DhruvTara: The twist of Time

Chapter 4: The truth unfolds

Dhruv took the Devgarh royal family to his study room and closed the door. Bhabosa and Minakshi were a kind of afraid as things looked wierd around. Pratap was sweating in the cool weather.
"Pratap ji.... sach aap batayenge ya hum bataye..." said Dhruv. Tara hold Saurya tighly by her arms.
"Aisa kuch bhi nehi hai Dhruv... woh aap bhi jante ho...."
"Hmm... hum jante hai... aur sari jindegi aapke abhari rahenge... ki aapne mere patni aur bacche ki jaan bachayi....."

"Apke patni aur baccha??" Asked Bhabosa
"Haa bhabosa.... Tara... Vallabhgarh ki Rajkumari Tarapriya, meri Patni... aur Saurya... mera baccha...." replied Dhruv
"Yeh aap keya keh rahe ho?! Saurya apka...." exclaimed Bhabosa
"Haa Saurya mera... mera beta..."

"Iska matlab aap Bhabisa ke pehle pati..." Enquired Minakshi
"Um hm... pehla nehi... ek abang ekmatra... Tara ka eklauta pati mai hi hu.... Dhruv... Dr. Dhruv Saxena.... apke Pratap bhaisa ke sath Tara ki.. arthat Rajkumari Tarapriya  ki kabhi shadi hui hi nehi thi... Antara byas ek banayi hui kahani thi... "
"Arthat?!" Bhabosa moved aback with shock. Dhruv provided a chair to her, she looked up at him.

"Tara... Saurya ka yaha rehna thick nehi hoga... " said Dhruv. Tara nodded her head in agreement.
Dhruv took Saurya out and made him seat infront of the tv and switched on the cartoon channel. Saurya's eyes shinned and his mouth opened, so did the Devgarh royalty's.
"Malati... thoda dekhna ha Saurya ko..."
"Ji ha sahab...."

Back behind the closed doors, it was a time for confrontation.
"Pata hai Pratap ji... kisi mahan bekti ne mujhse kaha tha... abhishap aur vaardan tabhi lagte hai jab aap unhe sikar karte hai.... aur aapne to sraap sikar karli....."
"Arthat?!" Exclaimed Pratap.
"Aaj agar aap sachmai shadi karte... meri Tara aur mere bacche ko apna na bolte... to aj apki sagi ek santan hoti... jo nehi hui... keuki apne mere patni aur bacche ko, so called, apna liya.... ha abhari rahenge hum ap ke par akher mai jo hua use bhi to hum bhul nehi sakte....."
"Byas Ranisa aur Saurya banna ki raksha kar rahe the hum... hum apne parivar ko kaise tod sakte..."
"Aap bhul rahe hai Maharaj...." Tara intervened, "ki hum apke parivar kabhi the hi nehi... humare sandhi ke anusar humbe aapko Saurya ke byas babasa kehlane ka anumati diya tha..... unke asli pita ke sath chal karke unki jaan leke unko chinne ka anumati nehi diya tha.... aur na hi anumati diya tha mere upar koi aisi taisi nazar dene ko....." Tara spoke firmly in a high note.
"Ranisa mai....."
"Kahiye aap" Tara stopped Pratap and raised her fingure at him, "kahiye aap Kanha ji ke samne ki apne mere akhon mai Dhruv ko nicha dikhane ke liye woh manje pe bish wala sariyanta nehi racha... parantu aap yeh bhul geye ki Dhruv mere pati hai.. sayed 2 barsh ka hi sath tha hamara parantu jitna pas se hum unhe jante aur woh mujhe jante utna pas se koi humain nehi jante... hum itne murkh the ki kabhi ham samach hi nehi paye ki aap humara iskamal kar rahe the apne khud ke khatir... apki nazar mere upar thi..."
"Tara... itna excited mat ho.. shant ho jao..." Dhruv tried to stop Tara
"Byas apna barappan aur acchai dikhake mera dil jitne ka prayas kar rahe the..." Tara continued ignoring Dhruv, "Jab mere pati laut aye tab kaha geyi apki acchai... humare sath chal kapat karke aap humko jitna chahate the... kahiye na sabko ki kaise chotil hue hum... kaise aap mere upar jor jabardasti karna chahate the aur Dhruv apne apa kho baithke apke upar hamla kia... Saurya to byas ek bahana tha... Saurya se itna prem hota to kabhi use aap apne pita se alag nehi karna chahate.... aur agar... agar... kabhi bhi humse prem kia hota to humko humari pati se alag karne ka sariyanta na karte..... ha apne humare aur humare bacche ki jaan bachayi... ashray diya.. abhari hai... parantu hum bhi Rajkumari hai... abhar ke liye khud ko bika nehi dete.... apni parivar apni parivar karte rahe jaha hum apke apne the hi nehi... aap mera parivar todke apne bhram ka mahal bana rahe the...."
"Aap humai galat samach rahi Rani Antara...."
"Hum Antara nehi Tarapriya hai.... Antara byas ek chadya naam tha humari aur humari bacche ki jaan bachane ke liye... Antara ka koi astitya na kabhi tha aur nahi rahega.... Antara ap ka bhram hai... uska Tarapriya ke sath koi mail nehi.. aur rahi baat Ranisa ki... to Rani to woh hoti jo Raja se vivah karti.. parantu Dhruv ko Chikitsak hai.. Raja nehi...."
"Aap...." Pratap was going to oppose
"Pratap banna...", But Bhabosa stopped him, "Aap humari kasam kha ke boliye... yehlog ko bol rahe hai woh sach hai??"
"Bhabosa..."
"Ha ya na..."
"Aap humari..."
"Ha ya naa Pratap bannaa...."
Pratap got silent for a moment, then replied with a sigh, "Haa...."
"Yeh aapne kaisa paap kar diya Pratap banna... ek Vallabhgarh ka sraap keya kaam tha jo apne ferse Vallabhgarh ke Rajkumari ke sath aisa chal kiya... upkar tak simit rehte to alag baat ki parantu ek bacche ko apne pita se ek patni ko apne pati se chinne ke liye aisa sariyanta... aisa paap... "
Pratap remained silent.
"An... Tarapriya... ho sake to humain shama kar dena.... hum to jante bhi nehi the ki...." Bhabosa asked for forgiveness from Tara and folded her hands. Tara stopped her and hold her hands.
"Nehi bhabosa... shama na mange... ismain apki koi dosh nehi... aap bare hai... shama mangke humai paap ka bhagi na banaye...."