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THREE YEARS LATER

Almost three years had passed to Sripad's visit to Giripur. Since a year everyone in Kolhapur was planning to rescue their beloved Jayapalrao and Madhavrao. At Giripur too, a brilliant, seventeen year old girl was planning punish her father's enemy.

AT KOLHAPUR :

"Now listen, everyone. In next week, Pankaj Kumar has held a great celebration in his entire capital. Everyone has free entry there. This is due to his 50th Birthday. We will make sure this will be his last birthday. We will invade his capital fort where he has kept Pitashri and Kaka Saheb in prison. We have a week's time to rescue them. Are you all ready for this ?" A 22 year old king, Chandrashekhar asked everyone present there.

"Yes King. We all are ready to even lose our lives to bring Jayapalrao and Madhavrao back in our captivity. We will succeed. Har har Mahadev !!" Everyone cheered in motivated tone.

AT GIRIPUR :

"Aaba, I think we will be able to rescue Baba and Mamanji (father in law) in this week. This week Pankaj Kumar has held great celebration in his capital for his birth day. Even mother is going for pilgrimage for two weeks. This is our golden opportunity to work out our plan. What do you think Aaba ?"

"You are right, my girl. You start with your preparations for reaching Chandanpur. I will manage the people here and your mother. Just remember, I want everyone to be back, Alive."

"Trust me Aaba, I promise you that I will rescue Baba and Mamanji and bring everyone alive back. I will leave for Chandanpur this night itself."

"Succeed and return, my child."

Saying so, Yatee left her home and went towards her horse, her lovely partner, Tejas.

Both Yatee and Chandrashekhar were unaware of the destiny's plan. Whilst they were yet to meet as husband and wife at Kolhapur, destiny decided to bring them together at their enemy's palace. Both of them were about to attack Pankaj Kumar on the same date in the same palace but with the help of different sources.

Yatee had taken help of Heera bai, wife of Pankaj Kumar. According to the plan, Heera bai will be replaced by Yatee in night. Then, when Pankaj Kumar comes to his chamber for sleeping, Yatee will kill him in one chance with her sword. Yatee's plan was easy and complex at the same time. Even if one mistake, and Yatee wouldn't be alive.

Chandrashekhar had taken help of Tauji Kumar, uncle and commander in chief of Pankaj Kumar. On his birthday, Pankaj Kumar arranges a special Mehfil of singers. Chandrashekhar and his fifteen soldiers were about to enter as some singers and some soldiers. When Pankaj Kumar leaves the Mehfil and goes to sleep, Chandrashekhar will follow him upto his chamber as his soldier. He will injure him brutally there and then signal for others to go to the prison and release all of their family members. His plan was step wise complex but of 100% guarantee that he will be successful.

AT CHANDANPUR, PANKAJ KUMAR'S BIRTHDAY :

As per decided, Yatee and Chandrashekhar had taken their positions along with their respective loyal soldiers. Yatee was in the room, ready with her Dandpatta to kill Pankaj Kumar. Chandrashekhar was standing outside the same room, as a Dwarpaal (one who opens and closes the door), ready with his Sword to injure Pankaj Kumar. Heera bai was seated in her room along with two of Yatee's soldiers who were standing there for her protection.

As per decided, after consuming a lot of Madirah (alcohol), Pankaj Kumar was travelling with difficulty and asked the Dwarpaal (Chandrashekhar) to drop him upto his bed. There Yatee was laying as if she was in deep sleep. Chandrashekhar took Pankaj Kumar and helped him to lay down on his bed. He went upto the door and closed it. As soon as he closed the door, he heard a loud thud behind him. He turned to see Pankaj Kumar lying on the floor.

"What happens Bai Sa (Queen, addressing Heera bai)?"

"I know that you are not the regular Dwarpaal. And I am not Heera bai. Who are you?"

The lady who was standing behind the corpse of Pankaj Kumar was speaking in low, hoarse voice. Then Chandrashekhar looked up to see a young lady like figurine, dripped in blood from top to toe. He was shocked and scared of her look.

"I have came from another country. I was here to kill Pankaj Kumar and release all of the arrested men. But who are you?"

"I am not important. Just go and release all of them. One of them will be my father in law. I was here for him. I will see you later."

Saying so, Yatee took her Dandpatta and started to climb off the fort through the window. When everyone arrived at the room, all of them felt that Chandrashekhar had killed Pankaj. As per the tradition, if the king is killed by some other person, he or she is declared as the King of that kingdom. Everyone was rejoicing in joy but Chandrashekhar left that room for the search of that lady who killed Pankaj Kumar. He saw that she was accompanied with two men who went ahead of her with a letter. He instructed Sripad to release all of their men and he himself decided to follow that lady.

Chandrashekhar had fallen for that girl. He was in love with her valour. Just like cutting a piece of butter she had chopped of Pankaj Kumar's head. He wanted to ask her to accompany him towards Kolhapur. But he saw her horse entering a dark forest as she controlled the horse to slow down.

"Maybe she is a tribal girl. That's why she was so much trained. But I mustn't follow her. I have a wife who will return any day to Kolhapur. How can I fall for another woman ?"

Chandrashekhar's thoughts were broken by the sound of breaking twig in the pin drop silence of that Jungle. He saw that the lady, who was his wife Yatee, had gone inside the forest. He went in the same direction to see a bonfire lighted besides a lake. He saw that the horse was tied to a nearby tree and two tigers had gathered around that lady. He was about to return when Yatee started to mutter something -

"Almost eight years have passed now. Atleast, after the release of Mamanji, I hope I will get what I've been longing for...."

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Another update !!
What do you think, how will be their first ever dialogue together?
Will they disclose their identities?

Answers to many such in next update.
Till then, stay safe, take care and lots of love 💕

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