My SnowLotus

Part 6

The moment the maid heard these words her face lost colour. She opened and closed her mouth like a gaping fish but no words came out of her mouth.

"IF you could be kind enough to tell me what is happening here, that would be great".

"So you mean to say that you don't remember all the chaos you have created?" asked the girl.

Shaking my head in a no, I looked expectantly at her to explain everything.

"Arrey deva!! the girl exclaimed."Meeru, Kai gondhal aahe ha"!!

"Ok, You are Meerabai, Daughter of Shamrao Deshmukh, Senapati of Late Maharaj Balkrishna raje Shirke, and now first wife of Maharaj Shrimant Abhhibhav Raje Shirke". The moment those words were out of her mouth I realized, that I was doomed even in this life.

1st wife? What kind of joke was this? Was I supposed to share my husband with other women as well? What was he an Uber? which can be used on sharing basis?

"1st wife? What do you mean by that? Are there more?"

Giving me a bewildered look the girl continued, "For someone who claims to have lost her memory, you are still worried about the same thing."

"What do you mean?"

"This was the precise reason why you tried to commit suicide today morning, when you came to know that your Rao was married to 2 more wives due to political reasons just like your own marriage."

What kind of person was this Meerabai, If I was in her place then I would have killed those other two wives and not killed myself, she sure was a nutcase.

One thing good is that we had similar names, Thanks Mataji for the small mercies.

Looking at that girl I questioned, "What is your name?"

Hitting her head with her palm she answered, "See between all this stuff I forgot to introduce myself. I am Sakhu your childhood best friend. We grew up together. My parents used to work for your parents. They are back home in Amboli.".

"I don't understand something. Where was I when my husband was getting himself extra wives and why did I decide to kill myself just today morning?"

"you see you were married to Maharaj in your childhood", so childhood sweethearts was the theme of my love story. Not bad.

"The late Maharaj  Balkrishna raje Shirke was out on the war against the enemy territory and he realized that he needed help so he sent out a word to your father who was the Deshmukh of the adjacent village. Your father took a teer that was aimed at the Late Maharaj and saved his life. But your father was fatally injured in this. It took him a long time to recover. After that Maharaj had come to meet your father and had asked him what did he want in return for saving his life?"

"That was the time your father had proposed your hand in marriage for then Yuvraj  Abhhibhav Raje Shirke. Maharaj had agreed for the same and you both were married off".

There goes my dream of having a childhood sweetheart love story.

She continued telling the tale, "As you were quite young, 9 years to be precise, it was decided that you would live at your maternal house and once you grow up you would be brought back to the mehal. Once the departure of all the wedding party, there was not much communication between the two families. After the death of the late Maharaj Balkrishna Raje Shirke last year due to health issues,  Yuvraj Abhhibhav Raje Shirke was crowned as the next Maharaj. Your father had expected Raj Gharana to contact him regarding you. But no letter was received. Since your father is also bedridden, he asked your brother to drop you at your husband's place.

Yesterday when we reached here we came to know that the Maharaj was married twice and has both wives residing in the mehal with his family. He had forgotten about you but since you were here he was ready to let you live here as his 1st wife."She heaved a sigh of relief after completing her story.

Now it was my time to react but I just could not utter a word. This had more drama than any of Kekta Lapoor's Serials. This script would garner thousands of views. A slow-mo Clap was well deserved.

Seeing me do that Sakhu was horrified and said, "Hey are you okay? Why are you clapping?"

I abruptly stopped clapping and asked her to leave as I needed some time to articulate all my thoughts.