life. Just then, behind Geet came Tej and Maan. She was aiming at the apple and Tej stopped Maan to look at Geet.
Maan looked at Geet and he smirked, " Poor man will get killed". " Don't underestimate my sister" joked Tej. Maan looked on and then Geet let the arrow go and the man shut his eyes tightly. The arrow hit the apple directly and it fell off his head. Geet smirked, " You got your life back". The man opened his eyes and smiled in fear, " Ji Rajkumari jii". Maan smirked, " She seems to be quite good". Tej nodded, "She is my best student".
" Let's go see her" said Tej. Maan nodded and they went towards Geet. She turned around and Maan could only see her beautiful eyes. Her eyes pierced his soul and made him feel warm inside. He smiled, " Good aim". " Thankyou" said Geet as she narrowed her eyes. Maan had never seen a rajkumari doing this sort of stuff before. He expected her to be playing with her friends and rabbits... but she just looked fearless... her eyes could impress and awaken fear in anyone's heart since they pierced through the soul. Geet took the fabric that was covering her mouth and it fell to the side. She smiled, " Itni jaldi aagaye bhai saa?".
" Apni pyaari si behn ko kahaan chor kar jaaenge?" said Tej with a smile. " Apne dost ko ghuma laaye Jodhpur?" asked Geet as she held Maan's gaze with her eyes slightly narrowed. " Main yahaan aachuka hoon" said Maan. " Acha? aapko pehle nahi dekha... " said Geet with a smirk. " Par aapko aaj dekhliya" smirked Maan. Geet was about to say something back to him. " All Raja's are the same!" thought Geet. Tej saw the interaction between his sister and Maan. He smiled, " Chalein?". Maan nodded and Geet put the fabric again covering her mouth. She turned around and started practising again.
As Maan was walking away, he craned his neck to Geet who was aiming the arrows directly at the targets. Maan smirked, " Fiery young princess I see". Maan turned his attention towards the front and he started talking to Tej again.
I hope you liked it😊
p.s... If there are any hindi errors... or shudh hindi errors then please ignore it 😳
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
Cricket
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