DhruvTara: The twist of Time

Chapter 2: Advent of Maharishi

Two months passed by. Saurya started getting isolated from Pratap. Bhabosa noticed the change but she thought it might be because of the trauma of loosing Tara which made the cheerful father and son duo go quiet.
Tara started getting cured. She walked slowly around the house with Dhruv's support.

17th century Devgarh,
The disturbances in the family made Bhabosa concerned. She asked Swaraswati about Dhruv and she doubted that Dhruv must have gone to find out Tara as he's their devoted "soldier".

Pratap knew very well about the "devotion" but dared not to speak. He couldn't even behave with Saurya like old days though he's trying to. Amidst this suddenly the news of advent of an enlighted saint spread throughout Devgarh. Bhabosa told Pratap to invite the Enlighted Saint to court and get his blessings. Before he could invite him he himself came to the court. Swaraswati and Sukanya were shocked to see him.
"Maharishi ji?!" Gasped Swaraswati, and went on to take his blessings followed by bhabosa.
After Maan, Pratap proceeded to the his blessing,
"Thista putra...." groaned Maharishi ji, "thista... jo paap apne kiya... aur jo paap aap karte ja rahe ho... woh kisi bhi ashirvad se na mitne wala..."
"Shama Maharishi ji pratantu hum samjhe koni..."
"Samachte to aap sab hi ho.... parantu apne aparadh ko mante nehi.." Maharishi ji gave a sarcastic smile, "Dusro ki sehyata karna purnya ka kaam hota hai Maharaj parantu us sehyata mai agar niji swarth ka mail ho to woh paap kehlata hai... ghor paap....."
"Hum Raja hai Maharishi ji..." gasped Pratap, "Rajniti ke liye humain bohat kuch karna parta hai..."
"Rajniti?? Rajniti ke liye do bhale manusya ke jiban ke sath khelna?? Keya aap jante bhi ho ki jinke sath aapne khela hai woh kaun hai?? Keya hai?? Inshan to woh bhale hai parantu.... do bhin duniya ka milan hai.... aise inshan jinke sath khelwar vinash ka karan ban sakta hai... aapka... samagra Devgarh ka..."
"Arthat?!"
"Arth samachna aapka kaam hai.... afsar bohat mila tha aapko apki galti sudharne ka parantu apne sare afsar thukra diye... aur ek aparadh dhakne ko paap ke upar paap karte geye... iska fal subh nehi hoga......"
Thunder cracked outside the window and heavy gusts blowed off the torches making the court dark. As the soldiers lighted spare torches Maharishi ji has vanished into nowhere.

Saurya was alseep in his room. The door cracked open and Maharishi ji came inside. A light smile automatically came on his face seeing the baby sleep. Maharishi ji slowly went to him and sat beside him. He caressed his head and put his band on his forehead, closing his eyes chanting some spells.

The time wheel started to spin and villagers, along with people in the court felt a banger sound. All looked outside towards the source of the sound and saw a peculiar pink spark emerging from the ground, from amidst the forest, and vanishing up into the sky. All were amazed when Swaraswati gasped, it's the radiation of the time wheel!!

Saurya opened his eyes and found himself lying on the grass. He woke up and heard chattering of other children. He followed the chatter and found out a playground with strange kind of toys and swings. He was amused and ran towards the toys. He tried to play copying other children but he realised that he couldn't touch those things. He sighed and moved out of the park. In the street he saw cars and bus, just like the instances he saw in his other dreams. He was so amused that he jumped and clapped in joy. Suddenly he saw the black car... the one he saw in his dream. He proceeded towards it and started examining it when he heard his Jadugar's voice. He was talking over that strange device from which he made him see beautiful images. The security guard opened the car's back door for him and Dhruv went inside the car and Saurya too jumped in. He realised that no one can see him. But it didn't bother him. He looked outside from the car window and felt amazing. He saw the driver driving the car. He peeped over to see the way he's driving the car. Soon the car entered a big house... well this is not even 10% of his palace byt still.... this is the house he saw in his dreams. With a beautiful small garden. The garden had his mother's favourite yellow roses. Dhruv got down and so did Saurya. He followed him inside and landed in the drawing room. There he saw the walls decorated with beautiful moments of his mother... and.. and his Jadugar. They are looking so happy... so happy... so happy he never saw his mother before. The smile she have here is unrecognisable to him. He never saw her like this. With a normal but elegant saree with least jewellery. Yes royalty is less but she's looking like a free pegion flying in the sky. His mother is looking like a different beauty with Jadugar. Saurya got lost in the pictures, then suddenly, he heard Dhruv's voice. He was comming downstairs  adjusting his shirt sleeves and instructing a boy about something. Saurya ran towards him and followed him. Dhruv went inside the kitchen and started to arrange for cooking.
"Sahab aj keya banayenge??" Asked Malati
"Aj Tara ka pasandida khana banega... parathe aur palak paneer...."
Saurya's eyes shinned. Palak paneer?! It's his favourite. But how did jadugar knew It's his mother's favourite too?!
Saurya ran behind his jadugar as he was arranging things for cooking. He was delighted to see him cook the meal. After finishing his cooking he plated it perfectly. Saurya looked at the plating, it's not as grand as his regular meals are, but, it was looking "simply" amazing.
Dhruv took the plate and went up the stairs. Saurya followed. As Dhruv opened the door Saurya was shocked. It's his mother sitting on the bed, with a book. Her hair is half tied. He never saw his mother's lovely wavy hair flutter in the wind like this. She was wearing a simple long flared kurti with no jewellery but the mangalsutra and the two gold bangles. As his mother saw Dhruv she kept the book aside.
"Dhruv.... mai niche ja sakti hu....."
"Nehi Tara... aj nehi.... aj tumhe khilane do mujhe..."
Dhruv sat beside her and fed her. It was a lovely sight and a smile automatically came on Tara's face.
"Adbhut??" Asked Dhruv
"Haa Adbhut...", replied Tara with a smile. Dhruv noticed tears in her eyes.
"Keya hua Tara??"
"Nehi... kuch nehi...."
"Kuch nehi??" Dhruv said softly and wiped her tears by his left hand, "Saurya ki yaad ay rahi?? Use bhi pasand hai na palak paneer aur parathe... desi ghee mai chube hue... pura tumhari taraf geya hai...."
"Itna ghee Saurya ko na pasand, tel aur ghee kaam khate woh... pura tumhari taraf geya hai..." smiled Tara over her tears, "parantu use sabse yada pasand keya hai malum hai tumhe..."
"Aloo ke parathe??" Smiled Dhruv
"Haa... methi pudina ke chatpate chutney ke sath.." smiled Tara and then slowly she couldn't control herself and started crying.
"Tara....."
"Dhruv... Dhruv... mujhe bohat daar lag raha Dhruv... Saurya... Saurya tumhara baccha hai Dhruv.... mujhse bohat bari galti ho geyi Dhruv... mujhe kabhi Saurya ko Maharaj ke hath mai dena hi nehi chahiye tha... mujhe Saurya ko apne pas rakhna chahiye tha.... maine kabhi socha nehi tha Maharaj Saurya ka aise iskamal karenge... woh use apne swarth ke liye apna rahe... payar kar rahe... Devgarh ke waris banane ke khatir... Saurya ke jaan ko khatra hai waha... Dhruv.. Dhruv... mujhe maaf kar do... tumse tumhare bete ko dur kiya maine..."
"Shant ho jao Tara.... mai sayed Saurya ko Rajmahal de nehi paunga.... per mai vachan deta hu... Saurya ko mai suraksha aur khusi dunga... jitna mujhse ho sake...."
"Tumhe vachan dene ki jarurat nehi... humain malum hai tum Saurya ko behtar rakhoge... tum uske asli pita ho.. tumse jada accha use koi nehi rakh payega....."
Saurya was stuck by these words. Saurya Pratap is not his real father and just is capturing him in his tangle of love for the throne. Saurya slowly understood why Pratap's behaviour changed after his mother got lost and why he's not feeling any connection with Pratap anymore. His Jadugar is his REAL father who lives in this wonderland.