The Royal Match Making

Home Is

"Love is living for each other. Laxman and Urmila did that as much as Ram and Sita. As for society and its norms, it's broken by many men also. Do you not think that what Sita suffered Ram didn't? He didn't know his sons. He never had happiness. Laxman

missed Urmila as much as she did." Heer read the small piece of paper and smiled.

"What is love if not living together? Urmila was a wedded bride who lived like a widow for half her life. Just what is LOVE if not PAIN?" Heer wrote down with a sigh.

Although this stranger had different opinions for the first time Heer felt she was learning something from another point of view rather than trying to prove each other right and wrong. Heer missed such a healthy discussion with any mind alike. Most high-society girls her age were more attracted to make-up, shopping, gossiping and dating. Most guys were flirting around, sleeping around, partying or sitting clueless in their father's businesses. At most parties she felt like an outlaw unlike Ajabdeh who gelled with anyone and everyone despite them being different She remembered with a frown one of Jija's rare advice we never find alike minds, it's a myth, we are all unique and we should just know more and more people ... they all teach us some lesson or the other... She always felt otherwise but she never spoke about it. She couldn't help wondering who this stranger was... could they be friends if they knew each other?

Pratap lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He was content today. He smiled remembering the faces of those happy people at Chavand... the villagers, the tourists... Ajabdeh seemed too surprised. He smiled remembering her face. He stared at the wall clock that resembled a Ferrari and sat up. Peeping out of the room he saw everyone in the Haveli busy with the puja preparations. Servants and ladies in waiting were running about. The decorators put the drapes, lights and flowers perfectly. He tiptoed to the Puja Hall where Ranima stood in the middle with Hansa instructing the decorations for the yagna kund and materials required. He decided it was best to step out of the chaos before he was dragged in to become a part of it. Jaivanta smiled watching her firstborn look here and there before running through the lawns towards the guest cottages. She set the curtains back and smiled to herself.

Ajabdeh had finally changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a high-neck grey top before letting her hair loose and chose to lie around in the cottage while Heer insisted on going for a walk on her own. Ajabdeh sat down with her eyes hovering on the clear blue sky with occasional passing cotton-like white clouds as she recollected her morning. The way the people doted on Kunwar Pratap, how he helped them at the grassroots level, how

without vanity of his standards he wanted their blessings... and Rathore's words rang in her mind. She remembered their conversation with a smile. Somehow in some eerie way, they were so alike... Had Ajabdeh ever thought she would befriend someone like this? Had she ever thought she would ever take anyone up there at her "It" place? How much a week is changing the way she sees the world. I like Surajgarh. She decided to breathe in the fragrant air as the cool breeze swept her hair and she closed her eyes.

"Ajabdeh." Pratap's soft call made her open her eyes as she relaxed on the sofa of the cottage balcony after a day at Chavand, and a boring lunch at the palace where she was asked how much she liked Surajgarh but they were keen to know how they got along with each other.

"Nice." Ajabdeh chose her words carefully between the two spoonfuls of pulao.

"It was nice." Made Pratap smile faintly as she kept a straight face and concentrated on her food while Heer and Shakti caught Pratap's smile before it faded and the parents stared at each other worried.

They are pretending! Heer had found it awkward that as soon as her eyes met Shakti's they could read each other's mind. Pratap had excused himself on the pretext of resting as Heer departed with Ajabdeh only to land up in the library while Hansa bonded with Jaivanta over the Puja preparations for the next day and Ramrakh was invited by Udai Singh for a cocktail party of some of his acquaintances where they were accompanied by a reluctant Shakti in toe, as the future representative of the Sisodias, a right that belonged to his carefree elder brother who he assumed was snoring away peacefully in his room.