The Stone Hearted King (Royal Rathods #0.5)

4

Chapter 4

Ramsingh was driving the car for the last three hours while Ranvijay was in the passenger seat with his eyes closed, to anyone else he would look relaxed and calm but he was fighting a battle with himself and his beliefs. 

"Tell me Ramsingh, did you know about them as well?" Ranvijay asked, his eyes still closed.

"Ji Hukum (Yes, sir)” Ramsingh answered. 

Ranvijay Chuckled at the irony of the situation. "Only I was left alone, am I that bad Ramsingh that Babsa (Father) didn't trust me enough to tell me about his marriage?" 

Ram Singh was silent for a minute. He could feel Ranvijay’s anger at the situation."It was not late Hukum's decision, Hukum,  Rani Hukum (Queen)  asks for this promise and you know a Rathore never breaks his promise," Ramsingh replied making Ranvijay chuckle again.

“Right, A rathore never breaks his promise,” He couldn't hide the sarcastic tone making Ramsingh pursed his lips. “Maafi chahu Hukum, Par aap koni jano, Bade Hukum ne kin halat me ye byah kariyo, (I apologise sir, but you are not aware of the circumstances in which our deceased sir agreed to this marriage.)”

Ever so slowly, Ranvijay opened his eyes and fixed them on Ramsingh. “You know it, right? Then tell me about those circumstances, Ramsingh.”

Ramsingh nodded. “Jaise aap chaho, Hukum, (As you wish sir)” He said and recited the whole story behind Jaya and Udayveer’s marriage to Ranvijay. 

.

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"Enough! Don't forget you all are sitting in front of your king, Rana Udayveer Singh Rathore. How dare you say something like this about me,” Rana Udayveer Singh Rathore lashed out at the Five Heads of the Village. 

They all glanced at each other, none of them wanted to speak the words but the Sarpanch (Head of the village government) gathered his courage and spoke: "Hukum(sir), that girl's brother and sister-in-law are greedy people. They made this an issue of village reputation and the village women have seen you both together in that room. People are angry they are talking bad about the girl's reputation." 

Rana Udayveer Singh Rathore stood up abruptly "I will talk to that girl's family myself," He said and walked out of the palace in the village.  

"Ramsingh, take me to the village to that girl's house," Rana Udayveer Singh Rathore ordered his most trusted man. 

Ramsingh nodded and opened the door of the car for Rana Udayveer Singh Rathore. It took them half an hour to reach the girl's house. 

Ramsingh looked at the scene outside his car, it looked as if the whole village was gathered outside that girl's house. 

"Hukum (sir), I don't think it's safe to go out, at this moment." 

Rana ( king) Udayveer Singh Rathore glanced outside the car window, he was shocked to see more than 100 people there. 

"What is happening here?" He whispered and stepped out of the car without bothering about the royal etiquette that the driver must open the door for him. 

When he walked further near the house he saw that a woman was mercilessly beating Jaya with a stick and she was crying begging  the woman to not hit her as she did nothing wrong.

"I did nothing, Bhabhisa(Sister-in-law), please don't hit me," Jaya cried, running her hands on her elbows where her sister-in-law was beating her.