Wherever You Stray, I Follow (Kunwar Pratap/Ajabde [PrAja])

2//~dancing in the rain~

❃ SELCOUTH ❃
(adj.)  unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet marvelous.

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Chittorgarh, Rajputana...

14 years later...

OUTFIT:

Ajabde took one look at the mangoes Ganga and Saubhagyavati had stolen from the trees and decided these needed to be returned. She packed them up in her dupatta and stomped off to the landlord's home while her best friends hurried behind her.

"Ruko! Ajabde! Ruk bhi to jayo! Tum jaanti hona ki voh zamindaar kitne sakt hain. Hume dand denge," Saubhagyavati said hurrying behind Ajabde but Ajabde was walking way too fast for her too keep up.

"Dand milega to mein khud le lungi par tum dono ko yeh paap mein kaday nahi karne dungi." Ajabde replied not even bothering to turn around or slow down.

"Keval kuch aam hi to liye hain. Unke pass eetne saare hain, unhe pata bhi nahi chalega ki humne liye the," Ganga argued.

"Chori chori hoti hain phir voh kerry ki ho ya phir sone ki. Paap to barabar hi chudegana, issi liye hum to yeh aam lauta kar hi ayenga," Ajabde replied turning around to face her best friends.

"Par-" Saubhagyavati tried but before she could even present her argument, Ajabde had already turned around and had resumed walking. This time she only stopped once she reached the landlord's house. She knocked against his door and waited for him to open the door.

Saubhagyavati and Ganga hid behind a nearby tree to watch what was going to happen. Ajabde was being annoying for no reason and now she was going to get herself and them punished her for a few mangoes. This particular man was notorious for hating children. He had caned the palms of the last batch of kids he had caught stealing from his mango trees. Ganga and Saubhagyavati looked at their poor palms. If only, Ajabde was not this stubborn but the entire village knew that the sun would begin rising from the west before Ajabde gave up on what she believed for. Sometimes, Saubhagyavati wished that she too had the strength and the courage to stand up for what she believed in.

"Kya hain?!" the landlord stepped outside and spoke sternly. Why had this young girl decided to step into his territory? No child ever willingly did and if they did, they would do everything in their power to avoid him.

"Khamma Gani Ka-ka," Ajabde stuttered looking up as the man towered over her. She had only seen him once when he was dragging a boy by his ear to his mother for stealing, and ever since then, she had avoided him at all costs. And man, did he look scary!

She handed him the mangoes.

"Yeh kerryian woh... aap hi ke bagiche ki hain," Ajabde stammered trying not to show fear as the man glared daggers into her soul. 'It's okay to be scared, this man is well-known for hating children but don't let your fear overcome your courage!' she recited to herself.