The Royal Match Making

Plans

Heer sat in her Royal Blue Long Kurti in beautiful pink motifs and stared at the Business Times on the coffee table. The front page had a picture of Udai Singh with Pratap and Shakti in the same types of bandh gala coats and the royal brooch on it. Posing. The headline read

WHO IS THE HEIR? HRH UDAI SINGH VI ANSWERS.

She was about to pick it up when she heard a soft knock on the door as it swung open and she froze to see Shakti walk in, in a bandh gala black kurta looking rather royal.

"Aap yaha?" Heer stood up from the sofa of the Sisodias study room as Shakti spoke. "Haan." She frowned at the confused Shakti. "Ranisa ne bulaya mujhe yaha par."

"Ek minute." Shakti stopped her with his hand gesture. "Ranima ne aapko study pe bulaya? Are you sure?"

"Haan." Heer frowned. Isko ullu lagti kya main? "Aapke mahal se ek maid aayi thi cottage pe and said specifically ke Ranisa ne Heer ko bulaya hai."

"Par mujhe toh yaha Dadabhai ne bulaya." He frowned.

"Kunwar Pratap? Bhala woh kyun humko bulaenge?" Heer looked at the younger prince rather suspiciously.

"Toh kya hum jhoot bol rahe hai?" He looked perplexed.

"Toh kya hum jhoot bol rahe?"She was annoyed and about to leave.

"Aree nahi, hum ne apko yaha expect nahi kiya tha so..." Shakti blocked the door.

"Ahem!" Shakti and Heer froze a safe distance away from each other and stole a glance as the parents entered the study and shut the door behind them.

"Humne bulwaya aap dono ko." Udai Singh took his seat guiding Hansa and Ramrakh to the sofa and Jaivanta took the armchair. Heer stared at the parents scared.

"Ajabdeh toh so rahi hai...." Hansa spoke staring at Heer. "Kunwar Pratap bhi..." Jaivanta smiled.

"Aur woh dono kuch batane se rahe... isliye aap dono se puchna chahte ..." Ram rakh added.

"I swear maine kuch nahi kiya... Mujhe kuch nahi pata!" Heer started closing her eyes as Shakti stared at her wide-eyed and the parents clueless.

"Kya? Tum kya karogi beta?" Ramrakh looked confused. "Hum toh yeh puchna chahte ki Kunwarsa aur Ajabde ki coffee shop meeting kaisa tha? Kuch bola unhone?"

Shakti let out a chuckle making Heer fume in secret, yet relieved that their midnight adventures were not caught.

"So Shakti?" Udai looked at his younger son with hope. All of a sudden Shakti felt trapped. In between his parents' expectations and his brother's thoughts, Shakti needed to choose. His smile fainted.

"Mujhe lagta hai ki woh dono..." Heer decided to speak her mind. Let's face it; they are not ready for something as big as a marriage and not with each other if at all!

"They are perfect for each other." Shakti stole her words, making her glance at him a little surprised.

"They are not perfect of course." He saw the parents exchange glances. "But they can be with each other. Dadabhai ki baatein sunke I felt they need to know each other some

more."

"Kya?" Heer frowned. "I.... am not sure... I mean... ha they can be friends but..."

"Har rishtey ka shurwaad toh dosti se hi hoti hai na!" Hansa glared at Heer who kept mum.

"Haan! Mujhe lagta hai, hum ko un dono ko akele waqt bitane dena chahiye..."Jaivanta agreed. "Main kuch sochti hoon." The four of them rose to leave one by one as Udai Singh patted Shakti's back gently whispering "Don't tell him you told me, Samjhe."