"Aree Shakti Pratap gaya na unko lene? Subah se usko nahi dekha." Jaivanta frowned at her younger son who seemed busy smiling at some text message.
"Umm... Ha, I called him, woh pouch gaye hai." Shakti sat up looking at his mother. "They are on the way."
"Aree Rama." "Ji Ranisa?"
"Aarti ka thaal taiyyar karo."
"Ji." The lady in waiting dashed off to make the arrangements.
"Aarti ka thaal?" Shakti raised his eyebrows. "The last time aapne Dadabhai ka aarti utara tha was when he came back from the UK after his grads!" Shakti had a hint of amusement in his voice. "Aj kya achieve kiya unhone?"
"Bahu laa raha hai ghar, first time... yeh bhi achievement se kamm hai?" Udai smiled at his son who burst out laughing.
" First time! Aur kitne laenge Papa?" He laughed.
"Ohho! Bas kijiye dono. Mera Pratap utna bhi bura nahi hai, usme itna sanskaar diya maine ke shadi aur rishton ka samman kare. Haan mana ke thoda ziddi hai, aur..." Jaivanta was overprotective of her ladla as Shakti's smile faded. Dadabhai I hope aapke decisions se Ranima hurt na ho bas!
The village seemed pleasant to the eyes as Ajabdeh smiled at the passing scenes unknowingly. The huts. The cattle. The meadows and trees. The Pond, The children running. The women with the matkas. The men in turbans. She smiled as most of them stopped to join their hands and bow to their prince.
"Kaafi samman karte hai aapka." Heer sounded almost surprised at them as Hansa gave her a warning stare.
"Haan woh toh karenge hi, itna kaam jo karte hai Kunwarsa apne logo ke liye."Ramrakh smiled. "Hum ne suna hai...."
"Aree nahi nahi Uncle..." Pratap cut in a little embarrassed "Hum waisa kuch bhi nahi karte. Karta toh Shakti hai.... Pura din Papa ke saath woh business sambhalta hai!"
"Tum bhi toh samhalte ho, Ranisa ne kaha humse." Ramrakh smiled as Pratap's eyes widened a little. The last time he went to his apparent office chamber was on the day of the annual report when the media was there and Shakti dragged him to the boring conference. Ajabdeh caught his expression and hid a smile pressing her lips as the car zoomed into the palace complex.
The Surajgarh Palace compound was built by Pratap's great-grandfather and stood on a large acre of land, surrounded by the employees' quarters, Guest houses and servant's houses. The large gate with the sun disk was opened by four men in security uniforms as the car zoomed into the road with a Garden on its sides, fountains and colourful flowers in bloom.
"On the left are the employee quarters, and on the right the palace servants," Pratap said as they went past a fountain in the middle of the road. The quarters had adjoining grounds for the children on both sides and then started a huge orchard of tall trees and shadows.
"As kids, Shakti and I used to escape from the palace and hide here and Ranima would send the securities to catch us and we had our own little game of hide and seek. Beyond these orchards lie the old ruins of the Palace of our ancestors."
"The one you told me about?" Ajabdeh sounded excited all of a sudden as Heer looked at them suspiciously and the parents smiled. They take time out of flirting and drinking and talk too!
"Umm Hmm" Pratap nodded. "That part is now secluded. " Ajabdeh realised her mother's smile and bit her tongue. Shit! I forgot to pretend we are not getting along!
As soon as the orchards gave way to the long road ahead, meadows and flowers on either side, a huge palace made Hansa gasp inwardly. She had attended all of Jaivanta's Kitty parties in their city farmhouse or at the hotels, never had they even been to this traditional palace property. The three-storey palace had a porch and stairs from either side that led up spirally to the entrance of the main palace.
"Behind the palace and the swimming area, there is another forest-covered area crossing which we have the Royal facilities for us as well as our employees, their families and guests. The school for the employees' children, the library, the Auditorium Hall, and A small
museum of antiques and weapons that is accessible from the Highway we just crossed across the village. And our Business Office as well.''
"Wow it must cost a fortune to maintain all these" Hansa gushed as Ramrakh rolled his eyes.
"We have a Trust. The Sisodia Trust for Surajgarh" He smiled as the car drove across the roads of the lawn to the porch.
"Oh yes, I remember you have NGOs under it as well." Hansa agreed.
"Yes, old age homes, orphanages, workshops for women and schools." He smiled. "Ranima takes care of them all." He seemed proud of his mother's associations.
"What do you do?" Heer murmured loud enough making her parents feel awkward as Pratap stole a glance at Ajabdeh who was amused at his "help me" face.
The car stopped at the porch right where Jaivanta, Udai and Shakti stood smiling to welcome the guests as Pratap felt relieved.
"Welcome," Udai came forward to shake hands with Ramrakh as Hansa hugged Jaivanta.
"You need help?" Heer got down quickly sharing a courtesy smile with Shakti before turning to her sister.
"I am fine. I think." She held her dress to step out of the car. "Don't fall." Pratap chuckled under his breath.
"Shut up!" Ajabdeh's voice was louder than usual as everyone stopped to stare at her getting down. Her eyes widened a little as Shakti and Heer shared a glance at them and at the elders, as Pratap seemed amused.
"I was... talking to Heer." Ajabdeh pointed at her sister who frowned. Pratap shook his head and took his place beside Shakti.
"How are you?" Shakti smiled.
"Tired, hungry, sleepy." He murmured. "Where were you?"
"Hush!"
He stopped a little awkwardly as Heer touched Udai and Jaivanta's feet prompting Ajabdeh to do the same in return of which Jaivanta was happy to bring the aarti thali.
"Yeh sab ki kya zarurat thi...." Hansa smiled, placing the chunari over Ajabdeh's head as Pratap received a cold helpless stare from her. He shrugged.
"Aree kaise zarurat nahi thi, mere ghar laxmi padhari hai!" Jaivanta smiled. "Dadabhai?"
"Hmm?"
"Kya Ranima janti hai ke unke ghar laxmi ki roop mein Maata Chamunda aayi hai?" Shakti's serious voice made Pratap smile.
"Chalo sab breakfast karke Shakti will show aap sab ke guest quarters."
"I'm hungry." Ajabdeh murmured as Heer warned, "Slowly and gracefully Jija, remember?"
A text on Pratap's phone read NEXT STEP PLAN KARNA HAI! As he looked across the table at Ajabdeh who just put down her phone. The table was laid with a variety of options from cornflakes, bread and cheese to desi parathas. Everyone stopped to notice how two plates were filled with every possible option they found much to the parents' embarrassment.
"Lagta hai Jalal ne kal dinner nahi diya Pratap?" His father's warning voice rang a bell as everyone laughed and Pratap froze.
"Nahi woh main... Dinner acha tha..." He lay staring across the table at the one who seemed in a different world together with her cheese omelette.
"Maine dinner hotel mein kiya." Shakti sounded indifferent. "I left early." "Why?" Jaivanta frowned.
"Woh kisi ko drop karna ...." He stopped amused as Heer's fork landed on the ground with a sound. "Am sorry." She murmured.
"Don't be clumsy." Her mother warned.
"Waise Jalal Pratap ke bachpan ke dost hai. Jallaluddin Mohammad Akbar." Udai informed nodding Ramrakh.
"Ohh he is the next big thing!"
"Haan usi ka success party mein gaye thee kal dono." Udai smiled at Shakti and stopped watching how disturbingly his elder one was using both his hands on the cheese sandwich, in a way some melted cheese fell on the table. His eyes rolled to stop at Ajabdeh licking the melted cheese off her fingers as Heer caught his gaze and pinched her sibling to stop. Udai Singh shook his head and sighed.
"Shakti, show the guests their cottages. We arranged one for the girls, another one for you two." Jaivanta smiled. "Aap sab rest karo, see you all at lunch."
" Ji Ranisa, thank you so much" Ramrakh smiled as they got up to take leave prompting Ajabdeh to get up with an apple in hand her mother gestured at her to keep back.
"Ghar pe khana nahi milta kya?" she scolded under her breath.
"But I am hungry," Ajabdeh whispered back, making Pratap stare back at her.
"Am going to finish the rest in my room." He picked up his plate as Shakti got up to show the Punwars their cottages. "Excuse me." His father opened his mouth to protest but he left nevertheless.
"Bhuka hai kal se bechara." Jaivanta defended her elder one rather awkwardly. "It's okay." Hansa smiled as it faded with Ajabdeh picking up the apple again.
"Le jao beta khate khate jaana cottage tak." Jaivanta smiled as Ajabdeh smiled back, biting the apple and making her parents stare at each other.
"Chaliye." Shakti smiled at Ajabdeh's antics and led the way to the cottage.