PALATINE'S STRUGGLE (COMPLETED)

12. GRANDSON

After sometime. In Smita's room. She was pacing here and there in anger. A servant knocked the door. "Rajmata Supriya padhar rahi hain" Smita sighed and sat on bed. Few minutes later, Supriya came and sat beside Smita.

Supriya held Smita's hands "Hum jaante hain aap Rajkumar Ridham aur Rajkumari Priya ko lekar chintit hain. Humare pass samsya ka nivaaran hain agar aapko manjoor ho to hum Priya ka vivah kar de." As Supriya completed, Smita looked at her shocked and freed her hands from Supriya's hands. "Ye aap kya keh rahi hain didi? Humari bachi ka vivah?" asked Smita with shock. "Smita behan dekhe agar Rajkumari Priya, Sunbai Anushka ke sath jitna zyada samay rahegi. Ve uske gun (qualities) legi. Aap bhi janti hain koi bhi Rajya yudh karne wali, mehal ke purusho ke sath kaam ke liye jane wali, ziddi, muhphut ladki ko apni Sunbai swaroop kabhi nahin savikaarege. Dusre Rajya ka jane de. Aap bataye vivah se pehle agar aap Sunbai Anushka se milti to kya aap Rajkumar Ridham ka vivah unke sath hone deti?" asked Supriya. "Nahin didi! Hargiz nahin. Hume Sunbai Anushka rati bhar bhi pasand nahin aur to aur pata nahin kya bola hain humare Ridham ko usne ke vo dusra vivah karne ke liye raazi hi nahin ho rahe. Humari Priya bhi uske jaise bolne, chalne lagi hain." replied Smita thinking.

"Is hi kaaran hum aapko bol rahe hain hume Rajkumari Priya ka vivah kara dena chaye. Ve Sunbai Anushka se door rahegi aur to aur Rajya ki zimedari me rahegi to yudh ladna, nakhre dikhana sab bhul jayegi. Hum Rajkumar Ridham ki zindagi nahin bacha sake kintu is Rajya ki ek hi Rajkumari hain Priya. Apne swargiya Pita Shree ki jaan thi, apne bhaio ki ladli hain. Hum unka jeevan bacha sakte hain." explained Supriya. "Haan didi! Aap baat to sahi kar rahi hain. Hume apni Rajkumari ka jeevan Sunbai Anushka ke sath kharab nahin karna chahte. Hume Priya ke vivah se koi aapati nahin hain." said Smita understanding.

"Hum Surbhi behan aur humare putro ko bhulate hain." said Supriya nodding. She asked servant to send Surbhi, Siddharth, Abhishek, Nihar and Ridham in Smita's room.

Some minutes later. Everyone came. "Sab khushal hain na? Yun achanak yaha bulaya?" asked Surbhi worriedly. "Haan Surbhi behan." said Smita. Supriya took deep breath "Humne or Smita behan ne nirnay liya hain, Rajkumari Priya ka vivah karane ka" Abhishek, Siddharth, Nihar and Ridham looked at Supriya and Smita with shock.

"Aese kaise Rajkumari ka vivah? Ve to-" Ridham tried to protest but Supriya cuts him "Ve choti hain umar me parantu Anushka bhi to ushi ke umar ki hain. To kya unhone vivah nahin kiya?" "Rajkumar Ridham, Smita behan ko beti ke vivah ka nirnay lene de. Unhe to bete ke vivah ka nirnay bhi nahin lene diya aur to aur dusra vivah karne ke liye taiyaar nahin hain aap" taunted Surbhi. "Kintu Rajkumari Priya humari choti behan hain humara apni behan ke jeevan par haq hain. Humari zimedari hain uski salamati aur khushi ka khayal rakhne ka." defend Ridham. "Parantu Rajya ki Rajmata Supriya behan, Maharaj Siddharth aur hum Rajkumari Priya ki maa hain unki salamati aur khushi ka khayal karne ke liye. Rajumari ke jeevan ka nirnay karne ke liye. Agar aapko humare nirnay se aapti hain, aap yaha se jaa sakte hain. Humne aur Supriya behan ne soch samajh kar Priya ke vivah ka nirnay liya hain." said Smita anger dripping from her voice.

Everyone was shocked. Ridham was taken aback. He composed himself and stayed quiet. "Rajmata humare mitra Dev, Kaush Rajya ke Yuvraj kaise rahege?" suggested Nihar. "Haan ve to bahut hi bhale aur nek dil insaan hain. Aapke vivah ke samay humari mulakat hui thi unse. Aapka kya khayal hain Smita behan?" said Supriya. "Aap sahi keh rahi hain didi. Ve bahut hi ache hain. Hum aapke vichar se sehmat hain." replied Smita. "To hum Kaush Rajya me vivah ka prastav bhejvate hain" said Siddharth. "Hmm... Siddharth vivah jald se ho jaye is baat ka dhayan rakhna" pleaded Smita. "Smita maa aap chintit na ho." assured Siddharth.

"Hum ab bhi salah dena chahege is vishay par ek aur baar soch le." suggested Ridham being possessive brother. "Hum bhi aap ko salah dege ek aur baat dusra vivah karne ke liye soche" said Smita with anger.

Ridham walked out of room in anger. Others sighed and continued discussion.

After few hours. Supriya called all wives of Abhishek and Siddharth in her room. "Ji maa ji aapne bhulaya?" asked Avneet. "Hume aap sab se bahut mahtav vishay par baat karni hain" said Supriya. All nodded.

"Humare dono beto ki itni sari biwiyan hone ke baad bhi aaj tak hume dadi banne ka sukh prapt nahin hua. Hume jald se jald humara pota chahie." demanded Supriya.

All girls got shy. "Par Avneet didi aur Vaishnavi didi ka vivah to Maharaj Siddharth aur Yuvraj Abhishek se bachpan me ho gaya tha. Itne saalo me ve dono ek bache ko janam nahin de saki" "Hume kya hume to mauka mil jayega is Rajya ka chota varas sabse pehle lane me" "Maharani aur Choti Rani ka pad to mil gaya Vaishnavi didi aur Avneet didi parantu ve zimedari to nibha nahin paa rahi hain" These words heard as murmurs by Supriya, Vaishnavi and Avneet. Supriya fumed in anger. Vaishnavi and Avneet looked down as tears roll down their cheeks.

"Itne saal ho gaye aap logo ke vivah ko. Maharani aur Choti Rani ka pad bhi mila parantu zimedari to puran nahin ki. Kya aap dono se itna bhi nahin hua?" Listening murmurs, Supriya shouted on Vaishnavi and Avneet. Both was silently sobbing. They don't have any answer.

"Humne kuch pucha aap dono se." shouted Supriya, holding Avneet's arm in tight grip. "Maa ji hume peeda ho rahi hain." cried Avneet in pain. "To jawab de. Kyun tum dono apni zimedari puran nahin kar saki?" asked Supriya. "Maa ji hum bhi bacha chahte parantu Maharaj Siddharth aur Yuvraj Abhishek hi Rajya ke zimedari me vyast rahete hain. Hum kya kare?" gathering all courage but still stuttering replied Vaishnavi. Supriya left Avneet's arm.

"Vo aap dono ki zimedari hain. Hum aakhiri baar bol rahe hain. Aap sab ko hume jald se jald humara pota chaye. Vo bhi Surbhi ke Sunbai se pehle. Hume pura yakeen hain Anushka in sab ke liye mana hi karegi. Humari baat ka samaran (remember) rahe. Apne pati ko kaise in sab ke liye taiyaar karna hain ve aapki zimedari hain." Supriya announced. All nodded.

Supriya walked out of room. So everyone left and went for their works. Avneet and Vaishnavi wiped their tears and went in their respective rooms.

End of Chapter.

Chapter was bit cringey.

Words: 1125 count