The Golden Cage

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Murtasim and Meerab step into the opulent Khan Haveli, a palace adorned with exquisite artifacts and a sense of grandeur. The atmosphere carries an air of anticipation, as if every wall holds whispers of the past and secrets yet to unfold. Meerab steps hesitantly into the grand foyer of the Khan Haveli, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and apprehension. The opulent surroundings overwhelm her senses, but deep down, she feels a knot of resistance forming within her.

Meerab (to herself)- And here is the KHAN HAVELI... The symbol of power and control (looking at murtasim who is walking beside her). Sunhera Pinjara...A world where archaic traditions and suffocating expectations reign supreme. 

[She gazes at the portrait of Murtasim's father, a man who had built this dynasty, and her eyes narrow with a mix of defiance and bitterness]- Aur yeh iss pinjare ke Khaaliq E Kul.

Murtasim- Kuch kaha tumne?

Meerab shaking her head in no (thinking)- Kehne ka nhi krne ka waqt hai!!! Main kisi kimat pr bhi paiyadon ki tarah apni kurbani nhi dungi, na khud ki, na apne sapno ki aur  na hi apne wajood ki!!!

Reaching down the alley, they could see the main hall where Maa begum was seating at her opulent armchair instructing the servant.

Murtasim (as if sensing her fear whisperingly assures her keeping his gaze at Maa begum and nodding in her direction)- Fikar n karo! vada kiya hai tumse aur tumahre abbu se khayal rhkhunga tumhara Meerab (flickering his gaze to her and back) aur tumhari khushiyon ka bhi. 

Maa Begum (smirking, her eyes hold a keenness that reveals her knowledge of Meerab's recent erratic behavior)-  KHUSHAMADEED! Meerab!  Ummeed hai aane main takleef nhi hui hogi, akhir Murtasim khud lekr aaya hai tumhe. 

Meerab (replying slyingly)- Salam! aayi nhi layi gyi hu aunty!

Murtasim (trying to cut off the tension)- salam maa! 

Maa begum (Nodding to murtasim)-Meeting kaisi thi? Kaam bana y bus bigade kaamon ko sudharane main waqt zaya kr aaye.(eyeing meerab)

Murtasim looking at Meerab, clearly understanding his mother's conniving taunts- Sab Khariyat se hogya  maa, saare legal papers and procedures poore hogye hai, uss zameen pr Malik abh aankh utha kr bhi nhi dekh sakta.

Maa begum- Shabash!! 

Murtasim (hesitatingly)- Maa voh ! Meerab thak gyi hogi, usse uska kamra dikhwa de.

Maa begum - Hnn bhai! Sadak pr mushakat krna asaan kahan hota hai. (calling the- servant) Meerab bibi ko upar vali mazil ka kamra dikha do.

servant comes running to the main hall- Salam Khan! Salam meerab bibi- Khan ke bagal vala kamra begum sahiba?

Meerab (can't help but feel a pang of sympathy for servant, their lives orchestrated by the Khan family's whims.)- Main Mariyam ke saath bhi rhe sakti hu- 2 mahino ki toh baat hai.

Murtasim (curtly) NHI! Haveli main kamron ki kami nhi hai, tum aram se alag kamre main rhe sakti ho (thinking- meri aankhon ke samne).

Maa begum (again taunting) - Aur hum nhi chahte ek ko sudharne ke chkr main dusri bigad jae.

Meerab- Aunty! Main-

Murtasim cutting her off before the conversation escalates into argument- Meerab! Upar jao, aaram karo baki baatein dinner pr hongi.

Meerab eyeing murtasim and maa begum decides to leave, she had enough for the day and retires to her room following the servant.

Murtasim-(folding his hands at his back ) Maa begum! main yahan usse sambhalne laya hu, aap aag main ghee kyu daal rhi hai? Aap hi kehti thi n, uska khaas dhyan rkho, nigrani rkho issileye muje laga ki aap behtar samjha paengi usse- akhir apko itni fikar jo hai uski. Kehne ko toh sirf abbu ke dost ke ki beti hai voh.

Maa Begum- Sambhalane ki naubat hi na aati agar wakas aur anila ne waqt rhete lagam kasi hoti iski toh.

Murtasim- Maa!!!! Insaan hai meerab aur main Wakas uncle ko wada kr ke aaya hu, unki beti ko koi takleef nhi hogi yahan. Aap bhi meerab se pyaar se pesh aaye. (lowering his voice with a sense of sincerity) Samjhe maa, azad khayalon ki hai, todha narmi se pesh aayengi toh yahan ke mahool main dhal paaengi usko, sakti se toh tod dengi aap usse.

Maa Begum (Narmi y sakti Meerab ko yahan ke taur tareeke seekhne hi honge, akhir mere baad yeh sab usse hi sambhalna hai)

Maa begum already knows everything about meerab's erratic behaviour and plans on moulding her according to khan traditions. She has a hidden intention of marrying her to murtasim as she has a lot of properties in her name gifted to her by murtasim's father and anwar, which she believes should be of murtasim.

Murtasim- aur phir usse konsa yahan zindagi beetani hai, aap bus usse 2 mahino main itna samjha de taki voh aisi harkat dubara n kare.

Maa Begum- (coming out her reverie and changing her stance immediately) Tum fikar n karo! Main shayd todha zayda chidh gyi usse!! Main atiyat se raabta krungi Meerab se ( akhir hone vali Khani hai voh )

Murtasim- shukriya! Main nikalta hu! Bakhtu ka call aya tha, kheton pr kuch masla hogya hai.

Maa begum- Aare!! Abhi toh aaye ho. Kuch khaa lo murtasim fir nikal jana!!

Haya (running downstairs) - AREEE!!! Murtasim tum aagye!!! Muje pta hi nhi chala! Kaisa rha suffer?? Vaise kaisa hi rha hoga!! Vahan jate hi toh yeh aafat chipat gyi tumhe.

Murtasim-(controlling his annoyance) Haya! Meerab Mehmaan hai yahan aur uski mehmaanawzi main koi kami nhi honi chahiye. Iss baat ka khas khayal rhe.

Haya- (staring murtasim with loving eyes) Murtasim maine kabhi tumhari koi baat taali hai?! main MEERAB ka khud khayal rkhungi.

Maa begum-(scolding) Tum phele khud ka toh khayal rkhlo! Dupatta kahan hai tumahara????

Haya (rolling her eyes slightly, thinking voh toh abhi jeans kurte main gyi, usse toh nhi maanga dupatta, mere dupatte ka rogan josh banayengi kya)- Ji! Voh upar rhegya! Murtasim ki aane ki khabar sunte hi bhaagi bhaagi neche aagyi maa begum

Maa begum disgustingly eyeing haya

Murtasim- Maa main nikalta hu, der ho rhi hai vapas bhi ana hai, raaste main kuch khaa lunga

Maa begum- Acha toh fir kal aaoge? 

Murtasim- Nhi Nhi! Gaon nhi jana!, bus yahi paas vali zameen tak jana hai! Derr raat ho sakti hai pr aaj hi aajaunga.

Maa begum- Acha chalo dhyaan rhkna!! khairiyat se jana

Haya-(being haya) Hnn!! aur paunch kr ek call krdena!

Murtasim ignoring Haya's comment left the hall. While crossing the pool area, Murtasim wished to see Meerab one more time before leaving but felt disappointed to find the balcony empty.

If only he knew, she was eyeing him and his cavalry leave from closed windows, like an army following their king. She wondered why these people feared him so much, a shell of a personality and nothing much. Full on flirt king and a brat. Little did she know, this was all saved just for her.


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