Eternal Love

Threshold of Love

Jaivanta Bai arrived in a grand royal palanquin for the Gangaur Utsav. Maids and guards followed in a big royal procession as it stopped at the palace gates. Hansa Bai stepped out of her formal self as soon as she saw her childhood friend step out of the palanquin. They hugged each other with smiles as Kunwar Pratap and Ajabde shared a glance at each other and smiled.
" Pratap!" Jaivanta hugged her son. " It feels like an eternity I haven't seen you."
" Ranima!"
He hugged his mother tight. Jaivanta felt the hug was tighter than usual. Worried she asked him,
" Are you okay?"
Her question stunned Ajabde as well as Kunwar Pratap.
" Ji, now that you are here I am fine Ranima." He smiled at his not-so-convinced mother.

" Gani Khamma Maharani sa!" Chakrapani greeted her.
" Jaivanta these are my children."
Ratan and Ajabde smiled at her as she turned to Ajabde.
" You are Ajabde? I have heard so much about you all these years " Jaivanta's informal hug shocked her. Pratap was looking at them with a smile that even he didn't realize.
" Gani Khamma Maharani Sa." Ajabde promptly touched her feet followed by Ratan.
" Maharani Sa? Hansa! Your daughter is calling me Maharanisa." Jaivanta looked at the scared Ajabde and smiled.
" Call me Ranima!"
Her words made Ajabde look at Pratap who was equally shocked. No one except he called her Ranima.
" Ji?"
" Why not? Pratap calls me that!" Ajabde managed a smile. Jaivanta now guessed what was going on as she looked back at Pratap who was looking away.

At the palace, Hansa and Jaivanta were making preparations for the Gangaur puja as Chakrapani came up to Pratap who stood watching his mother instruct people.
" Baojiraaj, woh... there is good news!"
" What is it Chakri?"
" I am getting married."
" What?" He looked at his friend shocked.
" Yes, my parents fixed my marriage here, in Bijolia, with the Rajpurohit ji's daughter."
" Am happy for you." Pratap hugged him.
" Maharani Sa..." Chakrapani stepped toward his mother with the news.
" Aree, Bhagwati is Ajabde's childhood friend," Hansa exclaimed pleased. " This is such good news, now I will keep Jaivanta with me a few more days with this excuse."
Ajabde came in with flowers for her sandhi puja and Hansa told her the good news.
" Congratulations Chakrapani." Ajabde softly said with a smile.
" Ji, Dhanyavaad Ajabde Baisa."
" Maa Sa, I need to go to Bhagwati's place and invite her to the puja, can I go now?"
" Okay, take Ratan with you." She nodded.

All this while, Pratap stood staring at her, he hoped to talk, to break this awkward feeling he was having, but she carefully ignored him even looking at him as she walked away. Hansa and Jaivanta Bai exchanged a look at each other.

At lunch, Jaivanta Bai was in praised Ajabde's cooking.
" You have a very talented daughter Hansa, whoever she will wed, that house will become heaven with her touch for sure." Hansa smiled at the compliment as Ajabde blushed red. " Dhanyavaad." Her voice made him look up and their eyes met for brief seconds before she chose to look away.

At twilight, Ajabde sat making garlands in the puja Ghar. Footsteps behind her and she got up quickly, " Khamma Gani Maharanisa!"
" Maharanisa Again?"
" Shama Kijiye, Ranima."
" Come, let's do the sandhi puja."
Pratap was in his room reading when the sound of his mother's voice made him smile. It had been so long since he heard her Bhajan. He stepped out and walked towards the Puja Ghar.
" Aakhiyaan... Hari Darshan Ko Pyasi..." The second voice stopped him. It was Ajabde. He slowly walked into the Puja Ghar and saw the two singing together. He wanted to leave but couldn't.
" Aree Pratap." Jaivanta's voice stopped Ajabde.
" Ranima I need to go help Maasa." She walked out past him.

Jaivanta Bai was about to go to bed, She had had a long tiring journey and needed rest. She saw light still in Ajabde's room. She stepped out and saw Ajabde, making Gauri Shankar dolls for the puja. Jaivanta smiled at the dedicated figure. Footsteps and she turned around to see Pratap walking towards her, unmindful. She quickly stepped behind the pillar as he passed by and into Ajabde's room. Jaivanta smiled and walked into her room and shut the door.

" Ajabde."
His voice shocked her.
" Ji, you need something Kunwar Pratap?"
" Yes, I want to know what's wrong."
She looked up at his determined eyes.
" Wrong?"
" Yes, I said sorry because I hurt you, still I am seeing that you are ignoring me."
" No... No...."
" Yes! You didn't come for the sword lessons."
" Our guard was teaching me, you were practising I didn't want to disturb you."
" You know very well I was waiting for you." His words made her look up.
" I was busy with..."
He stopped her. " I don't want to know. Be there tomorrow."
He was about to walk out when she blurted, " I can't".
He stopped and turned around.
" Why not?"
" We have the Gangaur and I... I mean Maasa will be fasting."
" Day after tomorrow then." She nodded as he left,
" Hey, Eklingji..." Ajabde was scared, she had planned to keep up the ignoring act and maintain her distance. She will fail again. Pratap sat in his room thinking. Is she fasting? For whom?
The next morning the palace was buzzing with activities for the Puja. Bhagwati had accompanied her parents to the palace and Chakrapani didn't stop stealing glances at her. Pratap's eyes searched the gathered people the moment he came back from practice. She was not there. Nodding in disappointment he walked away. Ratan was walking towards him. He stopped her.
" Where is your Jija Ratan? She was not there at the puja also."
" Jija is fasting so..." Ratan bit her lips. She had promised not to tell anyone. Especially The One standing in front of her.
" Fasting?"
" No, No Kunwarsa... You are coming for breakfast?"
" Am not hungry, please tell Ranima and Hansa Mausi, I have some work, will eat later."

That evening Chakrapani came into Pratap's room with a plea,
" Please Baojiraj I want to meet Bhagwati alone. Help me please."
" I can't. Please stop bothering me."
" Ajabde Baisa is so good, she agreed, she is not even my friend."
" Ajabde ... what?"
" Agreed to help me if you help. She said she will bring Bhagwati to the Mandir, near the Talab behind the palace."
" Okay, I will go with you."

They sneaked out and were at their destination. It was deserted and the waters of the Talab reflected the beautiful light of the moon. The sounds of Payal made them turn as Pratap saw Ajabde's face in the light of the Diya she held in the Puja Thali in her hand. She looked beautiful.
" You have very little time, we need to go back soon," Ajabde warned Chakrapani who took Bhagwati to the temple. Ajabde sat in the water, doing her puja. Pratap was watching them go before he turned to see her puja.
" So you are fasting?" She opened her eyes in shock and saw his reflection behind her, in the water.
" No.... No... Am..."
" Ajabde when you can never lie why do you try?" He smiled sitting beside her.
Nervous and scared she said, " I need to go." \
And left in a hurry, leaving her thali behind.
" Aree... Ajabde!" He called in vain, then he saw that she had forgotten to float the Diya, He smiled and floated it before going towards the mandir to give her thali to Bhagwati.

Everyone was sitting for dinner after a tiring day and Raoji was breaking his wife's fast. Jaivanta ate taking her husband's name. Chakrapani was in smiled ever since his meeting with Bhago. Pratap was standing, his eyes fixed on the Door. She entered with more food and their eyes met. He smiled but she looked away. Ratan here said, " Jija, come eat with me."
" No, Ratan. I will eat later." She hadn't completed her puja, she left midway because of his confrontations. She couldn't break her fast.
" Kunwarsa?" Hansa Mausi indicated at his plate, he hadn't touched a single thing.
" Am not hungry Mausi, I will go to sleep, am very tired."
Jaivanta looked at his son's retreating figure and then at Ajabde's confused face.

That night Ajabde stood on the balcony lost in her thought.
This is not right, my Puja is incomplete, I can't complete it before everyone falls asleep. He didn't eat a bite at dinner, is he still angry? But why?
Ratan came up behind her.
" Jija?"
" Ratan, you didn't sleep."
" Jija am sorry I made a mistake."
" Mistake?"
" I accidentally told Kunwarsa you are fasting."
" You What??"
" Yes, it just slipped. Maybe that is why he didn't eat a bite all day."
" He didn't eat all day? Hey Eklingji."
" I am sleepy Jija, subh ratri." Ratan left a more disturbed Ajabde.

She paced up and down her room restless.
" You were waiting for me Ajabde?" His voice startled her.
" Kunwarsa? What are you doing here?" She noticed plates of food in his hand. He kept them saying, " Come, let's eat."
" I can't, I left my puja incomplete. I didn't float the Diya."
" Ajabde, your puja is complete, now eat, am hungry."
" Complete? How?"
" I floated the Diya." He stared at her making her look away.
" It doesn't complete my puja."
" You know it does."
" Why are you here?"
" To make sure you are coming tomorrow for your lesson and don't fall ill and skip it."
" I will come. But I can't eat."
" Fine! " He was about to leave.
" Aree, you eat Kunwarsa, you haven't touched your food."
" If you can stay hungry and go for sword lessons so can I"
" Kunwarsa...."
" Ajabde, you will eat or continue this argument for the night?"
She gave in. She served him food and took hers. They ate in silence before he left saying, " See you at the Arena at dawn." She nodded.'

What are you doing Pratap? You were thinking of staying away. Why can't you? Is this so wrong? Why does it feel so right? Pratap's mind and heart were at war, he moved on his bed restless.
" You are awake still?" He hadn't noticed his mother come in.
" Ranima?"
" I came to check on you."
" Am fine Ranima, you rest."
" Pratap..."
" Ji?"
" Ajabde is such a nice girl, hai na?" Jaivanta's sudden mention shocked him as he looked at his mother.
" Ji?"
" Pratap I know you are Mewar's future and you have responsibilities. But... Always listen to your heart first." she kissed his forehead and left. He sat thinking what she meant.

What is wrong with you Ajabde? Now he knows you were fasting for him, he broke your fast... this is so wrong... I have to break all ties with him... I have to stay away... am a Samanth Putri, he is Mewar's future king... how can you even think that... But... But his eyes... No No... tomorrow I need to tell him that I want no more lessons.... yes, he will understand... What if he is hurt? No... Ajabde, you have to do this! Ajabde's inner thoughts were like a storm. She paced her room until she realised it was dawn already.

He was in the arena waiting. He had made up his mind not to show her his feelings again. At least not now. She walked up preparing a speech on why she won't continue the lessons. He turned around as she approached him, and their eyes met. Their minds said Don't look, their hearts said one more time... one last time...
"Let's begin." He broke the silence. Today he would teach her duels, he had got an update from the guard that she was doing well in the moves, she was practising them religiously, and it was time for level two.

Their swords clashed like their minds. She attacked, he defended, he didn't attack. Her moves made him smile. It was like she was challenging him to attack, but he held back. He moved across the arena, swiftly behind her, she turned around, and her warrior attire swirled like that of a dancer.
" Ahh," She sounded angry, like a fierce lioness, attacking him left and right. He smiled at her angry eyes. Swords clashed as the sun shone high, they were alone, lost, in the duel. To them time had stopped. His defence moves made her angry, she didn't know why, and he didn't attack like she was weak. She was hating that feeling. They were out of the arena and into the corridors fighting. A jar fell at the swing of her sword, making a Daasi hurry there.
" Ekanth." They said in unison.
He kicked the jar out of the way and swung his sword like challenging her. She moved swiftly attacking him.
" You are good for an amateur." He praised.
" Fight, Kuwarsa, what's stopping you? You think I am weak?"
" You want to see me fight?"
With a swing of the sword and before she realised he had cut the dupatta off her face, revealing it. Only her eyes spoke anger, now he could read her face. She attacked again. He defended, not letting his pro skills hurt her. Her Dhaal fell and she tried to grab another swiftly walking past him, he wanted to hold her back from taking the dhal and his mistime made him grab her bunned hair. It came untied, all over her face. He smiled at her beauty.
" What did you do?'
" You wanted to fight, fight!"
Swords clashed again as he pinned her against a pillar, she breathed heavily, and so did he, swords between them, eyes met. She pushed him in vain before he released her, she moved forward, he backwards, but he stumbled on the jar, that was in the way again and fell to the ground. his sword bruised his arm.
" Ahh." He let out a cry of pain as she lost her fiery self in care shouting " Kunwar Pratap!"

He looked at her face awestruck as she took the liberty of taking his name.
" What did you say Ajabde?"
" I... I... Shama kijiye..."
" Ajabde stop! Come back." He called behind her in vain as she ran away.

He was in his room when a Daasi came in with balm.
" Baisa send this for you."
" Keep It." He looked at the bowl and smiled. He took it and walked across the hall to her room. He was surprised to see her door shut.
" Ajabde?" No answer.
" Can you apply the Balm please?"
" Ajabde?" He retreated confused. Maybe she was resting.

Raoji came to his room in a hurry.
" We need to leave for Kelwara Baojiraj, some intruders attacked the Bhil Villages."
He got ready in a hurry. Her door was still shut.
" Am leaving for Kelwara Ajabde, please come out once, I want to tell you something." She heard him as tears streamed down her cheeks. I can't meet him, I can't!
He went to get Sarang disturbed and saw Laxmi eating in her shed. He looked up and the sight of the balcony made him smile, there she was, looking down at him, visibly disturbed as he was. Knowing he spotted her she quickly hid. His smile faded. As he left with Sarang. From the Jharokha beside the balcony, unknown to them Jaivanta Bai witnessed the scene. She went to Hansa's room.
" Hansa, I know I have let our positions and responsibilities come in the way of our friendship."
" No No Jaivanta..."
" Yes, I miss my friend when I need her. Am here to promise you something."
" Jaivanta is something wrong"
" This won't happen to our children Hansa, they won't stop listening to their hearts for their responsibilities and social norms." Hansa looked at Jaivanta knowing very well what she meant.
" You know what you are saying is impossible?"
" I know it will be tough, but possible." They looked at Ajabde stepping into the Puja Ghar knowing very well she will stay there until there is any news from the war front.
" I will write to Ranaji to attend Chakrapani's wedding here." Jaivanta made up her mind.