Chapter 11
Sneha: Bas, abhi aayi pitaji!
Sneha ran out of her room, into the hall.
Harsha: Taiyaar?
Sneha: (Nodding) Haan.
Harsha: Chaliye bahar, aapke liye ek paalqi khadi hui hai.
Harsha and Sneha walked outside, and Sneha sat in the paalqi.
Harsha smiled at her, and waved until she couldn't see him.
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Jaivardhan and Agni got off their horses. They had finally reached Aryanagar. The stable boy took their horses and soon, Nivriti was standing at the doors of the palace, ready with a pooja thaali.
Jaivardhan: (In his mind) Kum se kum Aryanagar mein koi toh hai jo humare bare mein sochta hai.
Nivriti did Jaivardhan's aarti and touched his feet.
Jaivardhan: Humesha khush raho.
Now Nivriti turned to Agni and did his aarti. Agni touched Nivriti's feet.
Nivriti: Khush raho.
(Turning to Jaivardhan) Toh bhaiya, kaisi hai mausi?
Jaivardhan: Mausi theekh hai. Unko tumhari bohot yaad aati hai.
Nivriti: Humare paas vaqt hi nahi hai, unse jaakar milne ka. Varna hum aapke saath jaa sakte the.
Soon Jaivardhan and Nivriti were immersed in deep conversation and didn't notice Agni creep away.
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Sneha entered Sandhya's room. Obviously, Sandhya wasn't there. It was time for her to go and do her usual mischief all around Sumaina.
Bored, Sneha opened a cupboard and stepped inside. She was amazed by what she saw.
The cupboard was actually a huge room! It was full to the brim of Sandhya's painting.
Sneha walked around the room with a enormous smile on her face.
Once in while, Sneha stopped to stare at a painting which was familiar to her, and was surprised at how much care messy, carefree, tomboyish Sandhya took with detail and neatness in her paintings.
About half an hour passed, Sneha was enjoying herself immensely.
Sneha came across a few wet paintings, and realised Sandhya had painted them recently.
She went closer to look properly, and was shocked to see that Sandhya had painted scenes with Veer.
Sneha: (In her mind) Accha, to yeh Sandhya chupi rustam hai. Andar hi andar Veer se pyaar aur bahaar mein 'main to us jungli Bandar ki parchayin se bhi dur rehna chahti hoon?!' Aur is kamre ke bare mein kabhi nahi bataya hume. Dekh lenge. Aaj hum Sandhya ko nahi chodenge.
Sneha stormed out of the cupboard room.
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DharamVeer crept inside Agni's room. Veer had the perfect idea.
Dharam: (Whispering) Toh bolo, kya hai tumhari yojna?
Veer grinned.
Veer: Agni ke swaagat ke liye-
Dharam: (Interrupting) Agni ke swaagat ke liye?! Tum kabse sudhar gaye?
Veer: Arrey! Aage ka to suno.
Toh, Agni ke swaagat ke liye kyun na hum darvaaze ke peeche chipen, aur jab Agni aaye toh-
Dharam: (Interrupting) Samajh gaye?
Veer: Toh tumhe acchi lagi ya buri?
Dharam frowned.
Dharam: Bohot buri. Rajkumar Agni ka swaagat is tarah se nahi hona chahiye.
Veer: Lekin voh hai hi aisa.
Dharam: Jaise bhi ho, hume unke saath esa bartaav nahi karna chahiye.
Veer sighed.
Veer: Theekh hai. Mera saath nahi dena he, to apne kamre mein chale jayo. Kam se kam, meri yojna toh kharab mat karo.
Taken aback, Dharam slowly started walking. Suddenly, he came to a halt and turned around.
Dharam: (Uneasily) Agar tum chahte ho ki hum tumhara saath de, toh hum de sakte hain.
Veer smiled smugly.
Veer: Vaise main chahta toh nahi hoon, lekin lagta hai ki tum chahte ho.
Dharam: (Unconvicing) Nahi, nahi, hum toh-
Veer: (Interrupting) Chup chaap parde ke peeche chup jayo.
Dharam: Ji.
Dharam hid behind the curtain. After a while, Veer joined him.
A few minutes later, Agni entered the room. Dharam made a motion to move but Veer stopped him.
Veer: (Whispering) Abhi nahi.
Dharam looked confused, but obeyed Veer.
Agni opened his cupboard. Veer smiled and gestured Dharam to follow him.
DharamVeer creeped up to Agni. They nodded at each other.
Dharam and Veer: (Shouting) AGNI!
Agni jumped one foot in the air and came down after a few minutes.
Veer: (Grinning) Socha tumhara swaagat dhoom dhaam se kare.
Agni: (Coldly) Swaagat ke liye bohot bohot shukriya.
Dharam: Shukriya kis liye? Hume toh bohot maza aaya.
Agni glared at Dharam.
Dharam: (Hastily) Vaise....vaise naanima kaisi hain?
Agni: Thekh hai. Mujhe dekh kar bohot khush hui.
Veer: Tumhe dekh kar har kisi ke dil mein ek baagh jaag jaata hai.
Agni: (Angrily) Tumhara matlab kya hai?
Veer: Dekho baagh ka matlab voh jage jaahan phool, pedh aur paudhe ugte hain. Aur baagh ka matlab sher bhi hai. To tum khud socho, main kis baagh ki baat kar raha hoon.
There was a cold silence between the three princes.
Dharam broke the silence.
Dharam: Toh...chale Veer?
Veer: Chalo Dharam.
DharamVeer walked out of Agni's room.
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Sandhya walked into her room, and was a bit taken aback by seeing Sneha sitting in her painting chair, muttering furiously under her breath.
Sandhya: Toh aa hi gayi phool, apne Dharam ke bare mein baat karne ke liye.
Sneha blushed. She didn't know Sandhya knew her so well.
Sneha: (Indignantly) Nahi hum Dharam ke bare mein baat karne nahi aaye hain.
Sandhya: Toh phir kyun aayi ho? Mujhse to milne nahi aayi hogi.
Sneha remained silent.
Arjun entered the room.
Sneha: (Mockingly) Hum Arjun aur Vikram bhaiya se milne aaye hain.
Arjun blinked, surprised.
Sandhya: (Smugly) Agar Arjun aur bhaiya se milne aayi ho, toh mere kamre mein kyun bethi ho?
Sneha: Voh.....hum...tumse tumhare harkaton ke bare mein baat karne aaye hain.
Sandhya: (Surprised) Kaisi harkaten?
Sneha: Andar se kuch aur kehna, baahar se kuch aur. Kuch cheezon ko chupaana.
Sandhya: (Confused) Jaise kya?
Sneha: Jaise yeh almira.
Sandhya: Mujhe kaise pata tha ki tumhe mere chitr pasand hain?
Sneha: Hume tumhare chitr hamesha se pasand the.
Sandhya: Theekh hai. Maaf kar do. Lekin aur kya hai?
Sneha: Aur tumhara pyaar?
Sandhya: Mera kya?!
Sneha: Tumhara pyaar, Veer ke liye.
Sandhya stared blankly at Sneha. Then, she started laughing maniacally.
Sandhya: Mera pyaar....aur voh bhi.....voh bhi Veer ke liye!
Sneha looked offended.
Sneha: Accha, abhi dikhati hoon tumhe, saari hassi band ho jayegi.
Sneha grabbed Sandhya's hand and led her into the cupboard. Arjun followed.
Sneha: Agar us se pyaar nahi karti, to uske aur tumhaare chitr kyun banaye hain?
Sandhya looked around, confused.
Sandhya: Kaunse chitr?
Sneha pointed to the pictures.
Sandhya: Accha, yeh chitr.
Sneha: Haan, yeh chitr.
Arjun: Hai ram! Didi toh ab ladki ban rahi hain!
Sneha smiled at Arjun.
Sandhya: Chup raho Arjun.
Sneha: Kyun? Sahi toh keh raha hai yeh. Tum toh ladki-
Sandhya glared at Sneha, and retorted furiously.
Sandhya: (Furiously) Jo tumhe pata nahi hota hai, uske bare mein mat socha karo Sneha, tum humesha galat hoti ho.
Sneha: (Hurt) Aisa kyon?
Sandhya: Kyonki yeh main aur Veer nahi hai.
Sneha and Arjun: Toh kaun hain?
Sandhya shook her head, sighed and started retelling the story that her father had told her a few days ago.
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Maharaj Aryavardhan had been called in the court room by the Rajyasabha. A messenger had come to meet them, to offer a proposal, that may benefit Aryanagar.
Sitting on his huge throne, the curious, bald king called for the messenger.
The messenger came in.
Aryavardhan: Boliye, kahaan se aaye hain aap?
Messenger: Mahraj Bhimdev ke Sonargarh se.
There was a chilled silence in the court. Finally, Mahraj Aryardhan spoke.
Aryavardhan: (Coldly) Maharaj Bhimdev ko kya chahiye?
Messenger: Shaanti.
Aryardhan: Kaisi shaanti?
Messenger: Aryanagar se dosti kar ke shaanti. Unhone ek patr bhi bheja hai.
Aryavardhan: Hume patr de dijiye.
The messenger gave Aryavardhan the letter.
Aryavardhan turned to one of his servants.
Aryavardhan: Inko khaana khila dijiye aur aaram karne ke liye ek karma de dijiye.
Messenger: Aapka javaab?
Aryavardhan: Voh hum aapke jaane se pehle de denge.
The messenger nodded and went away with the servant.
Aryavardhan sat there thinking deeply.
PRECAP: Agni couldn't help feeling triumphant. Step one to DV's destruction was complete.
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