✔️Tale as Old as Time (Kunwar Pratap/Ajabde [Praja])

33//~antar aatma~

Ajabde put on a regular ghagra choli and called it a day. She didn't want to dress up today. She was happy Torunmal had run away because he would've made a horrible husband but now she didn't know what to do anymore. Her mind was clouded with worries of all sorts. She wanted to ensure that her relationship with Kunwar Pratap remained 100% professional because that was her job over here and she also wanted Heer to get married to Kunwar Pratap because that would end the upcoming defeat and jauhar as a consequence. If two of the strongest kingdoms allied with marriage, Akbar wouldn't be able to win. Also, Heer who was her best friend was going to be forced to marry Akbar in the future. All of these things could only be solved if she got married somewhere else but still, in her heart she could think of no one but Kunwar Pratap.

Ranima entered the room. Kunwar Pratap had already talked to her earlier on and she wanted to make sure that Ajabde also wanted the same. She looked at Ajabde who hadn't even done her kajal. She put down the clothes and jewelry she had brought on the bed.

"Ajabde," she said.

Ajabde turned around to find Ranima there. Ranima was able to read the worries on her adopted daughter. The moment she had seen Ajabde for the first time, she had counted the little girl as her own, and Jaivantabai's love only deepened for her as the years went by.

"Ranima aap yaha? Aapko koi kaam tha?" Ajabde asked.

"Aiye bethiye, aaj hum aapko apne haatho se tayar karte hain," Ranima said smiling.

"Hum to ho gaye tayar," I said.

"Yeh bhi tayar hui hain aap?" Ranima asked. "Mahal mein atithi aiye hue hain aur aap en kapdo mein ghoomengi? Kada bhi nahi. Hum laye hain na aapke liye, aaj aap yahi pehengi,"

Ajabde glaced at the clothes Ranima had brought, it was a gorgeous red, orange and pink lehenga along with pretty jewelry.

"Bethiye," Ranima insisted and Ajabde didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise. She slipped into the new clothes and sat down on the stool in front of her dressing table while Ranima did her hair and put on jewelry.

"Ajabde, aap pe hum koi dabav nahi banayenge-"

"Ranima, kya aap bhi hume Kunwar Pratap se vivah karneko kehne aiyi hain?" Ajabde asked right away.

"Nahi," Ranima said while putting on the necklace. "Hum aapse apni antar aatma ki sunne ko kehne aiye hain,"

"Antar aatma?" Ajabde asked.

"Jeevan mein aise kai padav aiyenge aapke samne jaha dono marg sahi ho aur aapko chunav karna pade ek marg ka to kaunsa chunengi aap?" Ranima asked.

"Dono sahi kaise ho sakte hain. Ek to galat hi hona chaiye," Ajabde said.

"Nahi Ajabde. Kahi baar paristiti aisi utpan ho jaiye ki koi marg galat nahi hain aise mein hum doovidha mein padjate hain aur apne mastishk se sochne lugte hain. Kaunse marg se adhik logo ka labh hoga ya kaunse marg ka luksha beheter hain," Ranima explained. "Apne haath dijiye,"

Ajabde held out her hand and Ranima put on pretty dark pink and gold bangles. Ajabde's mind wandered to Kunwar Pratap and the bangles he had given her.

"Jab bhi doovidha mein ho aap to apni antar maan ki avaaz sunniye. Aapki antar aatma ki sunn ke aap jo nirnay lengi weh nirnay sarvashresht hoga," Ranima said. She finished Ajabde's look by painting on a bindi and putting the veil on her head.

"Parantu Ranima, yadhi humari antar aatma swarthi ho gayi to? Keval apni khushiyon ke baare mein hume nirnay lena kaha to?" Ajabde asked.

"To wahi kijiye. Khushiyon pas sabka adhikar hota hain aur hume aapki antar aatma par purna bharosa hain. Sadev sacha nirnay lene mein aapki saheta karengi," Ranima assured me.

"Kitni pyari lag rahi hain aap," she said and dabbed under her eyes and dotted the kajal behind my ear. "Kisi ki nazar na lugge,"

Ajabde smiled and looked in the mirror, she did look better than she usually did.

:~:~:~:

Kunwar Pratap prepared his speech in his room when suddenly Ajabde came into his room.

"Hum kabse aapse kuch kehna chahte hain," he said to her.

"Kahiye na Kunwar Pratap," Ajabde replied.

"Hum aapko bohoth pasand karte hain," he said to her. "Atyiant hi pasand karte hain. Kya aap humse vivaah karengi?"

He held out the beautiful rose for her. The present he had gotten for her in return for the 100-year-kundli she had given him. It was a symbol of love.

"Hum bhi aapse kabka yahi to kehna chahte hain," Ajabde exclaimed.

"Hume vivaah kar lena chaiye," Ajabde said.

"Sabhi sab yahi to baatein kar rahe hain," Kunwar Pratap replied. "Aapki kaki se. Jald hi humare vivah ka muhrat-"

"Bhavjiraj? Hum vivahit hain!' Chakrapani exclaimed.

Kunwar Pratap looked around flustered. The rose was still in his hand and Ajabde wasn't around. He had dreamt the whole thing in front of Chakrapani. Embarrassed, he talked Chakrapani out of his mishap.

:~:~:~:

"Yeh Jaiwanta Jija bhi na, humari achhi khasi yojna pe pani daalne ka prayas kar rahi hain," Dheerbai said walking down the the hallway. That's when she spotted Ajabde all dressed up walking down the hallway.

Ajabde wished she hadn't been thinking about Kunwar Pratap because she hadn't turned in time before Dheerbaiji spotted her. Now, she would have to listen to her.

Dheerbaiji walked towards Ajabde, now was the best time to gaslight Ajabde in case her previous attempts hadn't had enough effect on her.

"Kitni sundar lug rahi hain aap," she said.

"Dhanyavaad," Ajabde replied forcing a polite smile onto her face.

"Adhik logo ki rai lena kabhi hume brahm mein dal deti hain," Dheerbaiji said. "Hume patta hona chaiye ki hume karna kya chaiye,"

"Aap kehna kya chahti hain chhotima?" Ajabde asked.

"Jija ke saath saath aap apna nooksan mat karvaye. Apne roop se kitne saalo tak mohit kar payengi aap unhe. Kuch saalo mein dar dar ke thokre khyenge kisi aur ke pass. Jaise Ranaji humare pass ate hain. Puchhiye Jaiwanta jija ko, kaisa lugta hain unhe?" Dheerbaiji said.

"Paer utne hi phelane chaiye jite jugge ho," she said. For the first time Ajabde realized how low she could go to put down others.

"Are Ajabde, aap yahan hain? Humne aapko kaha kaha nahi dhoonda. Chaliye hume mahatvapurna baat karni hain aapse," Kunwar Pratap said dragging her out of there oblivious to the conversation that had ensued before his arrival.

He took her to the garden, in an area where no one could possibly hear them and prepared to say what he had been longing to for a very long time.

A/N: CLIFFHANGER LOL but yall already know. Anyways also, I would like to ask for a summary. I such so bad, Idk what to write in the story summary section