AS promised here is the final update for this story...Thank you for patiently waiting for this one and I will try my best from next time to give you guys regular updates
Chapter 40
Jagmal
wandered like a lunatic on the path dreaming of his victory and Pratap's defeat
unaware that he had been going in circles for the most of the time but as his
eyes fell on the flag flying high on one of the security check-posts recently
constructed he thought of it to be the peak and dashed off straight towards it.
The field was circular and laid in the middle so Jagmal ended in the field
while chasing after the flag
Shakti had
created a special opening for Jagmal where Balwant had tied rope between two
trees that stood at the entrance while Shakti spread pieces of pebbles and
glass which he covered with dry grass. Som was sitting on top of one of the
trees hidden as he was to make animal noises to distract Jagmal while Maan
Singh would make sure Jagmal went in direction of the special opening only
(even if he had to physically push him in that direction)
Jagmal didn't
need any pushing as his over-worked brain did not allow him to think or check
his surroundings so when Som made the roar he ran towards the opening thinking
that if he was in the open he would be safe but he didn't see the tied rope and
fell on the shards of glasses as well as pebbles hurting himself all over. His shoes
fell off as a result of the fall and so when he tried standing up to move away
from the spot the glasses embedded themselves in his feet making him hop on leg
after the other like a dancing clown
Pratap and
Chakri arrived on the scene and saw Jagmal jumping up and down. Before
Chakrapani could even blink, Pratap called out Jagmal's name making the
deranged prince look at him with wide eyes and mouth open
Pratap: You
have crossed all limits Jagmal and its time you meet your end
Jagmal: Will
you look at that Sakha Veer has come to end me I feel so privileged. You know
my Dada Bhai - no not Bahi but rather my enemy would have a strong opinion
about it
Pratap who
had been disguised as Sakha Veer kept on looking at the lunatic who continued
JM: You
know I killed his Kakasa and wounded Rawatji - his mentor real bad with a gun
shot and killed innocents as well but that is nothing - I'm here to kidnap
Rajkumari Ajabde who happens to be his beloved but poor him won't even get a
chance to say goodbye as I intend on killing her after I marry her and use her -
see once I have her he will be destroyed and once he is gone I won't need her
anymore so I'll discard her like the toys I used to throw away as a child
All the men
got enraged hearing the lunatic talk especially her brothers who wanted to
throttle Jagmal and even Pratap had heard enough
Pratap: I
promise you Jagmal I won't have any problems with Sakha Veer killing you (he
removes his scarf and as his face gets revealed Jagmal gets scared)
JM: This
can't be - you can't be Sakha Veer. If you are Sakha Veer then that means it
was you who killed Surtan Singh and stopped me at Bundi and you also killed all
the other royals
Pratap: Yes
it was me who killed all those men who did nothing but harm our Praja as I took
a vow to protect my people and motherland from evil men like you
JM: Evil? I'm
no evil Pratap I'm just a guy with ambitions which you clearly lack
Pratap: I
have no ambitions of destroying my kingdom. Pick up your sword and fight me
like a man
JM: Today I
will fight and before I'll kill you I will make you suffer - I will take away
Ajabde right in front of your eyes while you'll bleed to death
Pratap
walks towards him as the wind starts blowing and the sky gets filled with
vultures making their noises
JM picks
his sword and takes a step but the glass embedded in them hurts which slows him
down but he in his crazy state just rushes forward embedding the shard deeper
into his feet with blood oozing out of them leaving their mark on the ground.
Pratap dodges his attack easily and gives him hard kick on the chest making him
fall backwards - as JM falls on the ground he throws sand into Pratap's eyes
blinding him for a few seconds in which he pushes him on the ground and punches
him making his sword fall out of his hands - Pratap holds his hand and throws
him back off - he gets up and picks him by the neck proceeds to punch him the gut
consecutively making blood come out of Jagmal's mouth and then with one final
punch he makes him fall hard on the ground
JM (spits
blood out and smiles): Is that it Dada Bhai are you done with me? won't you
finish the job?
Pratap
stares at him impassively when the others join him
JM: So we
have an audience and look my other big brother is also here. So are two going
to fight who gets the honour of killing me or will the two pipsqueaks will do
the job (looks at Patta and Balwant)
Everyone
look at Pratap who holds a steady gaze
JM (in a
taunting manner): are you afraid of killing me? No that can't be it after all
you are the bravest warrior of the Rajputana and now I also know that you are
the saviour of the people - Sakha Veer so what happened
Shakti:
finish him now Dada Bhai or give me the permission to do it
JM: yes yes
tell your younger brother to kill me
Pratap: No
one is killing you Jagmal
Shakti and
the others: What?
Chakrapani
understands and speaks up: Killing him would be dishonour for your swords as he
is defenceless
Shakti: But
we cannot leave him alive
Patta:
Exactly he is also not mentally stable and if he somehow survives then we'll
have a greater problem
Balwant: He
won't live and then he looks at the sky
JM
(irritated): Hey why are you all standing there like statues? I'm here waiting you
know. Do you want to know my last wish?
Pratap: No
one present here is going to kill you but I assure you that you will die today
but not at our hands - we won't dishonour ourselves by killing you
JM: So you
won't kill me but I would still die
Shakti:
Your death will come flying from the sky Jagmal - you will bear the pain you
gave others
Patta: A
man like you does not deserve an honourable death
Balwant:
Look up at the sky and tell me what you see?
JM looks up
to realise the hordes of vultures flying high and taking rounds. Fear makes its
presence as realisation hits in
JM: You are
not serious are you? They will eat me up alive
Everyone
stays silent
JM: No
matter what I did you are still my elder brother and so you cannot in your
conscious let me die like this (looks at Pratap and Shakti)
Shakti: You
broke all ties when you tried killing Dada Bhai Pratap and carried evil
intentions for Bhabisa
JM: No...you
cannot leave me here (gets panicky)
All the
others look at Pratap who nods his head and walks away from the crazy
delinquent young prince Jagmal who screamed like crazy as the vultures descend
from the sky and tear him up alive - thus ended the life of Kunwar Jagmal who
was raised in the lap of jealousy, envy, hatred and competition if only his
mother had been a little less preoccupied with her own dreams and desires maybe
her son would not have turned out the way he did
Chapter 41
Chittor was
not surprised to learn the fate of the young prince and his mother. As soon as the
news of Jagmal's death reached the court everyone looked at each Ranaji who
remained stoic while sounds of things breaking were heard from inside the palace.
Court was adjourned and Ranaji went alone to check up on the situation - he found
DheerBai had destroyed everything that was kept in her room - her tears did not
stop as she sat by the bed holding her dead son's clothes
DB: I want
revenge for my son
US: that is
not possible
DB: Why?
Why is it not possible Ranaji because your Pratap killed him
US: Pratap
did not kill him neither did Shakti Dheer Baiji
DB stares
at him blankly
US: Jagmal
was eaten alive by the vultures
DB's face
registers shock and horror on learning the manner in which her son died -
screaming in agony as the vultures tore him apart
DB: They brutally
murdered my son I won't forgive them
US: They
don't need your forgiveness
DB: Of
course you will side with them
US: I loved
Jagmal like my own even though I knew he was not my son Dheer Baiji. You
thought you had cleared all the proofs so that I would never learn about Jagmal's
lineage but that clearly didn't happen
DB: No
those are lies...Jagmal was your son
US: No he
wasn't - he was your and Surtan Singh's illegitimate child. A child that was
formed before our marriage
DB stunned
does not say a word
US: Pack
your belongings and be ready- you will be escorted out in an hour. As of now
you are no longer welcome in Mewar. You will not be allowed to take any daasi
with you as all relationships with you have ended DheerBai. I don't care where
you go or what you do but if you are seen anywhere in Mewar's territories from
tomorrow then you must know that the soldiers would have been given orders to
eliminate you at first sight
US turns
around and leaves a crying a DB while he headed off to meet Rawatji who was
recovering from the wounds he had received from Jagmal
3 MONTHS
LATER
The wedding
went off smoothly and Ajabde had arrived at her in laws home with a huge celebration.
They were at the new place Pratap had built since leaving his father and he was
showing no signs of going back to his childhood home even though his mother and
Sajja Baiji had gone back due to the consistent pleadings by the council. But
Pratap and Shakti refused to pay any heed to them
Ajabde stood
in the kitchen checking up on the dinner's preparation when her young brother -in-law
Vikram ran him all muddied up
Ajabde:
Wait right there Kunwar Vikram...What have you done to yourself?
Vikram:
Nothing Bhabisa besides if you want to see something really muddy then go and
see Dada Bhai Pratap and Dada Bhai Shakti
Ajabde
leaves the kitchen with Vikram to see the commotion when her husband and elder
brother-in-law come in bathed in muddy water along with their friends
Ajabde:
Where do you think you are going?
They all
come to a halt looking at her
Shakti:
Bhabisa we had such a nice practice you know - I won my sessions
Ajabde:
Haan...that's very good but why are all of you dirtying my home?
Everyone
looks at the Kunwaranisa who was glaring at her husband who seemed to be really
silent
Ajabde: All
of you kindly use the back path to enter and before entering the rooms make
sure there is no spot of mud on you, your clothes and shoes as well.
As they
were all leaving she said
Ajabde:
Wait a minute please
They thought
she would speak to her husband so only Pratap turned and Ajabde smiled looking
at him
Ajabde: You
forgot him and she sent Vikram with them and turned around leaving them all
stunned especially her husband
LATER THAT
NIGHT
Pratap saw
his wife getting ready for bed - she gently removed her jewellery one by one
and then it appeared she was having a bit of problem with her neck piece so he
slowly went behind her and assisted her
Ajabde felt
her husband's fingers on her neck - his touch sent shivers down her spine
making her feel everything - she saw him through the mirror their eyes locking
into a stare but she dropped them low unable to handle his intense gaze. Pratap's
hand moved for the next object which was her ear-rings. Ajabde never felt this
sensitive before - they had not being intimate as right after their marriage
Pratap had to leave for a war against the Afghans and it had been only a week
since he came back from the war and they were just started to live their
married life together as partners
Ajabde: Kunwar
Pratap
Pratap did
not say a word instead he just helped her up and turned her towards him
Pratap: You
look so beautiful
Ajabde
blushed hard making him fall for her even more and so without speaking a word
he carried her bridal style to their bed where they began their journey as
husband and wife. Ajabde snuggled closer to her husband's warmth while he kept
her close to him as possible
NEXT
MORNING
Morning
came early for Pratap who woke up before the sun rose but as he lay staring at the
ceiling he felt something touching him - a feather like touch - so he looked
down and realised that it was his wife's hair that were spread all over him and
were also hiding her beautiful face from him. He gently moved them away from the
face and looked at her - she looked so serene, calm and beautiful never had he seen
someone so beautiful and here he was looking at his wife- someone he got to
spend his entire life with her
Ajabde woke
up to her husband's stare which automatically made her blush and look down but
he held her chin pulling her close to him and he captured her lips in a kiss- a
kiss that led to him covering her body with his and as she held her husband's
broad shoulders both of them got lost into each other so much that they got a tad
bit late for their morning routine
No one said
a word to the couple as they saw the glowing looks on both of their faces and
the happiness that radiated from them was enough to please veryone around them
EPILOGUE
I
ONE YEAR
LATER
The journey
was a hard one but it was so worth it Pratap thought as he stood on the balcony
of his room in Chittor palace. He had returned to his childhood home after he
learned the fact that Mughal king Akbar was planning on invading his nation and
also that his wife was expecting their first child and she wished to be with
their mothers so that they had some elders around them at a crucial time like
the one they were in so they had moved back home making a lot of people very
happy including Ranaji who had already got toys made for his first grandchild
Ajabde was
now 7months into her pregnancy and was feeling everything - sometimes she would
feel so hot that she would feel like throwing off all the covers on the floor
and sometimes she would be so cold that she would hog the covers and her poor
husband had to bear with her as well but he had been a trooper throughout. Now
as she paced in her room with her hand along her belly thinking about all the
things that she would get to do with her baby when she felt it - that feeling
of having that one juicy mango right then and there - just to eat that tangy
fruit till she felt fully satisfied
Pratap saw
her wife's face and realised that she was in one of her craving moods so he
went and held her from behind and slowly whispered
Pratap: So
what are you feeling the need for now my love?
Ajabde: I
want a mango and not the ripe ones but those green small ones so tangy and
juicy and plucked right from the tree ...
Pratap took
her hands as he took her to the gardens where he proceeded to climb on the tree
to get mangoes for his craving pregnant wife who seemed to be ordering him from
below
Ajabde: Not
that one Kunwar Pratap the one beside it - yes that one looks so yummy from
below
Pratap: Yes
Ajabde I will get that one
Ajabde: and
the one besides it and that other one as well
Pratap:
Ajabde...
Ajabde: You
know get me that bunch
Pratap
plucked one and threw it to his wife who caught it and totally forgot about her
husband who got down with a few mangoes in his hand. Pratap saw his wife
clearly enjoying her fruit like a happy pregnant woman so he sat down beside
her and slowly rubbed his fingers on her hair
Ajabde
placed her head on his shoulder and both of them enjoyed each other's company
for the time
Amar Singh
was his father's copy was everyone's first thought which was true as the
toddler was his exactly like his father in every way - same eyes, same intense
look on the face, same disarming smile that would save him from all troubles he
would get into for his mischiefs. The young toddler had started crawling and
getting into every nook and corner he physically could manage to get into so
now here he was trying to get into a new corner he had found at the dangal
sthal while his father and grandfather trained hard but before he could get into
the corner he was picked up by Rawatji whose face made him smile and his chubby
fingers touched his face as he smiled his smile
Rawatji
held him and took him to see his father and grandfather train on the ground and
seeing both the men made the toddler very happy who started to babble while
Rawatji told him all the moves they were performing
Ajabde sat
in front of her temple doing her puja as she closed her eyes praying for her
family's safety and health when her husband came in with their son in his arms -
as Amar Singh saw her mother's form he pointed to be put down and then as his
feet touched the floor the baby stood unsteadily on his legs and took a fall
but he got up again with help of the table kept and slowly unsteadily he took
his first steps towards his mother who was watching him with pride shinning on
her face - Amar walked straight into her arms with a huge smile and then the
small family prayed together for each other and their motherland.
THE END
comment:
p_commentcount