Wanderers Chapter 12- Revealed

He locked her in between his arms. She was breathing hard while he began harassing her. Small touches on her face with his fingers and then he encircled her waist and passionately hugged her. She was too surprised at how he was acting. She knew something was wrong with him. She pulled him to his room.

“Rana ji aap achanak…aise”

“Ajab, agar hume apke sath vakth bitana hai toh aap mana kar deti hai…”

“Rana ji, yudh sar par hai aur aap…”

“Ajab, yudh aate rahega…apke sath vakth toh kuch pal tak hi bita sakte haina”

“Rana ji…yeh bekaar ke baate mat kijiye aur bhojan kar lijiye”

“Aap??”

“Hum behena ke sath kar lenge”

She proceeds to go out when he clutches her wrist.

“Chodiye Rana ji…”

“Hume kaam hai”

“Nahi chodenge…”

“Chodiye Rana ji…”

“Thik hai magar apko aaj humare saath bhojan karna hoga…”

“Yeh nahi ho sakta”

“Toh aap yahi aise kadhe rahiye”

“Nahi Rana ji yeh sahi nahi hai…”

“Sab sahi hai…yeh prem hai…”

“Thik hai hum bhojan ka thali late hai…”

“Nahi…aap kahi na jayengi…humare hi thali se karenge”

“Rana ji humne apke sath bhojan karne ko maan liya, iska arth yeh nahi hai ki hum apka har cheez manenge…”

“Ajab, shayad aap bhul rahi hai ki aap humari mitra hai aur phir patni…aur ek mitra ka kartavya hai ki veh dusre mitra ka kwaish purn karna…”

“Rana ji parantu, hum ek maharani bhi hai aur ek maharani ka bhi kartavya hota hai wah apne se choti raniyo ko unka ahikaar de…aur humara aise karne se ek maharani ka kartavya bhang ho jayega”

“Ajab, hum jante hai…hum toh unke sath bhi samy bitaye hai na…aaj hume humare mitra, humare prem aur humare maharani ke sath vakth bitana hai…”

“Rana ji aap samjiye na…”

“Ajab apko humari sawgand…”

“Thik hai…”

“Bhojan kare??”

“Ji”

They had their lunch after many years together in the same plate. It was something Ajabde hadn’t expected. They enjoyed their time together.

“Ajab, apko yaad hai hum aise hi sath mein kacche aam kate the??”

“Haan, aap hamesha aam tod late aur hum dono milkar raath bar baate karte the aur aam kate the…”

“Aur ek baar humne apke liye  bhojan bhi banaya aur phir…”

“Aur phir jab bhojan lekar kaksh mein aaye the…toh aap ko dekhna accha lag raha tha…tab hi aap dekhne layak the…bhojan bahot swadishta tha ki hum bhojan karne ke baad kasne lag gaye…itna namak aur mirch…kheer toh…kheer mein toh apne namk daal diya…roti puri tarah jal gayi thi…”

“Ajab, hum apko chodenge nahi…”

“Nahi Rana ji”

“Hum nahi chodenge…”

She ran and he followed her. Their early days were remembered…how she used to tease him always and run away…she would always go and hide in one place…Ranimaa’s chamber where Pratap would always find her. It had been years since they had been like this.

It was only till she revealed the news to him.

The court session had just ended. Ajabde was as usual busy with Maan. Both used spend most of their time in the garden with Rabbits. Always it used to happen that Pratap would come to the garden to spend some time with his love when Maan would be around.

“Dada bhai…aap yaha??”

“Maan hum toh bas aise hi ghumne aaye the…”

“Accha…parantu aap abhi kyu aaye??”

“ Hum abhi…kaha na humne ghumne aaye hai”

“Dada bhai aap kabse yaha aane lage hai…bhabhisa aap toh inhe janti hai na ki dada bhai kabhi bagiche mein nahi aate the…pura din abyaas karte rehte the…”

“Haan Maan, kabhi na aate the…dangal mein hi sothe aur jagte the”

“Suna dada bhai bhabhisa ne kya kaha??”

“Accha Maan hum yaha humari dharm patni, humari ardhagini se milne aaye hai…”

“Accha…parantu humne suna hai ki pati- patni…”

“Maan aap apne kaksh mein jayiye…”

“Toh dada bhai apne patni se akele mei milna chahte hai…thik hai…hum jaate hai”

“Jayiye”

“Kunwar Pratap yeh apne kya kar diya??”

“Kuch nahi…apse hum kabhi bhi kahi bhi mil sakte hai…iske liye hume koi anumathi nahi chahiye…”

“Parantu ab sab hume chidayege….”

“Ajab… hum pati-patni hai aur humare milne se koi apko nahi chidayega…”

“Kunwar Pratap apka yaha kya karya??”

“Kaha na humne ki hum apse milne aaye the”

“Chaliye humare sath”

“Ji kaha??”

“Chaliye toh sahi”

“Ji”

Pratap takes her to a huge tree side sitting area which she was unaware about.

“Kunwar Pratap…yeh yaha…humne kabhi yeh nahi dekha hai”

“Ajab…yeh ranimaa ne humare liye banwaya hai taki hum dono yaha apna samay gupt mein bita sake…”

“Magar…”

“Ajab, ranimaa ko lagta hai ki koi hume durr karna chahta hai…”

“Kunwar Pratap, jab hum dono ek duje se prem karte hai aur saath rehna chahte ho toh hume durr koi nahi kar sakta hai…”

“Ajab, hum jante hai…bas ranimaa ko darr lagta hai…kahi unki putr aur putri koi dukh pahunchega…”

“Magar yaha…hum reh toh nahi sakte”

“Haan Ranimaa ka kehna hai ki koi hume milne se rokne ke liye kuch chal chalega…”

“Kunwar Pratap hum jante hai ki koi hume milne se rok nahi sakta hai…”

“So toh hai…”

“Batayiye kis karan se aap yaha aaye aur hume yaha laye…”

“Bas apke saath samay bitane ke liye…kitne arse hho gaye hai…”

“Kunwar Pratap…aap bhi na”

“Hum kya??”

“Kuch nahi…”

“Nahi batayiye…”

“Woh…woh apko toh tabhi humare sath samy bitana hai jab…”

“Jab kya??”

“Jab aap…aap pita banane waale ho…”

“Accha bas itna…”

“Kya??”

“Sach mein??”

“Haan…hum apke sath Mazak todhi karenge”

“Ajab apne hume humare jeewan ka sabse bada kushi diya hai…”

“Kunwar Pratap ab hum jaa rahe hai…”

“Ruqiye…hum bhi aate hai apke sath aur sabko dono mil batayenge…”

“Aur haan Ajab aap ab se vishram karenge…”

“Nahi Kunwar Pratap yeh humse nahi hoga…”

“Ajab apko karna hoga”

“Nahi Kunwar Pratap…itna vishram…nahi…”

“Thik hai par aap koi kaam na karenge…”

“Joh aagya…”

That was the last time both spent time with such a heartfelt conversation. After their bundle of joy came to the world they had neither the time nor the mind to spend time together. Political tensions stressed both.